November 17, 2009
Tikal
These ruins more than lived up to their expectation. So far the best we have seen anywhere (well we have only seen three other ones).
They are in a jungle canopy so that between the sites you are in the shade of trees which are gigantic in size. You come to clearings where they have cleared the jungle and the ruins.
The most impressive site is the Grand Center where there are two gigantic Mayan pyramids facing one another across an open grassed area that would have been a plaza covered with stone and tile. They sore at least 250 feet high and are just awesome. Remember that in their day these would have been covered with plaster and painted bright red in color. On one side of this plaza was then a set of six pyramids and on the other side was also a building of enormity. Then they had alters and sitting areas for the nobles in the plaza area.
Other Mayan ruins we saw had a population of about 20,000 to 30,000 people but this site had over 100,000 living here so it was much larger in size. Next we went to visit some of the other temple site areas. There are at least 7 in the visitor areas as well as multiple and numerous sites not listed as temples.
On one we climbed up to the top (yes you can climb the ruins at this site) and I have my picture some of the other temple sites popping up out of the jungle. This was the highest Mayan ruin in C.A. at 65 meters high or about 225 feet.
We also liked this site for its wildlife. Monkeys (spider and Howler), wild turkeys (like a turkey but much more colorful plumage), red headed woodpeckers, a crocodile, we did not see a panther or jaguar but they are here and something that looks like a small anteater.
Well too much to tell you all for one day and tomorrow is just another adventure all into itself. So good night for now. They wanted me to go on a sunrise tour of the ruins but 4:00 AM just is not for me.