Following my brief foray into Belize - just five days - it was on to Guatemala. One night in Melchor on the border then on to San Benito in the heart of Peten region.
Many tourists stay on the picturesque island of Flores...
...but I hooked up free accommodation at La Danta Project a non-profit organisation which works for Mayan communities in the area. The leafy compound was the perfect spot for a few days break.
Riding around and swimming in the lake was great fun and San Benito made a great base from which to visit...
...Tikal. 
Beast at Tikal.
Beast at Tikal. 
As usual, I went around the ruins unguided, sacrificing in depth information for the opportunity to take in the sights and atmosphere at my own pace. I spent five hours walking around the extensive site.
Much of the appeal was the jungle setting, real Indiana Jones stuff. 
Back at La Danta I had great fun hanging out with the family. The duck decapitation and subsequent plucking was a particular highlight. 
Here's the whole family on the day of my departure. 
Riding on, I've been feeling great in the saddle completing a couple of 80 mile days with ease. Starting before 7 o'clock in the morning has given me time to reach towns to find accommodation and have a look around markets and stock up on food.
Today was always going to be a tougher day as I rode up into the hills. 
It all started so well with pleasant rural scenes and verdant green scenery. 
But after 15 miles the paved road turned into a horrible dirt road. Steep, rocky and slippery, several stretches were unrideable and I had to resort to pushing. The locals looked on with a mixture of bewilderment, amusement and pity.
After 20 miles I got back on to pavement, the best Christmas present I could have hoped for. It took five exhausting hours to cover those 20 miles but I had to pedal on as I was to be hosted in Coban this evening. 
Like a man possessed I attacked the road with all the strength I had and, against all the odds, I made it into Coban before nightfall having climbed just less than 9000 ft in the day. 
Evening meal with the family, another Daniel, Erica and abuela. Nice conversations and lovely to be in a home not a hotel on Christmas Eve.
I've written this post quickly because, quite frankly, I'm exhausted! But delighted to have completed such a tough ride today, one of the hardest of the trip. No idea of the plan for tomorrow, I can already feel leaden legs developing. Merry Christmas to all my blog readers, more adventures to come in 2017!
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