2013 Guatemala Trip Day Six - Tikal

Out of all of the sites I saw in Guatemala, by far the one that was most memorable was the trip to Tikal.  The morning was off to an interesting start when I was led past one airplane and toward the smallest commercial plane I’d ever seen.  The seats on it looked like something off a US school bus and nothing about it screamed safety, so I was really happy to have an engaging Spanish-speaking passenger sharing my “bench” as keeping up with a Spanish-language conversation kept my mind occupied.

The tour bus picked people up from a hotel near the park, which provided gorgeous views of a lake and then we were off to the ruins!  The bus was largely Spanish-speaking, so the guide provided a lot of information in Spanish.  Most of it was repeated in English, but understanding a lot of Spanish was helpful.  Once we reached Tikal, the English-speaking group separated off, which was nice as there were only 6 of us.  During our walk through the jungle, we heard animals, but I only caught a quick glimpse of a monkey.  We did see plenty of leafcutter ants, which are fascinating as they’re the only animal that grows their own food besides humans.

We were able to climb one of the uncovered ruins, but we also saw some of the mounds covering ruins that haven’t been excavated yet – hard to believe they were ALL covered at first.

(Covered)

(Uncovered)













It was fascinating to see all of the different structures that were built.  This central area wasn’t where farmers would have lived, but more likely where the administrators and wealthy individuals would have been.  There were buildings that people would have lived in, including niches where people slept near windows for cool, fresh air.

We were also able to see how the Mayans had built layer over layer over layer in the construction of their buildings.  And then we saw one of the main temple buildings in the distance.  I will note that this was about the time that the heat led to me taking my jacket off, which was when the mosquitoes REALLY decended despite 100% DEET.  My experience with that in a malarial area was enough to convince me that anti-malarials really are a good idea no matter how many precautions I plan to take.  It's such a serious disease that it simply isn't worth the risk if mosquitoes love you (they LOVE me)!

One of the largest ruins has a separate set of stairs so you can climb switchbacks to the top, but this is not an adventure for the faint of heart or those in poor health!  It was extremely humid and warm, even on an overcast day, and very strenuous; however, if you can manage it, the view was incredible.  The Mayans had built this structure above the jungle canopy!  And from the top, which was on the small side for the number of people up there (especially if you have any fear of heights, which I do!) you could see the temples facing each other at the ceremonial center in the distance.

Toward the end of our tour, we came upon the ceremonial center - yes, you WALK that far.  As luck would have it, we were there on a day when modern Mayans were performing a ceremony.  It was a fascinating place to look around and try to picture what it would have looked like at its peak.  Many of the structures were still standing and one of the main temples was being restored at the time; however, they were in surprisingly good condition given how old they are.  

It was really an amazing glimpse into the life style, from ball courts to remaining irrigation structures.  Tikal is rare for an ancient city because it was not built near a source of fresh water, but rather the Mayans built an elaborate system to capture and store rain water instead.

If you’re ever in Guatemala, it’s well worth the expense to take a trip to Tikal!

2013 Guatemala Trip Day Five - Last Child Visit, a "walk" and mosquitoes!

So far in my trip, I'd managed to avoid getting bitten by any mosquitoes.  While malaria isn't present in Guatemala City, they do have dengue fever, which I was surprised to learn is spread by daytime biting mosquitoes.  I didn't have any particular issues with getting bitten, even though I usually get eaten alive; however, on the fifth day I went to an amusement park where there was standing water and I did get bitten during the day.  Fortunately, I didn't get dengue fever!

The day started with me meeting my kids at their community center.  I couldn't visit the homes of these three because they live in a "red zone" in Guatemala.  In the red zones, the gangs are so strong and well-armed that the police don't even go in and Children International relies in part on resident volunteer parents to help communicate with the families.  The first two pictures are with the siblings I sponsor, Edy and Katherine, who have matching fantastic smiles!  I also met Keisy on the same visit since they all lived in the same area.

Since they were all teens, the staff had recommended a day at the amusement park Mundo Petapa Irtra, so we were off!  The kids had never been to an amusement park before, so they wanted to start with something tame - bouncing kangeroos.

Then, it was on to the log ride - the kids wanted to take turns riding with me, so it was Edy and Katherine's turn:

Fortunately, the two families seemed to like each other!  You can see where the siblings get their smile as their mom has one to match.  I love it that their mom wears traditional Mayan clothing also!

While my teens all seemed more comfortable with a virtual stranger showing up to see them, there were differences.  Edy & Katherine were both rather shy, but they smiled a lot and showed a lot of interest in what I was saying . . . they just didn't talk much themselves.  I noticed that the staff seemed concerned that I'd be put off by the kids not talking and were pushing them a little and reminding them I'd come a LONG way to see them (helps to speak some Spanish & know what they're saying lol), so I reassured them that I understood and I wasn't offended at all.  I hope that the concern hasn't been triggered by past sponsors who WERE offended, but I know some sponsors visit and post that they didn't feel a connection to the kid(s).  I suspect there have been sponsors who visited and ended up not continuing with a sponsorship, which is a sad thought . . . and it bothered me a little - not that the staff were concerned, but that they felt there was anything to be concerned about.  Having been a shy child myself, I can only imagine the pressure to be "likeable" so your sponsor stays your sponsor!  Keisy, on the other hand, was peppering me with questions so fast that I couldn't keep up with her.  She wanted to know everything about how we celebrate Christmas, what we normally eat, did I drive a car, what are houses like in the US, etc.

One thing I noticed WAS consistent is that all of the kids wanted American food.  Out in the rural areas, there wasn't fast food, but the kids wanted hamburgers still, while I ordered a native dish.  Juan wanted pizza and my kids today were DYING for some McDonalds.  The staff does a great job of trying to keep things simple by having everyone order the same thing (since we were a HUGE group), but it was funny that when I tried to order from a different place to get something local, they were going to have everyone eat there . . . so I had McDonalds also.

Despite eating fruit, coffee cake and coffee at the homes of my kids, the only day I was sick after eating was within hours of eating at McDonalds - boo.  Of course, hard to say exactly where I picked up a bug at, but I did find it ironic.  Having said that, it was just an upset stomach, so I avoided any major issues during my whole trip.  I did have to soak my toothbrush in iodine water after accidentally rinsing it in the sink though!

More great pics of the families from the end of the day:

I also had my only "unsafe" feeling moment after returning to my bed & breakfast.  The B&B staff suggested it was safe enough to walk to a small market a few blocks away.  I felt fine the first couple of blocks, but was waiting for a break in traffic to cross, when I heard four "rough" looking guys talking about the gringa across the street.  Fortunately, I understand enough Spanish to realize that if I didn't want to lose my possessions, I should come up with a plan quickly.  I was in front of stores, so I went inside one to browse until the men left.  I went promptly back to my B&B and decided that walking around alone, even a short distance, wasn't a good idea in Guatemala City.