Volcanic Heart of Guatemala

Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan was once described as the “most beautiful lake in the world” by author Aldous Huxley. Today, it is used as a gateway to many native Mayan villages for tourists, and its volcanic origins offer much more.
The lake lies in Antigua. A city surrounded by mostly dormant volcanoes. Wherever visitors decide to stay, it is only 20 minutes walking distance. The boat leaves once a day at 10am and costs Q55 (Quetzal), but some hotels offer a discount on this if bought in advance. As the two-deck boat leaves the dock there is a sense of excitement and adventure amongst passengers as a lake, which shimmers in the sunlight, also has a dark feel due to its volcanic surroundings. The journey across takes two hours but it is worthwhile as sunbathing on the top deck of a boat in 40 degrees heat is an encouraged pastime. Alternatively, there are plenty of breathtaking views.
The lake is surrounded by three magnificent, ancient volcanoes, responsible for the natural beauty of the area. Their slopes are covered with dense forests which are centuries old and this has become home for a few Mayan settlers who can be seen through the trees. As the boat approaches the dock a bustling market comes into view. Hundreds of shops and stalls are crammed between churches and historical monuments and the local goods make interesting purchases. It is possible to barter with the traders and it is advised as generally the final price is the true value. This is the perfect opportunity for visitors to buy gifts for loved ones. The selection of oil paintings, statues and jewellery are perfect tokens. The return trip takes longer as there is a chance to dive from the top tier into the warmth of the lake. A thrilling experience with an end result much like being in a Jacuzzi. Upon arrival at the dock there are a range of restaurants looking out over Lake Atitlan. There is nothing like enjoying a delicious meal while watching the sun set behind the volcanoes.
If experiencing a volcanic lake is not enough, there are daily excursions to Volcano Pacaya, one of the region’s most active volcanoes. It last erupted in May 2010. If tourists wish to undertake the climb, it is advisable to go early in the morning; otherwise it will be a descent under a dark sky. The bus takes little over an hour and costs around Q12. An entrance fee of Q40 is required which some may see as a reasonable price for a National Park, and for the experience. It is possible to have a guide or, for those not keen on the climb, it can be done by horse or donkey.
The climb to the peak itself takes an hour and a half, with the hardest part being near the end as you negotiate and clamber over uneven volcanic rock from past eruptions. The ascent is quite difficult as travellers walk under a blazing Central American sun through beaten tracks and with tree roots trying to trip you. To add to this, apart from the uphill battle, the heat from the volcano intensifies, making it even more difficult. If visitors do not wish to go to the peak, there are excellent views and photo opportunities just prior to this. However, going the extra distance is a rewarding experience, as the immense heat from the lava flowing around you and under the cracks in the ground takes over. At this point it is time to grab some marshmallows and cook them over the lava; a unique experience that you are bound to never forget.
Although the descent only takes around 45 minutes, it is tricky. A different and more steep path is used in order to keep a flow of people. There are also more loose rocks and some leaps need to be taken along the way in order to take the safest root. However, the satisfaction afterwards is sure to be enough to stop this acting as a deterrent. Daniel McCrisken, a geography teacher at a school in Northern Ireland takes pupils to Guatemala every two years and had this to say; “It is wonderful that the public have been allowed to climb and appreciate a natural phenomenon such as this in a safe manner. I highly recommend it.”
Antigua lies at the heart of a volcanic Guatemala and is awash with history. Its cobbled streets are maze like and each has a new discovery. Churches, markets and monuments are only in place to entice travellers further in to what the city holds.

Edinburgh Zoo Cuts

Following my article published on www.edinburghnapiernews.com The Scotsman have found that the decline in visitor numbers by 10% and bad weather, as claimed by the zoo itself, has led to significant losses. Staff have claimed that pay cuts are being threatened and that up to fifty jobs could be lost. The full article can be found here.

I would just like to add that when I saw this story on the front page of The Scotsman I was both annoyed and filled with confidence. I was annoyed because I had found the first part of the story with the zoo struggling and the figures I had found matched those a respectable newspaper had used. If I had of followed the story closely I may have broke this myself and had an even better story.

However, I was filled with confidence because I had found an original news story by myself and made contacts in the process of researching it further. When it comes to finding another story I will hopefully be able to take it further.

Recession has mixed effect on Edinburgh Tourism

Nearly a month after the close of Edinburgh’s Fringe festival, the figures are in, and, once again, records have been broken. However, this was not the case for all tourist attractions.

Figures released, which claimed that two million tickets had been sold, a 5% rise from 2009, blasted critics who suggested that the festival would suffer due to the recession. This could possibly sway the planned budget cuts for the coming year’s festival. However, it has been revealed that, tickets given free to visitors, were included in the numbers, possibly suggesting that the festival did not do as well. Fringe spokesman, Neil MacKinnon defended this decision, saying that: “We’ve been quite consistent with our methodology in adding up figures at the Fringe, and we have no plans to change that. Despite this, visitor numbers on an annual basis are still rising, with Paul Allison, a senior insight analyst for Visit Scotland, stating, “Visitor numbers have risen by 118% in the past ten years.”

Despite the Fringe’s apparent success, Edinburgh Zoo has suffered at the hands of the recession during this festival season. Claire Richardson, a press officer for the zoo, told me that “visitor numbers had fallen by 10% this season” but went on to defend this due to possible adverse weather conditions. She continued that the “Three yearly budget did not leave room for this.” The zoo did not wish to comment further.

The mixed affects of the recession this year will not be fully apparent until a full list of figures are released in early 2011 and with the current results, it is not clear what these will reveal.

 

One of the many free performaces during the Fringe.