Blogs from Flores, Petén Region, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 12

We arrived in Flores and took a taxi to our hotel. Our room was on the 3rd floor with a balcony overlooking the lake. After checking in and having dinner, we walked around the area before turning in because we wanted to catch an early bus to the ruins at Tikal. After boarding the bus the next morning, we had to change buses about halfway through our trip as that bus was headed to Belize. A short while later, we came to the entrance to the ruins where we purchased a ticket and map and headed into the park. We thought Chichen Itza was awesome but Tikal is spectacular. Whereas Chichen Itza was only about one square mile in area, the Tikal ruins are 16 square kilometers in area. If you ever tour this place, get ... read more

My day started early Friday morning, with a 5 am wakeup to try and race Fabien for the shower. I got there first and soaked in the warm water. You never know when you'll get a hot shower in Central America! I'm not such a princess that I need hot water....but it sure is more pleasant! The shuttle arrived right at 6am, and Charlotte, Fabien and I climbed in. We picked up an Italian named Michael, before hitting the road. It was a short trip to the Honduras/Guatemalan border, and the crossing was easy. Other than the officials and money changers, no one else seemed to be there. Even the money changers sounded sleepy as they hounded us to switch our lempiras for quetzals. The others lay down and slept as our driver wound through the ... read more

Left Trek stop at 12, was good to get out of there and headed towards Flores in Guatemala. The roads here are entertaining, you drive on the wrong side to avoid potholes at cars coming straight at you... Getting over the border was reasonably painless and am preferring the landscape in Guatemala. More green, cleaner and hillier. Got to Flores around 3 and went for a late lunch. Had a lovely meal (good food and quick - all good). Wandered around Flores for a bit before coming back to get ready to go out for drinks. Found a cheap bar, with a rather interesting loo, you have to poor water down it to flush it and then use another barrel to pour water in the sink to wash your hands. But the music was ok, and ... read more

Tikal boasts the highest ruins in Central America and I had envisioned myself there for months prior. Today was the day that I was to experience the steep temples that tower above the jungle's canopy, and it didn't disappoint! The trek to Tikal via a/c'ed minivan was long and bumpy from San Ignacio, Belize (perhaps aided by my impatience to get there). Elias picked Mandy, Adelin & myself up at the Aguada Hotel at 7:30 am. Normally I don't eat breakfast (don't tell my Mom) but I choose to that day and it was a saving grace that I did! Tikal is located in Guatamela, so we had to maneuver the border crossing which consisted of switching vehicles, walking across the border, paying the $17.75 US Belizean departure tax (wait, but I am coming back that ... read more

At the heart of tropical El Peten, lies the tourist hub of Flores. A small island on Lago Peten Itza, a causeway separating an idyllic bubble from the dirt and crime of the mainland. Flores serves as a base for the hordes that spend a couple of nights here to visit Tikal. I ended up spending a week in the hostel Los Amigos mainly because the food was so good but also psyching myself up for the language lessons and the volunteering. The food; huge vegetable kebabs with brown rice, salad, hummus and bread, vegetable curries, lasagnes and the most amazing chocolate brownies and ice-cream....yum. The small community of locals lived in little stone houses making money from restaurants, hotels and knick-knack shops. The locals would hang-out near the basketball court eating tacos, where there was ... read more