Antigua to Tikal

Bob in Grand Arena - Tikal

Spider Monkey - Tikan

Sawdust carpet for procession - Antigua

Tikal

Tikal - on top of the world

Trail of rain

Day 10 Morning at leisure/Fly to Flores

Today we had a light breakfast at the hotel and then boarded the bus to take in some of the sites around Antigua.  We were fortunate that there were many celebrations and processionals along the way.  We experienced some people making “sawdust carpets”  for the priests to walk on as they journeyed in their processionals.  We were then dropped off in the plaza where we had lunch at a beautiful McDonalds restaurant.  It had a fountain in the middle of the outdoor restaurant and was really great.  We watched the people interact because it was Sunday, and everyone was dressed up.  Then we boarded the bus and departed for Guatemala City to the airport to fly to Flores.  Upon arrival at the airport, one of our companions found out that he had been pick-pocketed—his billfold lifted with two credit cards and a lot of cash.  At least he had his passport and his wife has two other credit cards, so they can continue the trip.

We flew to Flores on an uneventful flight and were met with a new driver and van and were taken to the Hotel La Casona del Lago.  We have a beautiful room overlooking Lake Peten Itza.  We are tired, and have an early wake-up call for our journey to Tikal in the morning.

Day 11 Explore Tikal ruins/Flores Island

After breakfast, we travel the 1-1/2 hours by van to the ruins of the Mayan city of Tikal, a magnificent 1,700-year-old complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tikal was home to an estimated 100,000 Maya, and it was one of the most important urban centers of its time. Immersed in the Petén Jungle in Tikal National Park, the grounds are expansive and inspiring, and it’s difficult to determine which is more impressive—the accomplishments of man or those of nature. The Tikal site comprises roughly six square miles and contains about 3,000 structures—including temples, pyramids, tombs, palaces, ball courts, and terraces—the tallest of which rise above the leafy canopy and vie for your attention with the assortment of animals and exotic birds. Within the park we see howler and spider monkeys swinging through the treetops; raucous macaws and colorful toucans perching on branches; and grey foxes and wild turkeys wandering the forest floor.

The first part of our visit the weather is great.  We visit Tikal’s Great Plaza and see the 144-foot-high Temple of the Grand Jaguar, the tomb and memorial of Mayan ruler Moon Double Comb, who was buried with many treasures, including 180 pieces of elaborately carved jade. We also see the Plaza of the Seven Temples, dating from the Late Classic period and including an unusual triple ball court. As we enter El Mundo Perdido, the Lost World, where 38 structures surround a central pyramid in yet another “neighborhood” within the vast expanse of Tikal,  it begins to rain, and rain, and rain, and rain, and rain.  It never quits.  We cannot remain there, as the rain just keeps continuing.  We walk for over a half hour, as the trails turn into rivers.  We are literally soaked to the bone before we finally get to our lunch site.

We try to dry out, but we have been in the rain for over an hour, and everything is soaked—our cameras, all the way through to our underwear.  We devour our lunch, and then return to the van, where we sit for another 1-1/2 hour ride back to the hotel.  We have spent the evening trying to dry things out with a hair dryer, etc.  After showers, we walk to Burger King (we are really hitting the high spots), and share a burger and fries, before coming back to the room.  As we pick up e-mails this evening, we hear that Guatemala city had an earthquake this afternoon.  Guess we were lucky we left the city yesterday!!