Climbing Pacaya--an active volcano!

There is a wonderful bakery across the street from where Teresa and David live in Guatemala City.  Dad delighted in finding out what was hot and fresh out of the oven--then bringing treats back for the rest of the family!  Good thing we don't have anything like that close by in Tucson....

San Martin bakery

Deciding what to buy

There are several active volcanoes close to Guatemala City.  We hiked Pacaya--about a five hour round trip hike.  We "rented" walking sticks from little boys and hired an official park ranger guide at the parking lot.

Our guide rewarded us when we reached the base of the volcano cone by providing sticks and marshmallows to roast in the hot air vents.  When Laurie took her family there two years ago, it was only a few months after an active explosion, so there were still red hot areas in the lava flow and her shoes began to melt. For us, it was hot enough that the sticks would immediately catch on fire when thrown into the vents.

We also hiked down a little path into a cave formed in one of the air vents...of an active volcano.  What were we thinking?!

I guess maybe there are warning signs when a volcano is about to erupt.  But our guide told me that in 2014, she and fellow guides had about 20 minutes to race down the mountain to shelter in her home in a town at the base of the volcano. They endured a half hour of "pure terror" (her words) as "bombas" (loose rocks thrown up by the volcano) rained down on the house, ripping holes in the roof and walls.  In the 18th century, the town of Antigua, at the base of the volcano Fuego, was mostly destroyed by falling bombas when the volcano erupted.  Many churches were heavily damaged and remain that way to this day.

It was a wonderful adventure!