Volcan Santa Maria, across the jungle, seen from the path on the way to Chicabal. We woke up at 5:30 a.m. to get these views, which are normally swallowed by clouds early in the day.

 

Clouds building on the volcanoes.

 

Lacey, Emily and Kunal (our friends and housemates) at the ‘mirador’ (viewpoint) above the lake.

 

Lago de Chicabal itself. Volcan Chicabal is long inactive, but the lake that shines in its crater is a holy place for the Maya, and gorgeous to boot.

 

 

Volcan Santa Maria and the active Volcan Santiaguito, seen from the viewpoint above the lake.

 

A close up of Volcan Santiaguito spewing smoke.

 

 

A view from beside the lake.

 

Trees like this one hang their greenery over the water.

 

And finally, to justify our 5:30 wakeup, the daily mist started rolling in just before we started back down around 10.