In and Around Antigua - Part Dos

Isn't Antigua Gorgeous?


Antigua Ruinas



Us and the local Guatemaltecans! Alejandro and friends from Guate City and our Salsa teachers, Alberto and Yoko (honorary Guatemalteca from Japan based on excellent Salsaing skills - and for dating Alberto).


Some of us got close... and others got closer...



Chilling at Sky Bar watching the sun set over the Volcan.
The Gang


El Salvador with Duncan, Nathan, Anand, Nicci and Dave - brilliant picture curtesy of Jems
Volcanic Sand at the beach - brillianter picture by Shaanie


We've created a Monster! The tai-tee addiction Goes West.
One board, Five Guys. Notice none on it.


View from Playa Tunco, El Salvador

Volcan Pacaya

Remember Geography lessons in Secondary 3… where the theory of volcano formation, and terms like “lava river” and “molten lava” were just words which we had to form a picture from via imagination and if we were lucky, a couple of 3D drawings? Well, due to the thankfully lenient (or non-existent?) laws on safety and natural park protection, we journeyed 2 hours on a reject yellow school bus from the 80s, then hiked 2 hours through loose black lava rocks, horse shit, rain, cold, mud and steep slopes. We suffered through falls, scrapes, cut up hands and legs, and just when we (at least I was…) on the verge of tears, there it was.

The most unbelievable vision I’ve ever seen and I hesitate to put pictures up coz it just will not and could not do it justice. We stood literally 3 meters from molten lava flowing down the volcan. It was pitch dark by the time we reached the summit, and the luminous lava, the heat radiating from the molten rock and the sheer danger of it all kept us all balancing on the shaky ground of loose rocks, with only a stick to help us along. Jem’s stick, poked into the rock, actually caught fire as there was apparently a little molten lava not far below where we were standing. I fell about 15 times that night and everyone else at least 7 on average. But every cut and scrape, every ache and every bruise was worth it. I’ve come as close to molten lava as humanly possible, and it was bloody amazing. It might not be possible in a couple of years… all we need is one person to fall in the lava river and they’ll ban night hikes for good. Pack your bags, grab some garden gloves, waterproof jumpers and go.



The Grueling Hike



Wish i knew how to attach the video clip we have. Thanks for the pictures, Dave!

Feels like home... almost... kinda... well not exactly...but kinda

OK - so i really really appologize for not having updated the blog in quite a few weeks... here are a couple of pictures in the meantime before i write about my thoughts on Antigua, Guatemala... it's a place we've come to call home for the past couple of weeks, and we'll be here for another couple... taking spanish classes, salsa lessons.... we have our own clique of friends, a local supermarket, a favorite restaurant... on the street, we meet people we actually know, and go to the same mama shop for coke and chips every night, and the same bakery for curry puff-like thingy each morning before school. yes, with party nights and all, we still get up at 7am every morning for class. how diciplined are we!!?!? you should be proud.


The football stars.... and the WAGS.... Final score? 9-7
(little did they know at this point that all four would suffer from major back and knee pains for the next 4 days following the match...)


HALLOWEEN! Jem actually went as ZORRO but revealed his face for the picture. I went as the spirit of Mardi Gras (gave away some of my beads...) Also, notice SPOONICORN?


US (Jem, myself and our fave couple - Nikki and Dave) at Panajachel.... Jem at our favorite restaurant in Antigua - Cafe Escudilla


Another one of our weekend trips. This one was to Lago Atitlan, Guatemala.


The gang at Riley's


Flores Sunset & TIKAL ruins (our first stop in Guatemala before heading to Antigua)


The night we spent at the bus station from Chatumel (mexico) to Belize City. (Belize City was an experience. A bad one. Hence, we have no photos of Belize.)