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Posted from Flores, Guatemala at 11:25 PM local time

El Mundo Perdido

Among my favorite ancient temples and ruins around the world, there are certain defining traits. At the temples of Angkor in Cambodia, the splendor is generally scale. In Burma's Bagan, it is the number of structures covering the landscape. The acropolis in Athens is special for its architectural beauty and hilltop setting amidst the still-living communities surrounding its base. In Ephesus, the library's elegance shines. My list of favorites grew today, as Tikal demonstrated its own niche. For me, Tikal is remarkable for the leanness of its structures and the natural beauty (and remoteness) of its setting. I will remember it as the site of primitive skyscrapers rising above a jungle canopy that stretches in all directions as far as the eye can see. It was amazing. I hope to return.

Tikal, Guatemala, is (like Palenque and the other sites I've described in recent entries) an ancient Mayan civilization. Amazingly, the area was first settled around 700 BCE. Tikal grew steadily for hundreds of years, becoming the dominant regional power in the mid-4th century. By the middle of the 6th century, the city supported a population of some 100,000 people. Struggling for a period after suffering a military defeat at the hands of a neighboring power, Tikal experienced a renaissance in the 8th century. Most of the surviving temples were completed during this period. Like the collapse of other Mayan kingdoms in the region, Tikal declined rapidly beginning around 900 CE. Within a century, the once-thriving city was largely abandoned. It wasn't until the mid-1800s that Tikal was rediscovered. Anthropological study and restoration followed. The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

I was up at 4:15 this morning to catch a bus to Tikal at 5. Despite the early start, I wasn't in the park for sunrise (something that should be easier to accomplish when daylight savings kicks in here next week). The park is officially open at 6, but I've been told that visitors often wander in early for sunrise. (If you try this, be sure to purchase your entrance ticket the evening prior.) The last bus returning to Flores left at 6 this evening, so I missed sunset as well. My visit today was great, but if I return I'll stay at the campground or one of several small hotels outside the ruins. Tikal is a magical place, and I can only imagine the scene beneath a wan morning light or brilliant sunset hues.

The site is expansive, covering some 16 square kilometers. It is teeming with birds and other wildlife (here's one fellow I managed to capture - and another). At one point around 10 o'clock, the howler monkeys made their presence known, out-howling those I'd heard in Palenque and Yaxchilán. In the center of the city is the Gran Plaza, made up of a vast acropolis and two towering temples. The tallest structure in the plaza is Temple I, the Temple of the Grand Jaguar. Its stairs have been closed on account of at least two people falling to their deaths from the top. Temple II, only slightly shorter, can still be ascended today. East of the Gran Plaza is the currently unrestored Temple III; its base remains covered by trees. All three of these major temples can be seen most clearly from atop Temple IV, at 64 meters the tallest building in Tikal and all of ancient Mesoamerica. This image demonstrates the magnificent view from atop Temple IV, depicting from left to right Temples I, II, and III; it was cropped to include the very top of Temple V, visible just above the trees on the right edge of the image. Here's a close-up view of the same scene later in the day (minus Temple V). All five of these major temples were completed in the 7th and 8th centuries.

Another impressive part of the ruins is known as El Mundo Perdido ("The Lost World"), a series of several dozen structures centered around a large pyramid. The pyramid of El Mundo Perdido was built far earlier than the central city's other major structures. Archaeologists have discovered four similar pyramids beneath the current face, the earliest dating from around 700 BCE. It's quite something to sit atop the pyramid, peering out at the jungle and other edifices, and contemplate that others were doing the same thing (minus the other structures) more than 2,500 years ago!

Among the quirks of the temples that isn't yet obvious is that visitors don't climb the original stairways. Instead, for purposes of preservation (I'd say safety as well, but then wait 'til you see these images), the tops of the accessible major temples (II, IV, and V) are reached via primitive wooden stairs. Here's the ascent at Temple V, while the stairs at Temple IV are less steep but more chaotic. Anyway, as long as you're not afraid of heights, it's fun. (As is sitting near the top and watching as others reach that final stair.)

My description of Tikal as a site of ancient skyscrapers and expansive jungle should now be clear. On the day I visited, I could not see signs of a city or development in any direction. The few buildings and small hotels at the entrance of the ruins were not visible; beyond that there was seemingly nothing but jungle for miles. I mention this in part to note that unlike many other Mayan cities, Tikal really is in the middle of nowhere. It does not lie on the banks of a river, isn't situated at the intersection of trading routes, and does not sit strategically atop a mountain. Yet here it is, this magnificent city that once supported tens of thousands of people. "Why?" was a question I asked often today. From origin to collapse, the kingdom of ancient Tikal is shrouded in mystery.

Before wrapping up this entry, I should mention that Temple IV (a final shot for now) was my favorite. I appreciated it because of its westernmost position and the wonderful vistas it provided. Sunrise and sunset from atop Temple IV must be magical at times. I'd like to return to Tikal with a stack of books and hang out atop Temple IV for several days. (Supposedly, not long ago you could bribe the guards to allow you to sleep atop the temple overnight. Lonely Planet suggests such is not the case today.) I'd sit atop the temple and read, pulling out my camera whenever the sky and sunlight warranted. Sunscreen, water and snacks, and perhaps my iPod (sacrilege, I know) - I'd be set. The views from atop Temple V and the El Mundo Perdido pyramid were awe-inspiring as well.

Additional Tikal images will be incorporated at a later date. It is, however, one of those places that cannot be adequately captured with a camera. The "feel" of the place is enchanting. Visit if you can.