mayan ruins visited thus far
chichen itza (overrated)
tulum (nice location on the coast, but touristy)
lamanai (deep in the jungle, required 20 mile trip by river, this one deserves it´s own post)
cahal pech (weak)
xunantunich (an obscure gem)
the actun tunichil muknal (atm) cave (in a class by itself)

when my children (or more likely, your children) ask me where i was when obama became president, i will say i was swimming amonst the bones of dead mayans, in ATM cave.

yes, yesterday i hiked through the jungle and crossed 4 rivers before finally entering wet and rocky ATM cave, where much swiming and scrambling was reqired. soaked to the bone, i finally reached the place where the bones of mayan sacrifies remain in their original positions, undisturbed. lots of pots and other mayan junk too, oriented in ways that mayan gods apparently appreciated. folks around these parts are very proud of their mayan hertiage, but i am not really sure why. from everything i´ve been able to gather, the mayans were awful people. it would be sort of like germans being proud of their nazi hertage 1000 years from now.

today i pieced together 3 forms of transport and a border crossing to find my way to el remate, guatemala. it was really quite easy, though of course cabbies on the guatemalan side tried their best to lie me into expensive rides. i was, however, extorted at the border by guatemalan immigration, and forced to pay a $3 bribe. those belizian bastards nailed me for $18.75 upon exit, but that was actually an official charge. sometimes the bribes are more palatable.

i will miss speaking english.

tomorrow: tikal @ 6am