Tikal

Deep in a big green jungle, can you hear a monkey call? Ooh-ooh, aah-aah. A bright toucan with a rainbow beak flies by. If you look up, up, up, you can see tall stone shapes peeking over the treetops. They look like gray mountains hiding in the leaves. Hello there. I am Tikal. I am a great city built by the Maya people a very, very long time ago. The jungle is my home, and I have a wonderful story to tell you.

A long, long time ago, the first people came to live with me. They used big stones to build my homes and temples, stacking them up like giant blocks. They built my temples so tall because they wanted to be closer to the bright sun and the twinkling stars in the sky. For many, many years, I was a happy city full of life. I could hear children laughing and playing in my big, open squares. Kings and queens wore bright clothes and lived in beautiful palaces. I felt the pitter-patter of many feet on my paths all day long. I loved being a busy home for so many families.

After a very long time, the families moved to new homes, and I became very quiet. The jungle grew all around me, wrapping me in a big, leafy hug. The trees kept me safe while I took a long, long nap. Then one day, in the year 1848, some explorers found me. Surprise. Today, people from all over the world come to visit. They climb my tall steps and can see the whole jungle stretching out like a green blanket. I am a special park now, a home for monkeys and birds, and a beautiful reminder of the amazing Maya people.