Guatemala - 2011

Day 12 - July 23 - El Mirador: La Danta and Los Monos

Pavos, otra vez (again).

No idea what bird this is.

Today Kevin is well enough to go with us. Notice the trees that have grown together.

Click for larger view. La Danta is the largest of the three pyramid complexes (can't really say just "pyramids") and the largest in the world by volume. I don't know how they decide that. As with all the other complexes here, there is an initial climb just to get to the plaza, on which sits the pyramid proper. And, of course, there are three smaller pyramids (the triad) on the top.

This is the staircase just to get to the plaza.

The plaza. Notice that our guide today is Rudy, the mule driver. He is of Mexican decent and has the size to show for it, being almost 6 feet tall. He is SOOOO helpful and knowledgeable.

Rudy is demonstrating why the mask is called the garra del tigre (claw of the tiger). With paint they make it look like it has been scratched by a claw.

Notice the trees in the pyramid wall. They have to get permission to remove each tree. I know this sounds silly, but I'll bet this is to keep people from felling trees and claiming they are excavating a pyramid.

This may seem like a silly picture, but it is a big deal. It is VERY HUMID in the Peten and often there is no breeze (brisa). But up on the pyramids there is always a breeze. I can only image how fortunate the priests and kings were to be able to spend time up high. And we aren't even here during the hottest months.

A cable system to transport rocks and bricks to a location below where they are catalogued.

Ascending the top of La Danta. This is the only stairs like this we encountered. It is very like at Tikal.

View from the top.

Another view.

A close up of the previous picture. Dragonflies eat mosquitos. So not only is there a great view, a nice breeze, but there are NO MOSQUITOS!!!! In Spanish dragonfly is "libelula", but here in Peten they call it "Tulish". Me gusta mucho!

We killed a small bee that sucks blood. The ants quickly encountered it and dragged it home.

A survey marker on La Danta, which was first believed to be just a hill. Later, of course, it was discovered to be a pyramid.

Descending. This picture shows the steepness of the stairs.

Same excavation sight as with Maria the previous day.

A closer view. Another tourist the day before told us that the pictures here at El Mirador, at Tikal, and in Egypt prove that they were created by aliens. Another of his group was so tired of this, obviously, since she said "You see what you want." Kevin, scientist that he is, just tuned him out. Obvious, right!?!

Back at camp, our hammocks had been moved to the cabana on the other side of the field, due to rain. While we were resting a bit there was a great noise and the mules came storming thru, eager for relief from the mosquitos, too.

Toby and I at "La Leona", as smaller, though still impressive pyramid for its size. Why is lion feminine (la, not el)?

Because instead of three pyramids on top, there are only two, like breasts.

Later, Toby and I decided to climb Los Monos (the monkeys) alone. Either the guides don't consider this an interesting pyramid or it is easy enough for tourist to climb alone. Los Monos is the smallest and least excavated of the three pyramid complexes AND, as you can see, aptly named. This fellow greeted us along the way, as interested in us as we were in him.

And here we spent at least a couple of hours. Los Monos became one of my favorite spots. Since it is the least excavated, it has trees for shade. There is a cool breeze. There are monkeys jumping tree to tree in the distance. Give me a lawn chair or a hammock with a rain cover and I could live here.

This time to relax, enjoy, and feel the presence of a place is lost to the vast majority of foreigners who come here. They come to see and not to be. Humbled by blisters, sore bodies, and sickness, we were flexible enough to turn difficulty into paradise.

We also learned that this is their communication array. They have a solar panel and a transmitting antenae. The actual radio is in a makeshift hut.

This is how close some of the monkeys got to us. And they were there for a long time. It is hard to see, but the one at the bottom left is a mother with a baby in her arms. Later I will try to link a movie.

We were very fortunate to see a toucan while we were watching the monkeys jump around the trees on the other hill. He's at least 100 yards away.

On the rocks at the top Toby found pottery fragments, still with their paint.

When we got back to camp Kevin was wondering where we were and if we were ever coming back.

Later that night Kevin, Toby, and I accompanied Elder back up El Tigre for more stargazing. This time Kevin forgot his i-Phone, but I was able to recall many things for the two nights before.