Inland Trip to Rio Dulce, and Tikal Guatemala

May 7,2004

We have decided to take some inland trips while we are here in El Salvador and waiting to assess our sails etc. A few cruisers are going on a van tour to Rio Dulce and Tikal starting in San Salvador and we will go with them. S/V Otter and us Crusader are now in Bahia del Sol and we will meet the others from Barillas Marina at Meyers Bed and Breakfast in San Salvador to join the tour. We left the Marina to catch a local (chicken) bus and transfer to another local bus to San Salvador about 1 ½ hour trip costing each of us $.50 on each bus. Backpacks in place and not sure what clothes to pack and we are on our way. Now that we are in Central America women have to be careful of their dress. Shorts, even though many cruisers wear them, are sometimes frowned upon and not appropriate, we also are hot humid and must be ready for rain so backpacking for Pat is hard and heavy. We arrived at the Meyers hotel about 4 PM and the others 7 including Kevin and Betty and their son Peter from S/V Citation arrived shortly after us.

Patricia the owner of Meyers is an El Salvador native from an old family who lost a lot in the Contra war and like many brought it all back. Her husband is from the states so she speaks great English. The rooms were beautiful in this old building and had a garden. She welcomed us with Sangria and snacks, invited some of her friends who were important business and social to San Salvador to visit with us this was very informative.

She later put on a late dinner for us all making all very hospitable. We left the next morning at 4:00am in a van that held 13 of us. The driver was not use to these roads and soooooo it became a much longer ride then expected with a short stop ?? for breakfast. We were told it was a 4-hour trip and it took 7 oh well we are on an adventure in a different 3 rd world country.

Central America has had volatile politics, civil wars and guerilla conflicts for over two decades however have emerged at this time since signing of peace treaties and the election of the middle right PAN party ending 36 year civil war into a period of relative peace. You will still see for security reasons or habit many carrying guns. It is estimated 200,000 Guatemalans were killed; a million left homeless and untold thousands disappeared.

Guatemala is I believe the largest of the Central American Countries. Central America is a geographic bridge between the Americas. The Maya are among the three great ancient civilizations of the Americas, along with the Inca of Peru, and the Aztec of Mexico. All the wars and political violence and land reform has forced many of the Mayans further into the Guatemala’s rainforest.

When we arrived in Rio Dulce we were scheduled to take a 24mile panga trip across the river and into Livingston almost to the Caribbean side. It was teaming rain and so some chose not to go but to sit in a cruiser’s or has been cruiser’s, bar, as we found out later and others chose to take the trip on the river in the storm anyway. Pat took the trip what a ride but as you will see well worth it.

In Eastern Guatemala between Largo de Izabal and the Caribbean is a reserve that protects the canyon of the Rio Dulce, one of the countries most beautiful rivers. This river runs right thru the canyon forming lots of views, jungles and little villages mostly Mayan. Both ends of the river one being Rio Dulce and the other Livingston harbor quite a few world yachties or cruisers. It seemed mostly to us that they get there and stay although there are two beautiful Marinas

The river ride in an opened panga was the experience of the day for it not only was a fast 24-mile trip but heavy storms showering most of the trip. We stopped at El Golfete a nature reserve where there is a village and store that everything is made from the land especially the mahogany trees and banana husks branches and coconut skins, palms anything that is picked up on the land. Beautiful art works done by these villages with the old art of paper making from notes to baskets. In 1992 the locals got to set up a community development program to address the problems of the Rio Dulce thus an Ak’Tenamit “new village “ in local language. It is a program to help the Mayan people living in and around the rainforests. The projects ultimate goal is to increase local involvement so that Mayans will eventually run it. Ak’Tenamit is currently involved in health, education women’s income generation agriculture and community empowerment. We continued up the river and when we got to the North side there was a reserve and the rain stopped we were able to enjoy the mangrove swamps and especially the manatees that live there. It is a jungle as well and many trails that one could walk which we didn’t. There are forests of mahogany trees from which they make fantastic furniture and palms. They even say Jaguars and tapirs live there and come out at night. We didn’t stay to prove this. As you leave these swamps you merge into a large like lake. Shortly after that upriver you enter this steep wall gorge, which is fascinating called Cueva De La Vaca. Its walls are hung with great tangles of jungle foliage and bromides. The air is humid and noisy with tropical birds and thermal springs. Then you end in Livingston on the Caribbean side.

The town of Livingston is unique with the Caribe culture and appearance. You will meet black Guatemalans who speak Spanish and a traditional Garifuna (or Black Carib) Language; some also speak English of Belize and the other islands. It appears to be a laid- back interesting Caribbean way of life lined with coconut palms and colorful painted buildings and economy based on fishing and tourism. We only spent about an hour but it was cool. We then headed back into the wind and rain on a dark, (and I mean dark cause these pangas only carry flash lights) 24 miles up river to town of Rio Dulce. We all agree the trip on the river was the best part of this town. To do justice it rained all day and maybe we missed something. We had a late supper and went to bed for we are to have another early start to go to Tikal

Tikal Guatemala

Multi large tall pyramids rise above jungle canopy here in Tikal. Howler monkeys and spider monkeys swing thru the ancient trees as bright parrots and toucans sing perched on the branches. When the bird songs stop then there is the buzz of the tree frogs. We arrived early morning and arranged a tour for the day with an English speaking Mayan guide. Certainly Tikal’s feature is the architecture however different from other Mayan ruins because it is nestled in the Jungle.Spider Monkey

Its many plaza’s have been cleared of vines and trees. It’s temples uncovered and partially restored. Around 700 a powerful king named Moon Double Comb also known as Ah Cacau(Lord Chocalate) ascended the throng in Tikal. He not only restored its military strength but also it’s primacy as the Mayan World’s splendid city. He and his successors were responsible for building most of the surviving temples around the Grand Plaza. He was buried beneath the staggering height of Temple 1.

Tikal’s greatness reigned till around 900 part of the mysterious general collapse of the lowland’s. The writings of all this area and most Mayan’s have been lost or destroyed mostly by the Spanish and so lots of History is gone. In about 1848 the Guatemalan government sent out expeditions to visit the sites. Since 1956 archaeological research has been done by University of Pennsylvania and Guatemalan Instituo de Anthropologia e Historia.

There are 7 temples all but one restored and a Great Plaza, West Plaza, Central Acropolis, South Acropolis, Plaza of Seven Temples El Mundo Perdido (Lost World)

Example of inscriptions Complex N showing the different periods of ruling In Tikal.

The Kings would be buried on top of other structures in many layers and the temple made higher so he could remain with them. That is why some structures go back at least a millennium. There also was much jade and richness found in these tombs. Temple lV at 64M is Tikal’s highest building built during the reign of King Moon Comb’s son. Unlike other ruins there is minimal inscriptions except in the Grand Plaza. There is one area I believe is one of the acropolis that showed where the sacrifices took place. The winner of the games was beheaded and that was a honor.??? No competition on my part. !! It was a very educational and interesting day and I do think these Mayan Ruins should not be missed. It is also interesting how the Mayan religion later connected with the Christians and blended their beliefs

We then took another 5 hour bus ride and ended in Rio Dulce for the night with the van leaving early again next morning for San Salvador Kevin,Betty, and Peter S/VCitation and us left the van at a cross road and got a chicken bus to Copan Guatemala for further travel on our own.

Hiroglyphics

Apocrolyps Town

Jungle

Jungle Walk

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