Day 17: Tikal (Flores)

Today was the earliest morning I've had yet. Somehow, waking up at 4am wasn't as hard as I had imagined. I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and grabbed my day pack that I had packed the night before. I slept most of the way to Tikal which also helped. We arrived around 6am and met our tour guide. As we parked, howler monkeys greeted us; sounding like Jurassic park. (Which the sound to was apparently filmed in Costa Rica using howler monkeys.)

The first most apparent thing about Tikal is that most of the ruins are still covered in jungle. In fact, only 10% is exposed today. With the highest temple (Temple IV) still being excavated, it is climbed using a wooden staircase. Other mayan sites such as Chichen Itza in Mexico look as if they kept it in pristine condition all this time. Like "oh wow, There's a perfect temple in the grass." Whereas at Tikal I would be walking down the path, and there would be a giant mound of dirt next to me, which was obviously a temple or pyramid that is still covered in jungle. Honestly, I prefer this to other mayan sites that are perfectly restored and uncovered. Instead, it makes sense that someone in the jungle (logger, farmer, etc.) found a strange lump of earth, then multiple ones that turned out to be mayan sites. It makes you realize the process from how they are found to how they are uncovered and finally restored. Especially because temples and pyramids at Tikal are currently being excavated.

The tour guide was excellent in explaining the various areas as we went through them, as well as why some things might be the way they were based on what archeologists have uncovered about mayan culture. One thing to note is that the pyramids were flat on top whereas the temples were taller with high steep sides and a round arch on top because the circle was believed to be a sacred shape. A common question that people have (and I had too) is why the steps up the temples and pyramids are so high when mayan people are known to be very short? He explained that because they would not climb these steps often, maybe only a few times a year. Also, it would only be the king or prince doing so, and it would be done slowly climbing up on all four hands and knees. As if they were bowing down to their gods as they climbed towards them. The more they struggled to reach the top, the higher the meaning of the offering was too.

The first complex we went to was a large building that was said to have 140 rooms where the royal family probably lived. This royal family had a king (whose name I cannot remember nor pronounce) who was 6' tall! This is unknown for the Mayan, so it is assumed that he was a foreigner from the north that came into power. Another king who had his own temple built (of course) also built one for his wife which faced his. (I thought that was kind of him to do.) The next king built another, higher temple for himself. Then Temple IV was the highest of all. Apparent the city crashed around 900AD, which is believed to be due to a lack of food and water for the 50,000 people that lived there.

Aside from the amazing architecture and history, there was also great animal watching here. I saw more wildlife on this tour, than I had seen walking through the jungle in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. I saw howler monkeys (even a cute little baby!), spider monkeys which were jumping from tree to tree, a Tucan, and some peacocks.

Once the tour was over, we had some extra time to explore the grounds on our own. But by about 12:00pm, we were tired and ready to head back. We took a shuttle to the hostel, and slept most of the way back as well. Then once we returned, I showered, brought my laundry to be done, and then napped until about 5pm. That evening was spent hanging around the hostel again. Shona and I went out for dinner, and found a delicious restaurant with tacos that were 3 for 15QT (that's like $2USD!) Boy were they delicious. Homemade tortillas, fresh marinated and barbecued meat, Pico de Gallo, and avocado on top. That can't be beat. Then that night, once the communal area was closed, we moved into the bar. Shona and I stayed for a while talking to other travelers.