Florida and travels.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Guatemala. Oct 23, 05
At the airport I met several Army Men "protecting the tourists." (I’m the one on the left)
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Sunday and I'm home - Oct 23
Saturday we caught the 7am Van back to the Flores airport for our 9:30am flight. (it was delayed till about 11am. we 'enjoyed' our time in the airport drinking coffee and eating fresh pineapple spread on toast. trying to spend all our Quetzales. i found a $5 Q note in my shirt pocket doing laundry today.) Finally we arrived back in Belize City and enjoyed a great lunch at the airport. (if you are ever in Belize City i highly recommend the airport restaurant. i know, that sounds crazy but really their food is good.)
Back in Tikal. Friday we hired a guide – Noel, who spoke good english and tried to walk us to death. ($10US ea. / 4hrs) he was a lot of fun and worked well with our little band of four. At one point he is giving his talk and says – “now look at this shit.” So he was obviously learning english from us as he went.
Back in Tikal. Friday we hired a guide – Noel, who spoke good english and tried to walk us to death. ($10US ea. / 4hrs) he was a lot of fun and worked well with our little band of four. At one point he is giving his talk and says – “now look at this shit.” So he was obviously learning english from us as he went.
Tikal Guatemala
At Tikal we found lodging at the Jaguar Inn, 
one of the three modest hotels inside the national park complex. $35 US per night for a nice clean room with ceiling fan. (interesting footnote: the hot water only ran between 6a-9a, and 6p-9p. the electricity only ran 9a-12p, 1p-4p, 6p-9p) the rooms were airy and screened for plenty of fresh air and jungle noise. You could hear the howler monkeys and imagine jaguars roaming around the grounds after dark.
The draw here is the Mayan ruins of Tikal. It is said that there are over 4,000 buildings, and that there were over 125,000 inhabitants during the cities peak about 900 ad. The largest temples are over 150ft tall. Many stellas are around the park, carved and standing erect over an alter marking some significant historical stuff…
one of the three modest hotels inside the national park complex. $35 US per night for a nice clean room with ceiling fan. (interesting footnote: the hot water only ran between 6a-9a, and 6p-9p. the electricity only ran 9a-12p, 1p-4p, 6p-9p) the rooms were airy and screened for plenty of fresh air and jungle noise. You could hear the howler monkeys and imagine jaguars roaming around the grounds after dark.The draw here is the Mayan ruins of Tikal. It is said that there are over 4,000 buildings, and that there were over 125,000 inhabitants during the cities peak about 900 ad. The largest temples are over 150ft tall. Many stellas are around the park, carved and standing erect over an alter marking some significant historical stuff…
Tikal: Thur-Sat
Friday morning we flew out of Belize City to Flores Airport. (Flores International – airport to the stars!)
But, im getting ahead of myself. Thursday we fled the approaching storm Wilma. The prediction was she would make landfall in Mexico and then curl up to Florida. But a category 5 would still reek havoc on our little island and ruin any chance for scuba or “resting on the beach.” So we packed up and flew to Belize City, in route to Tikal, Guatemala. Tropic Airlines wouldn’t fly us on the afternoon (cancelled) flight Wednesday but ‘would’ fly us Thursday morning for the 8:30am flight… till we got to the airport and they told us they were transferring us to Maya airlines. So, we were the only 4 on board.
The airport in Flores is ‘nice’ by Central American standards and a gem in the crown for Guatemala. We breezed through immigration and customs to meet Emil the travel man. He agreed to provide van service for the 4 of us $20 each round trip for our ride 1hr up to Tikal. Francisco was our driver – a joy to be around with as much english as my spanish so we got along fine.
First Francisco took us for a quick tour of Flores. (a city built on an island - recently connected by land) The circle route through town up to the central plaza at the church on the city’s crest. (a mandatory stop at the tourist trap) then back off the island and through the lowlands around the lake to Tikal.
