Guatemala Part 3 - Country Markets and Active Volcanoes.
Saturday, 20 October 2012 5:39 am
Friday 19th October:
The Friday morning markets in San Francisco El Alto was both colourful and an entertaining spectacle. Every inch of the plaza and surroundings streets is covered with traders selling everything.
Now what do we need?
Bags of dried corn
about 20 different varieties
or some
Rock Salt...No
Vegetables.
Maybe a few..
Spices :
Paprika, Cloves, All Spice seeds, Cinnamon, Pepper,
and of course every conceivable variety of chilli.
Or you can buy it fresher if you wish!
Maybe some cow head for dinner ?
Or a sheep, cow, rabbit or pig to take home ?
In a secluded corner and with a large crowd of men around was a seller of some weird stuff.
Just as I took this photograph the Shaman (?) in the centre called out “No photographs” as he quickly hid the dried skin of an armadillo....
Time to leave this arena !
A very interesting morning.
Our purchases included only a few potatoes and some Ruby Bananas (13 for Q5=US/A$0.70)
We are now travelling CA1 ( Central America 1 or the Pan American Highway) a four lane well maintained road that travels the mountains. Our maximum altitude today was 3000metres.
Now camped on Lago De Atitlan overlooking the 3 largest volcanoes of Guatemala.
Camp 249: Lago De Atitian Camp @ 2500metres
Cost: Q50/person/ Free WiFi
N14* 44.843 W091* 09.863
Today : 79 Kms.
Trip Total: 91,569 Km
Saturday 20th October:
Left camp this morning and drove partly around the lake. Some very steep (First Low most of the way) and winding gravel roads & tracks
Our destination, the more tourist town of Antigua where ruins of old churches and monasteries dominate the town.
Like us, many overlanders camp in the police compound. So it is an unusual camp within the walls of the old gaol.
Camp 250: Antigua Goal Camp @ 1500metres
Cost: Nil but a donation of something, toothpaste, insect spray etc is appreciated.
N14* 33.362 W090* 44.379
Today : 84 Kms.
Trip Total: 91,653 Km
Sunday 21st October:
It is an early 7am departure via some small mountains back roads around the Volcano de Aqua.
Past coffee groves and avocado trees on our way to climb an active Volcano.
Volcan Pacaya erupted two years ago in 2010.
A guide is mandatory and we were lucky with Peter. Good english and a great personality. (Q150 for the group of 6).
He immediately jumped onto John’s bull bar for the 4km ride to the start of the walking track. The police did not mind, only stopping us to take their own pictures !
It is a hard 4km walking trail up the 1000metres we have to go. The young kids offer us walking sticks and the older men horse ‘taxis’ but we all refuse.
Three horse men follow us as we start to ascend. One by one the ladies decide that sitting on a horse is far better than the foot slog.
At 2500 metres we are near the summit and cross the lava field from the 2010 eruption.
We pose on a large volcanic bomb that was thrown from the crater.
Closer to the crater steam vents gush forth hot steam.
On the edge of the crater a vent is so hot that our guide Peter cooks for us marshmallows in the lava oven.
The actual vent of the volcano has collapsed into itself so the sight of molten larva escapes us.
On the way down Peter and I try a bit of volcano surfing.
Just have to remember when to stop !
It was a great day, and we are all a bit exhausted but exhilarated from the experience.
Finding a camp around Lago De Amatitlan was proving challenging. We decided to just stay in the back of the car park of the water front trading area then this nice gentleman came over and after making a telephone call allowed us to use the deserted but secured grounds of a private complex.
How lucky !
Camp 251: Lago de Amatitian
Cost: Nil
N14* 29.409 W090* 36.751
Today : 65 Kms.
Trip Total: 91,718 Km
Monday 22nd October:
Today into El Salvador...
but watch this space because.........it did not happen