Tullum

So I finally got to taste the ocean. The water is better than amazing. Here I have 3 other travelling companions, we´ve been moving around together for about 3 weeks now, barring El Mirador. So, we stayed in town for a few days eating the free breakfast (you have to cook it yourself, but there´s coffee, eggs, toast and pancake mix) and taking the free bus to the beach. 2 days ago the four of us got a cabana with an unobstructed ocean view. We came back for more supplies. I am actually avoiding the sun now. I´m on the verge of burn almost all the time now. That´s about it. Just been chillin on the beach. Oh yeah we went to Cancun for a day, the girls had to pick up something from fedex so I went alone for the ride and to check it out. Clearly spring break is not there, and it sucked. The resort beaches were small and dirty aswell as the number and size of the resorts ruined the view. I wish to never return there. Ok, well, time to get some beer to bring to the beach.

El Mirador

130km in six days through the jungle! Machete swinging, fighting off Jaguars and playing with monkeys. We ate Tucans and snakes and played drinking games with scorpians.
That would have been cooler.
It was actually a pretty easy trail, because it really was a trail. At the begining it was wide enough for a car to pass. The more remote the smaller it got. Pretty level, we just had to hike for long periods of time. 2 days were eight hours and the rest were four to six.
We started at the end of the road, a small town called Carmalita. Dust and old, never before had I seen a porta potty turned into a shower. We took off from there, grateful to get out of the uncomfortable shuttle on the horrible road, headed for Tital (or something close to that spelling) the first of five ruins to be vistited. It took about 6 hours at a medium pace. My leg behind my knee cramped at the end, still fun though. Almost all the ruins on the trip wew still covered, we simply climbed the steps, simple peices of wood held in place with two stakes. When it got really steep at the top they put a rope, not always fasten to something trustworthy. The view from all were breathtaking. Jungle as far as the eye could see. After a marvolous senset, the jungle seemed to come alive. We were told though it was mainly a form of jungle chicken and possible monkeys (not howler). Never the less it was kick ass. As we stayed on the ruin, becoming a buffet for the insects, the stars slowly appeared. Not a single tree or trace of light to hamper the view.
More walking. Get in the zone and go. This is a long one, around 35km. Not much wildlife to see. You have to focus on not tripping up too much. We did see some nice birds though. We had a guide, a cook, and a muler to look after the mules who carried sustanace. On day two the cook was suppost to meet us with lunch ready. He didn´t show. Hunger took over and we ate the weakest hiker! Then the muler came up and we ate some watermelon and oranges for dessert. The guide and muler then realized that the cook could be lost, it was only his third trip after all. He showed up in time to cook us supper and blamed a lazy mule for his troubles. Flustered, he smoked a joint and comenced cooking while we set up the hammoks. We had arrived at El Mirador, said to be the first of the great Mayan cities. We had a day to check out the ruins there and have a nap. Alex the cook made an amazing vegetable soup for lunch. There were a couple of cool attractions there, my favorite was the Jaguar Temple. Said to be for the great ruler named Jaguar claws, or something like that. Also a cool stone carving was uncovered not to long ago, still perfect. It decorated the street, something nice for people to look at or a demonstration of power, either was it was nice.
Now it was time for the easy hike to Nakbe. The path leading to city, when close, actually made you feel like you close, approaching something spectacular. This made it easier for me to try and walk in with my minds eye over 2000 years behind, trying to see it in all it´s splender. We climed two temples and went another hour to a bog, where we could get water fot the mules. The bog was quite nice. It had sticks layed down on something and the reeds or whatever was growing in it were flatened so you walk on the water. The they cleared a hole so you could fill up jugs, The ruler they put in said it was three feet deep. No toilet here, watch out for snakes when your doing the duty. It rained that night, some thunder and lightning. The guide set my hammok up in the kitchen. I had the best spot that night. We want to sleep outside. Stupid rain.
Sadly there was a casualty at Nakbe. Left behind, but not forgoten. My gold rimed sun glasses. I now have new ones, but they are a sorry excuse for sun glasses, compared to the beloved gold rims. I´m happy that a man of the jungle will find them. I just hope he treats them right and gives them a nice spot to rest at night.
Another long day of hiking. I was at about 95% and feeling good. Often making the pace or speeding away for some solitude. The destination was La Florida. This camp was pimped. Thatched roof over a struture that can accomidate around 10 hammoks. Nice Kitchen set up, complete with shelves and enough seats for all. Next year all the camps will have that and admission will be charged. Lucky us, I liked the make shift set up. simple strutures with tarps pulled over.
We made it back to Carmalita easily and enjoyed a beer. A cold drink was nice even though the weather was nice to us pretty much the whole time. Not to hot.
Now I´m in Tulum, Mexico and went swiming in the ocean for the first time on my trip. It was nice but no sun. Now I´m hungery.

