Guatemala
The Lost City, Tikal, Guatemala, May 2005
As the sun goes down the energy goes
up. I spent at least three hours over two days hovering on the
top of this fine pyramid. I was seriously hovering. I ran up and
down the stairs six times, and walked at least 2kms in every direction.
Amazing place to explore if your mind implores.
En route to Monterrico, May 2005
Hayley and I were heading to our final location before Hayley
flew off over the sunset and back to London Town. We weaved out
way through the protected swampland on a rustic wooden barge for
30minutes. Hayley is practising her intellectual catwalking.
En route to Monterrico, May 2005
There was a hole in the front of the boat, so the captain asked
me if I could plant my arse over it to stem the flow, thinking
that my lovely goretex pants would be waterproof and that I might
actually have an arse to plug it with. Best enema I ever had.
En route to Monterrico, May 2005
Our captain was the proud owner of our boat and this one in the
picture. His kid brother spent most of his time showing off his
boating skills as you see here, manouvering the boat with one
toe. In our thirty minute journey he passed us five times, ran
out of fuel and ran aground. A true professional.
Guatemala City, May 2005
Hayleys and my last night together in Guatemala City. We fell
asleep like this. I forgot however that I still had a nasty scab
that was healing on the left side of my face. So when we woke
up, our skin had fused together. Hayley had to catch the plane
that morning. I think that Hayley secretly superglued me on overnight.
We found it really hard to part. We rung the airline to see if
they had any extra wide seats available, as I didn't have insurance
and we could not afford to be separated in the local hospital,
thinking that it would be cheaper in London. But they didn't have
any extra wide seats. So, I pulled out my leatherman (multi-tool).
Knowing Hayley was going back to work, and had to look beautiful,
like she does, I sacrificed half of my left eyebrow. If you look
really closely just under Hayleys right ear, you can still see
it.
Near Sierra de las Minas in the south west
of Guatemala, May 2005
In Guatemala there isn't much space for parking, so instead doing
the good ole' reverse park they prefer to roll into their parking
postions. Much easier to retrieve wallet and mobile when taking
a break to duck into a petrol station and drain the main vien
as this man is doing here.
Near Sierra de las Minas in the south west of Guatemala, May 2005
En route to Rio Dulce from Guatemala City I came speeding around
a corner to discover a freshly overturned truck, which has lost
traction only minutes before. The driver was amazingly unhurt.
Within minutes, the Police and Camino Boys (Road Crew) were on
the scene. One crane and about 30men lifted the truck on the fifth
go. If you click here you can see the action video. Amazing stuff.
Central American methodologies differ greatly from the rest of
the world.
Near Sierra de las Minas in the south west
of Guatemala, May 2005
A crane eyed view of the upended truck. Check out the video.
Casa Guatemala, Rio Dulce (Fronteras) in the
southwest of Guatemala, May 2005
This shot is taken from the top of the biggest bridge in Central
America which isn't very big. I stayed in this orphanage run by
orphans. Good energy and good food. Lonesome soldier once more
I spent my night learning how to make homemade spear guns with
the locals. All of the older men carry guns, generally fully automatic
handguns. Dangerous area, popular for smuggling. Icebreaker recently
send me a load of awesome new gear so I left all of my other gear
with the orphanage for the kids. You could probably fit four kids
in one of my tshirts they were so small, but I am sure they will
make good use of them.
Casa Guatemala, Rio Dulce, May 2005
The ladies from Casa Guatemala who help run the orphanage. Most
of them former orphans from the jungle nearby. The lady in the
centre (orange) is the head honcho when boss man is away.
Casa Guatemala, Rio Dulce, May 2005
One of many really damn nice Israeli geezers I have met on my
journey. Part of a great crew of Israeli gents cruising the backroads
of Guatemala.
The Temple of the Grand Jaguar, Grand Plaza,
Tikal (The Lost City), May 2005
This 44metre temple was built for King Moon Double Comb
(real name) by his son, who succeeded the throne in AD734. Within
they found hundreds of amazing jade objects, almost 100 bones
carved with hieroglyphs, pearls and stingray spines used for ritual
bloodletting ceremonies. They loved a good human sacrifice. Often
ripping out still beating hearts for their gods to see, and the
unlucky person whos heart it was before they died. The Mayans
performed mass human sacrifices involving hundreds of human livestock
at a time, depending on how the crops were growing. A fair few
tourists have performed Naked Gun style descents from the top
to their unfortunate death at the bottom of the steps. So you
can't climb it anymore.
The Residential Palace for Tikals nobility.
South of the Grand Plaza, May 2005
A maze of nooks and crannies, stairs, platforms, dead ends and
grassy knolls. This part reminded me of an MC Escher artwork.
Every time you try and work your way out, you manage to find your
way back in. Took me three hours to find my way out. Luckily I
had a GPS (Global Positioning System).
Somewhere in the Lost City, near the football
field, May 2005
Impressive facial representation of one of the Mayan civilisations
former kings. The Mayan Empire actually had their own type of
football game, where they used three balls.. But they didn't use
a footballs. They used human heads. The games were often used
to resolve major disagreements, often the losing team would be
sacrificed.
Another temple, somewhere in the Lost City
of Tikal. May 2005
The tablets at the base of this temple were used to sacrifice
humans, sometimes simultaneously. Generally their hands and feet
were bound behind them before they were lay down on the stone
blocks for sacrifice.
The view from Temple IV. May 2005
This view is from Tikals highest pyramid at 64 metres, built in
AD741 by King Double Moon Comb. I woke up at 4:30am and trekked
almost an hour to get here for sunset. I didn't see the sun until
11am. Howler monkeys howled, wealthy dutch tourists rambled very
loudly, and Toucans (the bird from the Fruity Loops advertisement)
rooted in the trees about five metres to my right. I had prepared
a tasty breakfast including five boiled eggs. They were off. I
spent most of my first few hours gagging. Beautiful morning.
Sunset from El Mundo Perdido (The Lost World),
May 2005
I saw it twice it was so good. This temple was built four times.
Layer upon layer upon layer upon layer (just like that really
old and annoying lasanga advertisement, from about 15years back
- in Australia). This pyramid was part of 38 structures surrounding
the pyramid which is 32metres high and 80metres long at the base.
This is the oldest Mayan structure in Tikal.
Temple V, just east of the South Acropolis,
May 2005
This structure recently restored in 1991 was built around AD 700
and stands at 58metres high. One of over 4000 structures within
the 550sqkm Parque Nacional Tikal.
Early morning at El Mundo Perdido (The Lost
World), May 2005
My favourite place to sit and chill in Tikal. This is an amazing
place to view over 300 bird species that live in Tikal National
Park. Such as: royal flycatchers, keel-billed toucans, collared
aracaris, great curassows, woodpeckers, kingfishers, blue herons,
etc. Also a few different species of monkey, ant eaters and at
least three different fireflys, which you may mistake as miniature
remote controlled LED lights.
My amazed mug. May 2005
Sitting atop the Lost World, where I feel very much at home. See
the awe in my eyes? eh? Note the Japanese tourist in the background
deep in meditation facing North. She was so pissed that I was
able to levitate after a few minutes. Took her almost three hours.
The Lost World. May 2005
The final sunset before I left for Belize. It was very hard to
leave. But considering I still have at least 150,000kms left in
my adventure it was an unfortunate necessity. The Mayans Calender
which is over 2000years strong ends in 2010. All the hotels have
been booked out over five years in advance. Awesome place. Our
lives are nothing more than a flicker of candle. Flick.
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