Tikal is a ruined Mayan city partially recovered from the jungle.
We saw howler and spider monkeys, coatimundi, leafcutter ants and toucans on the jungle paths between pyramids.
The view from the pyramid we climbed was down onto the tree canopy, with the tops of more ruins poking through.
We sheltered from the afternoon downpour in a 1000 year old room in a ruin, with this view.
I’m not sending Mum a postcard from Guatemala, as there is literally no postal service in the entire country!
This limestone bridge over a raging river consists of turquoise pools connected by waterfalls, which we swam in for two days.
It took over 10 hours to get from the lake,
passing layer after layer of forested mountains, corn and banana crops, and an erupting volcano.
Near Semuc Champey we stayed in a hostel in the jungle,
from which we saw fireflies and fluorescent blue butterflies.
This village set on a steep mountainside
can only be accessed by boat.
We ate at a community development programme restaurant from which we watched eagles.
We awoke to find a hummingbird in the lime tree in front of our room, then caught a ferry across the lake, which is ringed by forested, cloud topped mountains,
to the town of Santiago.
We visited the church, which held icons dressed in homemade clothes, on the way to Maximon.
Maximon is a deified wooden idol, cared for by a shaman.
He looks very like a Spanish conquistador, and smokes offerings of cigarettes, and drinks proffered whiskey. In return, he rids the worshippers of their vices. Here’s hoping he delivers!
Women walk from their highland villages
to trade at the Chichicastenango market,
and to go to the Catholic church there, which incorporates traditional Mayan ceremonies.
We left Antigua for the volcano ringed Lake Atitlan.
The whole town turned out for the parade.
Later, we drank Mayan Hot Chocolate, served with honey and chilli, close to this view of a volcano.
It’s Guatemalan Independence Day, so people are running through the cobbled streets in groups, waving flags and blowing whistles. The cannon blasts intermittently.
Our hostel has a hammock on the patio, a great taco shop next door,
and a view of a smoking volcano from the street.
My Second Gap Year 