Stage one: Getting to base
Lara's log, entry 1:
We left Guatemala City after one lonely night in the city – all streets were completely empty and even the shopping centers with bars and restaurants were dead silent after 8pm. Whether or not this was saying anything about the safety in the city after nightfall, we decided not to linger for another day and left for Flores, our base for Operation Jaguar Jungle, the next morning. We went there the discrete way – by bus.
Indy’s log, entry 1:
Lara didn't bring her private jet, so we just spent a whole day on a bus that made quite a number of detours. On the plus side: It feels like we got to see the whole country – from lush jungles over the wide, sad deforested areas to the big rivers that run through. On the down side: We got to Flores at night and were so lost that for the first time in quite a while we let ourselves be ripped off by a tuktuk driver. 5 dollars for a 200m ride?!
Stage two: Observation phase
Indy’s log, entry 2:
We took a whole day to get to know the surroundings of our base at Flores. The town seems very peaceful as it sits on a tiny island in the Lago Peten-Itza. We circled the whole island and walked down every street in between in the matter of an hour. Other than some smells that alone could have gotten people high around the baseball court in front of the little church the area seems clear. We should be good to go for our operation tomorrow!
Lara's log, entry 2:
Our base is secured – Flores is safe. But what is wrong with the cocktails they serve around here? They look more like some sort of potion...well, it's always better to know your enemy: we will have to try those!
Stage three: Jaguar Jungle
Indy’s log, entry 3:
We left the base at 4:30am to get to Tikal as soon as it opens. The ride there takes about 1.5hours, we went with a shared minivan that was too late, of course. We still got there earlier than the crowds – essential for our operation: to find the jaguar in the jungle.
Lara's log, entry 3:
Tikal turns out to be real jungle. The site is huge and single archeological clusters are only connected by dark, small pathways through the thick forest. It is incredibly loud around us – a cacophony of bird sounds, frogs, insects and howling monkeys. We are making our way to our first ruins and expect a jaguar to turn up every second now.
Indy’s log, entry 4:
We just climbed up the majestic Temple 4, the highest temple in Mesoamerica. Its pyramid soars above the canopy of the jungle and from its top we saw three other temples peep through the forest. A monkey tried to steel my breakfast sandwich. I feel like I have been here before, must have been in a dream though, as I remember the scene on a different planet. Maybe I am getting old. *
Lara's log, entry 4:
We explored the Lost World complex – the eldest buildings of Tikal and the only remains of ancient Mayan architecture. Some huge pyramids are only partially uncovered from the ground so we got an idea of how the first explorers found Tikal, as little more than grassy hills that were slowly taken back by the jungle. We saw an array of birds, from colorful turkeys to huge curassows and playful parrots. We even saw a wild hog and tapir. But no jaguar.
Lara's log, entry 5:
We made our way from the Acropolis Sur to the Bat Temple but we couldn't climb it to see the inside structure – no bats for us. Instead, a bird made my day. I finally got to see a Toucan. How marvelous!
Indy’s log, entry 5:
We reached the Temple three and continued on through the jungle to the Plaza Oeste. Tikal must have been a big city – it took us 45 minutes alone to make this way. From here we calculate another 10 minutes to get to the Acropolis Norte from where we were told to get good views of a jaguar.
Lara's log, entry 6:
We are climbing the pyramids of the northern acropolis. Mosquitoes bite our skin away, the heat and humidity make us sweat out every bit of water we drink in a minute and one of the wood peckers that inhabit every branch of every tree in this area of the park just pooped on me. The jungle part of our operation is thereby checked in every possible way. Now let's see for the jaguar part...
Indy’s log, entry 7:
We climbed the last stairs to the top of the acropolis and there it laid before us: the famous Gran Plaza of Tikal, with its altars, stelae and - the Gran Jaguar. The temple (aka temple one) rises above the trees on a beautiful pyramid with a great staircase leading to the top. It faces the almost as beautiful temple two. The labyrinth ruins of the central acropolis in the back and the forest plaza form a beautiful backdrop. We found what we came for – and it is great!
Lara's log, entry 7:
The jaguar temple is impressive and the whole scenery is quite an eyeopener – especially to the soundtrack and the backdrop of the jungle. The operation was a clear success!
Indy’s log, entry 8:
On our way back to the entrance gate a hummingbird performed a dance for us. After this day, after all the breathtaking flora and fauna we watched (and felt) and the mystical, imposing ruins we saw rising out of this I can only draw one conclusion for sure: the battle over who is the real star in the Tikal National Park - man made ruins or mother earth's nature - is continuing and will probably not be solved before men leave again and nature takes over the ruins once more.
