The day started bad. There was supposed to be a 6 am pickup to Tikal, but that never showed up. It showed up at 7 am with no apologies. Hmm, here, I have to digress a little. I bought my minivan ticket to Tikal with a company that is affiliated with the one that transported me from Belize to Guatemala. The guy used pressure tactics to make me buy, saying stuff like it was the best price, and that the office closes on a Sunday. Well, when the minivan drove by the bus company’s office, the guy who sold me the ticket (at a high price) was sitting there, and the office was open. Perhaps shopping around is a much better idea.
Tikal was nestled in the jungle. It took 30 mins of walking before I sawn any of the ruins. But walking in the morning was cooling, and it was empty. I got to enjoy the place myself. These are some very impressive megaliths, and I believe they were the backdrop of one of the Starwars movies. I am sure diehard fans will know which.
After some three hours of walking, I was tired, and could not deal with any more climbing. Also, crowds were starting to thicken, so good that I was planning my escape about then.
I went back to Flores, and tried their local version of KFC – Campero Fried Chicken. It was pretty ok, albeit pricey, and it is set up to be a family place. I spent the afternoon watching locals fish in Lake Flores, before boarding the bus for another 12 hour journey.
Humongous Spider (?) Tree
Tikal – it was getting crowded. Was emptier in the morning, but I didn’t notice the stairs. Note the Mayans on the ground?
Campero Fried Chicken
A Lazy Flores Weekend Evening
Wanderlust 