Guatemala - 2011

Day 8 - July 19 - Preparing for El Mirador

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Back to friends and family here.

Monday night I took a van to Guatemala City (Guate) to the bus station. From there we take a "Pullman" bus (Linea Dorada [golden line]) to Flores, the capital of Peten province.

On the way to Guate I had a great conversation with an American from the Dallas area that had married a Guatemalan woman. He talked about how hard it was to get her into the US (and due to Guatemala, not the US). He talked about how much they are loving living here in Guatemala. His brother was here to understand better because the man's parents want him back in the US. The brother likes it here, too.

Toby and Kevin went earlier to Guate to change some Delta tickets. I was a bit worried that they weren't at the bus station waiting. They made it in time, though. The trip to Flores was uneventful. Because I had an aisle seat it was very difficult to sleep (the reason for an overnight Pullman). I figured out a comfortable position toward the end just before the girl in the window seat got off. Oh well, I know how to sleep in an aisle seat now.

We got to Flores at 5 am and expected Hugo's friend Tislo to be awake and waiting for us. We thought we were going directly to Carmellita to start our journey. Tislo's hotel (La Canoa [The Canoe]) is only 50 yards from the bus stop. No one was up and the doors were shut. After some knocking and doorbell ringing, we got a response. Finally we learned that we were NOT going to Carmellita today.

Here's a view from my room.

 

My room was basic. Q60 (around $8). Only a bed a night stand, a fan, and a bathroom with a shower. That's basic, but sufficient.

Usually, check in isn't quite so early. :) Tislo sold us the rooms and it was obvious that we might as well take a nap.

Notice that the picture is foggy because of the moisture here in Peten.

Here's the man with the answers: Juan Carlos, who runs a travel agency and is setting up our tour. Kevin is the detail man and here we are in La Canoa getting all the details of our trip, including prices and what we need to buy today. Turns out that is would have been impossible to leave today because we need to leave Flores before 5 am to start our journey and we need to pay and get some supplies.

 

Juan Carlos's agency.

Another view from La Canoa's upper deck.

 

We were told to acquire toilet paper, water bottles, repellant, and any snacks we want. Kevin, being an very experienced traveller (as I find out later) and having lived in Tikal for a year, wants hammocks. The tour only has tents, which sound hot to us. He we are taking a Tuktuk to Santa Elena to go hammock an supply shopping. Flores is a tourist island. Santa Elena is the normal town just over the bridge.

Buying the mesh covers for the hammocks. Kevin has a plan. Toby and I are just along for the ride. I can tell when someone knows what is going on and Kevin knows.

 

Buying cloth for the "sleeves". I'm not sure what that means, but I have faith.

Down a dirt path (it is almost all dirt in Santa Elena) in a part of the Mercado are the Sastres (tailors). They have a shack. Kevin explains and draws his plan to them and they seem to understand, including the urgency. We need these TODAY.

 

Another view of the roads of the mercado.

Ah, dirt roads and rain. It really poured and we are thinking how fun this is going to be in the jungle when we can't wait it out. We delve deep into the confusing maze of the mercado, buying hammocks, rope, and peanuts.

 

On the way to the supermarket for other things we buy a pineapple for Q11 (about $1.50). The seller gladly prepares it for us, cutting six long spears. Wow! That's great pineapple.

OK - no story, just one of the few pictures of me.

 

The supermarket, which is right near the bridge to Flores, next to the Burger King.

Inside the mall entrance. The supermarket is on the other side.

 

Supplies and gifts. The internet said to buy gifts for the guards at El Mirador. We probably bought too much. Toby and Kevin decided on wine and run. I decided on Coke. We also thought ziplock bags and granola bars were a good idea.

We have to be ready to go by 4:45am. the next morning so we have to be ready the night before. This of course is the switch to turn on the spot heater to take a hot shower. I am a little dubious of the safety of touching part of the electrical system this close to water, so I use my toothbrush holder.

 

During the night I hear something popping outside my window. Here is what's on the roof, or this might actually be the roof. Notice the cat.

 

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