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Published: October 14th 2006
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Aktun Tunichil Muknal
To enter the caves you must swim through the creek... about 12 feet deep once you're inside. I have a new gash that will soon become a beautiful two inch scar across my right calf! I fell while wading through the river that runs through Actun Tunichil Muknal, the beautiful cayes about a 30 minute drive outside of San Ignacio. I was too busy looking up at the amazing cave formations and caught my toe under a ledge and walked face first into the coooool clean water. I couldn't be happier. The tour company told me the day I booked the trip that I'd get wet because you have to swim through the river to the entrance to the cave, and that it was a pretty easy walk. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't easy.... and you don't just get wet to get in, you stay wet almost the entire way in and out. How cool!!! To even reach the caves you take a beautiful 45 minute hike. We heard a spider monkey and countless birds, saw tarantulas crossing the pathway, a grey fox, ummm man, I know there were so many more cool animals I just can't think of them all. Anyway.
We swam, waded, and rock hopped for about a half mile to the point
in the caves where we climbed up into a chamber that opened up into many more, much larger chambers. From here you have to walk in socks, no shoes allowed but no bare feet either. There are artifacts scattered everywhere -- the cave was left exactly as it was found -- and what I saw most often was pottery. Pots and jugs eeeeverywhere, broken and intact (but with the kill hole at the top). Considering the rather difficult route in I would hate to be the person carrying the huge ceremonial water and grain jugs. There were also two stelae, one representing a stingray stinger. They were supposedly used for blood sacrifices.
Also were human remains! We saw about 5 skeletons and many scattered bones, although there are a total of 14 in the cave. The guide said they were sacrificed! I didn't know the Mayans had sacrificial ceremonies! I just finished reading Gary Jennings' historical fiction piece Aztec in which their sacrifices were described in great detail, so I really really interested to see these. The bones have all been crusted over with calcite. Some of the males had visibly altered skulls -- flattened on the forehead and
Aktun Tunichil Muknal
Remains of a female sacrificial victim... one on the back too, giving the appeareance of a conehead or corn -- and his teeth were filed and somehow the archeologists were able to tell from the skull he was cross-eyed, done on purpose by hanging a bead between the eyes.
If there were no evidence the Mayans even set foot in the cave, I would still consider it to be worth visiting. I really enjoyed the cave itself...... very large (I think they said it went on for 5 more kilometers beyond where we stopped). It's the most magnificent cave I've ever seen! The clean blue-green water flowing through it adds an eery aural aspect.... if you listen closely it sounds as though there's someone howling in the distance. I know many people come to Belize just to dive, and while the underwater may be great, this cave is the best out-of-water trip you can do in Belize!!!
I'm having difficulties with getting my camera to upload pictures. This is very, very annoying because I sent my camera away to repair the very things it's doing now. For some reason it shuts itself off whenever I try to upload photos using the USB cable I
Flores, Guatemala
The view from my hotel overlooking lake Peten. bought. Otherwise it stays on without trouble. I will probably have to wait until I have a card reader handy (fat chance, so this means when I return to Puerto Morelos). So I have to be conservative with the number of photos I take.
Tomorrow I head for the Guatemalan town of Flores. A guy I met up with in Tulum has met me here in San Ignacio and we're crossing together. Flores is a jumping off point for the Tikal ruins. I will be staying there for a few days I think. Then I want to go to Quetzaltenango and later some of the towns around Lago de Atitlan -- probably San Pedro first. I won't have convenient internet for a while. I must say I don't really want to leave San Ignacio... I reeeeally like it.
I also must say that while my thoughts today were mostly focused on the beauty at hand, I was almost constantly thinking about Philip. Quite often I found myself turning around while hiking and trudging through the river to flash him a smile and see how he was doing -- because naturally he would have been behind me. It was
Tikal, Guatemala
Sunrise over the misty jungle canopy... confusing and then disappointing to see an empty trail. I haven't done things like this in a few weeks but don't see it as a bad thing. I miss him most while "adventuring" because I loved sharing new experience with him and I just know he would have been absolutely thrilled with today's trip. These are the kinds of outings I wanted to do most -- the one's he would have liked most -- and I'm glad I'm out here doing it. I don't fancy myself to be a rugged individualist and often feel vulnerable and wish I had someone with me on long bus rides or to dance with at night. I've heard too much about how I shouldn't be out here on my own... enough! I love the time to myself to think and read and explore, and I don't consider myself alone anyway. I have Philip with me and all the people I've met along my travels thus far... not so far really... and I feel that I'm growing. I don't think I'm going to come out of this with a new life perspective or answers to big questions -- give me a break -- but I
Tikal, Guatemala
Sunrise over the misty jungle canopy... do know I've matured and have had to face reality in a way I never had, and most people i know never will, even if they think they have. Anyway, I'm enjoying myself -- and not feeling guilty for it anymore -- because I have my grinning, adventuring, hitchhiking Philly Pie to keep me company.
Adios.
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Zardo
Liz Cason
So Happy!!
I am SO happy that you are having this experience...forget that we're "worrying"...it's just what us parents do, you know! We really ARE happy that you are doing what you "feel", and that you feel Phil doing it with you : ) I know he is! Be sure to doctor that wound...keep it clean and as dry as possible (that's my "mom schpiel...sure you got that from Karen already :) Also happy to hear that you will have some company as you head into Guat. We'll be eagerly awaiting the next update...Abrazos y Besos en abundanza!! L. p.s. Fur face is growing like a bad weed!! More on that later...Ciao!