We woke up at 4:30 am to catch the plane to Tikal in the northern part of Guatemala. Though we were traveling to one of the most ancient sites in the country, I was first struck by the commercial nature of the area. Special fees to get into the park, extra fees to stay for the sunset or get up for the sunrise, maps available at a steep price, guides with a monopoly on special treks, tours that included meals but no beverages in the sweltering jungle heat. Amidst all this, though, was a grand adventure. As we drove into the park, we passed several yellow caution signs. Rather than pictures of children crossing the street, they bore black outlines of jaguars, wild turkeys, snakes, and other wild animals. The shuttle drivers were timed, not for speed, but rather to insure that they were sufficiently cautious on the road to the hotel. At the gate, all buildings are left behind and for the next 20 minutes you are surrounded by jungle and, if you are lucky, you catch your first glimpses of the animals. You then come upon the few hotels, restaurants, and stores located within the park, including ours, the Jungle Lodge.
The Jungle Lodge is made up of renovated bungalows once used by the archeologists from the University of Pennsylvania who first uncovered the site. Inside are queen size beds draped in mosquito netting, a beautiful large bathroom, and ceiling fans which only work for the few hours in the morning and evening when the electricity is on. The bungalows are situated around a jungle courtyard. One of my favorite memories of our time in Tikal is sitting on the porch after a long day’s hike listening to the rain and watching the monkeys, toucans, and other birds climbing through the trees.
After dropping our bags in the room (we were only allowed to bring 20 lbs., which is a lot more than we realized!), we met up with Carlos, our guide, and a retired couple from Northern California for our hike to the ruins. I have to admit, I was really nervous at first. All the talk of jaguars and monkeys, the sweltering heat, the dense growth of jungle all around. It was about 15 minutes before we came across the first stellae, a piece of stone about 5 feet high with the image of a Mayan king (or queen) carved on the front. To be honest, we were more interested in the spider monkeys overhead, our first sighting! A few minutes later, though, off on the right, was the first pyramid. Still partially covered by foliage, the pyramid faced a small plaza with stellae lined up along the front. And a little farther on, around a corner, the spire of temple stood in the distance.
This was the Grand Plaza. Everything you imagined Mayan ruins to be. On one side, three partially visible pyramids and buried within these the remains of a great stone mask carved into the rock. On the other, the ruins of the living quarters, partial walls, steps, rooms, just a small portion of the vast city that once encompassed this region. And at each end, giant temples overlooking it all.
The temple of the mask was the smaller of the two. Along one edge were wooden staircases that led to platform near the top.
From there, you looked across to the Grand Jaguar, the most famous of the temples in Tikal. They are stunning works of art and science that served as the center piece of a great civilization. The Mayan rulers would climb to the top of the great temple to offer blood sacrifices on behalf of their people. And then one day, they vanished. No one seems to really know why. There are many theories, but the archeological evidence seems to suggest that one day they all just walked away. Something that by all earthly standards was permanent, powerful, the pinnacle of human success… and poof… gone. One is left with a sense of the transitory nature of this world and a gratefulness for faith in an eternal and unchanging God. From the Grand Plaza we continued on to Temple IV, about 20 minutes further into the jungle. At about 5:00 am the next morning we would join a group of college students from the United States and another tour guide for a silent hike in the dark
back to this temple to watch the sky lighten in the mist and to hear the jungle come alive. It turned out to be much more exciting in theory than reality. We had been hoping for a sunrise and an army of howler monkeys screeching in the morning light. Instead, we got a few birds, a monkey or two, and a fantastic view. From Temple IV you can see the tops of three other temples peaking out from the jungle. It is a scene made famous at the end of Return of the Jedi, just before Hans and Luke receive their medals of valor from Princess Leia.
One other adventure from the jungle before I close. We were only in Tikal for a day and a half. After lunch the first day, we all needed a rest (well, maybe not Jim…). We were dripping with sweat, gasping for water, and in desperate need of showers. We knew, though, that we needed to make one more trek into Tikal before it closed at 6:00 pm. So, despite the looming clouds, we headed out for Temple VI, the Temple of the Inscriptions. It had rained every afternoon in Guatemala, including an evening thunderstorm that sent us running for cover in Antigua, but we thought the shower would quickly pass.
So, we pushed on. The three of us, alone in the jungle, on a dirt path, through the rain, searching for a temple hidden in the far reaches of Tikal. We were sure it would be just around the next corner… or the next… The light rain got stronger. A flash of lightning. But we must be close! And finally, through the mist, there it was, the Temple of the Inscriptions. Different than all the others with three archways and the carvings on the lentil still in tact. To be honest, we didn’t stay long. A moment under the canopy to take pictures and adjust our backpacks. Then we started running for the lodge.
A grand adventure. I don’t feel like an adventurer. I remember thinking, “Who is this person hiking through the jungle?” We’re just normal people. Two pastors and school administrator. Okay, Cathy grew up all over the world as a missionary kid, but I didn’t. I am not that exotic. I am scared all the time. I love being at home. But here I am, hiking through Mayan ruins in the jungles of Guatemala. Crazy.
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