Roasting Marshmallows

Volcan Pacaya

Location: Antigua, Guatemala

Pacaya is an active complex volcano in Guatemala, which first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish conquest of Guatemala. Pacaya rises to an elevation of 2,552 metres (8,373 ft). After being dormant for a century, it erupted violently in 1965 and has been erupting continuously since then. Much of its activity is Strombolian, but occasional Plinian eruptions also occur, sometimes showering the nearby city of Antigua with ash. (From Wikipedia)

I had a bittersweet hike up Volcan Pacaya with a couple hours of sleep and a bad hangover from Mono Loco's 4Q= 50cent drinks all night and dancing at Sin Aventuras all night.  The worst idea possible, getting drunk all night before hiking a "1 hour and 45 minute" hike, while people on horses would harass you and try to convince you to give in and pay for a horse ride the rest of the way up the volcano.  Whispering beside your ear, their prices and telling you that you were tired.  But after all that we finally made it to the top where we roasted marshmallows and watched a clear view of the other surrounding volcanoes and the town.

we made it!!

Volcan Pacaya

100quetzals..80...70...

Eat My Dust

Volcano Surfing @ Volcan Cerro Negro in Leon, Nicaragua

Volcan Cerro Negro

me and my board, hot sweaty and gross after a 40min hike carrying that thing

on top of cerro negro

Volcano Boarding Leader

View from Cerro Negro

Climbing the Ruins

Palenque (Bàak' in Modern Maya) was a Maya city state in southern Mexico that flourished in the 7th century. The Palenque ruins date back to 100 BC to its fall around 800 AD. After its decline it was absorbed into the jungle, which is made up of cedar, mahogany, and sapodilla trees,but has been excavated and restored and is now a famous archaeological site attracting thousands of visitors. It is located near theUsumacinta River in the Mexican state of Chiapas, located about 130 km (81 mi) south of Ciudad del Carmen about 150 m (164 yd) above sea-level. It stays at a humid 26°C (79°F) with roughly 2160 mm (85 in) of rain a year. 


Much of the history of Palenque has been reconstructed from reading the hieroglyphic inscriptions on the many monuments, historians now have a long sequence of the ruling dynasty of Palenque in the 7th century and extensive knowledge of the city-state's rivalry with other states such as Calakmul and Toniná. The most famous ruler of Palenque was Pacal the Great whose tomb has been found and excavated in the Temple of the Inscriptions.


(stole that from Wikipedia)

Yo con Cyndi

Hostel Jungle Palace en El Panchan

Listening to live music and drinking 40s, watching a fire show @ El Panchan

the fat cat

EL GORDO GATO

Location: San Cristobal De Las Casas, Mexico

San Cristobal, my favorite city in all of my traveling.  Best vibe, people and music.

Spent the night at El Gordo Gato watching live music and enjoying the beer served with a complimentary tequila shot.

Inside El Gordo Gato

Anna with the beer and complimentary shot

Me and some of the guys from the band

Santa Huateco performing their Reggae Cumbia @ El Gordo Gato

(worst filming possible, sorry)

Holy Tamales

Location: Antigua, Guatemala

Restaurant: Tienda La Canche

Comienda comida tipico de Guatemala.  Eating Pepian de pollo (chicken stew with potato and mixed vegetables with rice) and tamales.  We found this religiously decorated restaurant in the back of a tienda.  Very surprising because it was hidden in a room right behind the cash counter of a convenience store. Felt like we were at our abuelitas house with a big home cooked meal.  Great place where many locals came to eat, your guatemaltecan abuelita there would not let you leave hungry, even let you bring the avocado home.

Cheers

Pepian