El Mirador

Yes, it is indeed true!

From now on, this blog will be written in english. This because of the regretful fact that we have people in this world who lack the ability to speak Norwegian.


(Picture: from right to left; Marcos, Christian and Anders)

I just came back from my long awaited trip to El Mirador. Because Cotopaxi was coy and bashful and hid herself in a horrible snow storm, I was very eager to go trough with this little adventure! A relatively random encounter involving rum, good chicken and a game of dice introduced me to two swiss gentlemen; Marcos and Christian. They already had a trip planned for next Monday. I asked if I could join, and it was a deal.

We arrive early Monday morning in the small pueblo Carmelita. We were still a bit drunk (Los Amigos is true enough hot, but it cant be called dry...), Marcos had a bad foot and my camera broke due to a speed bump (!?). Here we met our guides, Alexander and Ronaldo. I must say, a lovely couple indeed. Alexander was our main guide. A soft soul when it came to "senor Jesus" and nature, he also coined the expression "una chica con mucho leche" and had a steady hand when it came to cooking.
The last day of our return, Ronaldo actually rode one of the free horses in advance to buy cold beer for us on our return, something which was saluted by all the other weary wanderers. This, besides from him being a really nice guy, was topped by the fact that he managed to fish 14 carps (karpefisk) in the utterly dry and warm jungle of El Mirador.
(Picture: Marcos demonstrating old rituals of the sun, and Venus; the "star" of love...)

The journey in itself was about 130 km in total, if you dont include the guided tour round El Mirador. What can I say? Six days with constant heat, wild animals and no shower. At night we camped at different ruin spots, so the evenings were spent on top of some pyramid resting our sore feet, talking shit and sipping some whiskey during a sunset or a clear sky filled with stars. It could have been homo erotic, but we all smelled like ancient sanitarian facilities so that was a no-go.
(Picture: Sunset from Tintal)

We slept straight on the ground (my back still has traumas from certain rocks...) with a cotton sheet and a mosquito net (we were well equipped, but for some reason we didnt bring anything to sleep on).

When we arrived at El Mirador it was hard to imagine how it had been here when the Mayas were around. The area which we had walked in was filled with uncovered ruins from different long forgotten towns. The two biggest were El Mirador and Nakbe, with respectively 250 and 125 thousand inhabitants in their prime. These cities were located not much more then three hours from each other, and the surrounding area must have been covered with farmland as far as the eye could see.

While camping and exploring El Mirador, Ronaldo went out fishing in a small mud pound some hundred meters from the camp. He came back with the 14 infamous carps. These were gutted and put straight in a "fish soup". It was an interesting meal, although the carps undeniably tasted of mud.
(Picture: Ronaldo proudly showing me his catch)


(Picture: Alex worked his magic on the fish)

The guided tours in the jungle/city of El Mirador were fascinating. Endless walls overgrown by jungle, and temples wherever you went. The whole experience were topped when the guide told about the thousands of tombs still uncovered beneath our feet. Saw some of the human sacrificial alters and the warrior temple as well. This temple had a strangely comical feel because of a cocky carving on the front portraying a jaguars paw clutching the symbol of Tikal (the most well known of the mayan ruins in Guatemala. More or less uncovered and overcrowded with tourists. Tikal was the center of the most powerful (military wise) Mayan civilization). This was from pre classic period, when El Mirador was the "owner"/"ruler" of the lesser Tikal. Later on, in a showdown between "Señor Serpiento" (El Mirador) and "Lord Chocolate" (Tikal), El Mirador was humiliated when they lost against the smaller Tikal army. The number of alters/prisons made for human sacrefices might suggest that this was a costly loss to the "Miradorians"...

Anyway, what was more cheerful then war and sacrefice, was our success in corruption. Just before our departure from El Mirador, Marco went up to the local guard and gave him a bottle of relatively good rum. To this he replied only; "Vamos a mirar el tunel". El tunel was the cellar of the warrior temple, and wasnt fully excavated. Therefor the archaeologists had locked it up.


(Picture: You can get anywhere with a collgate smile and a bottle of rum)

This was maybe even more fascinating, climbing among spiders and scorpions in small tunnels. Watching statues and "paintings" made by the Mayans.

After this we returned home trough Nakbe, the oldest of the two towns and the origin of El Mirador. Maybe not as impressive, but it still was interesting to see the classic ballgame arena, with its mandatory sacrificial alter (where the winners, losers or both teams were sacrificed. Although, sometimes modesty prevailed and only the captain of the team was killed).

We returned with style, stinking like loose dogs and sweating like burger flippers.

After some reading I think I have decided to head for Belize now. Sailing among the reefs there and enjoying the creole language. After all the quotes Ive heard from this place, and with its shabby pirate history would make for a perfect stop on my travels.

Just some random quotes to show you why I like creole:

"Com awee, com awee
I not tryin to devour you
com awee, com awee
I jos tryin to deflower you..."
- Belize local Reggae

"Elekshaan!! I still living like a sparrow maan..."
- Local expressing his disgust
for democracy when asked by tourist

Conversation between backpacker and bartender:
- "Local or imported?"
- "Ill try the local"
- "Yer a brave man"

"An tell him no man can take another man wit him to heaven - you got to recognize Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, an live yer life for him. No one do it for you!"
- Friar clearing up some theology for a local

"HAVE CITIZEN PRIDE AND THROW DIRT IN DIRT BOX"
- Sign on street

To top it all, in Belize they have a lizard that can walk on water, hence they named it "Jesus Chrizt".
Yes, with a z.

More pictures might come later, but right now Im having some trouble with them.

Hasta Luego
Anders H