Guatemala / Belize Part #3 Updtaed 7/18/2006

After our quick 3 day visit to Belize we crossed back into Guatemala to visit the Mayan Ruins at Tikal near El Remate.  To get to El Remate we took a collectivo taxi to the border, a collectivo minibus down a moderately maintained dirt road and went 'a pie' (on foot) for the final few kilometers since the collectivo did not go that way.  A collectivo, by the way, is typically a taxi or minibus that stops for anyone who wants a lift.  More often than not, the maximum occupancy of the vehicle is exceeded! Left:  Sunset on Lago de Peten Itza, El Remate, Guatemala Background Photo:  Leaf cutter ants dismantling a tree

Tikal and El Remate, Guatemala

We arrived in El Remate, Guatemala on foot after the collectivo minibus dropped us at the crossroads a few kilometers away.  We found an eclectically painted place with a great view of the lake named Sak Luk, so we set up base camp there for a few days. Sak Luk is owned and run by Erwin Benfeldt, a well known artist in Guatemala.  Later in our travels, we saw a piece of Erwin's on display in an art gallery in Antigua.

Above Left:  Pat and Carrie almost there! Below Left:  Sak Luk entrance (under Construction).  Carrie with Leila and Annika from Germany. Below Right:  Artist / Sak Luk owner Erwin Benfeldt.

Sak Luk is the place in El Remate where the budget minded, backpacker-types stay.  There was an Italian chef with his Swedish girlfriend on staff to prepare hearty Italian food for us. After dinner, we would all hang out and discuss where we went, where we were going, where we were from and the taboo subjects of politics and religion.  Travelers are a diverse and interesting bunch, but suprisingly, very like-minded.  Our usual evening roundtable had the countries of Sweden, Israel, England, France, Germany and the US represented.

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