I went to El Pilar in March of 2002. As usual, for little trips to out of the way places, I hired Manzanero for the rest of the afternoon and off we went to Bullet Tree. Once off the main road I began to worry if Manzanero's Toyota would actually make it to the ruins. He was driving from side to side avoiding as many of the bone crunching pot holes as possible. I was beginning to think about how much fun it would be to have to walk out of this place. We are really close to Guatemala now and I have read the news about bandits targeting this place and this road. I was silently wondering if Manzanzera had heard the reports and wasn't concerned or if I was getting him into trouble. I don't think we met a single vehicle on the trip. It would have really made me nervous if we had come across foot traffic or horses. That would be the proverbial red flag. What makes trips with Manzanero nice is everywhere we go, he is pointing out places he has worked over his years. Here he had collected palm thatch, there he helped to clear the land, and that is his cousins house etc. Very interesting and in this case, a great distraction.

At El Pilar, you first notice the shade canopy of the trees over the ruin and then you notice that the site is very unrefined and very peaceful. I really wanted to see El Pilar, so I was excited, yet I was becoming a little dissapointed. In the log book at the caretakers office, I was one of maybe 3 people to visit that day and I was beginning to realize why. But not for long. This place is different.

I hired the caretaker to take us on a very informative tour of the grounds. We saw a pond area, a flint chip area, went to the various structures, and relaxed while looking over to Guatemala where it had been discovered a causeway that linked El Pilar to another site. It was then he told me WHY the place was so unrefined. It is strategically PLANNED THAT WAY. He told me of Anabel Ford, the queen of El Pilar, and an archaeologist from the University of California. She along with field director D. Clark Wernecke have worked real hard keeping this place unique, and when they do a dig they cover it back up, the shade keeps the sun from damaging the limestone, and the ruin area is now a preserve for both plants and animals. Now I am a big fan.

Anabel Ford Ford, who discovered the remains of the ancient city in 1982 and began uncovering it in 1992, has also has successfully gotten El Pilar to be declared the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve for Maya Flora and Fauna.She states, "At El Pilar, we are designing an original and convincing view of the monuments, one that opens the forest landscape to frame the spectacular scenes the Maya abandoned a millennium ago. We can never actually know what the monuments looked like in Maya times. So, we need to break away from standard presentations of the Maya and bring a more authentic view of their unique qualities to the fore."

Her vision is not only to study and preserve the ruin, she states "The El Pilar model will conserve environmental diversity and preserve the irreplaceable cultural heritage of both the ancient and contemporary populations in the region." Getting her vision carried out was obviuosly very much complicated by the fact that El Pilar is actually both in Guatemala and Belize.

Ford went on to get the local community involved and formed a group of volunteers in the Bullet Tree area that are called the Amigo de El Pilar who have the following goals for there project, to educate the community so that the group can foster traditional knowledge of the environment, begin preserving biodiversity, encourage participation in the protection and management of El Pilar, and develop activities both in Bullet Tree Falls and El Pilar that are related to the growing eco-tourism industry of Cayo.

The Amigos de El Pilar created the Be Pukte Cultural Center (Mayan for road to Bullet Tree) The Amigos de El Pilar welcome you to visit and see their locally made handcrafts for sale including wood carvings, picture frames, masks, corn-husk dolls, T-shirts, embroidery, baskets, local folklore stories and more. They are open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday 9AM to 3 PM. Or by appointment: 820-4066, ask for Teresa Garcia. Also ask about the Masewal Forest/ Garden Trail.

GETTING TO EL PILAR

El Pilar is about 12 miles north of San Ignacio beyond the village of Bullet Tree Falls. Take the Bullet Tree Road north of San Ignacio to Bullet tree Falls. In Bullet tree Falls, go toward a river crossing. Just before the bridge you will see the Be Pukte Cultural Center of the Amigos de El Pilar.
Some tour guides might list an El Pilar tour, expect a cost of about $25us (possibly a 4 person minimum) for a half day tour, or you can hire a taxi, like I did for about $40us round trip and visit the area at your own pace.

**Note: Archaeologists will likely be working at the El Pilar from February to June and don't mind if you want to ask questions and see what they are up to.

For more details on El Pilar, visit the my links directory http://www.marc.ucsb.edu/elpilar.
or http://www.belizereport.com/sites/elpilar.html