Tuesday 13th June to Friday 16th June 2006: GUATEMALA: Flores & Tikal

We left Caye Caulker on the 7.30am water taxi back to Belize City. From Belize City we took a tourist bus direct to Flores, Guatemala, a four hour drive away.

Flores is built on a small island in Lago De Péten Itzá that is connected to the lakeshore town of Santa Elena by a 500meter causeway. Flores was founded by the Itzáes after their expulsion from Chichen Itzá in Mexico and is thought to be the last major functioning Mayan ceremonial centre as it was covered in pyramids, temples and idols when the Spaniards Conquistadores first arrived. Flores and the surrounding towns are also located in the Guatemalan Highlands of Péten and the countryside is marked by dense jungle cover. It is in these jungle highlands that the monumental ceremonial centre of Tikal is located and as Flores is only one hour’s drive away it is used as a base for those visiting Tikal.

We stayed in Flores for two nights in hotel overlooking the lake.


View from our hotel balcony over Lago De Péten Itzá

Whilst in Flores we watched the England vs Trinidad & Tobago match with a British couple we had met on our tour of Tikal. We had great fun watching the match with Alex and Emma and it was also very amusing for the locals in the bar watching us Brits screaming for England whilst everyone else was cheering for the other team! As we won the match we all celebrated the win with lunch and a good few beers!



The only England supporters in Flores! (L-R: Emma, Celina, Oliver, Alex)
(Love the shot of Eric Cantona on the TV in the background!)