The Duke

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Geo: 14.4161, -90.6392

Famous guys named Duke include the renowned jazz musician Duke Ellington, and the man credited for spreading the popularity of surfing, Duke Kahanamoku. But for those traveling to developing nations, there is only one Duke that matters, and he's every backpacker's best friend - Dukoral, the famous cholera vaccine! Not only is it administered as a tasty fizzy beverage, it prevents you from spending hours sitting on the throne when you should be vacationing! I've been lucky during the past few years of travel, and haven't had many significant stomach troubles, but today was one of those unfortunate instances ...

Stomach problems can be caused by many things during travel but whatever it was today, Dukoral either wasn't the appropriate remedy, or was simply ineffective against what was ailing me. There's never an ideal time for an issue like this while traveling, but even worse is when it happens at the end of a hike up Volcan de Pacaya that lasted several hours. Things could have been worse, however, as the symptoms only started to hit at the very end of the hike; though it did make for an uncomfortable hour long ride back into Antigua, it didn't ruin the hike itself.

Pacaya isn't the most scenic or most challenging of hikes, but it's always cool to be hiking up a volcano, isn't it? Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the tour was chatting with the tour guide, a local from a nearby town, and a man for whom tourism brings the promise of a better life. We had opted to go with a local tour company, not for any altruistic purpose, but because of one important reason - it was cheaper! As with anything in a tourist World, you can go basic or high-end, and often times high-end means expat-owned, with expat employees.

There's nothing wrong with taking that option, but it's important to consider who really benefits more - an expat who is more than likely living a very comfortable life in a foreign country, or a local who is more than likely struggling to support themselves and their family? Of course, going with the local option meant that any English-language descriptions were quite limited, not to mention the fact that it was a larger tour group, so not all may find that a better option.

However, it did work well for us, as being able to converse in Spanish resulted in a much richer experience, allowing us to get a glimpse into rural life in Guatemala, as well as learning a bit about the local perspective on the pros and cons of tourism. So whether our tour cost a lot or cost a little is irrelevant, because our experience was priceless.

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Photos

Santa Teresa ...
... one of many things that makes Antigua so cool is a sight like this - a colourful crafts market in front of a ruined old church.

Insert Your Own Caption Here ...
... this collapsed lava tube was wonderfully warm with geothermal heat. It was even warmer when I peed on Benita's leg - and she didn't even notice!

Poor Pitufo ...
... our guide's little dog, whose name is Spanish for Smurf! He was eyeing our apple tart, but we were too ravenous to share this delightfully flaky treat with him.

Volcan de Pacaya, Peeking Through the Clouds ...
... the summit was covered from view for most of the hike, but as soon as it cleared we all scrambled up to the top while conditions still permitted.

Enchiladas Chapinas ...
... fried tortillas topped with lettuce, diced vegetables with ground meat, cabbage, beets, tomato sauce, hard boiled egg, cheese, and parsley. Though the rabbit burger was better than this dish, Saberico is still yet another good dining destination in Antigua.

The Result of Stomach Troubles ...
... Subway! We had plans to reward ourselves with a big meal at one of the upscale traditional restaurants in town, but my stomach issues prevented that, as I spent most of the ride back to town suffering from chills and a slight fever. So Subway had to suffice on this evening. One good thing about Guatemalan Subways - delicious avocado can easily be added to your sub.