On to Flores this morning to the Hotel Peten through hardwood forests and rubber and palm oil plantations. There did not seem to be much in Flores, which was on an island with an access bridge to drive over. Just an overnight stay here.
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| Restaurant staff wishing a customer a happy birthday |
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| A view of part of Flores |
In the the jungle of Guatemala surrounded by lush vegetation, lies one of the major sites of Mayan civilization, inhabited from the 6th century B.C. to the 10th century A.D. The ceremonial centre contains palaces, temples, ceremonial platforms, residences, ball-game courts, roads with large and small squares. Remains of dwellings are scattered throughout the surrounding countryside. Tikal is one of the most important archaeological complexes left by the Maya civilization. An inner urban zone of around 400 hectares contains the principal monumental architecture and monuments where many of the existing monuments have decorated surfaces, including stone carvings and mural paintings with hieroglyphic inscriptions, which illustrate the dynastic history of the city.
Views of Tikal
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| Hidden in the jungle |
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| Seen in the jungle. Not sure what it is. |
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| Hidden painted face |
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| Residences |
It was very hot walking round Tikal but I did enjoy the visit especially the painted face as it was protected by a grass hut and I was not sure if people were allowed to view the painted stone carving.
Having left Flores at 09.00 hours we took two hours to cross the border between Guatemala and Belize at Melchor de Mencos and Benque Viejo del Carto to arrive at the Hotel Midas in San Ignacio finding that switching on the air-conditioning in the room was an extra charge (it became free later but I did not use the AC). Early in the evening we were given a talk by a guide about going into the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave. The guide was the person registered to take tourists into the cave with only eight people in a group and only twenty groups during the day. Access to the cave would be by swimming across a river, swimming into the cave, walking, climbing and swimming in the cave with the the last part walking only in stocking feet. The wearing of shoes was not allowed so as not to damage the calcified floor and socks had to be worn so as not to leave any foot oils on the floor and to protect the feet as the calcified floor was very rough and sharp.
The cave is about one kilometer long and apart from normal stalagmites and stalactites has artifacts and offerings used in ancient Mayan ceremonies dating back over 1000 years. I was concerned about the effort required to go into the cave but our normal guide said that he had seen me ‘running’ up the pyramids in the morning and had no doubt that I was fit enough to go into the cave. The younger ones in the group said that I was considered to be ‘young’ and that I should go with them as I joined in everything. The retired Aussies and Kiwis decided not want to go caving!
The cave contains skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware left by the Maya. The most famous skeleton is that of a young girl, called the Crystal Maiden, the bones of which have been completely covered by the natural processes of a crystaline substance caused by natural calcification. The guide was the only person allowed to carry anything including the socks we changed into half-way through the cave. We had to wear hard hats and life jackets were available for those who needed them.
No-one is allowed to take any camera or backpack into the cave after a skull was damaged a few years ago when a Frenchman dropped a lens onto a skull and knocked a hole in the 1000 year old skull.
Views of the ATM Cave (mainly taken off the web)
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| The 'young' ones |
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| Ready to go to the cave |
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| The entrance |
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| Swimming into the cave |
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| Looking to the outside |
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| The crystal maiden |
The river was ‘cool’ swimming in it in the morning and even though my clothes were soaked going into the cold cave the exercise climbing over rocks in the cave was enough to keep me warm. After a three hours in the cave it was enough for the sun to warm the river at the end of the trip making things more comfortable. It was then back to the hotel to pick up the others so as to catch the ferry for an hours ride to the island of Caye Caulker in Belize and the Hotel Plaza, by which time I was ready for my bed!
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