Guatemala, its countryside boasting great natural beauty, does not provide the same in its cities and towns. Almost every urban settlement I passed through, however small, was stressed by population, choked with traffic, marred by unplanned development and chaotic with activity. Flores was therefore a strange and charming anomaly, a pleasant surprise when one is expecting only what my guidebook described as a necessary stopover for a visit to the Mayan ruin site, Tikal.
Tucked into an inlet of Lago Peten Itza, Flores completely occupies a small hummock-shaped island, attached to the mainland and the more typical hard-scrabble town of Santa Elena by a 500 meter causeway. A twin-spired church sits on the hilltop (see top picture), sharing space with the town square and a concrete playground. The roads are narrow, steep and cobbled, minimizing vehicle traffic and allowing pedestrians some rare strolling peace.
Walks aren't long, though. Flores has a diameter of about 500 meters; a meander through the tricky byways brings one quickly to the lakeshore. Not a bad thing - the lake is lovely. A seawall and promenade is under slow construction, about one-third complete, by my reckoning, as of November, 2009. Lancha pilots wait at numerous spots to bring passengers to the mainland for a small fee. For a larger price, they are also available to the tourist trade for exclusive tours.
Also for the tourist trade: small shops offering Mayan crafts, including blankets with a beautiful local weave. Don't expect a hard sell - shopkeepers wait for you.
Transport of choice in these alleyways is the three-wheeled tuk-tuk, a wobbly taxi ever available to buzz you to the snarling tropical eyesore Santa Elena on the mainland, if, for instance, you need to visit a bank.
This was taken on the opposite mainland to the north, where small settlements dot a peninsula sheltering Flores from the main body of the lake. The water is perfectly swimmable, cool and clear and always only minutes away. Boat traffic is mostly the slow-moving lanchas pictured above. I didn't notice many powerboats, certainly none buzzing close to shore.
A strange, enchanting destination, Flores. Plan to stay a few days if you're visiting Tikal. I'll post the rest of these pictures without comment. Even more shots in the Flores galleries.
