It might be too big a generalization to say that travel makes one smarter. I am as sure as can be it makes one less stupid though. All the books in the library about the Mayan civilization pale into comparison to standing near the top of a pyramid in Tikal, Guatemala. Getting out of one's country should be mandatory. For the sake of the world, people ought to see a little of it, if anything, merely for the reason of being a little less self-confident and sure of one's place in the world.
Today, we had to get up at 4:00 am so that we were on a 4:45 van heading the the Tikal National Park. Promptly when the gates opened at 6:00, we drove the remaining 17 kilometers from the gate to the central area. The van held ten other tourists from all over, mostly younger. It's good to see youth out exploring during every trip we take.
We paid extra for a guided tour and had a good one in Caesar, a Guatemalan who'd grown up in New York during some of the war years. He took us around. We did lots of climbing some of which was quite scary. I mean it would have been easy to fall. Walking through the jungle and saw lots of wildlife such as monkeys, pecans, birds similar to peacocks, and a tiny family member of the capybara. By noon we were exhausted and quite ready to return the hour and a half into town.
After buying tickets to Guatemala City for tomorrow, getting some cash from an ATM, and having lunch, we again walked around the Isle of Flora. It's pleasant with very nice infrastructure. Locals were swimming and selling all sorts of local treats.
