my trip to Tikal: from panic to serenity

4:30 am came way to early, especially since I was tossing and turning all night thinking about ants crawling all over me. I got up and dressed for my trip to Tikal in about 3 minutes, I was running late and didn't want to miss the van. Turns out, I didn't need to rush, the van was more than 15 minutes late. In fact, at one point I began to wonder if the driver had taken our money the day before, and was not coming. Finally, a van showed up and we got inside. I spent the one hour van ride drifting in and out of consciousness as the driver kept stopping and getting out of the van for no apparent reason. O Guatemala.

Once at the entrance to the Tikal park we left the van and began our walk to the ruins. At first we went down the wrong path, going the opposite direction of the entrance and more or less to the middle of nowhere. Sensing we were walking in the wrong direction, I asked some hikers who passed us going the other way and they confirmed my suspicion. Once at the actual entrance to the Tikal ruins, we paid a $20 entrance fee*. Showed the guard our ticket and began our search for Temple IV(the tallest temple at Tikal).

The map of the park was slightly inaccurate and very hard to read so we walked the same direction as the tour groups, we passed many small ruins and eventually saw a sign pointing the way to Temple IV. As we began walking down the narrow, windy jungle path I remember thinking the path seemed a bit raw. After another 10 minutes I thought it was odd we hadn't seen any other park visitors. That was when I began freaking out. At the park entrance there was a sign warning visitors, jaguars may be in the area and to stay on the marked trails. The path was getting more narrow, the jungle more dense and I swear I heard something, following us/stalking us in the nearby vegetation. Now twenty minutes down a crude jungle path, the end was nowhere insight and we had no idea where we were on the map. It just didn't feel right.

Fortunately, Melanie was also worried and suggested we turn back before we were too far into the jungle. Amy, who was not worried, wanted to stay on the path and see where it went. As we stopped to discuss turning back and once again check the map, I could hear a faint sound of sticks or leaves cracking in the jungle only a few feet away from us. Something was watching us, I knew it. Turning back the way we came; we walked/ran calmly but rapidly, worried running might encourage whatever was in the jungle around us to run too.

Finally back on the main trail. I felt a bit silly for feeling paranoid. Especially, when I discovered what was following us!

Yes that's right we were running from a very scary, half raccoon - half anteater thing, indigenous to the region, know as a White Nosed Coati or Pizote.

We arrived at the Great Plaza just as the sun finished rising. The ruins were stunning. Each structure constructed for a different purpose, I could stand in the middle and picture Tikal (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) as a city of great importance and wealth in the Mayan world. Settled in 700BCE, Tikal was a cultural, religious and commercial center for the Maya for many hundreds of years. Eventually, around 900CE, Tikal's prominence faded and the city was slowly abandoned allowing the jungle surroundings to engulf the structures. In 1956 archaeologists began restoration and excavation of the temples and other various structures in the area and this work continues today.

As I looked out across the jungle, I saw some of the other temples peaking above the trees. I felt very clam and peaceful. Once again having a moment where I thought, "this is one of the greatest moments of my life." I imagined the Maya working diligently to construct each of the structures in the city, their dedication to community and their gods. It was a moment of awe, echoed by the sounds of the birds in the nearby trees. I resisted the urge to sing, a la the Sound of Music, out across the jungle. Nonetheless, the rest of my day in Tikal was spent in a state of peace and comfort.


* I would not mind the high price tag to see and explore these ruins if I were assured the money was used for excavation/restoration of the site or to assist the ancestors of the Mayan people. However, in Guatemala, a country with a great deal of political corruption, there is no guarantee the entrance fees are used appropriately.

Ants in my Pants!!! (literally)

I have to admit, I was really nervous about going to Guatemala, I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe I let the concerns(worries) of other back in AZ get to me or my lack of Spanish language skills made me nervous; regardless, I was trepidatious for the impending border crossing. Which is why I was thrilled three other people from my hostel, two American girls (Amy and Melanie) and a dutch guy(Phillip), were heading in the same direction. At first I figured we would just take the bus together and cross the border, but after the shared experience of crossing the Belize-Guatemala border and sweating out every ounce of water in our bodies riding in a dirty-stuffy bus, we ended up planing to spend more time together.

We decided to stay in Flores, an island village in the middle of Lago de Peten Itza. The hostel we wanted to stay in was full as were a few of the hotels we tried. Finally, we found a hotel room the four of us could share for $7 each. The room was sparse with four twin beds and a small bathroom, it was clean and right on the lake, with a spectacular view. Hot and sweaty from the bus ride and hotel search we decided to go to the lake for a swim. The water was clean and refreshing, I was shocked by the water clarity (I've never swam in a lake where I could see at least 10ft below me). At the lake we met a fellow traveler staying in the hostel on the island. He mentioned the hostel had a great vegetarian restaurant and our group decided to join him for dinner.

Back in the hotel room I began to unpack my bag when I felt a strange itchy sensation on my legs. I reached down to lift up my skirt(O fate, why was i wearing a skirt?) to see what it was and I saw about fifteen ants crawling up my legs, before I had the chance to fully process the ants on my legs, I noticed about 700 more ants crawling all over the Phillip's bed!!! I screamed before I was rendered speechless. I just keep pointing and gasping as the other girls ran over to see why I was freaking out.

Big black ants were pouring out of the wall! It was as if they were colonizing the bed and about 50 of them had made their way to annex my bed as well. We got the owner of the hotel, who acted as if nothing was wrong and offered to spray the ants and kill them. Ummmm, NO! "We need a new room" I said. After a few minutes, we were in two new double bedrooms. It was about this time I remembered there were at least 15 ants crawling on me and biting me. I jumped in the shower to rinse off the ants and discovered so many itchy little red bites I was yet again rendered speechless. I've not had good luck thus far with insect bites.