Marshmallow roasting on a volcano

With just a few days left in Guatemala, I was almost able to do all the things I wanted here. The one thing I did not get to do was go see the pyramids at Tikal, but I can easily do those on another trip I would eventually like to take to Belize. But two really cool things I got to do were climb a volcano that still spews smoke everyday and last erupted in 2010, Volcan Pacaya, and go to Guatemala's famous volcano surrounded lake, Lago de Atitlan.

The climb up to the top of the volcano took about two hours, and the hike down was another hour. Pacaya is 8,373 feet above sea level. Some other volunteers and I got to ride up a lot of the mountain in a van, but most of it was on foot. It was difficult to climb at points because it was so steep, and the rock was so loose that it felt like you were walking uphill on a sandy beach.

About three quarters of the way into the hike, we finally reached the part of the mountain where most vegetation stops because it is kind of difficult for things to grow in volcanic ash and former lava. The views were awesome because you could see the crater of this volcano and the view a bunch of other nearby volcanoes. But the hike was still not over... We kept walking on these hills on the side of the mountain to reach our final destination. The ground was so loose that it felt like you were skiing in really heavy snow. But it was totally worth it because we got to this one part where the rocks were hot enough to roast marshmallows. I must say, volcanoes are the best for marshmallow roasts because they melt the marshmallow perfectly without sending it up in flames.

Lago de Atitlan, or Lake Atitlan, is probably one of the most famous attractions in Guatemala for tourists. At one point in history, the government wanted tourists to flock to their country, so they turned this into an attraction. The communities around the lake are pretty much still supported by tourists. The lake is surrounded by all these tiny towns and three volcanoes, some of which are still active. The only way to get from one town to the next is to drive around the mountains or go across the lake in a boat. 

I visited the small town of San Marcos per a recommendation, and it felt like something out of the 60s... Lots of modern hippies flock here. The lunch choices were pretty interesting, but the view of the lake was awesome, and supposedly the best for pictures. Plus, it was an awesome boat ride over the deepest lake in Central America. The ride to get there was pretty crazy too... If you think you have seen curvaceous roads with really high drop-offs, think again. I am very glad to be back on somewhat flat ground in Antigua.