Vamos a la playa de lava

Although we had never met before, Guatemala welcomed me with open arms. I arrived to greet her at 4:30am without a hotel reservation, anyone to greet me, no transportation or a real plan and she didn't seem to mind. Immediately after stepping off the plane, I walked into a cafe and had breakfast. I later met Elyssa and Sophia; both Guatemalan, but living in LA. Their warm smiles made me feel at home. I stayed with them at the airport until daylight came around to say "hello" at 6:15am. Due to the dangers of Guatemala City, I only travel during the day.

I cabbed it to Antigua with Rachel, a fellow American I met at the airport. We hit a cafe and I enjoyed my second round of breakfast. Lindsay, another lone American traveller, joined us and we chatted away the morning and I enjoyed my first unfrenetic day in a very, very long time. I entertained them with my travel tips and tricks and what gadgets to pack; a tale for another entry. Eventually, I checked into a hotel so that I could explore the city.

Antigua is a quaint fairytale like town with mulitcolored shops and charming people. Whenever I appeared lost, locals always came to my rescue helping me find my way. I returned the generosity by answering an oral survey for a few girls who wanted to practice their English. They even took pics of me to attach and I felt like the tourist attraction. At least here, I actually feel tall; all 5' 1 1/2" of me. The rest of the day I spent breaking in my new trail running shoes while wandering aimlessly around the city.

After awhile, I had to decide what I was doing for the next day since my hotel had no room for me for the next night. After a heated debate with myself, I eventually won and decided to go to Quetzaltenango aka Xela early to crash a quinceanera with Rachel and vamos a la playa de lava.

Volcan Pacaya actually spills its lava for all tourists to view. Of course, tourists must go at their own risk and many of my crew members fell and cut or burned themselves while walking over the hot and unstable lava rock. In true American style, I toasted marshmellows next to the lava while avoiding the falling lava rock. I can now cross that off my list of life experiences-toasted marshmellows over lava, check! Inadvertently, my brand new trail running shoes melted on my walk. I'm assuming that there is no shoe warranty for standing on lava rock above flowing hot lava and better my shoes melt than my feet, right? Off to Xela...