Amazing place, amazing people 3

It’s interesting to see how easy it is to be influenced by what we read and hear and how, more often than not, we find that our preconceptions are completely unfounded.
For instance when we go to another country, having read that the crime rate is high and that the country is “officially” rated as extremely dangerous, that the risk of robbery or kidnap is high and that gun crime is commonplace, it’s very easy to get carried away, thinking that everyone is a potential criminal and acting in such a self protective way that to really connect with people becomes difficult.

These are the kind of reports we had read and heard of before setting off to Guatemala and to be honest we were not really any different from most allowing some paranoia and suspicion to creep in.
But, thankfully, it is not in our nature to be such suspicious creatures and opening up and warming to the people came very easy, mainly because the people of Guatemala are fantastic.

Kind, helpful, funny and big hearted sums up the people we met pretty well. I’m not saying that the bad things do not exist or that there are no criminals etc… Because I’m sure that if we had stayed in some of the rougher parts of Guatemala City then we may have had a completely different experience, but its worth remembering that those who do commit such crimes are generally a very small minority.

Here I am going to throw in a special mention to the people at the Estacion Biological Las Guacamayas because we were not treated like workers or volunteers but more like family.

So adios Guatemala …..muchas gracias

And now a few photos of the people, the jewels of Guatemala.

And a little section dedicated to our friends at EBG

Next stop Costa Rica and Drake bay where the jungle meets the sea

Love to all

Amazing place, amazing people 2

Part 2 – The flora and fauna

The tropical jungle comprised of its forests, rivers and animals is awesome, totally captivating, and from the second our jeep arrived at the jungle village of Paso Caballos we immediately knew that we had arrived somewhere very special. We jumped aboard the station’s transport boat moored in the village and headed up the Rio San Pedro to our destination.

During this first river trip we spotted crocodiles, many tropical exotic birds and was generally mesmerised by the outstanding beauty and unspoiled condition of the river and surrounding tropical forest.

Our station as we approached from the river.

During our first week here some guests staying at the station saw a puma on one of the trails which are also used by beautiful but elusive jaguars. A team of ecologists carry out a survey counted nine different jaguars in the area during their research (proving the good work at the station is keeping the balance of the ecosystem healthy)

On our first full day at the location we were returning from a vantage point near the station called El Mirador (meaning view point) when my nearest and dearest almost trod on this character on the path on the way down. Only some nifty footwork prevented a potential life threatening encounter.

This photo is the snake which was sitting hidden on a step coming down from El Mirador, this little fella just happens to be a fer-de-lance the most dangerous snake in the whole of Central America. It’s venom destroys tissue and in many cases leads to death.

Speaking of El Mirador, this is the view from atop of the viewpoint of the river with its flood plane and again at sunset.

Here are just a few more of the many locals we met.

And here’s a few more of the surrounding area

And then one day the staff decided to treat us to a day off and a 7k walk through the jungle to the ruins of the Mayan city w’aka Peru

And last but not least, during this walk to the site our guide cornelio led us to a place off the main track where scarlet macaws sometimes nest.
To provide some background, the station is called The Estacion Biologica Las Guacamayas named after the beautiful scarlet macaws.
The macaws are now vary rare in Guatemala because of poaching and the lack of natural habitat caused by flooding and lack of suitable nesting trees, and now there are reported to be only three hundred left in Guatemala and these are only found in this area of Peten. The EBG has been working with other conservation groups to save this species so we were all delighted to be greeted by this sight when we neared the spot

Muy Bonito

Only one thing topped the the forest, rivers and wildlife and that was the people we met…..in Part 3

Love to all

Amazing place, amazing people

Sadly our volunteering position at the Estación Biologica Las Guacamayas has come to an end and now we’re back in civilisation. The three weeks we spent there were out if this world and trying to convey our experiences in a quick blog would not do the place or people justice. So this may become a mini series.

Part 1 – Volunteering

The Biological station is situated in an area of pristine tropical humid forest home to many amazing animals such as Jaguars, Pumas, Tapirs, and many others species of mammals, birds and reptiles and serves many purposes. Originally it was set up to preserve the jungle from illegal logging, animal capture & smuggling and to act as a deterrent against the looting of Mayan archeological sites (which are located throughout the Peten region of Guatemala) but now has expanded it’s activities to include an education program for the local villagers, provide a base for biological research and to create a model for eco tourism which helps promote and support the future of the flora and fauna in the region.

On arrival we were greeted by the stations small team of workers and management who really made us feel at home. We were then shown around the station and taken on walks through the jungle on the paths created by the station to assist in the tracking and monitoring of wildlife and to provide tourists an opportunity to really get into the jungle and perhaps meet its inhabitants.

The work opportunities for volunteers are very diverse and while our main project was to be the creation of signs for the trails we also got really involved in the education of the children from the local village of Paso Caballos and did everything else from cooking to translating documents (of course that was Dani).

The photos tell the story much better than words.

Creating the signs

Drawing the signs with a soldering iron and painting

Building the structure for the main sign using traditional methods

And the final result

Teaching English to Los Niños (The kids)

The volunteer work was really worthwhile as it contributed towards the success of the station and its efforts to preserve this jungle paradise, and speaking of the jungle the next blog will show some of its beauty and its inhabitants.

Love to all.

Tikal….. Place of Whispers

Our trip to Tikal started somewhat nervously when our tour operator, who had arranged our shuttle, met us outside our hotel to inform us that the bus we had booked was not coming and that a private taxi had been arranged instead. Although a little suspicious at first, the new arrangement was ideal as we had a car to ourselves and the driver was very informative. The drive itself was nice and relaxed and very interesting passing through many small jungle villages and eventually reaching the Tikal National Park.

Tikal National Park is a huge site of ancient Mayan cities and temples which are linked by a number of roads and pathways cleverly carved through the jungle. The paths are well made and actually seem to enhance rather than detract from the beauty of the place.

We arranged to spend a night in the park, at the Jaguar Inn which is one of only three accommodation options within the park, so we could participate in the much recommended sunrise tour.
Upon arriving at the hotel we were captivated by the cries and whoops from the exotic birds and we were even greeted by a tiny toucan who came to say hello.

On our first day in the park we headed off alone armed with a small map and made our way around the somewhat slippery limestone walkways taking in the sights and sounds and climbing up the various towering temple steps. The views from above were breathtaking but were only an appetizer of what awaited us on the second day.

We woke at 3.30am ready to meet our guide at 4am and head into the jungle. The tour guide was an amazing local guy very knowledgable on the plants, animals and history and as it was only myself and Dani it was very intimate. It was pitch black when we set off and as we were the first ones into the park wandering around the jungle and ruins devoid of other tourists it was perfect.

At around 4.30am our guide led us up the stairway to the top of the largest temple on the site, 70 meters above the forest floor and overlooking the lush forest canopy and smaller temples. We sat in complete silence as dawn approached and the forest below erupted into sound with the chorus of birds and animals, especially the haunting calls of the howler monkeys, booming across the canopy.
This was most definitely one of those never to forget moments.

The only downside was that some doughnut (me) messed up trying to record the sounds and most of the photos i had taken were not much better than useless (evidence above) but nevertheless nothing could detract from what was definitely the best experience of our trip to date.
And now back to Flores for a few days before our volunteer programme starts, and, I may even take a few Spanish lessons……may!

And finally a few little fellas we met while mooching around.

So for now,
Love to all