El Remate ........ El who ?!?!?!??

So we spent one week hanging out by a lake. The place is called ... you guessed it El Remate. I don´t know what that means or if it is something special, but for some strange reason I really find this name funny. It is in Guatemala. The area is famous because of the Tikal ruins. Following are a whole bunch of pictures of the ruins. It is popular because it is one of the largest Mayan complexes. Here are a few of the highlights of that trip.

• A taxi driver came to our rescue. We originally planned to walk from the corner to town (about 2km) but in the sorching heat he convinced us. It turned out his sister owned a hotel and we went there. It was a huge, clean room and they ended up giving us a discount. They took good care of us. We used their phone and fridge, they gave us a great deal on the taxi rides that we took, loved to chat with us and just made us feel at home.
• The first night at our hotel we came up and hung out with a group we'd met in Belize. It was so great to share random ideas and stories over beer
  
• Your price of admission to Tikal is expensive, about $20 ( more than a good, hearty meal for two people.) But if you buy it after 3pm it is also good for the next day. We`d heard about watching the sun rise or set from the highest temple ( 64m high, built in 700AD) , so we thought it was worth it. What nobody told us was that the temple was under construction and had scafolding all over it, such that you could only see one side, and it was not the side the sun set on! But for a small fee (otherwise known as bride) to the very official looking security guards with guns, we could climb under the railings and watch from side with a view. It was worth the extra money.
  
• The next morning we got a Spanish guide - Israel ( as recommended by a friend and taxi driver who came to our rescue as we stood by the side of the road on our first day there, well we hadn`t even made it there.) With him using simple Spanish and speaking slowly we were able to understand almost all of it. What an accomplishment! We are so proud and feel liberated because we can now express oursevles and chat with people.
  
• We were also impressed with the unexcavated sites. Israel often pointed them out. It is amazing to wonder what is hidden beneath layers of dirt and stones.
  
• Israel has been a guide in the park for 18 years. Around the back of the 'Lost World Pyramid' was an entry way that was closed to the public but not locked, which meant that we could sneak in and see two large jaguar masks. These masks date back to 250 BC!
  
• Aside from the grandeur of the pyramids there was spectacular wildlife. As you'll see by our vast number of attempts at capturing pictures of spider monkeys, we were fascinated. You'd be walking and hear rustling of branches over head. As you looked up a little monkey would be dropping out of a tree and just in time catch a branch with his tail or paws. There was all sorts of birds and Israel could identify them by their call. Our favourites sightings were parrots, toucans, and oro pendulas.
  
• The first night at our hotel we came up and hung out with a group we'd met in Belize. It was so great to share random ideas and stories over beer


• We discovered an organization called Ix-Canaan or Guardians of the Rainforest. It provides healthcare, playspace, a library and a computer lab to local families free of charge and is run solely by donations of money and time. It was great to see the clinic and hear about the doctors dreams for the future. The positive effect that conitnuous short term trips by North American people along with the continued presence of committed locals was easily evident in a short visit.
  
  
  

  Tikal and the Surrounding Area