Random Site Visits

I was Control Officer for a visitor from DC and as part of those duties, had to accompany on site visits that were made.  One day we visited an after school music program that is part of the violence prevention program.  The following day we visited Peace Corps projects near Lake Atitlan.

September trip(s) to the US

With high hopes for the 2012 season, I made a quick trip to to Dallas for Labor Day weekend.  Those hopes were quickly crushed, but I will say the jumbo-ton at Cowboy stadium is as impressive as it appears.

The Dale Chihuly exhibit at the arboretum seemed like a good place to try to forget the previous day's disaster and avoid Sports Center highlights.

After it a quick couple days back in Guate, I was back in the US for a training in DC, but was able to make a weekend trip to NYC during the weekend break, starting the weekend off right with bagels, cream cheese, and Central Park and continuing with an Italian street festival and a visit to the Brookyln Bridge.

Then back to DC for more training, a Nationals game, and a final afternoon kayak trip from Jack's Boathouse.

Vol. Pacaya: crater

After 2 previous trips to climb the Pacaya volcano just outside the city limits of Guatemala, I was finally able to climb all the way to the crater.  When the National Park changed administrations in January they stopped allowing people to climb all the way up to the crater of the active volcano.  But on Sunday I found a hiking group that had gotten permission, so I went with them to summit the 4 smaller peaks of the volcanic complex as well as the actual crater of Pacaya, the currently active vent.

Lava flows

Heading up to the crater summit

Fog and sulfuric gas

The "direct" route down Cerro Chino

Vol. Agua in the distance