This is the wall of one of the cemeteries at Chitchen Itza. If you look closely you can see the small stones are carvings of heads. Each head represents the head of a person who was sacrificed for losing a game of a sport similar to basketball here in the US. Anyway, since it was an honor to be sacrificed, each team wanted to win, but only the captain was sacrificed and his head was cut off. Interesting.
This is the head of the "serpent" Quetzalcoatl. He was the serpent the Mayans were in search of for some years (actually it was about 300 years, if I remember correctly). When they reached what is now Mexico City, they found a feathered serpent, and considered him a God. So, surrounging the cemeteries, and the temples, and other regligious beuilidngs, you will find a head to commemorate this beast/God.
He is an Iguana that was climbing the bottom of the pyramid at Chitchen Itza. It was the first of MANY we encountered in Mexico. Cute, huh?
This is a picture taken from the bug-infested motel, Las Molcas. If you haven't read the following entry...read it first! The boys w/o shirts on are 2 of my former students. They'd just been asked (or told, better like it) to get the heck inside, and stop yelling at the local girls and asking for their digits. We wanted a hotel where we could be "immursed" in the cultre...not the bugs, but we ended up getting BOTH! Just on the other side (to the left of the picture) was the path that lead down to the ferry to Cozumel. This was at Playa del Carmen. Nice place, lots of beautiful beaches, tons of fun shops, great prices, excellent restaraunts, not-so-clean hotels.
.jpg)
7 comments:
i was wondering where the heck you'd been. you are supposed to be an avid and consistent blogger. don't leave us like that anymore. looks like a real fun trip. you never cease to amaze me tam. who would of thought... tamara as the cheerleader coach and chaperoning a bunch of high school kids to mexico!! ha ha!
Sounds like you had a great trip! The ruins here are so amazing. I'm sorry to hear about the horrible experience at the motel. I live in Playa del Carmen, but I've never heard of Las Molcas before. In case you ever return to this beautiful town, rest assured that we have an abundance of clean, bug-free hotels.
Great pictures... sounds like you had a great time (mostly) - you'll have to share the parent stories face-to-face... (less incriminating that way ;-)
Hope you're getting back into the swing of things - is it warm for you guys yet?
Take care,
JULINA (can't log in @ work) LAMBSON
what a cool trip! I don't know if I'd want to spend it with other people's kids... but it sounded fun anyway! I can't wait to finally start traveling.
Hey Mi Guachita,
Thanks for the sweet comment on my blogspot. Yeah, I know, patience and faith. It does get a bit frustrating, though.
I am so freakin' jealous you got to go to Mexico and see the pyramids of my ancestors! Que bakan!
Hey Tamara,
You must not remember what it was like to be in middle school/ high school... you're crazy! I'm glad to hear they were all well behaved! :) It's nice to hear how you are!
Post a Comment