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Showing posts with label Guatemala. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guatemala. Show all posts

Monday, March 20, 2017

Central America - the 'Because it's there' tour - the FINAL

CENTRAL AMERICA
15 January – 12 March 2017

It’s a wrap

As has become standard for me when I've ended a trip I've taken to doing a last summary or a 'greatest hits' review whenever I managed to complete the final entry on the 'how, why, when and whatever else may have been alcohol related' blog series of my most recent escapades. Sticking with tradition and therefore adopting the same template that I've used in the past, see also;

1. [Morocco - Europe wrap - June/July 2008]
2. [Laos wrap - April 2009]
3. [Vietnam-Malaysia wrap - December/January 2009/10]
4. [Europe-Morocco-South America wrap - 2010]
5. [USA-Mexico wrap - February/March - 2011]
6. [Brazil-UAE wrap - December/January -2011/12]
7. [Argentina-Uruguay wrap - August 2012]
8. [South America wrap - 2015]


I therefore bring you the close out of our Central American experience which continues  within Life in a Year Full of Saturdays. The Central American tour, Because it’s there’, was just one of those things where we thought, hey, why shouldn’t we. Lets’ just got and see what’s there.

So here it is…Central America ‘The Final’

Our favourite places

1  1. Caye Caulker (Belize) - To think, this place wasn’t even on the itinerary, it was one of those places that we considered adding in ‘if’ time permitted, and hell, weren’t we thankful for making the correct decision. A Caribbean dream.


Caye Caulker - Belize

Caye Caulker - Belize


2    2. Havana (Cuba) - An old favourite, this place is timeless and will always hold a special place in our hearts and minds. Even as the wind of change makes its way across the island, what it is and what it stands for is pervasive and special to all.


Havana - Cuba

The Malecon - Havana - Cuba


   3.  El Tunco (El Salvador) - A surprisingly wonderful destination. Sunsets, surf and cocktail dreams. Inspiration on the Pacific in a corner of the world that remains reasonably undiscovered


El Tunco - El Salvador

El Tunco - El Salvador


4    4. Antigua (Guatemala) - The ‘Melbourne’ of Central America, speakeasies at every turn. A town of stunning colonial architecture, fantastic food and bars that could find themselves in any Alpha City of the world.


Antigua - Guatemala


5    5. Cabo San Lucas (Mexico) - Where the desert meets the sea (or rather, the ocean), white beaches, nightlife, water sports. It’s a place that allows you to do a lot, have fun and sets the scene with gorgeous scenery and equally supportive climate.


Cabo San Lucas - Mexico




Most Surprising

Caye Caulker (Belize)

We really didn’t expect much from Caye Caulker, perhaps our Central America on a shoestring guide didn’t do it justice. With that said, Belize City is not at all spectacular and not worth occupying your time, but then, jump on a fast ferry, get out to the Caye’s and soon enough you’ll be swinging in a hammock, staring up at the wonderful palm trees and thinking that life can be as simple as this.

Best Drinks

1  1. Cadillac Margarita – Hooters – Cancun (Mexico) - Don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it. Both Inga and I enjoy the junk food hit and the satisfaction of not eating healthy, and then rolled in the big, stylish Cadillac Margarita which just swept us off our feet.

2  2. Pina Colada – Malecon – Havana (Cuba) – Hotel Terral – It’s all about the quality at this place. Equally as great as the first occasion I tried it here two years ago. Sweet, rich, cold and delicious on every occasion. It was 2015 all over again, consistency and deliciousness is triumphant here.

3  3. Daquiri – El Floridita – Havana (Cuba) – You could hardly believe that a drink that is as mass produced as the daiquiri in El Floridita could be any good, but of course, you would be wrong. Batch made, not bespoke, but the man behind the bar has some 25 years of experience and man, he obviously knows a thing or two about turning them over, getting them out and making them right!


Can you believe it moments

11. El Tunco (El Salvador) - Sitting on the back deck of the El Sunzal El Tunco, the waves of the Pacific crashing at our doorstep, staring up at the stars, sharing a drink and a cigar, it was hard to believe that a simple place like this could be so wonderful…but it was.


El Tunco - El Salvador


2  2. Leon (Nicaragua) - Waking up at 7am to what we thought was an evacuation alarm, and believing in that moment that we were in the midst of a volcanic eruption with our lives, potentially being on the line, was not cool perse, not until such time that we figured out that the alarm was the standard morning wake-up call for the school kids of Leon.


Leon - Nicaragua


3    3. Sunset on the Malecon – view from our hospederia – Havana (Cuba) - Two years earlier we had walked the Malecon and wondered what it would be like to watch a sunset from one of the buildings on the ocean front. Two years later we were fortunate enough to share that very experience together.


The Malecon - Havana - Cuba

The Malecon - Havana - Cuba


Un-cool moments

1  1. El Jardin de la Vida – Ometepe (Nicaragua) - Having dragged two mountain bikes, aka, gross hunks of chunk, around the base of Volcan Maderas, we managed to get back to our accommodation only to be accused by the owners of being ignorant, naïve and almost negligent for the complete break down of their bikes. Well, your treatment of us was pathetic, your moral compass off and your understanding of your own responsibilities in renting out this bikes were grossly underestimated. I said it once and I’ll say it again, to the owners of El Jardin de la Vida, you suck!!


