After a visit to Guatemala's
astounding Mayan ruins at Tikal, we decided the steep camping
rate was beyond our comfortable range. The famed and luxurious
lodge accommodations at Tikal were an enticing splurge, so it
was with some pride that we escaped without checking in. We
were resolute: we had to find a place to camp in the true outdoors,
far from the tourist center that Tikal is.
We hopped a minivan bound for Flores, the crossroad for travelers
from Guatemala's interior en route to Tikal, and decided to
ask the driver to drop us at some random spot as yet undetermined.
Then suddenly - no! Could it be? A true eco-tourist escape site
just for us? There it was: Camping El Mirador del Duende.
Set on Lake Peten, along the road between Flores and the ruins
at Tikal, the fabulous location is more than enough to keep
a camper happy. Facilities include a simple but luxurious campground,
set up with about a dozen camp space platforms that are pancake-
flat, each with a packed sand and clay base that's kind to tent
stakes and tired bones. Toilet facilities are provided by an
outhouse, and the lake serves as bathtub. At the center of the
facilities, a kitchen offers the basic regional rice-beans-eggs
fare, and occasional treats like spiced sweet rice. Beside the
kitchen is a communal sitting area, providing lakeview dining
tables and hammock hanging space. All of this is covered by
a thatched roof suspended on pilons to allow a near 360-degree
view of the surrounding forest and the lake.
There's also a combination tienda-taller, or workshop-store,
beside the lake. On any given day one of Manuel's five or six
brothers or a similar relative sits in the store selling beautifully
carved hardwood trinkets, utensils and toys. The wood is generally
obtained from trees felled by the forces of nature and time,
rather than the axe or chainsaw. On our first night we sat by
candlelight in the communal area, with an after-dinner (Nes)cafe
as Manuel told us a bit of the story of his locale. The family
land, perched on a hillside extending down to Lake Peten, is
so beautiful Manuel decided it was worth showing to others.
Manuel has about six brothers, he explained, all of them active
folk who know the area and can serve as guides for exploration.
The steady stream of visitors en route to Tikal has provided
a solid market. Some years back Manuel took up the political
cause by housing over two hundred rebel soldiers on his family's
hillside, during a period when Guatemala's long civil war had
spread into the area. The soldiers are long gone now , and since
then life has been peaceful. Manuel is married to a German woman,
and their home is across a ravine nearby. He stops in at the
camp area regularly to see who's visiting, and through contact
with travelers he has learned to speak good English, Italian
and French. His intelligence is obvious, and he loves to talk.
On our second day Manuel's 16-year old brother Mauricio led
us on a hike. Our route took us up into the hills past corn
fields, then dropped us down to a small lake where a dugout
canoe awaited. To quench our thirst, we practiced our machete
skills on some coconuts, then paddled out onto the lake. Mauricio
led us to a pond where turtles and a variety of cayman bask
in the sun. Other recreation included individual coco gathering
missions into palms along the way.
Mauricio was a fine guide, and he seemed uncommonly wise
for his age. Had he been to school?, we inquired. Yes, he said,
he went to school for long enough to learn to read and understand
what school was about. As he remembers it, that was about six
months. Since then, he was self- and community-educated. My
companion, a skilled biologist, noted Mauricio's ecological
knowledge was on par with many textbooks, and he also knew the
trails. As he lead us to a bat cave in the forest, he cautioned
not to enter because the dung could be toxic. The best approach
for viewing the natural environment of the bat, he explained,
was to wait outside the cave, enjoy the lake view and the breeze,
and watch the bats come and go. As much as his guiding services,
what Mauricio provided was a pace in time with the experience
that ecotourism is meant to be.
What is ecotourism? The definition is evanescent, and a topic
often addressed here in Planeta.
Manuel's establishment provides the visitor with information,
a simple accomodation in a natural setting, and great company.
The facility is easily sustained, provides a forum for interchange
between the community and visitors, and has virtually no impact
on the environment other than that of the guests' feet passing
over area trails. In this case, no definition or label is required.
Manuel's Gringo Perdido is ecotourism at its finest, and the
morning lake swims are enough to keep anybody smiling. Don't
trust me though, go there and find out for yourself.
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