It was much easier to buy an organized tour of Tikal while still in Chiapas than to make my own arrangements on public transportation. It started with a nine hour van ride from Palenque to Flores, a small city on the shores of Lake Petén. I treated myself to nice dinner with a view of the lake on the shores of Isla Flores, separated from the mainland by a causeway.

I rode on yet another mode of transport: called a Tuk-Tuk. This is a small three wheeled, two passenger vehicle. They sound like an old go-kart and are everywhere in town.

The Parque Nacional Tikal is a 50 minute drive from Flores. Once one enters the park, the surrounding farmland gives way to dense jungle. I was in a group with a delightful, English speaking guide. Only a small part of Tikal has already been uncovered and we saw many mounds that probably represent unexcavated buildings.

The tropical rain forest is home to wildlife. In addition to the constant sound of birds, there were Coatís that look a bit like a raccoon with a very long tail. Spider monkeys were playing in the treetops. I was warned not to stand directly under them. They moved gracefully swinging from branches that did not look as if they would hold their weight. On one path, I encountered wild turkeys. Our guide pointed out the hive of a very tiny non-stinging bee species. They looked to be the size of gnats.

I was impressed at Palenque, but Tikal was magnificent. There were many buildings that had been used for various civic administrations and for the sciences. Mayans had figured out the solar and lunar calendars and incorporated them into their own calendar. Their temples were tall, one being 47 meters above the ground. I climbed many and walked many steps through the park. Atop one, Mundo Perdido, one could look out over the jungle canopy into the distance and see the tops of some of the other monuments. I saw the court where they had played a game using a latex rubber ball. The players used their hips and legs to keep the ball moving. Some historians think that the loser of these games was decapitated, but our guide said that did not make much sense given other aspects of Mayan culture.

Freed from the tour, I walked a couple of trails. For a while I was alone, enjoying the sounds of the jungle around me. Hiking solo allowed me to get close to some wild turkeys and coatís.

Later, I caught the tour bus back to Flores.