Tag: maya

One Week in Guatemala

M's Adventures

Isn’t it dangerous? That’s what I heard before I went. Yes, it’s as dangerous as other places in the neighborhood. If you decide to go, here’s what I recommend.

In Antigua.

Two nights in Antigua: Or more. It’s safe, cute, and there is lots to see and do from museums, ruins, churches, shopping, chocolate tasting, etc.

Absolute photo op place in Antigua.

Two nights in Isla de Flores: Or more. That town is too cute! Cooking classes, salsa lessons, coffee tastings, disco, delicious food, and outings! Plus, just walking, swimming, boating, and photographing…

One early morning trip to Tikal: Tikal is one of the largest Mayan ruin complexes. It’s also HOT in the jungles. The walk in to the bottom of the main ruin plaza is over a mile (2 kilometers). And out again. A total of five or six miles (10 kilometers). It’s HOT. I would recommend doing the sunrise tour where you get picked up at 2 am from Isla de Flores.

Two nights in Lake Atitlan: I did not do this but apparently it’s worth visiting.

Notice I did not mention Guatemala City. If you do spend time in the “Guate” as the locals call it, then go to the Central Market to buy cheaper souvenirs down in the lower level. The market is near the main square so you can see that as well.

The main things about Guatemala is how sweet the people are, how good the fried chicken (and food in general) is, and that not everyone else on the planet has been there for tourism. Prices are not as cheap as you would think but you can also go there on a budget (I did not). Also, everything takes a bit longer so don’t expect to see it all in two days (we tried!).

The Pros and Cons of Visiting Tikal

M's Adventures
I was alone with this majestic sight.

Tikal is a World Heritage Site. It was used for a Star Wars movie. It is majestic. But HOT. Here are my pros and cons of visiting Tikal.

This was used in a Star Wars movie (think ending of the movie).

The pros:

It is only a 90 minute drive from Isla de Flores. But 30 of those minutes are at the main gate while those that didn’t buy their tickets online go to the ticket office (my advice is get a coffee at the stand where the driver is getting his cup of joe).

On the way, you can see the alligator island.
See monkey do.

The tourist museum and vendors are all at the entrance of the archeological park.

No one dresses up like a Maya.

There are lots of birds (peacock like birds and others).

There are howler monkeys that will spook you making you think some monster is coming to rip out your lungs…

You can still climb some of the original structures.

It’s fairly unvisited.

The main plaza.

There are bathrooms in the park. But you won’t need them as you will sweat out all the liquid in your body (or at least whatever is not blood).

Another pyramid.

The park is clean.

The guides are good. You must hire a guide (around 500-600 quetzal) for a sunrise or sunset tour, separate from your extra ticket.

More.

The cons:

Other ruins.

Too much walking on boring dirt roads wide enough for trucks. In fact, a dump truck takes stragglers out of the park at 3 pm every day. The walk in is over two kilometers (over a mile) to the rest station/toilets at the base of the main plaza (for the love of all that is right, put in a transport system! I’ll pay for it!)

The Jungle Lodge has cobble stones (why break our already shattered feet?) and costs $375 per night.

The Ceiba tree.

A sunrise tour from Isla de Flores starts at 2 am. I still recommend doing it so that you are not walking in the heat.

This is a huge site.

The sunset tour ends up with that two kilometer death march in the pitch dark.

Walking in the dark down stairs and over tree roots…

The mosquitoes leave puncture wounds that last for weeks.

A storage hole.

I can’t decide if the ticket price is a pro or a con. Things were in general more expensive than I thought they should be. But, maybe it’s a way to keep the place intact.

Another thing that may be a pro and a con — it’s not so easy to get to Tikal. An eight hour bus ride or a one hour flight from Guatemala City. Then the smaller bus. Then the walk in to the jungle. I guess it’s pro if you like excursions. It’s a con if you would like a pleasant air conditioned minivan.

To wipe some of the salt rime off your face.

I’m sorry Tikal, but I’m not coming back. You are just too hot, hot, hot for me.

Tamarind juice, water, and hibiscus (flor de jamaica) juice to replenish the five liters I lost in sweat.

Isla de Flores, Gateway to Mundo Maya and Party Town

M's Adventures
A colorful house on Isla de Flores.

In the district of Flores is an island called Isla de Flores and it is a picturesque place to visit. It is not just a stop on the way to Tikal.

A side street on Isla de Flores.

Before I went to Guatemala, friends who had lived there told me to spend the night in Flores because it’s quite a party town… well, let me sign myself for that! We went on a Saturday night and I can attest that the nightlife was booming (through the hot sticky tropical night) all the way to my air conditioned room.

In a traffic circle near the airport.

We were in Isla de Flores because we flew from Guatemala City to Isla de Flores airport, or Mundo Maya International Airport. I was surprised that the Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City had signed in Spanish, English, and Korean. But, we did see lots of Koreans even on our domestic flight (the Koreans are in Guatemala due to the textile industry).

Domestic terminal in Guatemala City.

I was entertained on the plane with the amount of advertising (see photo).

The plane to Flores is not so small.

I had arranged for us to be picked up from the airport to the hotel. It was overpriced at $20 but on the way back, we took a mototaxi for 15 Quetzal ($2). Isla de Flores even has an electric bus which is like a large blue and yellow golf cart.

Isla de Flores is located in Lake Petén Itzá in the region of Petén.

The first day that we were in Isla de Flores, we were caught in a sudden rain storm. We hailed a mototaxi to go back to the hotel. When I got in and tried to shut the half door, it came off in my hand. So I held it against the side of the mototaxi while we whizzed around the island on an unintentional “windshield tour” as the rain splashed around us and on my arm, holding the door… I wish I had video of it, but it didn’t occur to me to film it until afterwards.

The mototaxis have signs listing the price glued to the side of the vehicle.

The town of Isla de Flores is on a small island and it’s possible to walk around it several times in an hour or so. The buildings are painted in many colors and there are many hotels, hostels, restaurants, cafes, and tourist shops. Clearly this place hosts many tourists during prime season.

Walking around the island was fun. I am curious about the PITZ sports bar (see photo) that has been around since 1400 BC.

Another thing we discovered in Isla de Flores was how good the food is in Guatemala. We had food from Mangos/Achiote and it was excellent. Delicious fried chicken tenders (Pollo Campero is from Guatemala).

Tourist stuff.
A street going up.

We were there during low season so had a relatively quiet walk around the town. It was fun to see that there are boats and barges that ferry motorcycles and trucks back and forth to the “rich” shore of the lake (which incidentally is the second largest lake in Guatemala).

A local walking by.
More locals walking.

I find the people watching the most interesting, although I do love small windy streets and alleys.