On 2 December 2006 we left Panajachel and drove to Antigua. The 40,000 inhabitant city 1543 were created by the Spaniards, destroyed 1773 by an earthquake completely and aufgabaut again. Nearly all houses stamen from this time. There are new buildings in the city none. Antigua is full lives, has a pleasant flair and lies with Panajachel on a line between 12 volcanos, some of it actively. We felt and our Spanish course also there have made could here immediately probably. In the evening with much music and fireworks of the Weihnachtsmarkt and at the first Adventsonntag gave it was opened a Weihnachtsumzug, which however more Karnevalscharakter possessed and an advertising meeting of most diverse companies was. In place of fir trees are here palms and other tropical trees of full lights. There was also a crib with living figures. Otherwise the same Komerzschlacht as also with us to Christmas stop… On Sunday afternoon drove we with a bus to the 2550m high, active volcano Pacaja. After two hours ascent we reached the lava fields. Over rigid lava it continued. The landscape reminds somehow of a glacier. In place of ice it is lava solidified evenly and in the columns can one the lava glowing see and also feel. Although at the Kraterrand an icy wind blew above, it was very hot between the stones and we had to watch out that the shoe brines did not melt us. After a wonderful sunset at the summit we made ourselves in the light of the Stirnlampen on the way in the valley. We left Antigua only reluctantly on the next morning very early in the morning. We had again to Guatemala town center, because we needed a few little things from the local BMW dealer. Thus we plowed again by the city and were glad that we could leave them in the early afternoon already again. The Panamerikana led us by the mountains direction southeast, Richtund El Salvador. There were not localities many, hotels as well as none. Davuer gave it a heap to police and military and otherwise any heavily armed people at the roadside. We do not have un more shier felt and darkly very probably became it already slowly. Although the area will invite eigendlich to tents and we the campieren already very missed, we wanted nevertheless rather into a hotel. In the last dawning light we achieved the small place Asuncion Minko, a few kilometer before the border and gave it then also a lodging there. We experienced still another fascinating full moon stairway at our last night in Guatemala.
