We arose very 
early to catch our bus tour to Tikal. It is one of the largest pre-Columbian Maya civilizations and also the most popular in Guatemala. It is found in a jungle like setting inhabited by lots of wildlife.
We joined fellow English speakers on a lengthy tour of the property. Our guide, a 21 year veteran of the park gave us the full low down on the Mayans, their evolution and transformation and disappearance. Apparently the original ancestors had cone shaped heads and long ear lobes. They walked up the long staircases sideways so as to always watch what their underlings were doing. The sites were incredibly well built and preserved, although its people have long since disappeared. The monuments, themselves were only built to be used as ceremonial structures, to impress others when they entere
d the village. They were never used for burials like the Egyptian pyramids. The archeological sites are not impossible to have built since the stones are relatively small and could be carried one at a time. It was thought that the Mayans carried them on their backs and continued doing so, even with their knowledge of the wheel.
One of the odd things about the original people is that they disappeared, but no one can trace exactly where they went or what happened to them. Perhaps they only built the structures for us to better understand them; perhaps they all died of a huge epidemic. It is a fascinating mystery!!
Now the question we’ve all been waiting for: Will the world end on December 21, 2012? According to the man on the island and our tour guide: NO! On the other hand they both believe that t
he world will change and everyone will get sick, with a possible flooding (Maybe: Noah’s ark)?! No one can find food, etc. So don’t forget to enjoy your loved ones!
Five hours later we headed to the van home only to be audience to a tour kafuffle. Four girls who had joined our tour through another guide had apparently given their previous tour guide their ticket. Even though they had been on our tour for four hours and had been instructed to join it by a colleague of our guide, he was refusing to let them on the shuttle home. He was somewhat nasty about it and we felt sorry for them. They ended up paying for the bus home ($5), but they were not happy about it! Being a tourist can really stink sometimes and we felt their pain!
The rest of our evening was spent shopping (our fave) and dinner overlooking the sunset. The restaurants here are so lovely, with open patios and lots of food. I even befriended the owner’s cat who was really cute. I find that in Guatemala that their animals are treated a lot better here. I even saw a pet store in Flores.
We were sad to spend our last night in an air conditioned room, but knew it was time to move on!
early to catch our bus tour to Tikal. It is one of the largest pre-Columbian Maya civilizations and also the most popular in Guatemala. It is found in a jungle like setting inhabited by lots of wildlife.We joined fellow English speakers on a lengthy tour of the property. Our guide, a 21 year veteran of the park gave us the full low down on the Mayans, their evolution and transformation and disappearance. Apparently the original ancestors had cone shaped heads and long ear lobes. They walked up the long staircases sideways so as to always watch what their underlings were doing. The sites were incredibly well built and preserved, although its people have long since disappeared. The monuments, themselves were only built to be used as ceremonial structures, to impress others when they entere
d the village. They were never used for burials like the Egyptian pyramids. The archeological sites are not impossible to have built since the stones are relatively small and could be carried one at a time. It was thought that the Mayans carried them on their backs and continued doing so, even with their knowledge of the wheel.One of the odd things about the original people is that they disappeared, but no one can trace exactly where they went or what happened to them. Perhaps they only built the structures for us to better understand them; perhaps they all died of a huge epidemic. It is a fascinating mystery!!
Now the question we’ve all been waiting for: Will the world end on December 21, 2012? According to the man on the island and our tour guide: NO! On the other hand they both believe that t
he world will change and everyone will get sick, with a possible flooding (Maybe: Noah’s ark)?! No one can find food, etc. So don’t forget to enjoy your loved ones!Five hours later we headed to the van home only to be audience to a tour kafuffle. Four girls who had joined our tour through another guide had apparently given their previous tour guide their ticket. Even though they had been on our tour for four hours and had been instructed to join it by a colleague of our guide, he was refusing to let them on the shuttle home. He was somewhat nasty about it and we felt sorry for them. They ended up paying for the bus home ($5), but they were not happy about it! Being a tourist can really stink sometimes and we felt their pain!
The rest of our evening was spent shopping (our fave) and dinner overlooking the sunset. The restaurants here are so lovely, with open patios and lots of food. I even befriended the owner’s cat who was really cute. I find that in Guatemala that their animals are treated a lot better here. I even saw a pet store in Flores.
We were sad to spend our last night in an air conditioned room, but knew it was time to move on!
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