Masaya Volcano

We did a night tour of Masaya Volcano. Absolutely stunning. We arrived as dusk was settling around us. After a quick zip around the museum, we drove up the winding path to the meeting point for the tour. Here the mighty volcano was gushing forth huge pillowing clouds of sulfur. Through the few remaining rays of day light, it look spectacular. What we didn't realise, is that it is also deadly. Our guide had not yet arrived so we decided to get out the air conditioned vehicle to go and peer over the edge of a look out. The wind was constantly changing the direction of the smoke. We got about half way to the edge when a park ranger came speeding up the volcano path and gestured quickly to us to return to our vehicle. Huh.....maybe they should have signs or something! Apparently when the winds blow the direction they were, this is not a safe area to be in without a gas mask. Thankfully we had not gone far although our eyes were already burning when we got back in the car!

We then made our way a little higher, parked our car and the group of 8 of us joined our tour group. We climbed on foot a little higher to see into and across two extinct volcano's. By now it was pitch dark, so we returned to our vehicle and drove higher, through swirling clouds of sulfur, in the dark to another pathway. It was eerie. We were given gas masks, hard hats and flash lights. We walked silently along another tiny path for about 10 minutes until we came to some rustic stone stairs. A Bat cave, used for "ceremonies" back when they made sacrifices to the volcano. I wasn't sure I could do it (panic) but I went almost all the way to the end of it before i had to turn back with panic rising. Bats zoomed over our heads and the pitch dark was eased only by our groups flashlights as we went lower and lower. I made it out (dragging Gary & Nikki with me. Couldn't leave them behind!) without making a scene....but one of my friends didn't give up in time and screamed, then started hyper ventilating. She was a mess when they finally got her out!

Once we calmed Glynnis down, we continued back to our vehicles, regretfully gave our flashlights back, and drove into the swirling darkness, higher still to our final destination. A look into the mouth of the giant herself! We had to park the cars facing back down the volcano due to an eruption a couple years ago that made the tourists have to flee quickly (apparently you can see it on u tube).....! Many cars were damaged from flying rocks. We were warned if rocks started to rain down (their had been some activity the day before) that we should hide under the car.

We were taken in groups of 4 to peer down through the smoke to a look in point. Here is the horrifying part, there is NO fence, no safety, just mother earth under your feet as you peer over the edge down into the molten lava far below. Nikki wouldn't even come close enough to see (smart kid). Gary & I hesitantly leaned over with our feet as far back as possible and got a glimpse of the glowing lava. In the pitch dark, with the mouth of the giant rising around you, the sulfur clouds constantly pillowing out of their subterranean home and the sky full of glimmering stars, it really was awe inspiring. It was magical and you can understand why in days gone by, the local inhabitants considered this the mouth of hell.

For $10 a person, this really was an experience of a life time. It certainly helped you to appreciate the magnificence and power of the earth....and Jehovah for having created it!