Told ya it was the rainy season .. didn't I .

We were based in the countryside near Flores, during the days we tramped around the Mayan ruins of Yaxha and Tikal.

We came to look upon this pyramid as our  "Everest"

Ever onward and upward ... and upward ... and upward.  Those old wooden stairs were not the most stable things in the world either.

View From The Top

It is said that Tikal is the largest complex of the Mayan world.   They know that there was a settlement here during 2000 BC ......

and that around 250 AD , Tikal had reached it's  "Golden Age"

Just to give you an idea of what a massive job it was to excavate this complex ..... notice the pyramid in the photo on the right. 

 The archeologists have only uncovered one half of it .....leaving the other half in the  "natural" state.  

 At the time of discovery , 98 % of the complex just looked like one hill after another

Anybody  "up" for a bit of weeding  ?

Soooooo ..... how do you like the size of the trunk of that Spanish Cedar tree ?

And this....?    well, it's a plant used for Birth Control.

This Jade Mask  was found in one of the temples here at Tikal.

And here's the Smith version of the  "Pied Piper" ....

engaged in the familiar activity of  "holding court" with some of the local children.  

 Actually this photo could have been taken in any of the numerous countries we've visited.

  All it takes, is to sit down ..... and  "POOF".....there they are.