The truth is…the old lady was right after all, although the danger did not come from climbing the Pacaya volcano outside Antigua or the pyramids outside Mexico City, but a place that seemed a lot more innocuous.
It is 6.45am and I am walking down some narrow stairs from the roof top of the Posada la Merced where I am staying in Antigua. In spite of being up at 6am, I have missed sunrise for the second day in a row, and I am just thinking that I will ask the staff to find out the exact time of sunrise tomorrow.
The view from the rooftop is glorious. Antigua is surrounded on 3 sides by volcanoes and doing qi gong, looking across the rooftop to the dark green slopes, listening to the sound of early morning birds and the occasional church bell and cock crowing and feeling inspired after my afternoon on the volcano yesterday, my head full of writing and my heart light, I trip on a small step and fall awkwardly twisting my left foot and scraping my back on the rough stone.
Thankfully, I am not really hurt, just shaken and as I pick myself up grateful that my fall has been blocked by a sheet of corrugated iron that I have leant against as I fell, I notice that beyond the flimsy barrier is a long and potentially dangerous drop onto concrete 2 floors below!
Pacaya, although potentially perilous, presented no such problem. (Sorry, but I just couldn’t resist some early morning alliteration!)
Last seriously active about 12 months ago, Pacaya huffs and puffs a lot and has registered some mild seismic action of late, so she is the preferred site for tourists hoping to get a glimpse of some lava, in spite of being a 31/2 hour round trip away from Antigua depending on the traffic.
Although there was no lava and we were restricted from walking right up to the caldera, the trip to Pacaya was unforgettable.
I’ll let a few photos explain why.
(these photos are not in order due to technical glitch...)
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| Pacaya nightfall |
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| Acatenango, one of 3 volcanoes that surround Antigua |
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| Locals enjoying the warmer weather |
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| walking the kids to school |
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| Guatemalan Jade different to Chinese but just as valued |
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| remains in the cemetery at Casa Santo Domingo hotel, a 5 star hotel and archeological site |
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| Antigua cobblestone streets and colourful houses |
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| local handicrafts |
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| Pacaya no lava but worth the trip, steam is very hot! |
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| fountain at Parque Central |
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| one of many ruins around town |
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| walked up to the security patrolled hill that offers a view across Antigua |
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| more ruins |
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| my salsa dancing spot |
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| and another ruin |
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| setting out to climb Pacaya |
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| It's about 2 hours to the top |
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| the rain has stopped and the climb up is worth the views |
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| the guy with the stick managed to make it but the donkey was on stand by just in case |
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| view on the way |
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| still climbing |
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| landscape changes |
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| in the steam and the clouds |
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| nature is in charge |
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| last lava flow |
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| locals selling souvenirs! |
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| ah the tranquility! |
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| view from my rooftop |
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| local church |
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| early morning walk |
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| I brushed past a patron when I was out one night and felt his gun. Really! |
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