Road to Uaxactun

Trip Start Oct 10, 2001
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Trip End Feb 19, 2002


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Monday, November 26, 2001

We took the chicken bus around 2pm towards Tikal, our destination was beyond Tikal to a smaller ruin of Uaxactun. This was my idea after convincing Juliette we needed some off the beaten track adventure. We were the only non-local on the bus. The bus was packed and slowly made its way towards Tikal. The scenary was beautiful. Me and Juliette sat quietely, didn't know what to expect. We had to stop near the entrance to the Tikal National park (which is inside Maya Bioshpere Reserve of Peten) to purchase tickets for next day. After Tikal, nice paved road dissapeared, the bumpy dirt road was endless. The man in charge was big in stature compared to his fellow Mayans, with a full unkept beard. He looked like a true revolutionary from Cuba. He was nice though, and we felt secure. The tree branches hitting the side of the chicken bus was a normal occurance as the road to Uaxactun narrows. There was a slight feeling in me that "where the hell are we headed?"

A little after 6pm, and sunset, we arrived in the village of Uaxactun Juliette n Chicken bus to Uaxactun
Juliette n Chicken bus to Uaxactun
 . The village was small and simple, it resembles a typical rural Chinese village except that it was surrounded by rain forest on all sides. We checked in at the only hotel. The sky was still light, even though it was starting to rain. Me and Juliette decided to take advantage of this hour of dusk to visite the ruins. It was not well kept but it was a true Maya Ruin. We are the only ones there. I feel the history of this ruin in my soul as I breathed the fresh rainforest air. The two dogs from the hotel accompanied us, I felt safe that a Jaguar attack was unlikely. However, my legs was eaten alive by mosquitos, as I did the tour in barefeet. We had chicken dinner at the only resturant in the village, probably a fresh chicken I imagine. We went to sleep after, because the generator that keeps the lights on where shut at 10pm. What a wonderful day as it turns out.
Me and Juliette still talk about this place until this day, the word "Uaxactun" is synonymous with true travel adventure, and will forever be imprinted in my heart.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
--Robert Frost
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