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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Masaya Volcano National Park

Masaya Volcano National Park was declared to be the first national park in Nicaragua on May 27, 1979.  (Nicaragua en tus manos: A Tourist Guide)  There are five craters in this park.





Eric and I were happy to visit  

We visited this natural wonder in 2000 
with our children, Adam and Diane 
and the Bendana family. 










I am fascinated by volcanoes and 
the havoc they wreak in their
 immediate vicinity.







There are fields and fields
of volcanic rock.



The Museum tells the cultural
& geologic story of this
very active region.

Etchings show earliest
people reporting on
the volcano.









This mural shows Spainish
influences on the story
of the volcanoes.












This is the view from
the Museum.






This volcano erupted on
April 30, 2012.  Because
of the recent eruption, we
were issued hard hats.

The Santiago Volcano continues to
spew smoke and gases.






According to Nicaragua en dos manos: A Tourist Guide, the Santiago Volcano 
emits 2,000 tons of gases every day.  




 The Spanish baptized the active
 volcano "La Boca del Infierno"
 or "The Mouth of Hell". 

They planted a cross, on the
 crater lip in the16th century
 to exorcise the Devil.










This place is beautiful
and dangerous.








The stairway to the cross
was closed after the
latest eruption in April.




There's also an extinct volcano that can be hiked to.  Visitors can hike or ride 
a burro to the lip of this volcano. 






This is our view as we descend
from the active volcano.





The Volcano National Park's website includes information on evening tours.  Next time!