Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Volcan Pacaya
Stuck our heads out the door at 8:30 for desayuno, but all three tables were full, so we went upstairs and looked for the volcanoes, currently covered with clouds, then had breakfast about 45 minutes later. Around 9:30, the remainder of the dining area, with the exception of our little table, was taken over by a multilevel marketing presentation, complete with a PowerPoint. When we got up, they took over our table as well. I hope their pyramid scheme works out for them!
After washing my hair with a bar of soap the last two days, this morning, now that we're back in the land of hotel-provided toiletries, Tom reaches in his backpack and pulls out a mini-bottle of shampoo he forgot he was carrying!!! Since I don't need it now, he can just stick it in the appropriate place!
The Mercado de Artisans is about two blocks from our hotel, right next to the local chicken-bus station. We'd given it a cursory look when we were here last week but decided to check it out again this morning.
Chicken-bus station, Antigua
Camioneta de pollos
The artisans market may have had interesting items for sale, but we couldn't look without getting a hard sale, so we left there and instead spent a couple of hours wandering the adjacent, much more interesting market where the locals shop.
Small portion of the local market
Bootleg DVD store
Mmmm, pineapples
Baby chickens for sale
Deep within the market, with the prices clearly marked, I bought a big bag of cashews and a small bag of pistachios for what we now know is the going rate of 50Q and 20Q. The nut vendors in the park charge whatever they can get.
Flower market
Fetching flowers
You break it, you buy it - Don't touch!
At lunchtime we went to the supermarket around the corner from our hotel and made sandwiches in our room. We each ate one sandwich immediately and packed another to take with us on our hike. We're also bringing nuts, water, jackets, a headlamp in case we're there after dark, and, of course, our cameras.
The Volcan Pacaya trip was scheduled for 2:00. At 2:15 we were picked up at our hotel by a travel agent in a taxi and taken to the edge of Antigua to wait for the minibus. The bus arrived at 2:30, and being the last ones to board, we sat in fold-out seats in the aisle, which was fine. We arrived at Pacaya at 3:50.
The Pacaya “tour” (110Q ea.) is really just transportation to Volcan Pacaya National Park from Antigua and back again. On arrival, each busload of people is assigned two national park guides to escort the group up the mountain, one guide in the front and one in the rear to keep the group together. Entrance to the park, which includes the guide fee, is paid separately (50Q ea.)
You have to stay with the random group of 25ish people from your bus as you hike, and the guides keep you moving at a pretty brisk pace. I might also mention that our ad hoc group was composed primarily of very fit 20-somethings. If you can't keep up, or if you just prefer it, you can hire a horse. Tom decided to hire a horse, with an English-speaking guide, one way, up the trail only, for 100Q, and then hike back down. I bought a hiking stick from a kid for 5Q and hoofed it up myself.
Tom and Chester
The last clear view on the hike up Pacaya
Jana hikes Pacaya
The hike up took an hour and ten minutes. It wasn't bad until that last ten minutes, when it got pretty steep. I was beet red when we got to the top of the trail, at 7,532 feet. Tom was lightheaded, unjustifiably so, since he rode up. Ha! The hike is 3 ½ to 4 km up and 3 ½ to 4 km down, via a different trail, so no more than 5 miles total, with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet. You don't go all the way to the top of the volcano for safety reasons, as it is actively erupting! Tom hiked up the volcano 22 years ago. I hiked this time, but if we come again in another 22 years, I'm taking a horse too.
Tom and Jana, with Chester the horse
Guide Nelson, with Chester
Unfortunately, it was very cloudy when we emerged into the moonscape at the top of the trail, and we couldn't see the top of the volcano. That's often the case when visiting Pacaya, so I didn't have my hopes up for the views. Tom had the same result last time he was here. I did, however, very much enjoy the hike up through the lush vegetation.
After ten minutes or so at the high point of the trail, we descended on a path of scree to a vast lava field, where our guide Claudio pulled out a bag of marshmallows for us to roast in the various steam vents. That's something I don't do every day! We were here about 20 minutes, and those of us with snacks scarfed them down.
Jana on the moon
Inside a volcanic cone
Geothermal marshmallow roast
Our hiking companions
After that, we virtually raced down the mountain and got back to the bus right at dark, 6:30 p.m. The sticks many of us “purchased” earlier were actually rented sticks, as another kid is there at the end of the hike in the event you'd like to recycle it. What a racket! LOL
Guide Claudio
On the way down
The driver had us back in Antigua by 7:45. He'd collected his passengers earlier all over town, but on the return he dumped the whole group of us at Parque Central. We walked back to our hotel so I could get a shower then went out to dinner. I was FAMISHED and chose to eat at Antigua Brewing Co. again. Their bacon cheeseburger is the best!
Afterwards, we walked over to Arco de Santa Catalina and Iglesia de La Merced. They were gorgeous at night, especially with the full moon rising behind the church.
Arco de Santa Catalina
Iglesia de La Merced
Tom
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