I'm laying on a large dirty cushion that provides barely enough protection from the cold concrete floor. Likewise, the small cement building barely protects us from the intense cold and wind of our high elevation. I am surrounded by blinking lights. Some green, some red, all giving the appearance of being inside a giant computer... or in a bad science fiction movie. A comforting, constant hum envelops everything. A hum that, in very different circumstances, I've heard many times before. Where am I?

"I wanted to go to Agua."
Not many people who visit Antigua climb Volcan Agua. I'm not sure why, since it dominates the city's surroundings like Ranier in Seattle or Fugi in Tokyo. Most people go to another volcano that's easier to climb... and active. But I wanted to go to Agua. As not many people go, it's more expensive. With two people a guide costs 30 dollars. So Sebastian from Paris and I set out to conquer Agua.

We met our guide Roberto in the small town at the base of the volcano. He was a totally nice guy who spoke Spanish and a Mayan language, but no English. Between Sebastian's comprehension and my speaking we managed to communicate rather well. I'd thought that since Bram the cycling Dutch guy wasn't with us, I wouldn't be running up the volcano this time. But Roberto insisted on an insane pace and once again I was seriously hurting as we ascended.

"We even saw lava during one of the eruptions."
The view from the top was stunning. At about 12,500 feet it's the highest I've ever been without assistance from ski lifts or commercial aviation. You can see Guatemala City far below and in the other direction two other volcanoes. One of the active. We even saw lava during one of the eruptions... just after sunset. Stunning. Did I have my camera? No.

I was surprised to hear that there are accommodations on top of this volcano. The summit around the crater is ringed with television, radio, microwave and cellular antenna towers... and probably a lot more I didn't recognize. Our guide used to work with one of the companies that has a tower up there and still has friends who tend the equipment 24 hours. So for about 80 cents each we could bed down in the equipment room housing all the humming, blinking devices mounted haphazardly into racks from floor to ceiling. It truly was bizarre. A lot of the equipment was for television and was the same brands that we had at home. It was like I was back at work while on top of a 12,000 foot volcano in Guatemala. I laughed to myself while going to sleep.

"Rather depressing stuff.
Getting back to our guide, Roberto. Turns out he has a bit of a criminal record. This would be why he no longer works with the equipment on top of the volcano. It never became clear exactly what he did, but it was back in the 70s. He was trying to explain how that keeps him from getting good jobs still today. He's trying to get work cleaning hotel rooms for about 120 dollars per month. Oh, and he has five kids. Rather depressing stuff. I mean this guy wants to get it right and even though the best he can do is a few quetzales walking (or running) people up this volcano, he hasn't (lately) turned to anything untoward to make ends meet. And on top of that, he's a really happy guy.

But I survived the sprint back down the mountain and went to McDonalds with Sebastian. If you'd told me a French guy would ever suggest lunch at McDonalds, I'd've told you you were insane... but it happened. And I spent the balance of the day picking up some things to send home to the fam. Sometime this week I'm off briefly to Guatemala City and then on to Copan, just across the border in Honduras.