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 1.
La Lancha lies beyond the larger Westin Camino Real Tikal along a
dirt road. The main lodge, pools, and 10 airy casitas are arrayed
down a steep slope and offer spectacular views of the jungle and
lake. |
 8.
Sue surveys the Main Plaza. |
 2.
A somewhat challenging trail leads to the lake shore, where visitors
can swim, boat, or sunbathe on the jungle’s edge (no crocodrillos,
they promise). |
 9.
Above, Sue, James, David, and Marie pose nervously for Walt in the
misty gloaming as we overlook Tikal from the summit of Templo
IV, 65 meters above the jungle floor. Below, the shorter Templo
1 is a virtual national icon. |
 3.
Spider and larger howler monkeys (pictured above) inhabit the thick
canopy around the resort, along with a dizzying variety of toucans,
flickers, jays, and other birds. |
 10.
The next day, Pablo (seen here with Pam) took us to the smaller Mayan
city of Yaxha near its namesake lake. |
 4.
Despite a steady rain, we made the 45-minute drive to the large Tikal
national park, and our guide Pablo led us into the ruins with the caveat,
"Don't step on a root that moves." |
 11.
The government is “reconstructing” Yaxha’s
ruins to create a sort of “Mundo Maya” theme park, but
the view from its restored Templo 216 is impressive. |
 5.
A soaring Ceiba tree stands near the park entrance. Mayans worship
as the tree of life and a pillar of heaven. |
 12.
Finally, we took a launch to visit the smaller, more recent Mayan
complex on Isla Topoxte in Lago Yaxha. |
 6.
Some truly scary wooden stairways lead to the top of Templos II
and IV. Not for acrophobes, OSHA inspectors, or Naderites. |
 13.
James and Marie with our new Irish friends John and Po. James tries
to call on the shell phone. Can you hear me now? |
 7.
We look out at Templo 1 from a nearby "palace." Inset: Austrian explorer
Teoberto Maler was among the first Europeans to excavate Tikal – and
to leave graffiti on its ruins. |
 14.
Before returning to Guatemala City and Antigua in a TAG propjet,
we briefly toured the island city of Flores, built on a former Mayan
fortress in Lake Peten Itza. Its central park was dominated by a
Gallo beer-branded Christmas tree |
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