Guatemala

Boats lined up for the crossing to Guatemala

Hello from Guatemala!

I made it here this afternoon, after a two-day journey. It has definitely felt like an adventure! Yesterday was awesome because I was both heading for this new destination, and also was able to incorporate visits to two ruins that I had been wanting to see: Yaxchilan and Bonampak. Both are on Mexico's side of the border, along the Usumacinta River. They were both spectacular.

After the visits to the ruins, I was deposited, alone, at a very rustic lodge in the heart of the Lacandon jungle, which is a place inhabited by a specific group of indigenous people. I have been told there are only approximately 600 of these people left in the world. Needless to say, it was very rustic. The door to my room did not lock, but that didn't matter. It was all very peaceful and served the purpose of giving me a place to stay before this morning's border crossing.

In the morning, I met up with a group of travelers who were also crossing the border to Guatemala, and we boarded boats for a 50-minute trip upriver. After passing through the immigration station, we loaded into a bus for two hours of dirt roads, and then another 2 hours on pavement toward the town of Flores.

Because I am not staying in Flores, I was deposited, alone again, in the middle of a crowded marketplace to catch a 'colectivo" (aka school bus used for public transportation) to the town near Tikal, where I am staying.

Now I feel my hard work has paid off, because I am staying at a very simple, but very beautiful lodge on a lake, with lots of birds and good food. Tomorrow I will visit Tikal very early in the morning, and hope to catch the sunrise there.

I am not supposed to be using this computer to post to the blog, because of limited bandwidth, so will quickly write captions. Enjoy!

The site Yaxchilan- still impressed by the trees.

Crowning feature of Yaxchilan, at the top of a very steep slippery staircase.


In the arms of a loving giant!

The sparse room at Lacanja.

The very big, very heavy bag made it, too!

My first glimpse of Guatemala--a woman washing clothes in the river.

A regal, and sacred, Ceiba tree.

This is where we landed in Guatemala--doesn't look very "official"!

Tonight's sunset was a perfect reward for the hard work of getting here. I have arrived in a very beautiful, very peaceful, very inspiring place. :)