They haven't really cleared away any of the dense jungle from the perimeter of the structure. The temple's stairs are overgrown and crumbling away so you climb the pyramid via a makeshift set of scaffold-stairs they've built alongside the structure.
...we hiked our way through the jungle again for a bit to Tikal's Temple IV. Built in 741 AD and standing 212 feet tall, "Temple IV is the tallest pre-Columbian structure still standing in the New World."
Our guide Percy paused and casually asked "Anyone thirsty?" before slashing his machete in a diagonal arc at a thick vine above his shoulder and offering the fresh water pouring out of it for each of us to drink.
As tempted as you might be to let your eyes wander around in wondoer as walk, there are worse things than tree spikes that you could accidentally put your face into...
So amazing / horrifying! (Dear non-vegetarians, I hope you remember this photo next time you tuck into a delicious crab and/or lobster! Ew! Ew! Sea bugs!)
Percy was an awesome guide. We paused at this huge bamboo grove to listen to the CAH-RAZY sounds of the howler monkeys in the distance barking / screaching to each other!
