I always feel safe in Guatemala, expect for Guatemala City. It is big and creepy. I've never had problems in Melchor, but my friend just told me a story that he had heard that he was about to be kidnapped there. Flores is I believe much safter that the other two cities, Santa Elena and I forget the other. Rule of thumb is to blend in and be small. Tourist clothes and big expensive camera's are not good ideas, and definately no 8K diamond rings!! The Hotel Paten is a very nice hotel over looking Lake Paten, in Flores.

Thanks
If i may quote someone elses advise
dress down
carry small amounts of cash
and be ready to give it away at each little holdup

Hey Bill, hope to see you in AC. I would like to get some information from you re your trip to the Cayo and what I needed to do if I wanted to take this same type of trip. I'm sure I'll find you in AC.

How about Tikal Bill...ever been there?

Bill,We just got back from Belize and the cayo area,what virgin rainforest are you talking about?I am a forest ranger in Oregon and all i seen in Belize was alot of bug damage scrub forest at best..??If you where in a virgin forest it would be so dark you couldnt see the sun,Belize has very little of its hard wood left and most its pine are very bug damage.People have been cutting trees in Belize for 7000 years,i was suprised there was any thing left,but no way was there any VIRGIN FOREST!

The forest I was speaking of has been privately owned for perhaps close to a century. I just repeated what was said by the family that has had the property for those years. I have visited Tikal, and I must rate it one of the greatest experiences in my life. Very, very impressive. The forest around Tikal is not virgin. During the civilization of Tikal, there were no trees. It was clear... which is hard to believe looking at the current forest.