Louise Wisechild Blog of Guatemala and Mexico

Petén to Palenque

2/10/2012

In the Maya World Tree, the Ceiba, Palenque

I spent two months living in Flores, Guatemala, getting to know people in Uaxactún and San Jose and learning more about the ancient Maya sites. Three weeks ago, I left Flores in a minivan and then took a boat across the river that divindes Guatemala from Mexico. A taxi and another minivan later, I landed in Palenque, Mexico, home to another famous Maya site.

I have been visiting the archeological sties of the pre-Christian people of Mexico for many years, from Chichen-Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula to Teotihucan near Mexico City. Until I came to Guatemala, Monte Alban, near the city of Oaxaca, was my favorite site. It's temples and pyramids mirror the rise and fall of the surrounding mountains, conveying such respect for the natural world and such harmony with it that I was moved anew every time I visited. I did not know that the ancient sites of the Maya in Guatemala would be equally powerful to me. In Petén and in Palenque, the spectacular jungle setting of the ruins emphasizes the mystic qualities of the Maya structures.

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Uaxactún; Mayan name: Siaan K’aan or ‘Born in Heaven’

12/1/2011

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1. Arrival
George, the German biologist whose eco-lodge, ElPasado Del Cerro, was my first base in Petén, told me that large areas of the Petén rainforest were officially protected and managed by local indigenous communities. He thought I might
enjoy Uaxactún both because it was an early Mayan observatory and also because the community was working to develop sustainable enterprises as part of their protection of the surrounding jungle.

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Tikal

11/27/2011

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It was still dark as I stood outside the eco-lodge where I was staying in El Remate . I thought about what other creatures might be awake in the jungle as I walked in the darkness down the stone steps to the road where I would meet my minivan at 5;30 AM. I had stayed in El Remate because it was closer to Tikal than Flores. I wanted to be at the park entrance by 6AM to see the first light at the site. I was surprised that after we paid our entrance fee at the park gate, we continued driving for another
thirty minutes. I kept expecting to see the temples and pyramids --Temple IV is the tallest structure in the Mayan world and is only one of the massive structures on this well excavated site. But there was only thick jungle vegetation, as far as I could see. Later I learned that Tikal encompasses 222 square miles and is important not only for its magnificent ruins but also for the protection of a vast array of wildlife and fauna.

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Petén and Rio Dulce: Overview

11/25/2011

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For the last two weeks I have been traveling farther from Antigua, to
the Petén and Rio Dulce areas in the north and eastern parts of Guatemala. It was one of the most incredible trips of my life!

I was deeply moved in visiting the ancient Mayan sites of Tikal and
Uaxactún. It was impossible to be
indifferent next to the temples and pyramids, these structures of massive
limestone towering well above the tallest trees in the surrounding jungle,
placed with incredible precision so that every year the path of solstices and
equinoxes is light passing through an opening in the stones.
Petén is home to one of the world’s largest remaining rainforests and is
also considered to be the “cradle of Mayan civilization” a region where the
Mayan calendar was perfected and the incredible site of Tikal constructed, over
a period of nearly 2000 years.

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Louise "Luisa" Wisechild, PhD

I first visited Guatemala in 1995 as a member of the Vashon Island sister city delgation to Santiago de Atitlan, Guatemala.
I been living in Guatemala since 2011. I didn't intend to stay -- my idea was to develop tours in numerous countries. But I fell in love with Guatemala -- where every day I learn something new or see something I have not seen before. Guatemala is a land of diverse natural beauty. Living in a Kachikel Maya pueblo, which is also a gathering spot for international budget travelers, makes this a rare and fascinating residence. My curiosity and my heart are engaged here every day, in my relationships. . I enjoy speaking spanish with friends, and learning more about the Maya culture, giving tarot readings in Spanish and also singing my growing repertoire of Spanish songs.
I am a lifelong independent traveler and group leader. As a graduate student in interpersonal communication and the creative arts, I led tours to Oaxaca, Mexico for the Day of the Dead and co-facilitated a tour to the goddess sites of Mexico with Global Awareness through Experience. I have been fortunate to visit Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Bali, Thailand, Australia, Europe, Canada and the US. Bit by bit, I will go global again, but Latin America is so enchanting. . . .

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Petén to Palenque

Uaxactún; Mayan name: Siaan K’aan or ‘Born in Heaven’

Tikal

Petén and Rio Dulce: Overview

Louise "Luisa" Wisechild, PhD

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