Since Ana, some ten years younger German woman I met on my return trip from Livingston, and I agreed to continue with our journey together, at least on this day and the following one, after the nice and light lunch we went to the coach terminal in Fronteras, the place often called Rio Dulce after the nearby river. There we awaited the transportation to the city of Flores. This was a coach coming from Guatemala City and it had only one seat free. So, I said to Ana that she could go ahead and sit there, while I was standing. It was not a bad thing for me at all, nor was it difficult, while I immensely enjoyed the air that was blowing through all the windows in the coach since they were all opened.
Still, at some point another seat became available, so I sat there next to a Peruvian man and we had a great chat. It all felt very good.
Upon arrival in Flores, we transferred to a mini-bus that drove us around the hotels in the old part of the city on the island. Namely, Flores is the capital of Petén Department that is also the biggest of the 22 departments in Guatemala. The city is located on the shores of Lake Petén Itzá (Lago Petén Itzá) which is the third largest lake in Guatemala, after Lake Izabal and Lake Atitlán. Without having it as intention, I find it interesting that I saw all of the three lakes to a larger or a smaller degree.
The contemporary city of Flores consists of Santa Elena, the city on the shore of the lake, and the part of the city located on an island close to the shore that is called Flores. Nowadays, the island is connected to the mainland by a causeway and both parts of the city are jointly called Flores and function as the capital of the department. Because the streets in the old part of the city are narrow it was necessary to move from the coach to mini-buses in order them to transfer visitors to different hotels and hostels where they stay.
By the way, before the old part of the city was built, the island of Flores was the place where there used to be a settlement of the ancient Maya people. Moreover, that was the capital of Petén Itzá, the last state of this large civilisation from Mesoamerica. It is interesting that the Spaniards conquered the island only in 1697 and then using the ruins of the ancient Mayan city they built a new one that was named Flores over time.
When Ana and I arrived in Flores, we went to different places where we planned to spend the night, but the agreement was that I would go to her hostel later.
To start with, Flores was not as hot and unpleasantly humid as the weather forecast had been showing for days. Still, I did not regret choosing a contemporary hotel in which the room was very pretty and comfortable, and there was also excellent air-conditioning. I even had a fine view at Lake Petén Itzá.
Lake Petén Itzá
Lake Petén Itzá
The room in Flores was by far the best one during my entire journey, as well as the most expensive. But, as my journey was coming to its end, my budget was very sound and so giving myself such a treat absolutely made sense. The only pity was that I actually spent the least amount of time in the room, but even for that there were more than excellent reasons.
Namely, I came to Flores in order to go and visit the famous archaeological site Tikal from here. Originally I planned to see with the hotel if they could recommend an agency for me, although I also had some information in my guidebooks, in order to go for an excursion to Tikal with one of the locally formed groups. As it turned out, it was precisely in connection with this that my meeting with Ana was of utmost significance.
Unlike me, she was staying at a modest hostel, but she already had some information from there and as it turned out it was possible at her hostel to register for a Tikal excursion that was leaving Flores around 3 am in order to experience the sunrise in Tikal. I had not even heard of such an excursion and since I was delighted by the idea I said I would like to do that, too. So we agreed that I should go to her hostel later on, to meet her, and then I could register for the excursion there. By the way, at my fancy hotel they did not have any idea of such an excursion. I guess it was foreseen only for the young people staying at no-air-conditioning hostels. The “affluent” tourists apparently do not leave from their hotel at 3 am and enjoy their nicely cooled down rooms sleeping in soft, white, cotton bed linen. One can’t have it all. Unless the sheer luck arranges a good combination.
Still, because of this whole organisation I actually did not do any sightseeing of Flores nor did I take any photos there. I just had a shower, refreshed a little and also washed some of my things. I left my room a little earlier and so I found Ana on the internet at her hostel. I also took advantage of the internet connection and an available computer to check my emails and write back, and I then transferred some photographs onto CDs. After we had finished with what we had, we paid for the excursion and then had dinner, since the hostel offered this service as well. As Ana had her birthday the following day and I was in a very good mood, happy because of the excursion and very grateful that I had met her and that she had told me about the excursion, I paid for her dinner in lieu of a birthday present. She found it a little unusual, but I really felt like it.
