day of the dead holiday

we had last thursday off because it is a nationally holiday - the day of the dead. so with our four day weekend - we headed up to see Tikal, ancient Mayan ruins. we took a microbus up to Flores but stayed in the town next door at a hotel where our host family hooked us up with a friend who gave us a deal. we spent one day hanging out in Flores, a town on an island in a lake. it was quaint and felt like an island physically and culturally - having the historic presence of the spanish architecture as well as being geared to tourists. we barely found someone to sell us tortillas...that tells you something!
on Saturday morning, we were picked up by a tour microbus at 3 am...yes that is right 3 stinkin´a.m. we were on our way for our sunrise tour. it was pouring rain...not very hopeful for seeing a sunrise but it did stop somewhere between the hotel and tikal. after an hour drive, we arrived at the park - trekked in the dark to Temple IV and climbed up to the top to sit up above the jungle and watch it come alive. it was fabulous to sit in the early morning mist and hear and watch it come to life. so yes no sunrise but worth it all the same. the ruins are very impressive. this pic is one of the temples - the one that has been recovered from the entwining jungle...is entwining even a word?¿? well - in all it´s entangledness. all very impressive. and we saw lots of spider monkeys and howler monkeys!! yay! that evening we enjoyed relaxiing in Flores again.
then Sunday we headed back on a chicken bus to San Cris. a very nice weekend adventure.
oh, yea - the first night there - our hotel was across from the cemetary so we part took a bit of the local festivities...walked thru the cemetary full of colour, people decorating the plots, and enjoyed some finger foods from the vendors at the gate.