10: The Mayan Ruins at Tikal

We arrived at Tikal under the mysterious haze of low clouds and sporadic rain. At six o'clock in the morning the sun was just beginning to lighten the sky, but the rainforest was already filled with activity. At the entrance of the national park we found a huge map that showed us all of the major trails leading to the major tourist stops. I was more interested in the mysteries of the forest, though. Why take the well-worn road when you have time on your hands and the opportunity for adventures before you?

A few minutes down the main road a small trail to the right caught our attention. The forest quickly engulfed us as the trail narrowed. Thick vines hung low over our heads and noises of hidden animals filled the air. We talked in hushed voices, batted away swarms of mosquitos and peered through the green searching for tropical creatures. At one point, a flock of colorful toucans flew over our heads and landed in a nearby tree. Later, a rustling in the canopy alerted us to the presence of a spider monkey and her baby hanging from the tree branches.

After almost an hour, the trail ended suddenly and we stumbled out into a clearing. In front of us was an ancient Mayan temple, half buried in vines and tree roots. Arriving this way, off the tourist road, it seemed like a true discovery. I could imagine the excitement of those who rediscovered this incredible, overgrown city in the jungle.

Tikal was first inhabited by the Maya more than five hundred years before Christ. Over the centuries, Tikal grew into one of the most elaborate, magnificent and powerful maya city-states. At one point, the city's population grew to over 50,000 people! The Maya here developed a very advanced civilization. Ancient Maya astronomers calculated the cycles of the moon and sun and helped to perfect a calendar system even more precise than the one we use today! Their mathematicians helped design impressive engineering successes. For example, at Tikal they developed a complicated system to capture rain water, which they could use for daily needs and to irrigate their crops. The Maya at Tikal, like in many other Mayan cities, also constructed impressive temples and palaces.

We continued our exploration of Tikal for several days. Each time we emerged out of the jungle into a clearing around a ruin felt like a thrilling journey back into history. I loved climbing the steep steps of the temples and sitting on the well-worn stone at the top to look out over the area. Unrushed and without a plan it was a luxury to just sit and wonder at the magnitude of this ancient civilization that had lived here for more than 1,400 years! From the view at the top we could see other temples rising up out of the rainforest, which we knew also hid other palaces, plazas and houses. I loved to imagine what Tikal would have been like then, filled with people bustling about their daily tasks and with all the buildings intact and brightly painted in white and red. If I sat still really quietly, I almost felt that I could hear the voices of the ancient Maya, mixing with the calls of birds and howl of monkeys.