In the meantime she mentioned an Italian, Francesco, whom she had met a few days earlier and who was also staying at that hostel. And indeed, at some point he showed up and joined us. When he heard I was from Serbia he was thoroughly delighted for, in his words, “The Serbs are crazy (pazzy)” which was apparently a characteristic he appreciated. I don’t actually know what he meant with this and which Serbs he had met in his life, but after all it did not matter. The evening was great fun and soon we were also joined by an English girl.
I found it interesting that at some point the three of them started saying how everything was so cheap in Guatemala and Central America, especially the food. At first moment I was ready to agree with them, but then I realised they were talking from the position of the residents of Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, while I was coming from Serbia. Then I also realised that back in my country I knew of a lot of places where I could eat perhaps better quality and certainly more caloric food for the same amount of money as in Central America. Not that this mattered much, but it certainly provided an interesting insight and a demonstration that after all everything is relative in this world.
In any case, it was a joyous evening, but regardless of the fact that the company was pleasant, that there was a lot of laughter, I had to leave them already around 9 pm since I was to get up already around 3 am. Admittedly, Ana was also going on the excursion, but she fancied Francesco and so she had some serious motives to stay longer with the company. I had no motives of the kind and was just interested in sleeping for as long as possible.
So, in order to go to Tikal I had to get up at 3 am, but I woke up bright and ready at 2.30. I got ready and was picked up in front of the hotel at 3.15 am. Although there was enough space in the passenger van, I did not feel like sleeping, so I just kept my eyes shut. Ana was not in the same van as me, but we found each other in front of the entrance to the site that is some 60 km away from Flores. It was still completely dark and I took advantage of the fact that already from Belgrade I brought a headlamp in case there was an electricity cut somewhere.
Ready for Tikal
Different mini-buses brought a large number of visitors here from Flores and now the guides gathered us up and then we all moved. Led by the guides we walked quite briskly for we were to cover over 2 km to Temple IV that was the first on our sightseeing tour. Meanwhile it started to dawn and since we were walking across the Gran Plaza where there is a couple of famous pyramid-temples, I stopped for a moment to take a photo of one. Bearing in mind that it was still far too dark, I turned on the flash which I knew could not help me with the distant pyramid, but I wanted to give it a try anyway. In the end I was exceptionally content for I got a fabulous effect that illustrates the level of air humidity. One should bear in mind that it did not rain and it snowed even less, buy what is seen in the photo are water droplets that filled up the air.
Dawn in Tikal
While we stopped at the Gran Plaza, I filmed the surroundings with my video-camera, so Temples I and II could be seen a little better.
Temple I at 5.15 am
Gran Plaza and Temple II at 5.15 am
Although it was the crack of dawn and the Sun had still not come up to heat the Earth, by the time I reached Temple IV and climbed to its top I was drenched in sweat. The reason why we rushed so much and why we climbed to the top of the Temple was that this was the place from which we were to watch the sunrise. By the way, the top of Temple IV is reached via wooden staircase made over a metal construction. So, having reached the top, we all sat over the wide stone stairway that exists there and in front of that stairway there is a narrow platform. Bearing in mind that I wanted to do something specific, together with Ana I went to the north end of the stairway where there were fewer people, so we sat there. By the way, at the time the temple was being restored, so its entire top was covered in scaffolding, but that was not a problem at all. The view was magnificent!
Dawn in Tikal
Somehow it turned out that practically all the visitors of Tikal on this early morning belonged to younger age groups. I truly don’t know why. Now, in 2021, when I’m writing this story, I’m probably twice the age of most of the people I was with on the top of Temple IV that morning and yet, if I were to go to Tikal again, I would love to wait for the sunrise right there again. What I want to say is that although I know that some people at a certain age cannot easily climb stairs or rush through the rainforest of Guatemala, but I’m sure that a lot of them would love to have an experience like this. I simply can’t believe that people over 50 lose on a massive scale the wish for adventure and interesting and picturesque events, and that I am an exception.
