Volcanoes and Beautiful Lakes

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Next stop Antigua, a gorgeous little town nestled between three volcanoes. All cobbled streets and old buildings - its a World Heritage site now so very picturesque as you would imagine. Main attraction here is climbing one of the live volcanoes, we decided on the ´sunset tour´as we figured you can appreciate the glowing hot lava more in the dark!

It was very cool, after an hour and a half up a pretty steep incline (Marika forgets to mention the "I hate trekking" bit here; by the time we get half way up, shes ready to go back down...) you get to the hardened lava rock which is all cracked and split where it has cooled down. Absolutely no health and safety here, they basically let you walk all over the place and prod the moving lava flow with a stick to light it on fire. To get close to the lava stream you have to walk over some rock but when you look down at your feet you can see glowing lava just under the rock part you are standing on! Scary stuff. And you feel like your shoes are melting and you face is burning, the heat is just amazing.
We headed down at sunset which was interesting in itself, trying to see where you were going in the dark.

On Sunday we went over to Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. It has to be one of the most beautiful settings we have ever seen. The lake is surrounded by volanoes and is still and blue. We stayed in a hostel on the lakeside with the amazing view right out our window. The town itself is mostly full of restaurants, shops and stalls and makes for a very easy visit. Both nights here we witnessed the most incredible electrical storms over the lake. everytime the lightning forked over the mountains opposite us, it highlighted/backlit them to amazing effect (Despite a lengthy attempt at getting a photo, it turns out I'm not quick enough to catch lightning). Didn´t get up to much here, swam in the lake, went on the obligatory boat trip to one of the other towns and generally ate, drank and relaxed.

Then back in Antigua for one night before a long ride up to Honduras tomorrow. It has been wicked here, highly recommended! (although not sure wether to be concerned about, or reassured by, the guys with pistol-grip pump action shotguns outside most of the shops and banks...)

Adios Guatemala, Hola Honduras!

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