The Belize to Guatemala border crossing was pretty uneventful. We had a detailed account of the crossing from another traveller’s blog which did not lead us astray. I kept a close eye on the parental unit, trying to decipher what was going through their minds.
We found the hotel, Hotel La Mansion Del Pajaro Serpiente, in El Remate with relative ease. Although the term ‘rustic’ kept being thrown around by mom, it was a beautiful spot with a great view over Lago Peten Itza. Mom was happily snapping photos of the local flora and fauna, so I was happy. We ate at the hotel that night. A local woman prepared some delicious Guatemala food for us. The favorites were definitely the soup and fresh fried tortillas (similar to nachos).
Tikal was stunning. Although there are many Mayan ruins peppered through a handful of countries, Tikal stands on its own because it is 1. massive and 2. in the middle of a dense jungle. The wildlife is as much of an appeal as the ruins. We picked up a local guide at the park entrance who showed us around the massive site all morning. Highlights included the views from the top of the pyramids and the local monkey population. Words cannot express how haunting the howler monkeys sound. We lost our video of the monkey due to some phone issues, but here’s a taste. We finished the day up with some cervezas overlooking the lake.
Next stop would take us way off the beaten track to Semuc Champey.
