Us vs. the Volcano!

Today, we conquered the volcano - though it really did put up a good fight on all fronts. An early start, a light breakfast while we packed our lunches into our packs, a great exit from the driveway this morning and we were on our way along the coast, towards Saint-Claude and the looming La Soufrière just beyond. The drive was harrowing, on very narrow roads, barely wide enough for two cars with every corner hiding a tight switchback and the scary possibility of oncoming vehicles (Mario's note:  getting used to the manual transmission after 8 years of not driving one.  Wish the car had a little more power - drove up the last mile of the road to the parking lot in 1st and 2nd gears only, or else the car would have stalled!  So steep!) We both breathed a sigh of relief when we finally reached the parking lot and turned off the car.

We lucked out with timing, as our early start ensured us a nice quiet hike through the gorgeous rain forest at the foot of the volcano. First, we took the Pas du Roy trail, lined with stones and well maintained, leading us gently up to Savane-a-Mulets, the old parking lot. This location has since been closed to car traffic, as a recent earthquake damaged the road leading to it. NO matter, the climb to this point was easy, and offered some great views of what was to come. We continued on, choosing the well-liked Chemin des Dames, which curled its way clockwise and upwards to the volcanic crater, stopping first at the mountain shrine to ensure good luck and a successful hike(or so we think - that's how it would've worked in Japan!).

 A little more elevation change, a bit more scrambling and we found ourselves getting closer and closer to the top. This is when we realized that the sun was becoming less of a fixture in the sky, giving way to rather grey-looking clouds. We had been experiencing good winds and fog up to this point, so rain jackets were already equipped, but it was really only a mist we were protected ourselves from. Passing la Grande Faille, a massive fissure in the side of the cone, we came to the final ascent, and the sky opened up, dousing us with rain. Way to make the climb easier on us, Mother Nature! When we finally reached the summit of the volcano, at 1467m, the rain was whipping sideways, and the wind was trying to blow us off the top (Mario's note:  just the way I like it :) ). Needless to say, we did NOT stop to eat our sandwiches while admiring the view!  (Mario's note:  a friendly french couple did offer us a piece of "cacabeu," or "cow-patty" cake, a spice cake specialty from Marie-Galante island, shaped, well, like a cow patty.  Delicious!)

Just past the summit, we descended through the Porte de l'Enfer to observe the active cone of La Soufrière, which was belching out steamy sulfuric clouds. As we approached the barrier to look down into its sulfuric depths, the cone spat out a rather stinky wave of gas, pushing us to a safer, less smelly distance! Yum, yum.   (Mario's note:  at least the toxic gas was nice and warm). We contoured the volcano to the other side, where we began our slow, painful descent along the Col de l'Échelle, on the opposite side of the mountain. Following this trail, we were able to walk completely around La Soufrière, catching breathtaking views of sulfur run-offs and rock slides, along with a very visible change in vegetation. However, Col de l'Échelle was a much steeper climb(there's a reason they call it a ladder), and therefore a much steeper descent. Returning down the mountain required much concentration, combined with physical and mental strain. Add to that the constant threat of heavy rain, and muddy trails, and you get a very challenging return to the parking lot! My feet were so glad to finally hit the asphalt in Savane-a-Mulets!

Here we stopped for lunch, sitting on the wet ground, now lit up with sunlight, and dried out in the ever-present wind. We watched haggered damp people pick their way down the mountain, while wide-eyed groups eagerly made their way up - what an interesting place to be. After a VERY easy return along the Pas du Roy trail, we did a quick change in the car, donning our bathing suits, and joined the rest of the weary hikers in the Bains Jaunes. Filled by sulfuric hot springs, the baths are located right at the head of the trail, offered warmth and relaxation in pools held at a steady 26 degrees. It is a wonderful way to de-stress, and the minerals in the water are great for the skin, and for soothing aching muscles. We were on cloud nine when we finally returned to the car for the ride home.

Not satisfied with finishing our day at 3 pm, we detoured in town towards the Parc de Roches Gravées, a national park dedicated to the preservation of carvings dating back to 300 A.D. We lucked out a caught the beginning of a tour around the park, learning not only about techniques for protecting the carvings(or not!), but also about a lot of the local flora of Guadeloupe. We saw trees of cacao, and starfruit, papaya and coffee. We saw the leaves of Manioc and Taro roots, and learned how vanilla is an orchid that require a lot of human love to produce those delicious beans. Mario dyed his hand with a natural red pigment(which he then got everywhere else), and we ate a strange fruit pod that smelled of feet, but taste like floury pineapple. It was all very interesting and informative.

And with that, we decided we'd had enough for the day. Back at home, we took a walk to the bakery for coffee, and brought home baguettes for tomorrow. We had our ti-punch on the patio in the last lingering rays of sunlight. We returned to the awesome grill place from last night, this time trying the chicken drowned in "sauce-chien", and bought some fresh vegetables at the market to round out the meal. We dined inside, as the rain banged on the tin roof, and finished the meal with red bananas and a pointy Guadeloupe pineapple. And we forgot all about the hard descent down La Soufrière (Mario's note:  I didn't think it horrible at all.  I had a great time!), preferring to see the day as a real adventure, and that in the end, we really did have fun.