February 18, 2011
We're on our way to Belize right now...yes, right now...i'm writing this while riding the bus. We lucked out so far and actually have seats on this bus. Still a super grumpy ass driver but what have you, I think that is just what you have to deal with. We left Lanquin the day before yesterday and had the worst bus ride ever. We took the tourismo bus to Flores. These type of buses are only supposed to hold 14 people maximum. To save money the company (AdventureTouristas) decided to pack three full bus loads of people into two buses. We were all settled into our seats in the first bus and our bags were tied to the roof and then all of a sudden the driver decided that Chad and I needed to switch buses. They told us it was a bigger bus, a better bus. Then they grabbed our packs and tied them to the other bus's roof. When I opened the door I was wondering where they expected me to sit. There was not one open seat. The driver proceeded to pull out the two wooden boxes they put in the ailes between the real seats. That was where they expected us to sit. I lost it! I was actually yelling in Spanish! Looking back I was pretty proud of myself! But it didn't do any good. He told us if we wanted to go to Flores this was the only way to get there and he didn't mind leaving us behind. Bugger! They have no respect for women, especially when that woman is yelling in broken spanish. Chad was ready to start a coup and take over the bus and leave the cranky driver to fend for himself in the jungle. Every Guatemalan we have met has been so nice and helpful and generally wonderful people, except for the tourism industry. They seem to think they can charge whatever they want and just shrug their shoulders when you complain. This israeli girl was in tears yesterday because her bag was ripped open on the roof of the truck and she asked why it was open and the driver lost it on her. I had about $7 in Mexican Pesos in a side pocket of my bag that "mysteriously" disappeared when we got to Flores. There are a couple ladies from England sitting behind me who were charged three times as much for this bus to Belize and when they confronted the company about it they just gave the good ole Guatemalan shrug. Anyways enough venting about bus trips...i believe bad bus rides are all part in parcel for this type of traveling.
Yesterday we got up at 4:00am to catch the bus to Tikal Ruins! We chose the earliest tour because you get to see more animals and its not nearly as hot. We had a tour guide who spoke English with a Spanish and Australian accent. He kind of reminded me of a Guatemalan Crocodile Hunter! He was so passionate about the animals and Mayan history. We saw first thing in the morning a little fresh water crocodile. Later on in the tour we saw spider and howler monkies and tons of different birds and parrots. Leaf cutter ants were carrying bits of flowers, seeds and leaves to thier hills. Our guide grew up in Tikal and has been doing tours since he was 12. There is a lot of work going on in Tikal right now, only 15% of the ruins have been uncovered because at first sight it just looks like mountains with trees in the middle of the jungle but under that jungle there are massive pyramids and sacraficial alters!! From the tallest pyramid we could see the entire jungle and the tops of the other pyramids peaking out of the canopy. There are 17,000 structures in Tikal. This is a huge place. No one really knows why the Mayans left the city but they think it might be because of overpopulation and the difficulty of getting fresh water and food into the city. In 900AD there were no trees and no gardens, there is no natural springs or rivers. The city was a place for royalty and they were served by the people of the surrounding area. Water and food had to be carried long distances every day. El Mirador is another Mayan city that is even more impressive than Tikal but you can't get there unless you hike there. The trip is 5 days long. Chad really wanted to do it but I am not really in shape to hike 30km a day through the jungle in 40degree heat. Louise took us on a walk through the jungle on our way back to the buses and we found a car graveyard from the 60's....it reminded me of the farm at home!! I am getting a teensy bit homesick but I think once we get to the ocean that will be well behind me. Time is going way too fast.
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