Know as “lighthouse of the Pacific” the Izalco is a challenge, from every pointo of view.
As I started walking (and after we took the first pictures) I started thinking about my life and how similar it was to hiking the Izalco: the road is VERY difficult, but also very easy sometimes. There are some moments in which you cannot see the rest of the road, but if you walk few steps, you will see that you are still on the right way. There are other spots in which you have to choose whether taking a difficult shortcut or staying in the not-so-difficult long way. There are moments when you fall. There are many moments in which you have to stop just a little bit and drink water just to be able to keep going. There are moments when you see other people half way through and they cannot continue because they are too tired, but at the same time, there are others who already made it to the top, and you decide to stay with the first or go after the second group. And there are moments when you definitely need to rest.
Half way, my legs are shaking, my heart beat’s very fast and the worst part is that (because Andres was wearing the thingy around his vest) I can hear his heart bit so normal! I was almost dying and he was breathing normally, hahahaha, but he encouraged me to finish what I started.
So I walked and walked and drank water and walked and walked and walked. At some point I was desperate and inpatient so I was going as fast as I could, even when Andres was telling me to slow down, and then, suddenly… we were at the top: I WAS AT THE TOP OF THE IZALCO!!!!! IT FELT SO GOOD!!! I was so proud of myself! It was so rewarding!
Again similar to life: it’s so good enjoying your success and when you are at the top, you have to go around it! (I mean around the crater). But then, it was time to come back down. This time Andrew leaded the way, apparently it was safer this way. I fell many times and then, the most difficult part: climbing back the Cerro Verde… I was sooooo hard! But I made it through (I had to) and once we were done, Andres finished his life lesson stretching up our muscles.
My whole body hurt the next day, but I know it was worth it.
The good news is that hiking it wasn’t so bad, even for a person who is not in a good physical shape, like me, it was rewarding, it was challenging, and a great trip.
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The second highlight of the trip is the visit to the Paining Studio; it is actually worth visiting Panchimalco just to see the Studio and the Church.
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