A Volcano Burnt My Sweater

One morning, in Antigua, I awoke with volcano in my elbow.  I mean I literally pulled volcano bits out of my elbow.  Her name is Pacaya, Volcan Pacaya, and she is HOT, I mean really hot with flowing glowing lava, bundles of smoke and a great ability to toast multicolored marshmallows.  Not only did I acquire bits in my elbow but she burnt my sweater as well.

Volcan Pacaya and a Taxi

I love Volcan Pacaya :)

She is amazing and my favorite part of visiting Antigua.  After about an hour drive where the Pullman kind of like greyhound bus, kept over heating and the driver kept stopping to poor water into it and it finally broke down within feet of the park entrance, I found myself at the base of a volcano.  It actually looked more like a tourist stop near some woods and there were really tiny children coming up to you with long sticks saying "stick lady stick lady, lady you need stick" and implying that I might slip to an immanent death if I didn't shell out the 5Q for a stick.  I decided to take the risk even as a little boy popped his head into the bathroom line and said stick lady to me again.  Some of the older children were also on horses saying "taxi need taxi".  This made me smile as even horses are taxis here. 

Yep, Me and my Hair

After about an hour hike, through some beautiful woods, with my new 14 year old friend from the bus who kept yelling out my name at random intervals (GENOVEVA, GENOVEVA), we came to a wonderful clearing with amazing views.  I saw the lava from afar and thought wow that is so pretty and amazing in a burnt red glowing sort of way and just as I thought we were going to return we pursued to hike closer and closer until I could of just stepped right into that lava!  My 14 year old friend and her cousins had brought marshmallows to roast and don't let me get started on the fabulousness multi-layers of colored marshmallows in Guatemala!  The sunset was amazing and after the dark hike back over pointy dried lava with a guide that I was not totally sure was mine I had a much rewarding experience.

Another Volcano View

Don't Fall on This

Volcan Pacay, Me and Lava

And then it was Dark

Pacaya After Sunset

Pacaya Sunset

Clouds and Smoke