TIKAL, GUATEMALA

Just before we all headed off for fall break, we spent the weekend at Tikal, the largest and one of the most spectacular ancient cities of the Maya civilization. Located in the Peten district of Guatemala and about 2 hours from us here at Nabitunich, Tikal is a massive site with a fascinating history. The name Tikal most likely derives from Ti-akal, a Mayan name meaning "At the Reservoir”. Different than most Mayan cities, Tikal was not built close to any major rivers, lakes or springs, and the city had to live off of what was collected during the rainy season in a series of reservoirs throughout the complex. Being one of the major cultural and population centers of its time (200 AD), Tikal is situated in lowland rainforest, with jaguars, tapirs, toucans and monkeys lurking all around. There are thousands of ancient structures at Tikal and only a fraction of these have been excavated after decades of archaeological work. Besides the breathtaking ruins, a highlight for many was to watch the spider monkeys jump around from tree to tree. Below is a picture of Temple I, one of the largest structures at the site.