Chichen Iza, Merida & Uxmal

Chichen Itza - one of the 'new seven wonders of the world'. I headed along for the light and sound show which was interesting especially when I first arrived and someone directed me the wrong way and I ended up standing right in front of the main pyramid in full view of the rest of the audience as the show started - maybe I should have asked for a tip!!

Back early the next morning to avoid the big tour groups and see the temples close up (this time without being part of the show!!). The main pyramid El Castillo is pretty much a massive Maya calender - there are 9 levels separated in 2 by the staircase making up 18 separate terraces = the 18 months of the Maya calender, 365 stairways = the number of days in the year.... etc etc....

The great Ball court at this site is the largest one discovered in Mexico - it had some impressive carvings some of which tell you about the game and from which historians think the game changed over time - some show players with bats - was this an ancestor to baseball maybe??

The platform of skulls which would have been used to display the heads of sacrificial victims!!

Other carvings show Jagaurs and eagles grabbing and eating human hearts - a dedication to the military personnel who captured the sacrificial victims!! The Jaguar was worshipped by the Mayans as it was the most powerful animal in this area.

Cenote Sagrado (sacred Cenote) - hundreds of human, particularly children's bones and skulls were found in here. Again it was seen as quite honorable & prestigious for a child to be sacrificed to the gods. The victims would be taken into the stone hut at the top of the cenote and dressed in fine clothes and jewellery by the priests before being given a drink that would numb there senses and they would then be walked off the platform for the 35m drop to their sacrificial graveyard!!

Very impressive buildings and sculptures at this site and they are still digging up and restoring more!!

Of course you can't have a wonder of the world without having the accompanying souvenir's market.

As I got back around to the entrance I was glad that I had got out of bed and got to Chichen Itza early as it was by lunch time mobbed with tour buses and school parties - not to count the fact it was getting even hotter!!

Merida - this town has a nice feel with lots of colonial buildings and plaza's. The Cathedral was built by Mayan slaves who were made to use the stones from their own demolished cities but they got their revenge after the uprising a hundred plus years later they used the Cathedral to house cattle!!

A painting of how the town looked in the early days of Spanish rule.

There is always something quirky going on in Mexico.

It was all too noisy for the little boy on the right!

The policeman takes some shade under the sombrero tree!!

This guy was playing music on these saws and it was good.....seemingly there is a whole saw musician gathering every year - if you want to become a follower you can look them up on 'You Tube' just type in saw music!!

A local guy who wanted his photo taken.

The modern art gallery had an exhibition by a local artist called Jessica Sanchez called 'la seduccion' - this was one of the better paintings!!

You can't go far in Mexico without coming accross some street entertainers - these break dancers were working hard for the few peso's they were getting donated.

It was nice being able to go for a swim in the hostel pool to cool down in the afternoons right enough.

The city museum had some interesting displays like this skeleton which has been found locally when some building work was being done but I liked the art exhibition by a local artists (whose name I can't remember!!)

Every town wants to remind you that you are in fact in Mexico.....

This little girl at the bus station took a fancy to Feliz and I was worried it would all end in tears!!

Uxmal the Mayan ruin near to Merida - though a smaller site the ruins here were well maintained and had some beautiful, intricate detailed carvings. Chac the rain god (represented by the serpent) was a highly important symbol here due to the lack of water - but impressively the Mayans built a series of reserviors at this site to catch and hold water to see them through the dry season. Only excavated in the 1920's it is thought that there is still much of this city to be discovered.

There were some beautiful butterflies floating around these ruins.

And the welcoming band....

My first few weeks in Mexico have been pretty busy with lots of diving and ruin visiting. Loving it though the people here are warm and friendly and there is always something going on. I am particularly enjoying the good weather as this will be my last stop in warmer climates!! Oh and not to forget the very unhealthy but tasty Mexican cuisine :-)

As I am still behind on the blog I will leave it here for now and update ASAP with the rest of my visit to Mexico.

Bye for now.

Jack xxx