For the sixth Guatemalan morning in a row I was up before 6:30 in the morning, this time to head to Tikal.

Tikal. It really should be ranked as a world wonder.

Tikal was the largest city state of the Mayan civilization and was inhabited for well over a thousand years since 300BC. Whilst Copan had impressive carvings, Tikal has impressive size.

I went to Tikal on a tour organised by my hostel with a pair of Australian sisters, a Dutchman, an Austrian and a Swiss. We were guided by Ceaser, who combined an sassy American accent with a wealth of knowledge both about Tikal and the much of the rest of the ancient world - much more than expected for a tour guide.

We started at one of the smaller pyramids where Ceaser explained that the pyramids we see today are just the limestone skeletons of what they once were. Back in the days of the Ancient Maya, the pyramids were mostly painted in red and orange resins - adding impressive colour to their already colossal size.

We also visited a sacrificial stone, where prisoners of war would have their hearts torn out in front of the crowds. Unlike the Aztecs further north, the Maya did not sacrifice their victims atop pyramids, but they were still gruesome nevertheless.

It was then a long walk through the jungle. One thing you realise is that Tikal is truly massive, not just that the pyramids are massively tall but the whole site extends the mile after mile. The jungle here is secondary forest, just like in today's time, the Mayans cut down most of the jungle of the region, clearing the land for agriculture. Now Tikal is left as the last sanctuary, protecting what is left of the Guatemalan jungle.

Up some steep stairs we went, made steeper by the incredible humidity, to climb the highest pyramid in Tikal at 65m. From here we saw a phenomenal view across the jungle - with Tikal's main plaza in the distance.

These pyramids, whilst they are considered beautiful today - and indeed, are by far the most impressive archaeological structures I have ever come across - are symbols of the worst excesses of humanity.

We often romanticize the indigenous peoples of colonized lands as peaceful, philosphical peoples, massacred by murderous European conquerors. This fundamentally ignores the huge social problems deeply engrained in Mayan society, not to mention that the Mayan civilization collapsed without the assistance of the Spanish - hence its survival in a much less advanced form, in the more fertile, mountainous lands to the south.

One of the most disturbing facts about the Ancient Maya is that in order to distinguish between the castes, children of the upper castes had their heads moulded into a cylinderical shape within a matter of days after birth. Modern day neurologists say this likely would have resulted in pyschosis.

On top of this, the pyramids were simply built because the kings would believe they were 'gods'. The original Mayan theology, seperating the gods from the people that served them gradually disintegrated over time - contributing to the civilization's collapse - and gradually, the religion simply became a tool of the elite to keep the masses subdued, assisted by brainwashing them of the importance of constructing the pyramids.

Once more, the ordinary Mayans would often die in their twenties, considered adults at thirteen and likely in failing health by sixteen. The living quarters that sit just to the south of the main plaza were where the population stayed during major festivals - largely consisting of stone living quarters - whilst they permanently inhabited homes made of perishable materials.

This only leaves the impressive structures of vanity and oppression that are the Mayan pyramids, dotted around the jungle. Most of the pyramids have been smothered in grass and covered in forest, archeaological excavation only getting underway in the 20th century - although heavily restricted thanks to Guatemala's bloody 35 year long civil war.

The plaza itself is most impressive, a phenomenal place with fantastically well excavated pyramids. Well, apart from the one the University of Pennsylvania accidentally destroyed - yet is because of this we know how the pyramids were built. The pyramids are built in layers, the inside being limestone and the rocks and stones are layered on top.

I'm now back in Flores, a touristic jungle town an hour to the south. Flores, like the other Guatemalan tourist towns I've been to, has definitely inflated prices although it still doesn't rival Costa Rica. The hostel I'm staying in is definitely overrated - it's been ranked as the best in Central America in some places - but it gets a meh rating from me. Although it does have great toilet humour - literally, the toilets are covered in hilarious posters.

I'm expecting a thunderous downpour any minute now, the plan is to have a restful nap. Tikal may be the last absolutely gobsmackingly incredible place I'll visit but its not the last interesting thing I plan to see. Five days time and I'll be home and to be honest, I'd much prefer to go to Belize, and overland to Mexico City through Chiapas. I've heard too many times that Mexico was people's favourite country.

Tikal gave me one last present before I left. What will probably be my last monkey sighting this year. Just as we were heading to the exit, we came across a pack of spider monkeys hanging in the shade, hiding from the oppressive humid heat. It was fantastic to see them in the wild, least not next to a jungle-smothered mayan pyramid.

I'm planning on a nap as it looks like I'll be up at 6:30 on every morning I'm in Guatemala - which at least means I've made the most of this country in the limited time I have. I love Guatemala - it's a fascinating country and the sites here have a wow factor unrivalled elsewhere in Central America. It's definitely the best Central American country. One more full day, but basically two as it's a late flight on Monday.

After writing this I decided to go catch a sunset. To do this, I decided to cross Lake Peten Itza, the lake in which Flores island is in, to the town of San Miguel. I was the only guy in the lancha, other than the boatman, and the journey took a matter of minutes as we crossed at a narrowing in the lake.

After asking several locals, and passing many cooing cockerals, and barking dogs, I made it up some jungle dirt tracks to the mirador - basically a tree house.

It was a surreal place. At first, I was all on my own which was incredible - watching a sunset to the sound of bellowing howler monkeys for probably the last time on this trip. Its a deep, earthly, soulful sound, a sound you remember vividly and it is the sound of the jungle.

I was then joined by a family of chubby Guatemalans. I genuinely thought the ramshackle wooden structure that is the mirador was going to collapse. But, despite fears of impending death by fat Latino, we actually had a very enjoyable conversation (in Spanish of course). They were from Santa Elena, a large town almost adjacent to Flores - situated on the lake side from which Flores island juts out.

It was weird because as is often the case in my conversations with locals - they replied to a lot of what I said with a very intense, deep stare and pursing of the lips followed by a 'woooowwww'. Literally - 'I'm from London' Wooooww! 'I study Biology' Wooowwww. My sister is in Australia. Wooowwww!

We also aways seem to manage to get onto bizarrely specific topics, that I never have the actual vocabulary to talk about properly but still manage to cobble some vague sentences about - such as the cost of living in Australia.

Anyway, the long journey home begins now I guess. Back to cold, and actually slightly less wet England (but wet more often...).

Vamos!

Vamos!