September 2014, El Salvador's highest peak — Volcán Santa Ana — at 2,381 meters. A friend living in El Salvador took me up. To be honest, I'd done almost no preparation for the climb.
Volcán Izalco — "The Little Prince" Mountain
On the way to the trailhead, another volcano came into view. Volcán Izalco. A perfect black cone of a mountain, rising out of the clouds — instantly memorable.
My friend told me: "When Saint-Exupéry flew, he used this mountain as a navigation landmark. People say it inspired the volcanoes in The Little Prince." Whether that's true or not, the shape really does look like something out of a children's book illustration.
A Police Officer Behind Us
At the trailhead I met our guide. A "guide who isn't exactly a guide" — I couldn't tell what kind of formal certification he had.
And as we set off, a police officer fell in behind us. When I asked why, the answer was: "There was an incident on this trail where a traveler was attacked and killed. Since then, police escort hikes." Hearing that, walking through green forest carries an odd tension.
My friends walked fast. I was the one falling behind. As the slope steepened, I was breathing hard. Looking back, the police officer kept a steady distance behind me. Mixed feelings, watching that.
"Man, that was hard. I climbed the whole thing being cheered on by a police officer." That's the memory that stayed with me.
The Crater Lake at the Top
At 2,381 meters, the summit had an emerald-green lake inside the crater.
I'd seen photos, but the real thing was much more vivid. Looking down from the rocky crater rim with the smell of sulfur in the air, the color didn't look real. That this clear-colored water existed inside an active volcano — strange and unforgettable.
I'd thought of El Salvador as a country of coffee and salsa. Volcanoes and ruins, I didn't know about until I came. Coming without knowing, seeing what you don't know — that's travel.