Tikal is an ancient mayan city, hidden in the jungle of Petรฉn.ย ย It’s aย mystic placeย ofย devotion and tranquillity. You can ย find a lot of people thereย meditating on order to find a balance between body and mind.ย
A rutted, gravel road headsย into the heartย of the mayan world.ย The first scene thatย meets yourย eye when you enter the national parkย are the temples, risingย high above the surrounding tropical jungle. I wasย overpowered by theย scenery.
From the parking lotย youย canย takeย anย approximatelyย oneย hourย walkย toย theย Gran Plaza, whichย formsย the centreย of Tikal. It’s framed by the majestic temples 1 and 2. It isn’t possible to get on temple 1, but on temple 2. A woodenย staircase leads to the top of it. But the higher I rose into the air, the more it became clear to me that probably neverย a security check had beenย made onย the somewhatย wobblyย construction. So you shouldย haveย aย secure stepย andย noย acrophobia.
Those who finallyย reach the top ofย the templeย are rewarded by a view of the world that they might have never seen before.ย This world is stillย aย shimmeringย of maya.ย ย You find yourselfย transferredย intoย a different era of ancientย times.ย
From the Gran Plaza,ย a narrow pathย leadsย through dense jungle to temple IV, which is the tallest in the city. The 65m high temple is impressive!
I was already running late, because the park closes at 6pm and it was about 5 to 6pm!ย So I had to convince the securityย guard to let me go up, but he was easily persuaded ๐
Theย wooden staircase leading toย the top of temple IV wasย extremely steep.
But once you have reached it, the panorama is one of awe-inspiring majesty: ย An expanse of dense jungle fills the foreground of the picture extending to the far horizon. I wasย overwhelmedย byย theย immensity of the greenery and intact nature.
The rear part ofย the temple is still under construction, but the front is already renovated. It’s an amazing feeling, sitting there, watching the sunset.ย ย This exceptional location affords fantasticย viewsย in all directions. Jungle everywhere.
On the way back to the hotel, I booked the so-called sunrise tour. As the name suggests, you can watch the sunrise from temple IV.
When I got up next day, it was still dark outside and because Iย couldn’t sleep atย night, due to excitement, I was a little bit tired ๐
I followed the guide through the jungle, small animals rustled everywhere andย gleaming ย green glowworms wereย lighting our way through the darkness.ย
Right in the middle of Gran Plaza, we stopped. The guide started clapping his hands, the vinicity trembled, and anย echoย fromย the past, caused by the reflection ofย the two temples, carried the sound of Guatemalas national bird, the Quetzal.
When we got up on temple IV again, it was still night, but soon aย bright yellow strip at the horizon above the jungleย already made one guess the beginning of a new day.
Just before sunrise, howler monkeys started to raise their voices. The mixture ofย howlingย and theย melodious songs of exotic birds was amazing! It got louder and louder,ย ย but whenย the first rays of theย sunย touched theย tips of the trees meltingย theย morning mist, there was silence.
Enraptured, I watchedย theย fervidย ballย ofย fire rising overย theย horizon, itsย redย gleam mirrored in the remaining fog.
I climbed to the rear part of the temple, in order toย satisfyย myย curiosity. There I saw them, two Quetzal,ย hiddenย amongย the leaves and branches,ย swingingย with the treetop inย the wind.ย It was a wonderful sight,ย theirย elegance radiated so much peace and confidence.
I lost my way when I tried to walkย back, but found some other, smaller, temples. Some spider monkeysย accompanied me, throwing stuff from the treetops.ย
Noseย Bears,ย also calledย Coatis, welcomed me when I finally got to the hotel ๐
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