Be as it may, in line with their average age, after they had climbed to the top of Temple IV, which by the way with its total height of 70 m is highest in Tikal, the visitors chatted a lot continuing their hanging together and everything resonated with their loud voices and laughter. And then one guide started talking louder than all of them and quite correctly drew their attention to the fact that they had come to a very special place where they should witness such a common and yet such as grand event and that it would be pointless if they continued to chat as if they were in a café and that they should absorb the very place and what they are surrounded with in peace and quiet. Because that’s why they came here in the first place, right?
His intervention was perfect for me. Namely, for years now I’ve been doing a short ritual on certain days and irrespective of the state I’m in and where I am I like to do it and not to skip it. Although it is possible to do the ritual during the day, it is ideal to do it in the morning. This exoteric ritual that I’m doing has nothing to do with the ancient Maya, but the platform on the top of Temple IV and the time when the Sun rises were the absolutely ideal place and the ideal time, since this was one of those days. While the people I was sharing this space with were very loud I wondered how I would do it, but now, after they had calmed down, I went to the far end of the platform, near which I was sitting anyway, and I did what I had to do there. I believe that many of them watched me in wonder, but luckily there were not so many smart phones at the time that can film everything, especially among the young people, so my early morning ritual did not end up on YouTube.
Soon the Sun came up from behind the horizon and started to rise above the dense Guatemalan rainforest and the mist that permeated it all.
Sunset above Tikal at 5.40 am
By the way, if the above sight seems familiar, it is possible that you remember it from the Star Wars, Episode IV.
Sunset above Tikal
I could also say that Temple IV was built in 741 by ruler Yik’in Chan Kawil (ruled from 734 to c. 766.) whom the historians often refer to as Ruler B, although his other name does sound lovely – Sun Sky Rain. I’ve already said that the height of the temple is 70 metres and this is the height from the ground to the top of the roof comb, while the platform is at 64 metres above ground. With those parameters, Temple IV is the highest one in Tikal and it is also one of the highest pre-Columbian structures in Americas. The temple is also called the Temple of the Two-Headed Serpent (Templo de la Serpiente Bicéfala).
From the stairway and the platform of Temple IV one can see the tops of Temples I, II and III.
From left to right: Temple I, Temple II and Temple III
Also, I recorded a little using my video-camera and although I will certainly never be a good cameraman, I think that the next short video-recording is good as an illustration of the early morning above the rainforest in Guatemala.
Having finished with what I had and after enjoying (in the relative silence) in the sunrise and the sights in front of me, there came the time for me to pose a little on the platform of Temple IV holding on to the scaffolding. It was ideal that Ana was there, so we could exchange the favours.
On the top of Temple IV
However, perhaps the following photo is even better for it perfectly illustrates the level of heat and air humidity that rule here. At the time when Ana took a photo of me there, I was well rested from the earlier rush through the rainforest and climbing to the top of the temple and yet, I was still all flushed and with my hair damp with the sweat and sticking to my head although it was not noon and the temperature was not too high.
All flushed on the top of Temple IV
When the guides came up to a conclusion that there had been enough of enjoying in the sunrise, we all descended slowly to a clearing by Temple IV and there the guides told us that we would all be divided into smaller groups and those groups would be in English and in Spanish. As a matter of habit I headed for the side where the English-speaking groups were to be formed, but the impressively smart Ana played her second utterly significant role during our short time together. She said it would be better to join the Spanish-speaking group for it would be less crowded. And she was absolutely right. Although there were several English-speaking groups, they were all significantly bigger than our single Spanish-speaking one.
While we were waiting for our sightseeing tour to start, the entire area resonated with very loud cries of the Guatemalan/Yucatan black howler (Alouatta pigra) and in the nearby treetops we could also notice several specimens of the Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi).
The most visible is its long black arm by which it holds on to the branch