Dia 70 Bonampak - Bethel not many kms
Last night, met a couple of German girls, Iris and Doris. We talked for awhile and I crashed early. I'd set up my tent without the rainfly, as there was not a cloud in sight before sunset. Of course, It started raining,,,,,,,HARD, in the middle of the night. So I jumped up and dragged my tent, then the noodle up on the porch of a nearby building and managed to stay pretty dry. Rode to the border, where I must decide whether to go to Yaxchilan, which is an hour boatride downstream, then cross into Guatemala, or just cross.. Since I was nearly out of pesos, I decided to just cross into Guatemala, where I was gonna get my fill of spectacular Mayan ruins.
So I make it to Bethel, and there's no indication whatsoever as to where to locate immigration, where to change money, which road to take, nothing. So, looking confused, I was approached by a man on a moto who asked what I needed. He responded by offering to take me to immigration and house me for the night. I wind up meeting the whole family, his wife and 4 kids. He takes me to immigration and I get the feeling that he knows everyone around here. His name is Prospero and it turns out he's a long time community leader. He tells me about all of the international tourists he's met through the years and I'm sure he welcomes them all equally. He took off for awhile and left me to be entertained by his wife and kids. Yanira, his wife, runs down the biggest turkey in the bunch and immediately rings it's neck to begin the preparation for tomorrow's new years feast. She asks me to stay for a couple of days, but I'm psyched to get to Tikal.... The kids are super-cute and 2 of them sang for me while Mom plucked and cleaned the turkey and I lazed in the hammock.... Hope the fireworks aren't too crazy tonight so I can get some sleep. Tomorrow begins with 60 k of dirt road and it's 130 to Flores....
Dia 71 Bethel - La Libertad maybe 90 kms ?
Word for today: WET. Rained real hard 2 or 3 times and soaked me good. It's the jungle and I've been spared 'til now... Bad day for technology as my camera has died, or perhaps it's just sleeping.. Also, my cronometer quit as soon as it got soaked.. The camera is a bummer as I know I'm gonna want it further down the road. I'll try to fix it when I get to Flores, which is an island on Lake Peten Itza. Had more great conversation with Prospero this AM over breakfast. He told me a bunch about the horrors of the Guatemalan war and how they survived it in this part of the country. He told me about the conditions that caused it, and it's a similar story to Chiapas. The poor and indigenous asking for equal rights and the response was violent. The ruling elite controls the military, who carry out the bloody work of eliminating "the terrorists." Many innocents were slaughtered..... I make it to La Libertad, which might be a fitting place for me, this being the "Vuelta de Libertad." I arrive in time for the next downpour.... I change back to my street treads as I've passed the dirt for awhile. Have dinner in a typical Guatemalan "Comedor," where it's obvious I'm not in Mexico anymore as there's no hot sauce in sight....
Dia 72 La Libertad - Flores 30 kms?
Rode in the rain all the way to Flores after breakfast in the same comedor that I'd eaten in last night. Anna wanted to speak English, so I helped her with a few words. Another lady there told me about her husband who's been in Boston for 2 years... She's tired of waiting for his return.... It was pretty flat today. And speaking of flats, I had another today. I found a tiny piece of wire Imbedded in the casing that had likely caused my previous 2 or 3 as well. Big news of the day is that I've become a grandpa!!! Rafa's girlfriend, Caitlin gave birth to a baby boy!! Here comes the next generation!!!!! The prices in Flores are geared for tourist's, although I found a nice international hostal with a cheap bed in a dormitory. Met some Aussies at the hostal, and the place is full of foreigners, kind of nice to mix in with these folks... tired, going to bed.......
Last night, met a couple of German girls, Iris and Doris. We talked for awhile and I crashed early. I'd set up my tent without the rainfly, as there was not a cloud in sight before sunset. Of course, It started raining,,,,,,,HARD, in the middle of the night. So I jumped up and dragged my tent, then the noodle up on the porch of a nearby building and managed to stay pretty dry. Rode to the border, where I must decide whether to go to Yaxchilan, which is an hour boatride downstream, then cross into Guatemala, or just cross.. Since I was nearly out of pesos, I decided to just cross into Guatemala, where I was gonna get my fill of spectacular Mayan ruins.
So I make it to Bethel, and there's no indication whatsoever as to where to locate immigration, where to change money, which road to take, nothing. So, looking confused, I was approached by a man on a moto who asked what I needed. He responded by offering to take me to immigration and house me for the night. I wind up meeting the whole family, his wife and 4 kids. He takes me to immigration and I get the feeling that he knows everyone around here. His name is Prospero and it turns out he's a long time community leader. He tells me about all of the international tourists he's met through the years and I'm sure he welcomes them all equally. He took off for awhile and left me to be entertained by his wife and kids. Yanira, his wife, runs down the biggest turkey in the bunch and immediately rings it's neck to begin the preparation for tomorrow's new years feast. She asks me to stay for a couple of days, but I'm psyched to get to Tikal.... The kids are super-cute and 2 of them sang for me while Mom plucked and cleaned the turkey and I lazed in the hammock.... Hope the fireworks aren't too crazy tonight so I can get some sleep. Tomorrow begins with 60 k of dirt road and it's 130 to Flores....
Dia 71 Bethel - La Libertad maybe 90 kms ?
Word for today: WET. Rained real hard 2 or 3 times and soaked me good. It's the jungle and I've been spared 'til now... Bad day for technology as my camera has died, or perhaps it's just sleeping.. Also, my cronometer quit as soon as it got soaked.. The camera is a bummer as I know I'm gonna want it further down the road. I'll try to fix it when I get to Flores, which is an island on Lake Peten Itza. Had more great conversation with Prospero this AM over breakfast. He told me a bunch about the horrors of the Guatemalan war and how they survived it in this part of the country. He told me about the conditions that caused it, and it's a similar story to Chiapas. The poor and indigenous asking for equal rights and the response was violent. The ruling elite controls the military, who carry out the bloody work of eliminating "the terrorists." Many innocents were slaughtered..... I make it to La Libertad, which might be a fitting place for me, this being the "Vuelta de Libertad." I arrive in time for the next downpour.... I change back to my street treads as I've passed the dirt for awhile. Have dinner in a typical Guatemalan "Comedor," where it's obvious I'm not in Mexico anymore as there's no hot sauce in sight....
Dia 72 La Libertad - Flores 30 kms?
Rode in the rain all the way to Flores after breakfast in the same comedor that I'd eaten in last night. Anna wanted to speak English, so I helped her with a few words. Another lady there told me about her husband who's been in Boston for 2 years... She's tired of waiting for his return.... It was pretty flat today. And speaking of flats, I had another today. I found a tiny piece of wire Imbedded in the casing that had likely caused my previous 2 or 3 as well. Big news of the day is that I've become a grandpa!!! Rafa's girlfriend, Caitlin gave birth to a baby boy!! Here comes the next generation!!!!! The prices in Flores are geared for tourist's, although I found a nice international hostal with a cheap bed in a dormitory. Met some Aussies at the hostal, and the place is full of foreigners, kind of nice to mix in with these folks... tired, going to bed.......
posted by Bicycle Bob at
5:07 PM
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