summary in transit: antigua

well again, im really not sure what to write because there has been alot. last friday our group went to Copan, which is the site of some incredible Mayan ruins. i am a sucker for history, so it was really interesting and beautiful and grand. on sunday, we all parted ways, some to the Bay Islands of honduras, some to the north coast, one even to the states. i and a small group of friends headed to the guatamala border and then on to Antigua, one of the most enchanting cities in the world. seriously. its pretty small, no building higher than one story (except for the churches), and all painted with rich and bright colors, with plants hanging from the iron window guards. all the streets are cobblestone, and there are church and monastery ruins around every corner. we spent one whole day just exploring, shopping at the market, and taking photos. and trying to get money. the atms there were always out of cash, and therefore, so were we. we got by, though, and even had some extra to buy some presents at the craft market. the second day, we did some more exploring in the morning, then went hiking on Mt. Pacaya, a volcano outside of town. we had to go with a guide, and they dont take you to the peak, because its active, but we got so close to the lava flows, and toward the top, the volcanic rock that was our trail was warm. some other travelers brought marshmallows to roast and they shared some with us! they roasted them right in a crack on the trail. so funny. we met some really strange but great people. i didnt realize how social backpacking was. well i have to go catch a bus to my next location. i will update again when i get a chance.