We collected the Hungarians at the airport fresh from Europe, tired from their flight, herded them into the back of the truck and bustled them into a roaring smog filled afternoon in Guatemala City !!! you can not imagine...... It was a Sunday and the roads relatively quiet, perfect time to do some roadworks?? 2 hours breathing in the fumes of enormous chicken buses, latin American hooting, their jet lag kicking in we break free of the City.
Beinbenidos a Guatemala.........
The first night with a howling wind blowing over the rolling brown escarpment, we camp in a cattle grazing field behind a Texaco petrol tation, 40 kms before the Rio Dulce Junction...... after a beautifully clear, star light night we have coffee, breakfast, demolish the tents, repack the truck and strike enthusiastically out, destination Tikal, we should make it before nightfall.... Early Monday morning traffic a breeze, we're flying making good time... the Rio Dulce - Puerto Barrios Junction, a massive road blockage......
the friendly frontier of the "manifestasion"
....... a " National Teachers strike" and they've blockaded the road in protest, infuriatingly only 20 or so cars in front of us, they must have only closed it 10 or 15 minutes ago, we join the "cola" (queue) all bail out, entertain ourselves, breakfast, reports vary from an all day protest to a half day one, to ahh.. not long at all, as usual even though the traffic is not moving optimistic vehicles are still driving by, the 2 lane road now has 2 files of traffic, the second straddling the centre of the road and which we are now in, I too tried to get as close to the front as my fellow Chapins......
story time in the shade.. and a quick check of the wheel nuts
...... in the shade of a trans America 14 wheeler we become embroiled in the mid morning heat and mayhen that is a "Gautemalan manifestasion".......
taking refuge from the blinding sun, searing heat and bustling protest..
...... we finally broke through at half past 12 with the police vainfully trying to redirect the traffic, unscrambling the 4 lanes of traffic that are blocking the progress of the oncoming vehicles, chaos, madness, more chaos and sweltering heat... imagine only having left a cold Europe less than a day and a half ago!!!
the bridge over Rio Dulce
a swim under the bridge
........ back on the road north bound, we'll not make Tikal tonight..... We camp, the Hungarians "dorm" in Poptun at the famous Finca Ixobel, a pleasant relaxing evening......
Early morning a short drive to Santa Elena from Poptun, money, more supplies and a late breakfast in the camp-ground at an eerily quiet Tikal, we spend the late morning and rest of the day walking around the glorious ruins, the magnificence of the ancient temples not diminished in aeons......
first glimpse of temple #1
a very quiet Tikal only the Hungarians and us in the Main Plaza
the Temple of Inscriptions looms out of the jungle
...once again we camp, in the grounds of Tikal, while the group tests their hammocks in the hammock dorm behind the hotel, an early start, supplies for the Mirador trek, and the morning on Santa Elena, the group takes a ferry across to San Andreas, we meet them mid afternoon in a very windswept San Andreas, bad news is the mule operators in Carmelito have'nt made it to town to buy supplies for the 4 day trek, further shopping in San Andreas before plunging off the asphalt and attacking the 60 km "all weather track", the first fallen tree across the road met with 2 machetes, a wood saw and a lot of Hungarian enthusiasm..........
...once again we camp, in the grounds of Tikal, while the group tests their hammocks in the hammock dorm behind the hotel, an early start, supplies for the Mirador trek, and the morning on Santa Elena, the group takes a ferry across to San Andreas, we meet them mid afternoon in a very windswept San Andreas, bad news is the mule operators in Carmelito have'nt made it to town to buy supplies for the 4 day trek, further shopping in San Andreas before plunging off the asphalt and attacking the 60 km "all weather track", the first fallen tree across the road met with 2 machetes, a wood saw and a lot of Hungarian enthusiasm..........
clearing the road to Carmelito
......... by the time we had seen half a dozen or so more fallen trees, the dusty, rocky, potholed road, raining every time we crested a hill, their spirits dampened by the 3 hour drive we finally arrive in Carmelito, wondering why the road and approach to the tiny town is so smooth and wide?... we glide over the airstrip, park outside the "muleateers", stretch hammocks out for the night, apportion rations for the coming days, dinner then bed, an early rise with the mules.....
parked just off the airstrip in Carmelito
the "Temple Trek" begins, loading up the mules
water laden mules depart first
setting off into the jungle
.... the 4 (usually 5) day trek into the jungle begins.. we opt out, we... myself Petra and Emilia, the 5th Hungarian a guide who organised the group and friend of ours will take them off to Mirador, not fair on Emilia to cart her into the wilds in search of tumbling temples when she's spent long hot 3 days in the car (rather patiently for her!!) just to get here, we accompany the group and mules for half the day and turn back, Emilia makes new friends and we stay in this docile pretty little town for a couple of days.....
Carmelito the town at the "End of the Road"
a distant mule the only sign of activity
.... we depart Carmelito, give surprised locals rides back the 60 kms into town, late afternoon we are in paradise on the shore of Lake Peten Itza, wallowing in her warm clear water, set up camp in arguably the most beautiful spot we've camped yet, the tent strung out on a palm leaved dock 20 meters from shore.....
tent on a dock..what a glorious spot to camp
sunrise from the "Glorious camp-spot"
....... after a sleep beautiful enough to match the surroundings, breakfast and a meat foray in the nearest town ( San Andreas) for the BBQ, followed by a drive around Lake Peten Itza, past El Remate, towards the Belizian border bound for Yaxcha... we get there rather late, too late to see the ruins let alone put up camp, so a mad dash back to "Abuelo's", we know it, its lit and close to the rendezvous point with the rambling Hungro's.... Happy and content with their 4 day wanderings we meet on time and commence the next leg of the journey, south to Semuc Champey......
the palm roofed ferry at Sayaxche
getting on the ungainly ferry ( you would'nt want to do this in a sports car!!!)
approaching the "Cuchamatanes" the Maya Mountains
an idyllic Maya settlement at the foot of the mountains
trapped between 2 graders as they widen the road to Lanquin
sucking the pulp off the Cocoa seeds, before being dried, roasted and eventually becoming chocolate
the rickety old bridge to Semuc Champey
Magical Semuc Champey
"Azure serenity"
the adventurers
contemplating traversing a massive land slide
all on the back, giving the rear wheels weight and traction
the eerie delights of Chichicastenango
considering themselves lucky they did'nt spend 2 weeks in the back of this truck
