I spent this past week roaming thru the area of Guatemala called El Peten. This is the sparsely populated jungle covering northernmost area of Guatemala.
Tuesday April 14 I got on a Maya de Oro overnight bus to Tikal National park. (14 hours from Antigua to The Tikal Jungle Lodge.) You immediately notice the symphony of sounds from the jungle and the temperature is 20 to 25 degrees hotter.
The jungle lodge( the best hotel in the area) only has electricity for a few hours a day therefore the fans only work sometime. The entrance to the park is only a few meters away so I started to walk in the jungle like I knew what I was doing. ( there were signs)
After a 25 minute walk, I found a tree full of monkeys. Took many pictures and only got one picture of a monkey. Then as I moved down the trail I found the Gran Plaza. Amazing...you have to be there! I walked around and climbed the temples..the hot weather taking its toll after a 14 hour drive.
The next morning I got up at 4 am to go see the sunrise over Tikal. This time I had a guide. At 4am, it is pitch dark. Only can see the stars. Even the hotel has no electricity. The howler monkeys are howling and the sounds of the jungle are all around you as you walk to the temple with the best view of Tikal at sunrise.
Unfortunately, it was fogged in an we could barely see the structures or the sunrise. The once in a lifetime view was not to happen.
I spent 3 to hours with the guide who was very proud of this Maya treasure that was rediscovered in 1848. What I found most exciting about Tikal was to see the power of jungle.
A quick story of Tikal. The Mayas begin the building of Tikal around the time of Christ. To create this structures over 700 years the Mayans cleared the jungle. Tikal becomes an important religious, cultural, and commercial center from 250 AD to around 700 AD. The estimates are that the population reached around 100,000. Tikal's greatness wanes and is abandoned by the Mayas around 900 AD. No one knows the reason why. Over the next 1000 years, the jungle reclaims the land and the city of Tikal lies dormant till 1848. Many of the structures are still covered by plant formations. In fact on my first walk I thought they were hills only to find out they are temples or other structures covered by vegetation, root systems and big trees. Check out picture under Tikal gallery. Btw very hard to get the essence of the place with my camera.
At first they cleared the structures of vegetation. Then they realized that the limestone structures were being protected by the vegetation. Now they only restore parts of the temples. There are years of archeological work to be done at this site.
That afternoon I got on a collectivo going southwest to the city of Flores on lake Peten Itza. Let me tell you about collectivos...they are non air conditioned minivans that take Guatemalans short distances. (less than two hours). These collectivos get so packed that you can not believe they can fit more people. People hang out the windows and go on the roof. I had a seat but I carried a little girl. Hot hot hot. Hard to believe this is the way the Guatemalan's travel to work etc.
I Found a hotel with AC (not many available)since it was 101 degrees and humid. I have never appreciated AC like I did that night! Flores is a quant little town that is an island on the lake. 20 minute walk to tour the whole town. See pictures
Next day another collectivo to Finca Ixobel. I am slowly moving south thru the Peten jungle. Finca Ixobel is an ecological bohemian hideaway. Travelers used this place to relax on their way to somewhere else. Great food and homemade bread! Here I met three american spelunkers. They go around the world looking for caves that have not been explored. gutsy... I went out on a 3 hour hike to a cave with a guide. Don't think I am taking up spelunking. Seeing one bat was enough for me.
There was also another couple in their 30s who were driving from San Francisco. They have another year or so in the journey. So cool. On a walk a met up with a Guatemalan woman who was cutting and carrying firewood for the kitchen with her son in the heat. She let me take her picture and said " la Vida hay que cojerla con paciencia". Transláted " life has to be taken with patience" Nice advice from a wise Mayan woman.
