An Island To Call Home

Far away from home up on a balcony above the world, we sat and watched the world pass by.  It was a place where we could sleep in and not stress out about the equipment.  I drank my coffee and watched the beautiful waterways around the island of Flores, Guatemala.  Some of the easiest birding ever.

Green Heron

I watched for birds and my friend Lynda watched for.....well other forms of wildlife.  There happened to be a marathon brewing around Guatemala and everyone was getting in shape for the big day.

It's interesting that from our rooftop views, we could see many wonderful things.  The flycatchers were incredible!

Great Kiskadee

And of course the sunrises and sunsets were pretty spectacular.

Many tourists stop in Flores and then head to Tikal for a day or two.  Personally, for me, Flores was a much needed break from the chaos of Guatemala.  It's a safe little island for the traveler to let down their hair. There are nice accommodations, great restaurants, and travel agencies around this half mile island.

Ringed Kingfisher

One night we walked the perimeter of the island and found this massive Ringed Kingfisher perched on a phone line.  Mother of Pearls!  I've seen this bird twice in my life and each time I've forgotten how big it is!

Mangrove Swallow

But do you know what's not big?  These adorable Mangrove Swallows.  I love swallows, but these little guys stole my heart.   They were everywhere along the island. Along the way, we stopped for coffee, drinks and food.  I really had some wonderful sleep during this leg of the trip. Maybe because there was air conditioning?:)  Also note that there are ATM machines here.

Bananaquit

There were Grackles everywhere.  Keep your eyes open for the Bananaquit. In the center of the island, there is a lovely little park.  It's a wonderful little place to restore your energy after many rocky and bumpy trails out in the wild.

Have you ever heard of a Bananaquit?  As you can imagine, it's a bird that loves plantains....and bananas!  Pretty cool tropical bird.  More to come.....
Today I'm linking up with Wild Bird Wednesdays

Flores, Guatemala

The traditional Tuc-Tuc can be found here to get around on this island

There are unexpected surprises in every trip we take.  We don't expect a place to be just as amazing as the end result, but it turns out to be as satisfying as the place we were planning to visit.  I've been to 4 of the Central American countries now....Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and of course our featured country Guatemala.  While all of these countries offer amazing things, Guatemala took my breath away the minute we landed on that falling apart airstrip in the nasty capital.  It is a world unlike any other you've visited.  Today's trip led us to the magical town of Flores which is located on an island connected to the mainland by a long bridge. There is an uglier town on the end of that bridge known as Santa Elena.  Unfortuneatly we had to go there and take out money from the ATM machines.  Flores is an old colonial village situated on the Flores lake in the Peten region.  We had to stay in this town for a couple nights because it led us to the magical pyramids of Tikal.  Click on the link to read more about this beautiful park.  It's definitely a must see in Guatemala.

Now I have to admit.  It is hot and humid here and our accomodations were a bit rough.  In fact, I don't think we slept at all.  My sister's face is proof that it was uncomfortable.  However, I will say that the ambience was amazing and so were the group of people staying here.  Most people stop in Flores to stay the night and get up early for a visit to Tikal.  If I did this trip again, I would probably stay an extra night just to enjoy the fun nightlife or walk the old cobblestone streets again.  During the day after our Tikal trip, we walked around the island and watched the locals do their business.  I love watching people.  What is so fascinating about any of it?  I think maybe it makes me pause and reflect on my own life.  I think sometimes this blog doesn't convey that my life is actually quite routine and that I'm not always on the road(like I'd want to be).  Lack of money and a regular job will do that to a person:)

Of course, it's not the destination but the journey that counts.  However, the destination is pretty damned amazing.  If it's not on your bucket list, it should be:)  More tomorrow.....