La Lancha Lodge Flores

... uncovered and restored, some in the late 19th century but most in the 50ies and 60ies (in particular by archaeologists from the University of Pennsylvania), they realised that it was very difficult if not impossible to uncover the temples without damaging the actual structures. So they decided to leave some of the temples intact, hoping that future technologies would prove to be less intrusive to the temples. Moreover, the uncovering and restoring projects also proved to be ...

... proper dive and it's incredible to be that far down in the sea and able to breathe. We snorkelled in a really shallow patch where stingrays feed from so that was cool with them swimming right up to us. Our dive instructor kept on picking them up and asking us to stroke the stingray, I very gingerly touched one for about a ninth of a second and when I looked over at Kerrie she was just shaking her head and saying "no-way". Think this ...

... of interest in the area, Flores is small and touristy. If time allows a boat trip on lake and a visit to the strange island of Radio Petan is interesting. There the curator showed us his family's collection of Mayan artefact's and old radio equipment (his father had started the first Flores radio station) which are kept together in a shed. He also played the entirety of Pomp and Circumstance to us on an old gramophone which was ever so slightly unusual.<br><br><br><br>

Back again...<br><br>After a day of well needed rest in El Remate (Guatamala) and swimming in the beautiful Lago De Peten Itza - turquise lake on door step - and the off bit of kyaking,<br>it was time for our final Mayan ruins.... The mother of them all...<br><br>Tikal<br><br>So we arose at 04:50am full of life infact! eager and excited to visit Tikal, full of expectations<br>for a beautiful sunrise atop temple 4, something i have read about, apparently the highlight of anyones visit.<br ...

... Marie and David live in the Netherlands and have been travelling through South and Central America for the past 4 months. Apparently, people in Europe can do these things. It seems like our trip, which will total 18 days is the shortest trip that anyone we have encountered is taking. That being said, we have not met any Americans on our trip, everyone has been from Europe. It was nice to have some company as we have been travelling alone most of the way. Even though we ...

... caves until we reached a rock we could climb up and jump off into a small pool. Using the guide&#8217;s knee to reach the perch I sat looking into the pitch black whilst he instructed me where to jump &#8211; not too far, not too close and then I was in the air and within seconds under water, hitting the sandy bottom. Then I broke the surface and slid down out of the pool into the river that takes you out of the cave. I later met a girl who had mistimed the jump and had ...

... of Survivor Guatemala...) and the flora and fauna of Tikal but he didn't seem to know anything about the people who had lived there or the buildings. We left without knowing anymore about the Mayans than we arrived. By 10.00am it was soo hot that we returned to Flores to hunt down a cash machine that would take our card (unsuccessfully) and swim in the lake. The next day we left for Belize at the surprisingly late time of 5.00am!

... and making googly eyes at her blonde compantion. In between her nostrils she wore a giant silver ring like what a bull would have. I heard someone throw out the name Rastad*** (rhymes with tyke). Ok, so send me to sensitivity training for repeating it, but I just want you to fully experience what I am living down here! Again, not trying to be insensitive to anyone out there but sometimes you just can´t candycoat the little surprises you ...

... However, I'm hoping all of that will change soon<br>after some additional schooling in Antigua, which is where Shi and I<br>are headed to tomorrow. <br><br>No definitive conclusion of this<br>random assortment of paragraphs, but the satisfaction of cultural<br>immersion is quite satisfying. I sure do enjoy being the minority<br>because it is such a different perspective from daily life in the<br>Midwest. Hope everyone is well. I have setup a Skype account and will<br>be using ...

... and a couple of Swiss guys for a few hours before having a shower and heading to bed. <br>Unfortunately the 2 most irritating American's I have ever met were staying in my dorm. Almost every person in the dorm was getting up at 4.30am either to go to Tikal or to catch a bus to somewhere, but these 2 guys decided that noone was allowed more than an hour of sleep at a time and insisted on coming back into the dorm every hour to wake everyone up!! AAAaaaaaaahhhh!!