Eruption!

Eruption!                     March 2, 2016

Bright red-orange fire lit up the velvety black sky; molten lava oozed down the mountainside, hot coals tracing its descent.  Our BnB rooftop terrace here in Antigua gave us a view of this amazing sight last night. Unfortunately, I couldn't capture it on film, but it was a sight that we won't soon forget.   You can see other people's shots at this website: 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/fuego/news/56679/Fuego-volcano-Guatemala-4th-paroxysm-in-2016.html

Aptly named Vulcan Fuego had been puffing columns of smoke for a few days, with increasingly large clouds of ash being spewed into the air.  Everything outdoors was becoming a bit gritty, as a result.  We had seen that before, and it's not unusual.  However, seeing fire and lava jetting up was a new experience for us.  Although we had felt a slight trembling earlier in the evening, we felt no real danger.  I hoped that the small villages on the slopes would be ok. Our recent viewing of the movie, Ixcanul, had opened our eyes to the lives of people living high up on the mountainsides, where they have been pushed due to development of lower areas by wealthier segments of society.  They often live near fields covered by deep ash.    

Antigua, Guatemala, sits in a valley overlooked by 3 volcanoes, Vulcan Agua (Water); Vulcan Fuego (Fire); and Vulcan Acatenango.  Fuego is the only one that is currently active, albeit at a low level.  Hopefully, it stays low!  Our concern at the moment is that the ash deposit may affect air traffic from the city.  We have tix to fly out on Friday morning.  

Today is bright and clear and Fuego seems to be calmed down, for now.