I decided early that it was time for me to head out from Belize. I caught a cab to the border, seeing some amazing countryside. After a speedy processing and a handful of cash (this time, there was a posted sign with the exact amount to pay), I was in Guatemala.
Most people going from San Ignacio to Guatemala head to Flores, a moderately large town on the south of Lake Petén Itzá. I opted instead to head for El Remate on the east. It’s smaller and more laid back. The drive from the border to the lakeside was great. Lush green hills and mountains and tons of small farms along the road. The road itself was unpaved for half the journey, and we encountered some potholes that could swallow a smaller car.
The hostel I ended up at, Sak Luk, is a cool place. It’s built into the hillside and has a bar and restaurant, both having great views of the lake. According to the brochure I picked up in San Ignacio, they speak English here, but I had to conduct my transaction en español. To further confuse things, the currency in Guatemala, the quetzal, has a roughly 7.5-to-the-dollar conversion which isn’t quite as easy to calculate as exactly 2-1 in Belize. It worked out alright, I guess, since I ended up paying $6 for a big room with a private bathroom.
As soon as I settled into my room, it started pouring out. I started the trip with a long stretch of hot, sunny weather and now it’s time for some hot, rainy weather.
I ordered some coffee (so good) and some pasta for lunch. I tried to book a trip to Tikal for tomorrow, but my hostess quickly went past the limits of my Spanish. It really didn’t take long. Luckily, the owner speaks English well and helped me out.
They offer a guided tour of Tikal, for around $60, but according to a lot of the people I’ve talked to, it’s totally unnecessary. The round trip transport plus entrance fee to the park is less than $20, and there are plenty of free maps and information available. Everyone says to get there early, so I plan on taking the 5:30AM minibus. And that means another early bedtime for me.