Today was a day of exploration! We first visited a coffee farm, and then a volcano. At the coffee farm, we learned about the history of coffee in Guatemala. It was interesting, we got to walk through a field full of coffee trees loaded with beans. We learned about the different types of coffee and how they are harvested. At the end of the tour, we learned how to cook and wash coffee beans. Then we got the opportunity to purchase our very own Guatemalan coffee.

After the coffee tour, we ventured to Volcano Pacaya, one of Guatemala’s three active volcanos. It was quite the trek up the mountain to 2,300 meters, but once we got to the top; we realized it was breathtaking. We were totally engulfed in clouds, which was truly horrifying. We moved a little bit more down the mountain on the opposite side and came across a sea of lava rock created by two explosions; one from 2010 and the second in 2014.

Our guide led us to a hole in the ground which was a direct source to the underneath volcano. We had the opportunity to roast marshmallows in the intense heat emanating from the hole. We then travelled back up the mountain side, to find another view of the Guatemalan landscape, which revealed a far away view of Guatemala City; though the clouds blocked a good amount of the view. We then started our journey back down the mountain in the dark, which made things a bit more interesting. After that we returned to the compound, had dinner; and now we are asleep.

John, Simon and Krates