After an evening of strolling around San Salvador, it was time to hike. The one time I’d hiked up a volcano was the most difficult day of my life. It was in 2007 in Sicily during my study abroad, and the hike was up Mount Etna. Stupidly, I’d hung out with my friends the night before and did not get the proper sleep. The hike was challenging and arduous, but I was determined to make it to the top. This time, I got the proper rest.
First things first, a pupusa for breakfast.
The volcano to be climbed was Cerro Verde. It is far from the only volcano in the area. This is a picture of another one nearby from base camp.
The climb to the top took about 2.5 hours. The hike was mostly flat; the constant sunlight posed the only difficulty, frankly. That being said, one must be in decent condition to make it to the summit. I saw many overweight tourists who were unable to last more than twenty minutes.
The summit greeted us with a spectacular crater lake. Words cannot do justice to the feeling of peace once reaching the top.
I took a few minutes to admire the view, before heading down, a much quicker journey than the way up.
For lunch, I had a soup, it was hearty and tasty.
This had eaten up the better part of a day, so now it was time to head back as I had one more day in the country before heading home.