Pacaya Volcano

After a side trip to the legendary Pacaya volcano near Antigua and a very long and cramped trip by chicken bus, I am now finally in Quetzeltenango (Xela) to learn Spanish.
It was well worth it to climb the volcano, even if my fitness wasn't quite up to scratch.
It's the only volcano in the world where you can toast marshmallows on flaming, flowing lava. I thought it would be a bit of a gimmick until my shoes started to melt on the volcanic rock... It was really amazing- an almost surreal experience. The walk up was shrouded in fog, which opened up into a lunar-esque landscape of black rock and streaks of lava below.
I've enrolled in 5 hours of one-on-one Spanish classes per day, plus the option to get involved in volunteer work in the Mayan community, and learn more about Guatemalan history and politics. My host family lives a couple of houses from the school, and seem really great so far (if only I could understand them!)
Hasta luego
Helen