Guatemala 2018

Wednesday14November

Day number 3. Waking up without rain, unlike a good part of the night.

We find our ocellated turkey friends (Meleagris ocellata) walking on the helicopter landing strip, the only machine capable of coming here.

The Ocellated Turkey is not a great traveler; it is found nowhere else on the planet than in this region. It is endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula (southern Mexico) and neighboring regions. And indeed, we are only about 6 kilometers from the Mexican border!

We resume our Mayan exploration paths. The tropical forest has its share of botanical curiosities, especially with fig trees where one no longer knows if it's the roots of a single tree or several trunks joining together...

After the Tiger pyramid yesterday, here we are at the pyramidal complex of another wild animal: the Danta, the tapir in Spanish. The various sites of El Mirador are the remains of a real city. The Mayans who came to settle in the middle of this immense forest around the 6th century BC, sought tranquility by moving away from other peoples living further north in Mexico. But this isolation was also the reason for the abandonment of the site: around the 2nd century AD, the inhabitants preferred to return to the "modern" civilization of the time. An attempt to return was made in the 8th century but failed again two centuries later.

It was in 1926 that the abandoned site was rediscovered for the first time. But it was not until 1962 that archaeologists returned to truly explore and study the site. The various stone structures have still not been fully unearthed from centuries of accumulated earth.

Scientists do not work here permanently, but only a few months a year.

The El Mirador pyramids often follow the same pattern: a large platform hosts the base of a large pyramid which itself receives 3 smaller pyramids. Here is the staircase to reach the 3 Danta pyramids.

The fruits of a Chamaedorea bamboo palm.

Some added wooden stairs to access the last summit and rise above the misty canopy treetops.

Geodetic points placed in 1968 and 2006 sealed in the rock.

Hmm... Do these little creatures wander a bit far from camp from time to time?  

The rain is starting to intensify. It's time to get back under the trees!

Back to camp under the large tarp that protects the kitchen and the "dining room" from the rain, which seems to have settled in for the whole day...

My Katadyn water bottle continues to follow me. Thanks to it and its filters, I can immediately drink any fresh water I put inside.  

A little relaxation before lunch...

3 PM. The clouds have decided to drench the entire Mirador area, so we brave the rain and the "wet" paths for our last afternoon of exploration.

Here we are facing the Garra de Jaguar (Jaguar Claw) complex, with the most decorated pyramids.

The stucco mask of the Jaguar. In some places, the red paint that decorated the pyramids still remains.

The stucco friezes around the ancient water reservoir.

On the stucco bas-reliefs (lime-based plaster), the supposed deities that can be found in the Mayan "bible": the Popol Vuh. Below, Itzamma in the form of a bird.

And here are the swimming twins with their father's decapitated head on their back...  

Many areas are covered by tarpaulins, awaiting the return of archaeologists in a few months.

This is how the pyramid, painted red with jaguar masks on each side of the temple entrance, looked.

Here's what remains of the temple at the top of the pyramid.

Again, the last traces of the original colors.

Usual end of the day around candles lighting our meal. Tomorrow, we leave El Mirador to return to El Tintal camp where we were 2 days ago.

Thursday15November

Woke up at 5 AM for a 6 AM departure. After 2 nights and 1 day of rain, the paths that led us to El Mirador have changed considerably. The ground, when not flooded, clumps under our shoes, and when it is flooded, we have no choice but to leave the paths, making our way through the vegetation.

Sometimes, there's no choice but to play tightrope walker on dead wood to avoid walking in the water.

Argh! The fresh footprint of a jaguar (the other name for a panther)!!! Yes, the name given to the pyramid is no coincidence; the large spotted feline is still present in the jungle. Luis even crossed its path twice! Fortunately, without confrontation  ... There are about 500 individuals in the Maya Biosphere Reserve... Let's hope it's not looking for fresh food! Although... For a small photo, I wouldn't mind getting close to its little snout...    

With each step, I grow taller. At this rate, my head will soon reach above the treetops, and I'll be able to see the pyramids we left behind again...   The showers, meanwhile, are intermittent and regularly invite us to put on our pretty rain gear...

After more than 6 rather strenuous hours of walking, here we are back at El Tintal camp!

Moments before this photo, I was asking Luis that, in the absence of a jaguar, I would gladly put a snake in front of my camera... He was very happy to take me to this small but nevertheless beautiful specimen, alas completely dead...   It is a Leptodeira polysticta snake, totally harmless, even alive!

Red cabbage lunch.

Then we return to our usual igloos that Luis is preparing. But coming out of Christelle's tent, he asks us to stay away while calling the permanent residents living here... And to lift the tent, and discover underneath a huge (well, almost) snake, much more impressive than the little yellow one from earlier, and above all, much more alive!!!  

This large reptile is an emperor boa (Boa imperator).

No way the squatter stays here all night... With a fork-shaped piece of wood to pin the reptile's head, our brave (but nonetheless accustomed) saviors try to capture the tough boa who insists on not letting himself be caught, raising both its head and tail in such a way that it's very difficult to know where its jaw is...    

Mission accomplished, the beast can be escorted out! We're not in the jungle for nothing... Between the spiders and snakes, for sure we'll think twice before turning off the light in our tent!  

Small panorama of the view of the small camp from the "rooms".

Last dinner of the trek! Tomorrow morning, departure at 6 AM to reach the village of Carmelitas.

Friday16November

6 AM, last breakfast prepared by Marina.

And we hit the road again, which is in the same condition as the paths of the day before... To the right, we pass by the first picnic area where we had lunch on the first day.

It will take us 4h30 of walking, including breaks, to wear out our platform shoes and the flooded paths...  

A water tank announces the entrance to Carmelita.

And there you have it! We survived El Mirador! Last task: remove as much mud as possible from our shoes!  

And since we survived, we have the right to sign the wall of fame! Which I do with the first blue marker I find...

A little chicken and rice won't be too much to face the 2h30 car ride we still have to do to reach Flores where we can pick up our bags and our car to immediately head to El Remate, our next stop.