This week marked my final one in Guatemala — at least for now! It’s possible that I might double back en route to Honduras, but as of this morning, I woke up in Belize. It feels damn good to be back by the sea, and even better to have my family by my side.

The past week found me back in Antigua again — that’s a story for another time — and then onward, finally, to Flores. Flores is the gateway to the Mayan ruin of Tikal, which I awoke at 3am to see the sunrise over. Other than that early morning excursion, I mostly spent the week plugging away at my laptop in anticipation of my mom, sister, and cousin’s arrival. I’m super excited about all of my Florida-based posts coming up, which kicked off with an Orlando extravaganza and a small town, real life mermaid tale. And this time next week, I’ll be tuning in with a sneak peek of the jungles and beaches of Belize!

But for now, here’s the candidates for Photo of the Week…

Photo A

Flores, GuatemalaThe adorable town of Flores

Photo B

Monkey at Tikal, GuatemalaA monkey friend in the jungle

Photo C

Tikal, GuatemalaTikal!

Photo D

Parrot at Tikal, GuatemalaA bright (if backlit) bird

Photo E

Sunrise at TikalSunrise over the ruins

Which photo is your favorite?

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50 Comments...
  • becky hutner
    March 30 2015

    A — too cute!! Who will you be tuning in with….?

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      Ugh, thanks for the heads up on that Becky! The internet here is driving me to the brink of homicide, and I accidentally published an early revision of this post. Fixed now!

  • Jenia
    March 30 2015

    A – because I miss modes of transport that are open air πŸ™‚

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      There is something pretty special about that, huh. The funny thing is that in that little town nothing is more than a five minute stroll away, so I don’t know who is taking those tuk tuks πŸ™‚

  • Wow. That’s a tough one! I love both A & B… But I think that cute little face edges out the win. B! πŸ™‚

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      I was so glad I brought my zoom lens. There were monkeys everywhere!

  • Justine
    March 30 2015

    Photo A…because I have a thing for colorful buildings and tuk tuks! This photo reminds me of so many of my travels πŸ™‚

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      And that restaurant was a gem! Wish I’d found it earlier in my days there!

  • julie
    March 30 2015

    photo Aβ€”no contest!!! this is a great photo, love it

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      I’m so surprised to see it emerging as the winner! Didn’t think anything could compete with Mayan ruins… but I guess there is no bounds to what a pink building can do πŸ™‚

  • Linda
    March 30 2015

    A but I love the bird too.

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      I couldn’t believe how many animals were in the jungle. It was bursting with life!

  • They’re all gorgeous – but there’s something about the backlit bird, like he’s bursting to tell his stories!

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      He was not an easy one to photograph — why do animals never pose with the sun IN FRONT OF them? Ha. But he was quite the looker!

  • Marni
    March 30 2015

    The bird is adorable, but WOW photo E is just mesmerizing. It feels like it must have been very peaceful there.

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      It really was — surprising considering what a major tourist attraction it is. I guess it makes it worth it to get up at 3am!

  • Sarah
    March 31 2015

    I really like D but I’ll still go for A because I’ll always choose the pink one πŸ™‚

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      Haha, I like that kind of logic, Sarah πŸ™‚

  • Kiara Gallop
    March 31 2015

    I’m torn between A and C. I love tuk-tuks and it blends in beautifully with the deep pink wall behind it, but tikal looks so majestic πŸ™‚

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      It WAS majestic! Looking forward to hitting another Mayan ruin here in Belize this week.

  • Steve
    March 31 2015

    I am choosing E. You caught the sun rising perfectly.

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      It was lucky timing! Thanks Steve!

  • Martha
    March 31 2015

    A. All that pink is just too cute.

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      I know, right? And the menu was amazing. I miss that place!

  • Miquel
    March 31 2015

    A. Because COLOR!

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      Always a good reasons to cast a vote! PINK!

  • Sophie
    March 31 2015

    I love them all. If I have to pick a favorite though, I’ll choose B because that’s a really adorable monkey and a great shot of his beauty.

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      Thanks Sophie! I was amazed by how abundant monkeys were around the jungle. They were everywhere!

  • Ashley
    March 31 2015

    I love A and D! Flores looks so charming!

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      It really is a cute little town. Lots of fun tours and opportunities for exploring, too — if my head weren’t so deep in my laptop I would have loved to explore a bit more πŸ™‚

  • Leah
    March 31 2015

    I like Photo D, I actually really dig that lighting…looks dreamy!

    • Alex
      March 31 2015

      It was in that early morning haze, which due to exhaustion felt very dreamy indeed πŸ™‚

  • Elesha
    March 31 2015

    Hey Alex!

    I like A!! Sunrise over Tikal would have been amazing to see though! On another note, Ive recently come from Caye Caulker, Belize myself and had an awesome experience with a dive / snorkel company there called Carlos Tours..they are on the main street of the island. Check them out if you are heading there. Caye Caulker is awesome! Cheers, Elesha πŸ™‚

    • Alex
      April 1 2015

      Thanks for the tip, Elesha — I am indeed heading there. Look forward to checking them out!

  • Adam
    March 31 2015

    I love the parrot – he’s so cool!

    • Alex
      April 1 2015

      Thanks Adam! He (or maybe she) was a beauty.

  • Emma
    March 31 2015

    D! He looks so happy to see you πŸ™‚ I like the lighting too, it brings out his colours and contrasts with the texture on the tree.

    • Alex
      April 1 2015

      I was pretty darn happy to see him! Thanks for voting Emma.

  • Miriam Risager
    March 31 2015

    Ooh, I can’t wait to see your photos from Belize. I didn’t have time to visit when I traveled through Central America, but I’ve heard it’s lovely! Enjoy the beach πŸ™‚

    • Alex
      April 1 2015

      I’m so happy to be here by the Caribbean sea! Looking forward to sharing some photos.

  • A!!! The other shots are fantastic (and suddenly I need to do more research on Tikal!), but I love how bright and unusual the first photo is. Can’t wait to see your upcoming posts. πŸ™‚

    • Alex
      April 1 2015

      Thank you! And yes, Tikal was fascinating. I was grateful for a really interesting and experienced guide — those things can be so hit or miss.

  • Samuel Sutcliffe
    April 1 2015

    D

    • Alex
      April 1 2015

      Can’t wait to hear about your eventual trip to Tikal! x

  • Laryssa
    April 1 2015

    Photo C! Looks like a gorgeous day!

    • Alex
      April 1 2015

      It was a super cloudy morning and I was definitely pouting about it… I was thrilled when the blue sky appeared for my last hour on site. Stunning!

  • Sky
    April 1 2015

    The last one, for sure! I can’t wait to read about your experience in Tikal…one of my must-do’s in Guatemala!

    • Alex
      April 6 2015

      Flores, where most people base themselves to see it, is such a cute little town, too!

  • Rashaad
    April 4 2015

    I choose Photo A – I love the paint on the bar

    • Alex
      April 6 2015

      It was delicious — ate there twice in three days and would have been three for three had I found it sooner!

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