Here´s a second one of Calle Principal in Panajachel
Monday, July 9, 2012
Okay, here are some pics to tie you over.
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| view from 3rd floor balcony in Flores |
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| climbing the Acropolis del Norte at Tikal |
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| view from Templo IV, Gran Plaza in foreground, Belize in background |
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| waiting for sunrise at 4:30 AM on top of Templo IV |
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| Templo I in background |
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| The 2nd tarantuala our guide lured out |
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Sunrise
At 4 am our guide, Chino, arrived flashlight in hand to lead us into Tikal to watch and listen to the jungle wake up from the top of Temple IV. Along the way we crossed a super highway of leaf cutter ants making their way through the jungle with their heavy loads. The ants carry their bits of leaves back to their colony where they bury them 2ft underground. Slowly the leaves begin to ferment and after about 15 days the tiny mushrooms that the ants eat begin to grow.
Climbed to the top of Templo IV, 65 meters tall, and reached the top while it was still fully dark. Tilghman laid his head in my lap and promptly fell asleep as the jungle began to wake us all around us.
The mist swirled all around us as the light grew and the tops of pyramids came in and out of view. As bird calls began to fill the silence the forest erupted as the howler monkeys woke up and set to work waking up anything unfortunate enough to be sleeping nearby.
Back in the forest floor our guide explained to us the importance of the year 2012. This year marks the end of a 5126 year cycle. These Maya had it going on in the astronomy and calendar departments. They understood the concept of zero and the fact that the grand cycle had already begun. Contrary to popular belief this year marks the end of a very long cycle and the beginning of a new era. Apparently, being able to accurately predict seasons and other natural events helped the rulers maintain power. It was evidence that they were in communion with the gods.
Our guide took a man on a sunset tour on the equinox when there was a full moon. The man knew the layout of Tikal and asked Chino to take him to the Northern Acropolis from there they watched the full moon rise above Templo V and he thought Venus rise above Templo IV. The man whipped out a laptop and triangulated the position. It turned out he was from NASA.
This December 21st is going to be really big in Tikal.
Climbed to the top of Templo IV, 65 meters tall, and reached the top while it was still fully dark. Tilghman laid his head in my lap and promptly fell asleep as the jungle began to wake us all around us.
The mist swirled all around us as the light grew and the tops of pyramids came in and out of view. As bird calls began to fill the silence the forest erupted as the howler monkeys woke up and set to work waking up anything unfortunate enough to be sleeping nearby.
Back in the forest floor our guide explained to us the importance of the year 2012. This year marks the end of a 5126 year cycle. These Maya had it going on in the astronomy and calendar departments. They understood the concept of zero and the fact that the grand cycle had already begun. Contrary to popular belief this year marks the end of a very long cycle and the beginning of a new era. Apparently, being able to accurately predict seasons and other natural events helped the rulers maintain power. It was evidence that they were in communion with the gods.
Our guide took a man on a sunset tour on the equinox when there was a full moon. The man knew the layout of Tikal and asked Chino to take him to the Northern Acropolis from there they watched the full moon rise above Templo V and he thought Venus rise above Templo IV. The man whipped out a laptop and triangulated the position. It turned out he was from NASA.
This December 21st is going to be really big in Tikal.
Tikal
Wow!! Just about sums it up but not quite. Got here yesterday and checked in to our AWESOME hotel in the jungle. After chilling out for a bit by the pool we walked into the park to visit the pyramids. Tikal is huge and enveloped by a dense rainforest. Some of the structures have been excavated and restored but many more remain submerged in the undergrowth. The Grand Plaza is completely cleared and restored and included two of the tallest pyramids, the Acropolis, and the Royal Palace with it's many courtyards and sleeping chambers. Wandered to the tallest pyramid IV and climbed a 234 foot staircase to reach the top. From the top the view was amazing, miles and miles of jungle spread out in all directions with the tips and mounds of pyramids protruding through the canopy. Millions of bird calls and the intense, other worldly growls of a group of howler monkeys kept us entertained until it was time to head home. Had a yummy dinner in the hotel and crawled under the covers early to be ready for the Sunrise Tour that we had scheduled for Sunday morning.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Que bonito!
Woke up this morning in paradise. Flores is a gorgeous, laid back little town on a teeny little island in lake Peten Itza ( Tilghman and I walked around it this am in about 30 minutes). Everything here is calm and quiet which is a nice change from the chaos of Pana. We had glorious showers last night and watched Guatemala's win against Mexico in another indoor soccer match ("futsol"). Soon we will get some breakfast and catch a shuttle to Tikal!
Guate City Airport
Very hard saying goodbye to the family today. Little Fave and Juan Carlitos were waving by the door as we turned out of their little alley. Had a great last class at school. The kids walked down to the lake with their teachers to say a last goodbye to Pana.
The shuttle picked us up right at noon and we were off to the capitol. Three dusty, exhaust filled hours later we are here in the airport. We missed lunch and the kids opted for Pollo Campero the Guatemalan equivalent to the colonel. Not too bad.
We have about an hour before we head out... Our flight leaves out of the very last gate in the basement of the airport. We have to get on a bus to some little hanger at the edge of the runway! The landing strip out the window closest to where we are sitting is littered with crashed airplanes .... Does not do much for one's confidence. Oh well, here we sit.
The shuttle picked us up right at noon and we were off to the capitol. Three dusty, exhaust filled hours later we are here in the airport. We missed lunch and the kids opted for Pollo Campero the Guatemalan equivalent to the colonel. Not too bad.
We have about an hour before we head out... Our flight leaves out of the very last gate in the basement of the airport. We have to get on a bus to some little hanger at the edge of the runway! The landing strip out the window closest to where we are sitting is littered with crashed airplanes .... Does not do much for one's confidence. Oh well, here we sit.
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