Viva Guatemala

Photo. Pyramids in Tikal in Guatemala.
© Josh Cutler.

The ancient Mayans couldn't have picked a more perfect spot to build their city... vegetation is lush, and animals are everywhere. In just our first couple hours, we spotted dozens of frolicking monkeys, an anteater, coatimundis (raccoon-like creatures), two foxes, and hundreds of brightly coloured birds. No jaguar sightings yet... but we are keeping our eyes peeled. The two of us came here to experience the amazing ancient ruins... but the wildlife definitely steals the show.

Like strangers in an even stranger land, Marna and I crept through the massive jungle vegetation. We were surrounded by the ear piercing sounds of Guatemala's howler monkeys. These secretive beasts have a roar that can be heard for over 3 miles! Today, nestled in the Guatemalan jungle, we were totally surrounded by them.

Imagine the bellowing howl of the monster that lived in you closet, combined with Chewbacca on a megaphone... now multiply that by ten... that is the sound of a howler monkey. Photo. Monkey in the jungle - Tikal, Guatemala. © Josh Cutler.

Engulfed in the heart of this living landscape is our cabin, surrounded by foliage, flowers, and the noises of nature. No one here could possibly sleep through the cackles, howls, and chirps of dawn. With the first glimpse of sunlight, the jungle is alive with action.

Photo. The author of the travel, Josh`s favourite temple. © Josh Cutler.

In the middle of the night, all power is cut, leaving us alone in the complete darkness. Even the moon's light couldn't illuminate our pitch-black path. What an experience!!! The New York blackout was nothing compared to this!!!

With the sounds of howlers as an alarm clock, we awoke before dawn. We strapped on our day packs and made our way to the jungle's edge. The morning air was thick, and a haze of humidity made breathing an endeavour. Photo. The Jaguar Temple (thats the author of this travel tale, Josh, at the bottom). © Josh Cutler.

Our goal was to hike 2 miles deep into the park and watch sunrise from the tallest Mayan structure in the world. We were the only people along the jungle path, besides two photographers from National Geographic (how cool is that...).

Photo. Josh`s wife Marna with an ancient circle shaped stone tresaure included signs (carvings). © Josh Cutler.

The rigorous uphill hike took nearly 40 minutes. By the time we reached the massive structure's base, we were totally winded and exhausted. From the bottom, we could see the temple's crest shrouded in a haze of fog. Normally, we would crash and regroup for an hour after a hike like that, but the sun was rising, and we had no time to rest.

We were at the doorstep of a 212-foot vertical climb. We gripped the ladder and ascended the ancient edifice. Photo. Tikal Ruins, Guatemala ... that is Marna (Josh`s wife) at the bottom of the ladder. © Josh Cutler.

Upon reaching the top, our eyes were treated to a view few brave souls would ever see. The entire canopy was enveloped in a dense layer of mist. As the sun pierced the horizon, it shined through the fog and slowly revealed the tops of the numerous temples buried in the dense greenery.

Photo. Josh`s wife Marna admires view from almost the top of a pyramid.© Josh Cutler.

The vision was awe inspiring. 

Photo. Josh`s wife Marna admires the pyramids around. © Josh Cutler. Throughout our "Indiana Jones" moment, the jungle was anything but silent... the morning sun seemed to give life to the forest...howlers screamed, insects chirped, and birds fluttered. Just when life couldn't get any more amazing...it did. Five keel billed toucans coasted by our perch, and landed on a nearby tree limb.

Their coloured beaks and feathers seemed to glow against the green background. On this trip, we hoped to see just one toucan... and here were five right before our eyes!

Guatemala is a shopper's Mecca. Every street corner and storefront oozes with a multitude of bright fabrics for sale. Bargaining is the name of the game to make your quetzals ($$) last longer. We made some great purchases, and after a couple of days the local merchants seemed to know Marna by name. I don't know how to say "shopaholic" in Spanish, but I think I heard them call her one!!

After our awesome time in Tikal, we made our way south to the colonial city of Flores. It is a bonita city nestled on an island in the middle of Guatemala's second largest inland lake.

Totally surrounded by water, the town offers a glimpse into modern Guatemalan culture and life. Like a well crafted quilt, the city breathes colours of every shade of the rainbow. Photo. Guatemalan Colour - local people. © Josh Cutler.

The architecture is fantastic and resembles a Mediterranean Spanish village. Women and children dress in traditional garbs of technicolour weaves, and men stroll around in stetson hats like modern day cowboys.

At sunset, locals and tourists gather around the west side of the island to watch the sunset over Lake Peten. As the tropical sun drags across the sky, it creates a brilliant display of colours which reflect perfectly on its glassy surface.

Sunset looked like two of Monet's finest paintings mirroring one another... connecting in the distance. Photo. Sunset, Flores, Guatemala. © Josh Cutler.

This is amazing Guatemala!

Josh Cutler, 4 November 2004

Additional information
Read more about Josh and Marna`s adventures in South America and other places on our website:

• Survivior in Amazon - Peru (two parts): Amazon - Peru.
• An adventurous trip to Peru, an enigmatic country thriving with culture, nature and history (four parts): Peru adventure.
• You betta Belize it - Belize in Caribbean (click here): Belize it.

Presentation of the author:
Josh Cutler has been interested in travel as far back as age 5. Growing up, he would spend countless hours reading and rereading the world atlas. While most other children played with Star Wars figures and Big Wheel Bikes, Josh's favourite toy was his globe. His country of origin is the USA (from the Philadelphia area). He currently lives in Ventnor, New Jersey.

His first travels led him to Mexico and Central America. Then, at age 25 he quit his job and spent months exploring Western Europe and North Africa. It was a life altering experience to live out of a back pack for such an extended period of time. As much as he saw...his hunger for travel and exploration seemed to grow larger.

Photo. Josh Cutler is an adventure traveller, photograph and freelance journalist from USA.

 

Josh's other passion was travel writing. He has had several articles published by Lonely Planet and Globe Trekker."My greatest joy is experiencing different cultures, religions and lifestyles...then being able to convey my visions through words and description to those back home."

 

Josh has visited over twenty countries including Peru, Morocco, Thailand, Cambodia, Turkey, Belize, Guatemala and most of Europe. For further information, assignments, articles and photos, Josh Cutler could be contacted on e-mail: NYCutler@aol.com.