Route of the Maya Day 10
Route of the Maya
DAY 10 - 12/03/05 - Fly to Flores/ Explore Yaxha Archaeological Site
Our hotel was very close to the airport so we heard the early flights leaving this morning. After our brief buffet breakfast at the hotel, we made sure our luggage was packed and we left the hotel at 8:30. This group has been so good about being on time it is a pleasure to travel with them.
It was just a 10 minute ride to the airport and we were ready with our boarding passes and our $3 "surcharge". We had to say good bye to Carlos, our fantastic driver who had been with us the past 8 days - he was exceptional and we will miss his helpful and friendly manner.
We arrived at the airport and were able to go right to the TACA Airlines counter as Judith had gotten our boarding passes yesterday. We were directed to Gate 9 and waited for about an hour until they called our flight. We walked out on to the tarmac and boarded the two turbo prop plane which carried 48 passengers. We had a smooth one hour flight from Guatemala to Flores.
We were met at the airport in Flores by our new driver Jacob who loaded the luggage on top of our mini bus. It was very warm and humid here in the northeastern corner of Guatemala. The A/C on the bus did not work so we opened the windows for a little fresh air and more of the ambiance of this countryside.
We arrived at the Camino Real Hotel Tikal at 12:30 and were given our room keys. The rooms were not quite ready but we received our luggage, changed our clothes, and packed our small bag with camera, water, and insect repellent. We met Judith and our group at 1:15 and retraced our path back around Lake Peten.
On the way to lunch Judith told us about the howler and spider monkeys we would see and the snakes we hoped not to see. We traveled for about 50 minutes to the El Sombrero EcoLodge. The roads were very primitive; full of pot holes, dusty limestone boulders, and the sides of the roads were overgrown with the thick jungle brush. We passed the site where the crew from Survivor Guatemala (Tikal) had camped. Judith explained that over 500 people had invaded this area from February to August. At least they helped the local economy and to spread the word about this beautiful area.
After lunch we entered Yaxha, a seldom-visited Mayan city located on the northern shore of Lake Yaxha. The name means "Green Water" in the Maya language. This is believed to be the third-largest Mayan site in Guatemala. Restoration here has only just begun, and the oddly shaped hills that we saw covered with tree roots and vines are the actual Mayan structures. We photographed archaeologists and workers painstakingly clearing away layers of vegetative growth from the surfaces of temples and other stonework, revealing the striking, austere beauty of structures previously unseen for centuries.
Yaxha was a bustling Mayan trade and ceremonial hub located about 20 miles from Tikal, one of the greatest centers of Mayan culture. It is now within the largest protected area in Guatemala, the "Maya Biosphere," which includes Tikal National Park and a series of smaller national parks and protected areas. More than 1,500 years ago, Mayan priest-kings built scores of pyramids just tall enough to poke above the jungle here and reach the cooling breezes of the lake. They also carved stone monuments, constructed handball courts, and laid out the streets of their city in a grid pattern.
We climbed to the top of the highest temple where we could overlook the whole valley and Peten Lake as well as see other temples peeking through the lush canopy and have not been excavated. We saw many howler and three spider monkeys. At 5:30, just as it was getting dark we left this national park for our one hour drive back to our hotel. We had just enough time to shower and get ready for dinner.
Accommodations: Camino Real Hotel Tikal - - - Meals: B, L, D
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