Leaving Guatemala City

We started out very early this morning to travel from Guatemala City of Petenchel, a town near the Tikal ruins. Some tours fly from Guatemala City to Tikal to avoid the very long drive of 9 hours plus adding a few more for rest stops, sightseeing, and lunch. We were warned that the trip could even take longer if we got stuck in construction traffic, but we didn’t. We saw many colorful buildings when leaving the city.

Leaving Guatemala City

A bit farther out of the city we started seeing many houses on top of hills.

Outside Guatemala City

Next, there were small towns built on hills.

Mountain Roads

The road, actually the only road, between Guatemala City and Petenchel, is over mountains. Virginia, our tour director, told everyone who thought they would be motion sick to take motion sickness pills. However, a few people didn’t realize that they would become motion sick, and with only one bathroom on the bus and two people becoming sick at the same time, you can guess what happened. My seat was, my choice, at the back of the bus (good window there to take photos). Virginia left me with a plastic bag to hand to the next motion sick victim if the bathroom was again occupied. I do not get motion sick and was okay.

Along the Way

It was interesting to see life along the road such as this way to carry passengers in the back of a pickup.

The Cutest Dogs

At our rest stop, this man had rescue dogs lined up on his bicycle. Many of us donated. The dogs were well fed and were happy and loved the attention that we paid them.

The Cutest Dogs

The dogs were dressed in hats and shirts and the females also in skirts. They were adorable. At the rest stop and all the other ones on our road trips, no toilet paper was to be flushed down the toilets as their plumbing was old, something which also occurs in other countries. We got used to it.

Watermelons

Many watermelons for sale. An adequate income can be had from selling watermelons. Virginia, our tour director, told us that food is plentiful in Guatemala. It is a country where you can be poor but also well fed.

A Market

Passing a market along the way. The three–wheel vehicles serve as taxis.

Quirigua

We stopped at the Quirigua archeological site on our way to Petenchel. Quirigua has been inhabited by the Mayans since the 2nd century A.D., but it was expanded and made into a major Mayan city in the 8th century by its king, Cauac Sky. Cauac Sky built a number of monuments here called stelae. Each stela had a date of when it was constructed––the dates were included on the stela and they could be read by people who had been studying the Mayan language. The stelae were placed on the Grand Plaza, the largest plaza in the Mayan world.

Quirigua

The date of Estela E, the largest of the stela, dedicated January 21, 771. The ground here was spongy and you had to walk carefully over the mud.

Estela E

Estela E (Stela E) is the largest monolithic monument ever erected in the Mayan world. It is 34.78 feet (10.6 m) tall with and additional 9.8 feet (3 m) below ground.

Estela E

Closer–up.

Cauac Sky

Likeness of the kings were etched on the stela. On this stela is the face of King Cauac Sky.

Quirigua

Cauac Sky also built an acropolis and a ball court above the Grand Plaza.

Quirigua

The only way up to the acropolis. My tour mates who climbed up told me there wasn’t much up there.

Zoomorphs

There were also a number of zoomorphs at Quirigua. These are carvings of rocks into animal forms. You could spend much time at Quirigua, especially if you had a booklet or such with information on each stela and zoomorph. I do not know if one was available so we were looking at them without really understanding what we were looking it and just admiring the intricate carvings.

I have put my photos of Quirigua on a slideshow. Go to http://www.peggysphotos.com/quirigua/

(Slide Shows, Central America, Guatemala, “Quirigua”).

Back on the Road

Guatemala had a 7.5 earthquake in 1976 and many houses were destroyed. Many Evangelical churches sent people to help rebuild the houses, and while there, built many Evangelical churches, sometimes two or more in just one small village. Today, Guatemala is 30–40% or more Evangelical. Since members of one family may be members of different Evangelical sects, it has caused some bad family rifts. Additionally, the Evangelicals are changing the political landscape in not only Guatemala but also in other Latin America countries. Photo of what should be an Evangelical church.

Lunchtime

After visiting Quirigua, it was time for lunch. We ate at a restaurant on the Rio Dulce. I had gone to the restroom after lunch and didn’t realize that all of my tour group were already on the bus. So I walked too fast to the bus and didn’t see what must have been a big rock on the roadway. I tripped over it and went down front forward and my chest landed very hard on my camera which I had hanging from my neck. Two young Guatemalan men came to my rescue and I asked them to get Virginia who I could see near the bus. All helped me up and boy did I hurt. But no one on the bus saw me fall so I had to tell some of the friends that I had made on the tour what had happened so I could get some needed sympathy (which helped).

Outside Dining

I must have recovered sufficiently from my fall to take some more photos from the bus. Here, outside dining along with road.

Petenchel

We made it to Petenchel very late in the day. We stayed at a hotel located in a nature reserve on the Petenchel Laguna. We would be here for two nights. Some of my tour mates heard a strange animal noise in the middle of the night, though none got up to investigate. There would have been howler monkeys and many birds here and other animals.

I have put my photos of our drive from Guatemala City to Petenchel minus photos of Quirigua (which are on a separate slide show) on a slide show. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/guatemala–city–to–petenchel/

(Slide Shows, Central America, Guatemala, “Guatemala City to Petenchel”)>