And in the End

How fast the time flys.

If we haven't called or emailed some of you yet, it's simply because we are overwhelmed by all of the typical cultural adjustments...you know..good food, acceptable climate (yeah its cold, but just remember, you can always put more clothes on), real pillows, new clothes, t.v., radio, newspapers, driving, endless water supply, family.

And looking for employment.

And here ends this blog. For now.

Its been fun mostly.

Que le vaya bien.

Part 3 of 3. Antigua, The City of Eternal Spring

..is what they call the place and for reason. This was our second trip to Antigua and the weather was very spring-like both times. Vacation wise-Antigua is very affordable. There are tons of hostels that range from $6 USD to $25 or $30 USD per night. We have stayed in a few hostels in Antigua-all have been clean, the employees are super friendly and willing to provide help and tips about everything.

And for those non-spanish speakers out there, no worries. There are plenty of tours and hotels and people within the city who speak English/German/French/Japanese/etc. etc..but especially English.
































































Both times we stayed in Antigua, we were able to just bus in and walk the streets looking for a room. The only time I would suggest booking a hostel or hotel in advance would be for Semana Santa (Easter week). Antigua has the most elaborate Easter celebrations in all of Central America. The streets are *packed* and that means restaurants and rooms are, too. Book a place at least a month ahead of time to gaurantee you get to stay somewhere you want-and near the festivities of the town.

Don`t forget to read parts 1 and 2!

Part 2 of 3. Hot Lava.

And it really is that hot. We threw some sticks into it and the sticks just burst into flames. Probably not so safe to be so close, but that is the beauty of Central America.

If you're crazy enough to try something, nobody will stop you. Anything goes.

Part 1 of 3 Volcán Pacaya

The Pacaya Volcano is 1 of 3 volcanoes that surrounds Antigua (which means `ancient`)Guatemala. After an hour or so drive from the center of town in our little white tour van, we arrived at the base of the national park where the volcano is located and began the hike up. The highest point we reached was 2500 meters. After that, it is no longer safe to hike, since volcàn pacaya is still active.

The hike itself wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. We're not exactly the hard core hiking type, but we're in good shape and can hold our own if we have to. There were parts where I definitely had to stop and take a break for 5 minutes, but all in all-and with plenty of water we had brought with in our backpack-it was very do-able. Just a note-if you get half way and decide you can't go any further-it's ok. Along the way you will run into little kids on horses who you can pay to give youa ride up. And back down if you like.

This was probably the last thing I thought I`d ever do, since anywhere else on Earth one would have to sign a million waivers and need special equipment for the hike.

We were wearing our best hiking gear: chuckies, jeans, and tee shirts. My chuckies melted on the bottom while trying to get close to the lava for pictures. Don't wear Chucks. The only rule on these tours is that you cannot wear sandals of any kind. So, if you want to climb the volcanoes, be sure to bring at least tennis shoes.




This is the real thing. At 2500 meters its very windy and cold, but the second you step near flowing lava, it warms you right up.


The dried lava (all that gray stuff)that we had to walk across is about a year old. It`s about as sharp as coral, so keeping your balance is important. Besides, if you fell and put your bare hand on it, you might burn yourself.




Here is a view from up top looking down at Antigua and at the other 2 volcanoes (called Fuego and Agua)


And here are some sleepy volcano puppies! Who'd have thought that dogs could live on volcanoes? I think they live off of gringo tourists' lunches. I know they got part of mine.




More to come...

Close of Service

That right folks! As of Saturday morning, C and I were no longer Peace Corps Volunteers in Honduras (I have not been able to write those last five words with impunity in a loooong time)








Therefore, we jumped on a bus Saturday morning and took a grueling 14 hour bus ride to Antigua, Guatemala, where we are currently getting some kicks for a couple days. Tomorrow we are gonna climb an active volcano, and perhaps enjoy some giant Guatemalan beers. We’ll be here for a couple days, before we return to Las Vegas to say some goodbyes, sell some things, and then make our triumphant return to the United States. We’ll post some pics and stories when we get the chance.

Therefore, I advise you to keep your eyes peeled in the states for any piercingly bright halos of golden light, as they will most likely announce the arrival of us, the two most altruistic and accomplished development workers that the known world has experienced. You may see animals of the forest bringing us gifts, this is normal, it is only a small token of mother nature's eternal gratitude. Not to brag, but saving the world (at least the Honduran part of it) was a lot easier than we thought it would be!! :)

….and to Honduras, you’re welcome!

S