Tikal

Tikal was one of the amazing Mayan sites. It's in Guatemala and it is huge. The main city covers 16 square kilometres and of course it would have had the infrastructure around that. Now its all been swallowed by the jungle.

Like just most of the sites, the excvations have barely scratched the surface. Tikal is still 90% or more hidden in jungle. Tops of temples emerge above the tree line like a movie set. In fact, it's where they filled the end of Return of the Jedi to get the the look of the moon of Endor with its buildings rising above the canopy. Which is why I refer to it as the planet of the Ewoks. Of course, now days they would just rustle up something with CGI.

I loved walking around there, you had hints of things everywhere. Stones half covered in scrub, the side of a hill you suddenly realise is a stepped pyramid. Plus the sensations of the jungle, birds, monkeys and lots of strange rustlings in the underbrush.

Definately put it on your list of places to visit.


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Scale model of Tikal
9:26pm 30th March 2012
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White-nosed Coati
9:34pm 30th March 2012
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Another White-nosed Coati, they have cute tails
9:35pm 30th March 2012
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A tucan
9:52pm 30th March 2012
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Temple at Complex Q in Tikal
10:00pm 30th March 2012
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Walking down the temple, its steep
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Altar and matching stone stela at Complex Q, Tikal
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Unexcavated pyramid in group R at Tikal
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Lizard
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Leaf cutter ants
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The jungle
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A rubber tree, the healed cuts are from when the rubber was harvested
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Temple IV, currently being restored and reconstructed in places
10:35pm 30th March 2012
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View from Temple IV over Tikal. Look familiar? It was the Ewok homeworld in Return of the Jedi
10:48pm 30th March 2012
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Me at Tikal, what is up with that pose?
10:56pm 30th March 2012
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Me on the planet of the Ewoks!
10:59pm 30th March 2012
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Unfortuantely it wasn't orchid season, but this one was out
11:13pm 30th March 2012
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A monkey in the tree behind Talud-Tablero Temple (aka Temple 5C-49, aka Temple of the Three Rooms)
11:18pm 30th March 2012
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Temple of the Three Rooms in the Plaza of the Lost World
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Looking over the Plaza of the Lost World (Mundo Perdido)
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I wasn't going to walk around on that ledge, Temple of the Three Rooms
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Exposed side of Three Rooms Pyramid showing the encased pyramids within it
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Building 5D-77, Plaza of the Lost World
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Pretty, but probably a weed
11:40pm 30th March 2012
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Monkey in front of Temple III
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The top of Temple III
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An Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) in Tikal
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One of the buildings, 5D-82 I think, between Plaza of the Lost World and Plaza of the Seven Temples
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Plaza of the Seven Temples
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Looking back across the Plaza of the Seven Temples at the three ball courts
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The back of the palace (Structure 5D-91) in the Plaza of the Seven Temples
12:07am 31st March 2012
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Spectacular bark on the trees
12:20am 31st March 2012
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Temple V and its steep, but unclimbable stairs
12:21am 31st March 2012
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Temple V
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Me with Temple V in the background
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Grand Plaza and Temple I
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Me in the main plaza of Tikal
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Still in the main plaza
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Descending Temple II, yes it was very steep
12:53am 31st March 2012
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A huge stucco mask within Temple 33
12:59am 31st March 2012
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Temple I and some of the Grand Plaza
1:01am 31st March 2012
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Temple II and the Grand Plaza
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Part of the Central Acropolis
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Looking back across the Grand Plaza with Temple I on the right
1:24am 31st March 2012
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Amazing camouflage
1:35am 31st March 2012
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Last modified: July 02 2023 04:35:24.
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