But, im getting ahead of myself. Thursday we fled the approaching storm Wilma. The prediction was she would make landfall in Mexico and then curl up to Florida. But a category 5 would still reek havoc on our little island and ruin any chance for scuba or “resting on the beach.” So we packed up and flew to Belize City, in route to Tikal, Guatemala. Tropic Airlines wouldn’t fly us on the afternoon (cancelled) flight Wednesday but ‘would’ fly us Thursday morning for the 8:30am flight… till we got to the airport and they told us they were transferring us to Maya airlines. So, we were the only 4 on board.
The airport in Flores is ‘nice’ by Central American standards and a gem in the crown for Guatemala. We breezed through immigration and customs to meet Emil the travel man. He agreed to provide van service for the 4 of us $20 each round trip for our ride 1hr up to Tikal. Francisco was our driver – a joy to be around with as much english as my spanish so we got along fine.
First Francisco took us for a quick tour of Flores. (a city built on an island - recently connected by land) The circle route through town up to the central plaza at the church on the city’s crest. (a mandatory stop at the tourist trap) then back off the island and through the lowlands around the lake to Tikal.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Tikal Trip, or fleeing Wilma to Guatemala
THURSDAY . Gray and breezy in Belize City this morning. no rain but the threat is never far away. i am flying this morning from Belize City to Flores, Gautemala - then drive to Tikal. My 'relaxing beach trip' got blown out of the water yesterday. i showed up for my morning dive and they were preparing for the hurricane to arrive. Wilma. She's a bad girl. everyone was getting ready. so, i packed and flew to the mainland. at the airport i ran into some dive buddies (jim, marshal, tara) and 'got invited' to go with them to Tikal. Had lobster last night. will post more later. news - im out of range for the hurricane. -skip
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Monday, October 17, 2005
Monday night 6:15pm. tired tonight from diving. ready for some lobster and to finish my book. the 'large news' is the Hurricane headed this way. the tourists are all bearers of bad news while the locals yawn. i'll just try to relax and dive while i can. my current return is saturday 3pm and it shows the rain going through on friday. so, it might rain... might level the island? i'll play it by ear.
sunny and warm today. diving we had Adolpho our dive instructor from Chad and Jade two years ago. (kid about 20 with a warm smile and easy laugh) he remembered us (avhq dive club) and asked 'about the guys.' i told him you were too lazy to travel... scared.
saw lots of sharks with him trailing bait. plan to enjoy each day till im blown off the rock.
saw it was 93 in dallas today. it was ~79 in the water here.
skip
sunny and warm today. diving we had Adolpho our dive instructor from Chad and Jade two years ago. (kid about 20 with a warm smile and easy laugh) he remembered us (avhq dive club) and asked 'about the guys.' i told him you were too lazy to travel... scared.
saw lots of sharks with him trailing bait. plan to enjoy each day till im blown off the rock.
saw it was 93 in dallas today. it was ~79 in the water here.
skip
Sunday, October 16, 2005
San Pedro, Belize
Well i was so tired last night that i couldn't sleep. ever been there? then at 2am a downpour woke me. like the sky had just emptied buckets on the porch outside my window. no lightening or thunder just a river pouring on my ledge. i went right back to sleep.
today i wake for clear skies and dust free dirt streets. its 82 by 8am. i walked along the beach for photos and to catch the breeze. heavenly. about 10am i found a small private beach hotel with signs saying pool for guests only. so i got a great shady spot out on the edge where the wind could cool me and sat in their 'very private' shade for an hour to read my book.
now i have just had a lunch of chicken, rice and beans with salad, banana smoothy. $8US. perfect. would write more boring drivel but my nap is calling.
more later.
skip
today i wake for clear skies and dust free dirt streets. its 82 by 8am. i walked along the beach for photos and to catch the breeze. heavenly. about 10am i found a small private beach hotel with signs saying pool for guests only. so i got a great shady spot out on the edge where the wind could cool me and sat in their 'very private' shade for an hour to read my book.
now i have just had a lunch of chicken, rice and beans with salad, banana smoothy. $8US. perfect. would write more boring drivel but my nap is calling.
more later.
skip
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