Change of Plans

Ok, change of plans. Instead of going to Belize I'm going to go on a 6 day hike to a ruin called El Mirador. Said to be the first and most impressive Mayan site. El Tigre (close enough) is said to be 78 meters high. We set off at six am tomorrow to walk all day in the blistering heat. The trip includes all food and water, plus someone to cook. Donkeys carry the gear, all I carry is a daypack with personal belongings. My big pack is stored in town as part off the deal. Then I'm going to skip Honduras and Nicaragua because I don't feel I gave Mexico a fair shake. So then I'm going to go to the Caribbean to to finally taste the salt water.
Cheers!

Flores

Yes, Mike J, I would love a lava proff canoe. I thing it can be done. I threw a stick an the lava and it didn t burn, it just chilled. By the way the other picture was from Lago de Atitlan. The top of San Pedro Volan. Still the most beautiful place I ve ever been to. I m now in Flores and saw the Tikal ruins today. It was pretty cool but way to expensive. The best part is: the construted the temples so that when you clap in certain spots it literaly makes a bird noise in the echo. Clever. Also they are alined to the stars and all that fancy stuff. Since I m up here I m going to go through Belize to get to Honduras, there is a waterfall there I d like to see. 43 meter drop they say. Today is ridiculously hot in the rainforest. When we got back from Tikal I had the best swim I think I ever had. The water was also warm so we had to seek out cold spots. I m not complaning. Can t do pics on this computer, oh well.
Later.

Pacaya

That´s right. Can you see how close I am to lava! If not look a bit harder. If you assume that it´s hot there your right. But the amazing thing is, one step close is a difference of maybe 100 degees. It hurts. I jabbed at it with a stick tring to get some out to lite a smoke on, but holding a 4ft stick at full arms lenth is painful. We aren´t that far up. at the top it´s constantly erupting. Boom and all. The weather wasn´t the greatest so that view was hindered but I think I got some good shots of it. Also, apparently about 4 years ago it had a sizeable eruption that came vary close to people a too close for comfort to the town. By the way the lava was crazy thick and it´s close to Antigua. I´m at El Retrio and Lanquin now. The spelling is close so I think you can find it on a map or something. They have a website. I´m getting pressure off because those pics took forever to download. Next time I´m find a good internet cafe I´ll pay and others can´t say I´m on to long.
Later.

Now Leaving San Pedro

It s been good times here in San Pedro. I took a week of spanish classes here. I really ejoyed them. It was 4 hours a day, one on one. I learned a lot but I will be studying my notes for awhile before I considered doing another week somewhere else. On tuesdy there was a soccer game, students against teachers. Surprisingly, we kicked ass. The soccer field was cool. It was in a compound with walls on 3 sides of the field and fence on the other. The walls helped me alot. Really easy to play the wall, and they just kinda bounce off of you. It was alot of fun. I also climbed San Pedro volcano. That was an intence hike. 2 and a half hours. The incline increased just under half way. It got to the point when I wondered if was ever going to end. It was all worth it when I reached the top. Sitting on rocks on the top, in between two layers of clouds, the view slowly unvailed itself. It was amazing. Yesterday, we climbed the nose of the Indian face. It kind of looks like an Indian face looking up, with huge eye sockets. It turned out to be more of an adventure then antisapated. First the collectivo driver brought us to the wrong place then demanded his money. The we caugh another one, which was much more fun. This collectivo was simple a small pick-up truck with a handrail at chest height and built up sides. This guy droped us off somewhere weird but close enough and we started to make our way up. This was not a tourist trail. It was suppost to take a half hour, we doubled that. The trail we found was hardly a trail, and at some points definatly wasn t. It was way more fun then the suggested route. Then we collectivoed back to town in time to see half of the 3rd period and Crosby s winning goal. I m quite happy we won. I also kayaked across the lake to the jumping rocks. It took awhile because I was also making sure Issac, from the Danforth, didn t get hit by a boat. He swam across probably the narrowist point and it took him an hour and fifty minutes. I got sunburn on my feet and I still don t like it. I also went to Chichi. I m not even going to try and spell the whole thing,
it s on the north side on the lake not actually on the lake. It s suppost to be the biggest market in central america. I wasn t that impressed but it was good. I bought some stuff. The ride was awesome. It case you are not aware. Lago de Atitlan was made by a huge volcano that errupted and emploded on itself, reaching 1000 feet deep in someplaces. Around the is all mountains and I think two volcanos. So, everywhere you look is beautiful, especaily when you on the lake, though I didn t bring the camera because tipping on my kayak was a really threat. I didn t tip.
It s time for a breakfast burrito and book my shuttle to Antigua. Sorry about the delay. Time flys when your haveing fun.