The spectacular site of Tikal, dated 600 BC – 900 AD is amazing to behold. It has an estimated 4000 buildings identified and / or excavated with thousands more underneath. We were able to ride out to Temple IV in a park truck, which saved us an hour. Then for the next six hours we walked and climbed. Once again, the Lord smiled on our expedition. It was overcast and cool. No one suffered from heat or dehydration (which plagues most park visitors). Our ages ranged from 64-81 years old. All of us, except one sister with a fear of heights) climbed the stairs to Temple IV and to Temple II in the North Acropolis. It was getting close to closing time, so we didn’t climb Temple V. (Spencer): The names of these are temples, but they aren’t temples as you would know them today. It was a building where the ruler had people come to pay homage. But even with the apostasy there are similarities such as the only rooms in the top are three rooms with each one a step or two higher than the others. You had to climb all the way to meet your “king” (“of kings”) who held all power over your future. In Tikal there were many places where they have just exposed corners of “hills” so you will know there is a temple or some other edifice underneath the dirt and trees. Roots of massive trees make excavation really difficult.