February 6, 2007: In a volcano, surrounded by liquid hot magma…

Last day in Guatemala; not leaving much room for error here, but I finally did it: I made it up Pacaya an active volcano sort of in between Antigua and Guatemala City.


Scrambled over snaky, ash-coloured lava trails to get within 10m of rivers of liquid hot magma oozing down the mountain, and toasted the obligatory marshmallow before heading back down at sunset.







Probably not very safe. In fact, if the occasional blasts of intense heat you feel (I mean, besides the just generally intense heat that comes from getting progressively closer to a roiling mass of liquified rock), holes in the path glowing campfire red, and that discouragingly hollow sound that accompanies your every step as you pick your way along the tops of mostly cooled lava flows—if all of that doesn’t betray the excruciating danger that awaits just your slightest misstep, that odd smell of burning coming from your shoes will. I found out later there have actually been tourist deaths on Pacaya—but, this being Guatemala, there were apparently few repercussions: the tours continue. Anyway, it was muy cool, and I made it back fully intact.

And this is where I spent the night beforePacaya: at the Earth Lodge. Started by more ex-Iguana staff, it’s perched high on the hills above Antigua and overlooks the city, a few distant volcanoes and the Earth Lodge’s young avocado farm. It’s odd—it’s almost the same view as at the lake, just minus the lake.