Guatemala - 2010

Day 12 - July 31 - Tikal 1

Yoli told me not to get off of the bus until I got to the very last stop in Santa Elena. Here in Flores, the bus driver kept asking if I needed to get off and I kept saying no. Finally someone got onto the bus with a sign with my name.

 

A banana tree blooming.

On the way to the inn we stopped at a tourist shop and I ran into Carl and Lucia, again.

I took this picture for Elsa because no matter what I did at meals, I always managed to get food on my clothes. The lady at the lavanderia (laundry) would say "otra vez?" (again?).

On the shuttle the first people I met were Phil (left) from Quebec and Rich, from London. Here they are trying their first Jaimaica. We quickly formed an alliance. Not only were we some of the only very energetic guests, but Rich had no cash because he had lost his ATM. For some reason I had brought extra cash. He would pay for meals or tours and I would give him cash.

 

The Tikal Inn.

My tour package had me resting in the hotel until 3: 30 p.m. I was the only one taking a tour in the afternoon. Part of that is that I was the only one doing my tour in Spanish. There was an English tour in the morning, so I jumped into that, too. I figured I didn't come this far to sit in the pool.

 

This photo is of the mercado (market). Notice how flat it is. They say that all of the hills and plateaus here were build by the Mayans, too.

Temple I. I think it is the highest and one of the only ones you can't climb.

To the left of Temple I.

 

I guess this proves I didn't download these from the internet.

 

Click for larger picture.

Bummer for Phil and Rick that my camera is really slow. By this point they are yelling for me to hurry up.

This is actually a very common photo for Tikal. Rich is a very nice guy, but he also is a show off and wants a picture of himself with every building in the park. By this point he is shirtless, which is the way he stayed for most of the next two days.

 

Click for larger picture.

 

Temple I from the top of Temple II.

Look who I met again at the top of Temple II.

This is how steep the ladder is. The only temples open for climbing have ladders on them, which are much safer than the very steep and slippery rocks.

 

 

Looking back at Temple II. You can see the people on it.

One of the trails thru the jungle to Temple IV.

 

Temple IV. Notice the young lady in the foreground.

View from Temple IV. Click for closer view of the other temples.

 

Actually, there are stairs here, but it is a great shot.

 

Here is the young lady from the top of the temple with her two friends. Turns out that Rich is very talented at meeting everyone and he puts this talent to use often to meet ladies.

The guys thought of this Indiana Jones shot.

 

Phil wanted one where he wouldn't leave without his beer.

The pyramid. There is no climbing because there is no ladder.

 

A toucan.

 

Here's a butterfly back at the Tikal Inn.

Right after lunch Rich and Phil joined me for my Spanish tour. And almost immediately it started to rain very, very hard. So this is the only shot I got.

Being from Quebec, Phil speaks French and understands Spanish very well. Rich is just learning. So, I was the primary translator. Between Phil and I we understood everything.

 

Pretty soon Phil realized that his shoes would never dry if he didn't take them off. So he continued in socks.

Here is our tour guide: Ruel.

 

This lintel is some of the only original wood. This is the door to the king's bedroom.

Here is where the king slept. His bed would have been a jaguar skin with natural tree cotton underneath.

 

Just what is Ruel hidding?

Rich knows.

 

 

A locust we found in the path.

From the top of the "no climbing" pyramid. What a great view.

 

The top of the pyramid were many centipedes about two inches long. In the trees about fifty yards off were howler monkeys, which make a really scarey sound (until you know what they are).