El Jardin de la Vida - Ometepe - Nicaragua
Yes, you SUCKED!


   2. Te’Kila, 6541 Hollywood Boulevard – Hollywood - Los Angeles  (USA) The audacity of these guys slipping a 20% fee onto our bill and hoping we wouldn’t call them on it was one thing, but then, trying to get it by us by claiming it was a tourist tax, well that was pathetic. We called them out and they backed down, but their manner was just so shonky and disrespectful.
Te'Kila - Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA
Yes, you guys were DODGY!

Te'Kila - Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA
Yes, you guys were DODGY!


3    3. The Nowhere Bar – Los Cabos San Lucas (Mexico) - It all came unstuck here when the waiter told me that the tip that I had given him was insufficient. It was close to 10% but not 10%. Hmmm, no I was of the opinion that tips were in fact discretionary and not an obligation. So with that said I simply pulled whatever tip it was and offered nothing instead. I think this set off the internal combustion of this guy and it got to the point where he asked ‘where are you staying’, in a thinly veiled threat. F*** you hombre!!


Best Accommodation

1 1. The Hard Rock Hotel – Hard Rock Megalopolis – Panama City (Panama)The place is just cool and hell, it was a great place to stay, even though it was a fair amount more than our on a shoestring budget dictated


Hard Rock Hotel - Hard Rock Megalopolis - Panama City - Panama

Hard Rock Hotel - Hard Rock Megalopolis - Panama City - Panama

2. Random hospederia – Malecon – Havana (Cuba) - Looking out onto the Malecon, watching the sun dip down over Havana Bay whilst people made their way up and down the ocean front. How much more of a spectacular location could you ask for?

3 . El Sunzal El Tunco – El Tunco (El Salvador) - What an amazing location you get for the price. Fronting the Pacific, you are front and centre to the show that nature puts on every evening.


El Sunzal El Tunco - El Tunco - El Salvador


Random but still cool moments

Entrance to Tikal (Guatemala)

We had a difference of opinion with our tour operator when we reached Tikal. Effectively, without wanting to pay entry into the park twice, we had to stay at the entrance until such time that our day ticket, for the next day, would let us in. We spent 6hrs at the front gates, a space of time that we thought we brutalise us, but, with some imagination and ingenuity the time passed quickly and in fact, to me, it actually turned out to be a lot of fun.


The entrance to Tikal - Guatemala
6 hours, right here

The entrance to Tikal - Guatemala


Travel breakdown

Total number of flights
13

Total flying hours
49.15

Total distance flown
33,240kms

Total number of bus rides

19

Total distance covered by bus
4235kms

Average number of pupusas per day in El Salvador 

7.2

Total number of boats/ferries
6

And there we have it, the wrap of a tour that was quite surprising for what it offered. As a whole Central America was about what I expected, as a whole, but there were pockets that delivered so much more and that’s what made travelling through this part of the world so satisfying.

So where to now? Well our next escapade it going to be into the region where we’re scheduled to tie the knot on June 30th (2017).

This trip is more about validating that our location wedding actually is the right location for us. Wish us luck!!


Monday, February 20, 2017

Tikal (Guatemala) - At the waterhole

TIKAL (GUATEMALA)
20 February - 21 February 2017

We worked our way to Tikal via a half-day stop in Guatemala City and an overnight ride to Flores, a small town located on Lake Peten Itza.


Guatemala City - Guatemala


First port of call in Guatemala City, the bus stop of Transportes Fuente del Norte. A typical ramschakle style of bus station located in the 'do drop out' part of town, it was the part of the city that made you feel ill at ease. Logically looking back on it now that shouldn't have been the case but all the talk of Guatemala City being the burgeoning centre for both petty and violent crime had the desired impact on us of heightening levels of anxiety. The fact that we arrived during the day did assist with keeping us relatively calm. Still, with that said, being in one of the very few Central American Hard Rock cities,  we walked across town (about 4kms) and had ourselves dinner and drinks at the Guatemala City Hard Rock in Zone 10. A big, extravagant Hard Rock Cafe, there were about 5 people, 20 staff, and places for 200. Under utilised, over-expensed, it's probably no wonder that since our time there this location has closed down. RIP Hard Rock Cafe Guatemala City - thank you for a good time.


Hard Rock Cafe - Guatemala City - Guatemala

Hard Rock Cafe - Guatemala City - Guatemala


Opting not to walk back to Transportes Fuente del Norte we took the more assured version of a cab and waited around 90 minutes until our bus was scheduled to pull out just after midnight. Somewhere around 6am our bus pulled up outside a gas station on the outskirts of Flores (Guatemala), and we became part of what I like to call Central American mini-scam, Part II.

