The Guatemalan Experience

We had a cheap breakfast at the "Snack Shack" (literally a shack), then met Elias, our Belizean guide for Guatemala. Elias is the only Belizean allowed to guide in Tikal, the Guatemalan Park that features the largest Mayan Temples in Mesoamerica. Elias got us across the border quickly, where Kim pointed out that cars crossing the border got a free car wash. Well, only if you consider a major disinfectant spray a car wash. We walked by the car wash on the border, got into Guatemala's immigration, and again Elias took care of us. Passports stamped, we met a family from North Carolina who was to join us. While we milled around, a Toyota 4Runner pulled up, and the driver stepped out with silver pistol on his hip. As we boarded our van, Kim noticed the machine gun in his front seat. It appears to be a little wilder here than in Belize.

The ride to Tikal was uneventful, two hours, and filled with interesting stories about the drug trade, Guatemalan politics, and cows. There were a number of cowboys riding their ponies out on the range. Actually, the "range" is deforested rain forest. It is interesting in this part of Guatemala because the national park can be seen on one side of the road and private property is on the other. The road acts like a line drawn down the middle of the forest: to the north, thick bush; to the south, deforestation. It's rather striking in some areas.

Tikal was amazing. It is a large complex of temples and pyramids. The visible structures date from about 300BC to about 700AD, with older structures hidden inside of the newer ones. The first temple had a wooden staircase, which was upright at about an 80 degree angle. Imagine propping a ladder up to your roof, but your roof is up about 100 feet. I now have glutes of steel! Sore steel. The climb was a butt killer, but it was a beautiful view at the top. We then proceeded to climb a couple other structures. The amazing part of the view is not the rain forest canopy, although that is cool, it was the other handful of temples and pyramids that are piercing through the canopy. You can't see jack from the forest floor, then, suddenly, you climb up a hundred feet and there are structures popping up all around. Apparently the view of the last climb we ascended was used in Star Wars at the end of the movie. I'm going to have to rent it and see for myself. We've also decided to watch Jurassic Park again. Apparently the sounds of the howler monkeys were used for the T-Rex growl. As soon as the guide said it, we immediately envisioned the giant reptilian every time the howler monkeys started howling. They are little mammals with one heck of a growl.

We spent several hours in the park, climbing ruins, viewing monkeys, and taking pictures. And walking, a lot. We had arrived around 10:30 and didn't manage to get to lunch until after three. We ate at the Park, then drove the family to Flores, a town sitting on an island in a lake. While Elias got the family settled in, Kim and I took a quick tour around the downtown, bought a couple of tee shirts, and met Elias to return to Belize. It was 5:30, it takes two hours to get to Belize, and the guidebook said it was not advisable to be roaming around Guatemala after dark. Did I mention the sun sets at 5:45? I felt a little nervous but figured Elias does this all the time, so we're fine. We made it back across the border and when we arrived on Belizean soil, Elias looked at Kim and said, "You feel better now. It feels different to be in Belize, yeah?" Kim answered affirmatively then Elias surprised me by saying, "Even as many times as I have gone to Guatemala, I still feel better when I get back to Belize." Glad he told us after we were back.Read more