*Temple 4 featured in Star Wars Episode IV as the Rebel base on a moon of Yavin.
Lara's log, entry 1:
We left Guatemala City after one lonely night in the city – all streets were completely empty and even the shopping centers with bars and restaurants were dead silent after 8pm. Whether or not this was saying anything about the safety in the city after nightfall, we decided not to linger for another day and left for Flores, our base for Operation Jaguar Jungle, the next morning. We went there the discrete way – by bus.
 |
| Getting into Flores |
Indy’s log, entry 1:
Lara didn't bring her private jet, so we just spent a whole day on a bus that made quite a number of detours. On the plus side: It feels like we got to see the whole country – from lush jungles over the wide, sad deforested areas to the big rivers that run through. On the down side: We got to Flores at night and were so lost that for the first time in quite a while we let ourselves be ripped off by a tuktuk driver. 5 dollars for a 200m ride?!
Stage two: Observation phase
Indy’s log, entry 2:
 |
| Is someone trying to poison us?! |
Lara's log, entry 2:
Our base is secured – Flores is safe. But what is wrong with the cocktails they serve around here? They look more like some sort of potion...well, it's always better to know your enemy: we will have to try those!
Stage three: Jaguar Jungle
 |
We left the base at 4:30am to get to Tikal as soon as it opens. The ride there takes about 1.5hours, we went with a shared minivan that was too late, of course. We still got there earlier than the crowds – essential for our operation: to find the jaguar in the jungle.
Lara's log, entry 3:Tikal turns out to be real jungle. The site is huge and single archeological clusters are only connected by dark, small pathways through the thick forest. It is incredibly loud around us – a cacophony of bird sounds, frogs, insects and howling monkeys. We are making our way to our first ruins and expect a jaguar to turn up every second now.
Indy’s log, entry 4:
We just climbed up the majestic Temple 4, the highest temple in Mesoamerica. Its pyramid soars above the canopy of the jungle and from its top we saw three other temples peep through the forest. A monkey tried to steel my breakfast sandwich. I feel like I have been here before, must have been in a dream though, as I remember the scene on a different planet. Maybe I am getting old. *
Lara's log, entry 4:
 |
| The 'Lost World' is getting lost under a grassy cover... |
Lara's log, entry 5:We made our way from the Acropolis Sur to the Bat Temple but we couldn't climb it to see the inside structure – no bats for us. Instead, a bird made my day. I finally got to see a Toucan. How marvelous!
Indy’s log, entry 5:
We reached the Temple three and continued on through the jungle to the Plaza Oeste. Tikal must have been a big city – it took us 45 minutes alone to make this way. From here we calculate another 10 minutes to get to the Acropolis Norte from where we were told to get good views of a jaguar.
We are climbing the pyramids of the northern acropolis. Mosquitoes bite our skin away, the heat and humidity make us sweat out every bit of water we drink in a minute and one of the wood peckers that inhabit every branch of every tree in this area of the park just pooped on me. The jungle part of our operation is thereby checked in every possible way. Now let's see for the jaguar part...
Indy’s log, entry 7:
We climbed the last stairs to the top of the acropolis and there it laid before us: the famous Gran Plaza of Tikal, with its altars, stelae and - the Gran Jaguar. The temple (aka temple one) rises above the trees on a beautiful pyramid with a great staircase leading to the top. It faces the almost as beautiful temple two. The labyrinth ruins of the central acropolis in the back and the forest plaza form a beautiful backdrop. We found what we came for – and it is great!
 |
| The Gran Plaza with the Jaguar on the left and Temple 2 on the right |
The jaguar temple is impressive and the whole scenery is quite an eyeopener – especially to the soundtrack and the backdrop of the jungle. The operation was a clear success!
Indy’s log, entry 8:
On our way back to the entrance gate a hummingbird performed a dance for us. After this day, after all the breathtaking flora and fauna we watched (and felt) and the mystical, imposing ruins we saw rising out of this I can only draw one conclusion for sure: the battle over who is the real star in the Tikal National Park - man made ruins or mother earth's nature - is continuing and will probably not be solved before men leave again and nature takes over the ruins once more.*Temple 4 featured in Star Wars Episode IV as the Rebel base on a moon of Yavin.
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| So that is what it felt like to be a Mayan ruler on top of his world... |
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