Foto: Tikal (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Guatemala - I get dressed and grab a cup of coffee in the restaurant. I also take a breakfast pack with me. Roél, the guide for Tikal, is already waiting for me at the restaurant. A little after four o'clock, I walk into the park with my flashlight in hand. Roél shines his light on the ground and warns about snakes and poisonous spiders. He also mentions that, on rare occasions, a jaguar may be spotted. I feel the tension rise when I see two eyes reflecting in the beam of my flashlight in the bushes. It turns out to be just a deer. It's about a half-hour walk in the dark to Temple IV. There's something special about walking through the forest like this. I only realize I’m passing a large temple when Roél shines his flashlight on it. Temple Q is right next to the path. Roél assures me that I’ll be able to view these temples again on the way back in daylight. I pass the Central Plaza and, in the darkness, see Maya ruins around me. At the base of Temple IV, a wooden staircase begins. I climb the stairs. A long climb brings me to the top of the temple. Temple IV rises high above the jungle. In the dark, I can distinguish the mist among the trees. Howler monkeys make a lot of noise from the depths of the jungle. I sit on the steps of the temple and enjoy the awakening of the jungle. I estimate that about fifty other people are enjoying this special moment too. Around 5:30 a.m., it slowly begins to get lighter. Only now can I distinguish the temples in the distance from the treetops. Various troops of monkeys make themselves heard. Birds fly overhead. Nature can be so beautiful. As I enjoy the moment, I eat my breakfast pack. Once it’s light, I climb back down. Roél leads me along the Maya temples. I estimate Roél is in his late twenties. He speaks with enthusiasm. Although he tells this story to tourists every day, he certainly doesn’t give me that impression. He tells vivid stories about the history of the Mayas, about the rise and fall of the Maya Empire. He explains how Tikal was discovered in 1848 and how parts of the city have been restored. Only twenty percent of the ruins have been restored. The rest remain hidden under soil and tree roots. Roél says that a Japanese team wanted to do the restoration, but the mayor prevented it. If a Maya temple is restored, there is then no money for maintenance. He will only give permission for restoration if maintenance funds are also available. At Temple V, the restoration is clearly visible. The characteristic staircase on the side of the temple has been almost completely rebuilt. Photos show the before and after. Further on, I see people walking on a temple. I want that too. I climb up via the narrow stairs. The steps are narrow, slightly sloping, and slippery. From the temple, I have a beautiful view. When I want to go back down, I slip at the top. I slide down two steps. Fortunately, I wasn’t yet at the steep part—otherwise, I would’ve slid down thirty meters. A bit shaken, I carefully climb back down. At the Central Acropolis, Roél takes me to a viewpoint over the acropolis. “Welcome to Tikal,” he says triumphantly. I have a stunning view of the Acropolis temples from here.
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