THOUGHT PROVOKING TIKAL

An early start to visit Tikal stopping off along the way for breakfast. No suprise as to what breakfast consisted of. Although I don’t think I could get bored of refried beans.

We were so excited about visiting Tikal as it very much is the jewel in the crown of Mayan culture in Guatemala. It is the largest Mayan archeological site with 3000 structures.

We had a fantastic guide called Miguel, who had worked on the site for 41 years. Possibly nearing retirement he had brought his daughter along to learn the ropes. And what ropes to learn! He was an absolute font of knowledge. As well as a wealth of archeological finds, it also has a wealth of wildlife, including jaguars. In fact a jaguar had been spotted by one of the templesat six that morning.

The settlement abruptly ended in 900 AD – there is no evidence as to why this happened but it could be linked to their water sources being poisoned by metals.

Only around 5% of the site has been excavated. You could see where other pyramids were located as every so often there were triangles of vegetation. Basically the reason for excavating more is not only linked to money but also the fact the buildings would become more exposed and liable to collapse.

Miguel told us that the Mayans carried the stones, as although they were short of stature they were strong. A diet of corn and beans rich in calcium helped them. But if that’s the case it is phenomenal.

The national tree of Guatemala is the Ceiba. The seeds were underfoot on all the tracks around the site. Treading on them emitted a strong smell of garlic which was disconcerting. A bit like garlic bread.

Miguel would pick off seeds from here and there explaining their history. It seems that the rainforest had a wealth of practical applications which were then capitalized by incomers from the USA. One such things was allspice, a lovely aromatic smell, which became Allspice. The boat on the front of the bottles depicting the colonial past.

Another product was Wrigley’s chewing gum. William Wrigley profited from chicle – the gum which indigenous people used.

We climbed to the top of one of the pyramids, no mean feat in the humid heat but the view we saw once we were at the top made up for any lack of oxygen.

Miguel told us all about how the higher social classes would distinguish themselves from the riff raff. They would strap babies heads between wooden boards and this would permanently elongate them. This wasn’t just something the Mayans did, it’s a practice recorded across the globe, but why it started in the first place is baffling.

For higher class babies they would train their eyes to become cross eyed. This would be achieved by placing jade or resin between the eyes. It was done in the belief that the Sun God favoured those with cross eyes. Pointed teeth were also considered desirous, often adored by jewels.

I wasn’t feeling great and that was a shame as I had intended to go zip wiring with Pete. In the event Pete had to go alone with some others on the trip, a series of 10 zips high up in the forest canopy.

We didn’t see jaguars which was a shame, but it did mean we left in tact. We heard the howler monkeys, the sounds they made were deafening. At a 140 decibels at their loudest it was more than ear splittingly loud.

I loved these coatimundi’s!

Returning to Flores I started to feel more and more queasy. After a lie down when we got back a dip in the hotel pool reinvigorated me slightly.

I wasn’t convinced that the water was ok in the hotel but Pete with his finest Duolingo skills was able to translate a notice, which outlined the fact that the water was high in minerals and good for a wide array of ailments. Just what I needed!

I felt better and was able to soak in the atmosphere of the town.

Stopping for a drink at a place called Cool Beans.

And a bite to eat…..

We decided not to eat with everyone in the evening and met them later at a roof bar overlooking the lake. We decided to stroll over the causeway to the supermarket.

As soon as it was dark the music thumped louder and more people congregated on the waters edge. A steady stream of 4×4’s passing us, music blaring, windows open, mean looking dudes! Up and down, up and down they would go.