Tikal & Flores | Budget Bucket List

Tikal / Flores

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I went to Guatemala, so I went to Tikal. Of course.

You're not going to Peru without checking out the Machu Picchu or to Athens without some photos of the Acropolis either, right? As all people I met stayed in Flores, it seemed like a logical step to use that as an exploration base.

Once I crossed the Belizean border I tried to catch a free ride, but a bus stopped instead. "90 quetzals" they said - "then I rather hitchhike" I snapped back. "Okay 30"... Alright $4 for 2 hours in a big luxurious air-conditioned tourist bus, that's not a bad deal.
After a Venice-worthy entrance over a long bridge to Isla de Flores, an island in the middle of the Itzá Lake, I saw the result of all people going to the same spot: a big, fat tourist hole with a 98-percentage of a white, non-Spanish-speaking Nikon-crowd. This isn't necessarily a terrible thing, in this case the place was kind of cute with a nice little network of cobble stone streets aligned with cosy hotels and restaurants. I didn't go to those restaurants though, too expensive: I immediately tracked down the cheap street food hang-out on the waterside with a tasty array of local delicacies.

I was in touch with a Couchsurfer who accepted my stay, but as this man was quite slow in responding to his messages and I as usual didn't have a stable internet connection, I found myself a hostel bed for $5 at the hardly exciting Aurora hotel. There I run into a Dutch couple I simultaneously Couchsurfed with in Belmopan, who invited me over for some cocktails in Los Amigos Bar where some other Aussie travel buddies I had met in San Ignacio were staying. Splendid idea. However, I made sure to head to bed early, as the day after I had a big day planned: My visit to the famous Tikal Ruins *PADAM-PATS!* (drum-solo).

In retrospect, I don't really understand why people stay in Flores in order to go to Tikal: It's 1,5 hours away, back on the road to Belize where I just came from.

People told me it was essential to book a tour, as that's the most convenient way to get there. Fuck convenience.

I knew the entrance price was 150 quetzals already ($21,50... $3 for locals) so I wasn't go to pay as well for some tour prohibiting me to check everything out at my own pace. Actually, I wasn't even going to pay for a bus. I walked down the bridge to the Santa Elena market to shop together my breakfast and lunch for a shocking $1 (five times as cheap as in Flores) and strolled down along the carretera. Up went my thumb and within a minute I arranged myself a free ride to the junction of El Remate in a car with three friendly boys admiring my courage. From there a pick-up truck with a kind Guatemalan tourist drove me down all the way to the park entrance, as he was visiting the ruins himself too. I paid the outrageous entrance price and entered the massive Maya complex, feeling like a child entering Disney World.

* Alternatively, if hitchhiking is too die-hard for you and you like to avoid the crowds, I found pretty damn cheap car hire here. Could be a budget plan when travelling in a group!

First things first! I hurried down to the Gran Plaza, in order to not miss out on the highlight. I came on the right day: Modern Mayas in traditional clothing were in the middle of a ceremony, singing to the Gods while throwing sacrifices in a holy fire. Considering this amazing location, right in between two of the biggest temples Templo Del Gran Jaguar and Templo De Las Mascaras, and the Acropolis Norte and the Acropolis Central, this was an absolutely overwhelming view. I spent more than an hour on this square, climbing the giant structures and reading the background information* on the free Triposo app on my phone (who needs a guide?).

From there I hiked to Templo V via Maler’s Palace, the second biggest and apparently the most important temple of all. There was no one… at that moment I had my private temple, a bit of the grand Tikal just for myself. Followed by a black cloud of mosquitoes I made my way to Palacio De Las Ventanas and the tranquil, deserted Plaza De Los Siete Templos with, you guessed it, seven temples. I stared up and waved at the countless monkeys swinging from tree to tree right above my head. From there I visited Temple III (Templo de Gran Sacerdote), almost entirely covered in vegetation, and followed my quest to the Mundo Perdido. I elected this magnificent spot as my lunch location, spending almost 1,5 hours staring at the countless worship places surrounding me. Again alone. It felt unreal.

I stared at the altar and imagined a knife chopping off a poor victims head, ensuring an eternal life with the Gods.

Together with a big group of modern Maya's with cell phones I started climbing to the top of one of them, grateful to experience this location with its original descendents, imitating the times that must have been.

Then I made my way to another highlight of Tikal, literally: Temple IV (Templo De La Serpiente Bicefálica), the highest building of the complex. After an intense climb in which I contently took note of my physical condition being above average (sampled within the Tikal visitors population), I sat down to let the overwhelming sight have its effect on me. Wow. The endless jungle continuing until the horizon, only interrupted by some Maya constructions peeking out…

All of a sudden my ancient day dreams got interrupted by the voices of two red-headed and panting Guatemalan brothers I chatted with in the bar the night before. “¡Hola!”As they came with their own vehicle my ride back to Flores was sorted. Sweet. They guaranteed me I should go to the Zona Norte (Complex O/P/Q/R), so that's where I hiked to next. I mean ran to.

I came just in time for the mosquito meeting that was scheduled that day... Bloody savages. Hurdling while smashing my legs like a pureblood Russian dancer I made my way through the forest, even taking pictures while racing violently around in circles. I don't know why I did this for 1,5 hours more, but I can guarantee you I was exhausted afterwards. But at the end of the day I saw almost everything of Tikal, which is an accomplishment given the size of it.

Without having seen everything of Guatemala yet I already knew this was one of the highlights.

I probably can't say it out loud, so I just write it: Seeing these giant incredibly crafted structures I can't help but wonder where that knowledge went... The ‘modern’ Maya villages I passed through could basically be qualified as slums, made of wood and cardboard stalls. Third world country housing. What happened there? Is this an extreme case of reversed technological and intellectual development? This happened centuries ago, imagine where we would have been now if we developed from there. Then Dubai would be a thigh-slapper. The answer can be found in the dark Guatemalan history. A history of Mayan genocide by the Guatemalan government... The humiliation, suppression and attempts of destruction of this rich and gifted culture.

Tikal was all I was after. I didn't need more from Flores, even though there are many other things to see and do. I had another mouth-watering bottom-priced diner at the food stalls next to the lake and fixed myself another free ride down to Río Dulce in the campervan of a retired Canadian and vagabond Dutch hippie. Mayas, da ge bedankt zijt da witte*.

* Free hugs for any non-Brabant-Dutchie who can translate this.

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