December 27, 2014

The morning started with the Hotel Aurora breakfast buffet, fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, and (my favorite) papaya, rolls and bread, granola, and yogurt. Our group got a special hot option which just happened to be another one of my favorites, French toast. The group (those interested in this activity) congregated at 10:15 to go to Volcano Pacaya for the climb up. It took over an hour to get there, although I am now finding that the distance was only 15 miles. When we reached our destination, we each grabbed the requisite bottle of water and got off the bus. We were surrounded by a throng of young boys holding sticks, straight and free of bark, about three feet tall. These were walking sticks that could be rented for the climb for 5 quetzals (about $.35). I visited the restroom and when I came out, I made a choice of a stick from one of the boys.

Pacaya is an active complex volcano in Guatemala, which first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish invasion of Guatemala. Pacaya rises to an elevation of 2,552 metres.

We had our guide who had come with us from Antigua as well some other guides trailing behind us. There were many horses around and several men with horses also trailed our group. We took off on the trail, concrete at first and pretty much going straight up. After about 10 minutes I decided this was not for me. I have not been feeling well for a couple of weeks, slowly getting better but still coughing, and had not been getting the mountain climbing exercise I should have to prepare for this high altitude climb. My friends at home who had been here had told me about the option of getting a horse and that was the choice I made. Gringo was my horse's name and Eric was the 27 year old young man who led th horse up the trail He told me he did the climb twice every day. A few other people had either already gotten horses or did about that time - Ed and Stuart, two men a little older than me, Jessica, the teenager who had suffered motion sickness on the ride in the van up the mountain, and Ann, another teen-ager from North Carolina. As we proceeded on the trail, I knew I had made the right choice for me. There were level parts of the trail and many designated rest stops, but for the most part the trail went up (and up and up.) One rest stop had a terrific view of the valley below and two volcanos on the other side. One was spewing white steam and then while we watched had a small eruption with a small black cloud coming out of it.

We finally got to the end of the trail and were at the base of the actual volcano cone. Off to the left there was a trail up the side of the cone and we could see a little colored specks of people on the trail. It did not go all the way to the top because there was steam coming out of the top. In front of us was a large field of lava that went off to the right. The volcano last erupted in 2010 and the lava we were viewing was from that eruption. There was a sort of path that led down from where we were to the edge of the lava field. I got off the horse, paid Eric, as I wanted to walk the rest of the way and downhill back. The local quide who had been bringinp the rear magically appeared with my walking stick. I had forgotten, I guess, that he had taken it when I got on the horse. This "trail" consisted of slippery small rocks going down the mountain and one had to do one's best to avoid "skiing" down on feet or butt. That walking stick was a lifesaver. Once down we were at the edge of the lava flow which was from the 2010 eruption. About 100 yards to the right was the small volcano store which we walked past to our picnic site on the lava. Our picnic lunches consisted of a chicken, tomato, and lettuce sandwich, apple, and juice carton. The special treat was when our guide moved aside some of the surface lava in one spot and about 9-12 inches down the lava was hot enough to roast marshmallows.

After that little treat, we walked over to the little store, a literal hut on the lava. We were told the store had over its lifetime moved three times because of the volcano's eruptions. Two men worked there, one who previously lived in Echo Park (where I once lived.) We hugged, former neighbors. They had little necklaces, earrings, and rings there for sale; proceeds benefited the local people. All of the items incorporated lava, Some were small pieces of coconut shell with a design cut into the shell and then filled with lava. I bought a pair of earrings made from lava and silver. Then it was time to go back down. We went a different way on the side of the mountain, totally open with no shade. We passed one area with many cell phone and other broadcast towers. The trip down was shorter and faster, and we arrived at a location further down the mountain than where we had been dropped off. Back into the vans for the return to Antigua.

After a rest, we went to the rooftop terrace of a lovely restaurant El Serena for Havdalah and to say kaddish for the one year anniversary of Joel K.'s father's death. It was all done in candlelight after people finished their cocktails. For everyone who had ordered a drink, the rabbi had that person place a drop of each drink into the Kiddush cup to mix with the wine. We ended traditionally with our arms around each other's waists singing Eliyahu Hanevi and Shavuah Tov. I told the rabbi that the kaddish was meaningful for me because the following week while I would still be in Guatemala would be the yahrzeit for my brother who died in 1997. David G. later learned the restaurant had once been the family home of the current owner. It was very large with courtyards and beautiful landscaping and a lovely view from our Havdalah site.

We left and walked to another restaurant Sabe Rico for dinner. This restaurant also had a lovely outdoor setting with tables located amongst beautiful plants. Most of us sat at one long table. The menu included some European style chicken, salmon, lamb, and fish main courses, pizzas, Guatemalan street food, and vegetarian food such as quinoa. I ordered chicken Jocon, a street food. It was a soup with large pieces of chicken in it accompanied by a white tamale which was really a piece of mesa and by some pieces of avocado. I put the avocado in the soup and cut up the tamale to turn it into Guatemalan "matzo ball" soup as my dinner partners suggested. The guys across from me had a wonderful beet salad and some warm marinated pieces of eggplant that they shared. Everyone enjoyed his/her dinner.

Cindy then invited those of us who were interested to go to La Pena del Sol to hear music from the Andes. However, when we got there it was closed. So we ended up at the Rainbow Café which had a group playing N. American music from the 70's and 80's and could have been located in Berkeley as easily as Guatemala. The half dozen guys who were there left to seek something more authentic. I stayed with Cindy and Joel, Stuart and Linda and their daughter Julie, and Elaine. We all had drinks and ended playing with these blocks that you keep pulling one out of the middle trying to prevent the large tower from falling down. Linda seemed to be really into the music and at the last dance I suggested we all get up and do a group dance. She was ready to go and Cindy and Joel got up and we had a great time dancing, wished we had started earlier. Then a walk back to the hotel and "good night."