They have this scam thing down to an art form in Central America. On this occasion it was the '6am chaos and frenzy'  approach. Having just stopped at a service station in Santa Elena on came a rotund, pudgy Guatemalan man yelling out 'Tikal, Tikal, if you want to go today, you have to go now....Tikal, Tikal'. That was in fact the aim of Inga and I, we had not planned to stay in Flores at all, so we took the opportunity to get a free ride into town in a couple of minivans that were Gringo Ready.


So there we all were, the early birds standing outside the offices of Gran Jaguar dealing with our scam artist Enrique. This 'man of confidence' is reasonably well presented and speaks English quite well, so it made the initial dealings very easy and efficient. We ended up buying a park entry ticket into Tikal for that day, and also, one for the next day which was to included a guided early morning tour to temple 4. Now, to cut a long story short because I'd really like to talk about Tikal, our ticket did not in fact include entrance to the park for the full day. It was only a day ticket that would allow entrance after 3pm. Considering we got to the park entrance gates at 9:30am (20kms from the Tikal site itself), it meant a 5.5hr wait at the front gates for a bus at the designated entry time, or, paying full price for a full day entry on arrival. We elected to wait the 5.5hrs. Absurd to some but on principle we did not want to pay for more than we originally requested. Somehow we made the most of those hours even with just a handful of stores and a bar at our disposal.



KM 510 - Entrance to Tikal - Guatemala


KM 510 - Entrance to Tikal - Guatemala


The Marvel of Mayan Engineering - TIKAL



You’re going to be walking
You’re going to be climbing
You’re going to be sweating in Tikaaaaal

(quote from random guide on a random bus to Tikal)

To me Tikal is the most impressive site in this neck of the woods. More moody, mysterious and impressive than Teotihuacan and much more grand that the New World Wonder site of Chichen Itza, the site at Tikal is the ruin of what was an ancient city named Yux Matal.

Located in the rainforests of Guatemala, this city of 16kms square has a mystical type of presence, an atmosphere that lends itself to being something magical & esoteric. Once the possession of the great Mayan people, the city was founded in the period of approximately 2000BC and continued growing until 830AD when there was a sudden drop off.


Standing in front of Temple V - Tikal - Guatemala


Temple V - Tikal - Guatemala


Tikal - Guatemala

Tikal - Guatemala

Temple 1 - Tikal - Guatemala


Aside from Tikal being utilised as a location site for Yavin 4 in Star Wars, Episode IV, A New Hope, the true worth of this Classical period Mayan city are the structures. The architecture of this ancient city is built from limestone and includes the remains of temples that tower some 70 mtrs. With large royal palaces, smaller pyramids, administrative buildings & residences, what is visible to those visiting the site is an absolute treat.

The absolute highlight for me was Temple 5. Standing imperiously above the canopy of the jungle, majestic and regal,  the pyramid is known as a typical Peten-styled limestone stepped pyramid structure. Standing at 57mtrs in height it holds absolute command of its environment and punctuates how impressive it was for an ancient people to be able to construct something of just magnitude and heady audacity. I say audacious but perhaps it was just commitment and belief in their capability.


Temple 1 - Tikal - Guatemala

Temple 1 - Tikal - Guatemala

Temple 1 - Tikal - Guatemala


Temple 1 - Tikal - Guatemala


More remarkable on this site are those elements that are unseen, specifically a  ravine and water reservoir which then controlled the flow and distribution of water into a city which grew rapidly around this central requirement. Scientists have placed the construction of the main water system of Tikal at 370 AD and falling within the 18 year reign of the ruler Jaguar Paw the Great (Chak Tok Ich’aak 1). Without wanting to go further into this critical survival element, it’s also important to note that a palace structure in the Central Acropolis, has also been identified as either the house or the residential palace of the same ruler. Indeed, Temple 1 in Tikal, also known as Temple of the Great Jaguar, is another marvellous structural piece within this glorious ancient city.


Temple 1 - Tikal - Guatemala

Tikal  - Guatemala


Tikal  - Guatemala

Tikal  - Guatemala


It was easy to spend a full day at the site moving around to view each of the main pyramids. In many ways it reminded me of the Angkor Wat site in Cambodia, only on a much smaller scale. The capacity to move around comfortably and without the incessant hassle of all the unnecessary souvenir shops that act as a gaudy nuisance at Chichen Itza, Tikal was by far the most well preserved and interesting sites that we visited. It stands as a shining example of how places like these should be managed and looked after by locals, and not just for the sake of tourists but also in terms of establishing a sense of pride and honour in their own history and culture.


Tikal  - Guatemala

Tikal  - Guatemala

Yavin 4 in Star Wars, Episode IV, A New Hope



Inga and I stayed onsite for the night at a comfortable stop named the Jungle Lodge Hotel. Just off the main path that leads onto the Tikal site, it was a great place to relax for the night and recharge our batteries after a warm, sticky day out in the jungle.

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So to you Tikal I tip my hat, if I were wearing one. A true gem in a country that I had underestimated and who people I had unnecessarily feared. Of all the Central American countries we visited I’d say you surprised me the most. Guatemala, I’m impressed!