Happy Easter, and barges in the night

Vendors in Antigua

Today is my last day in Guatemala. And it is Easter Sunday. We were serenaded by hymns at sunrise, coming from the little church next door. And then firecrackers of course. Below are pictures from the night procession on Good Friday in Guatemala City. These huge platforms required 150 people to move them. And others to hold up the overhead wires with large forks while the parade passed underneath. Once again it was a moving spectacle. They are huge barges, taking up almost a whole city block.

The perfect ending to the experience was our climbing of Pacaya, the nearest active volcano. it is one of three active volcanoes in Guatemala. It felt wonderful to hike and climb after a week of studying and being more sedentary. I come home tomorrow. Happy Easter to everyone.

Low key Easter procession in a village near Pacaya

Watching the procession

Pacaya. Lava streams date from 2014 eruption. In 2010 a huge eruption changed the top of the volcano as a huge crater was formed. Now all that can be seen are smoke fumeroles. Around the lava rocks on our way down we felt hot steam emerging from some of the crevices.

Hold your hats. Happy Easter!