tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80088762322088815982024-03-19T04:04:51.027+00:00Maxted Travels, Wallowing in the MayaAn archaeological journey through Guatemala, Honduras and southern MexicoJill, Ian and Modestinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122859105828936321noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008876232208881598.post-58888880254393289852008-03-04T20:05:00.015+00:002008-03-04T21:17:05.096+00:00Map and index<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96_D_FBOlp44w-z2Z8RLo6-s8GF6-mppIRdiYH_9J9-Lknt1wPOW7lYXvZ_L28mXrhqbRqYCDsfLWVg_68ZloKHd0mCNrYIzcdzq-f3wZ_BnAqiHIxKH7cfwN4RO9KSR4CJFR-N4XRxw/s1600-h/MAYA-MAPS.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96_D_FBOlp44w-z2Z8RLo6-s8GF6-mppIRdiYH_9J9-Lknt1wPOW7lYXvZ_L28mXrhqbRqYCDsfLWVg_68ZloKHd0mCNrYIzcdzq-f3wZ_BnAqiHIxKH7cfwN4RO9KSR4CJFR-N4XRxw/s400/MAYA-MAPS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5173980503872978050" /></a><TABLE BORDER="1"><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><B>Wallowing in the Maya postings</B></TD><TD><B>Maya Miscellany postings</B></TD></TR><br /><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><a href='http://wallowinginthemaya.blogspot.com/2008/02/introduction-antigua-and-copan.html'>Introduction, Antigua and Copan</a><br />19-21 January 2008: Guatemala City, Antigua, Copan<br /></TD><TD><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/copan.html">Copan</a>, <br /><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/quirigua.html">Quirigua</a><br /></TD></TR><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><a href='http://wallowinginthemaya.blogspot.com/2008/02/tikal-yaxha-and-flores.html'>Tikal, Yaxha and Flores</a><br />22-25 January 2008: Quirigua, Rio Dulce, Tikal, Yaxha, Santa Elena, Flores<br /></TD><TD><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/tikal.html">Tikal</a>, <br /><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/early-tikal-travellers.html">Early Tikal travellers</a>, <br /><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/yaxha.html">Yaxha</a><br /></TD></TR><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><a href='http://wallowinginthemaya.blogspot.com/2008/02/guatemala-to-mexico.html'>Guatemala to Mexico</a><br />26-28 January 2008: Rio de la Pasion, Ceibal, Aguateca, Sayaxche, Rio Usumacinta, Bonampak, Palenque<br /></TD><TD><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/seibal.html">Seibal</a>, <br /><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/bonampak.html">Bonampak</a>, <br /><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/palenque.html">Palenque</a><br /></TD></TR><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><a href='http://wallowinginthemaya.blogspot.com/2008/02/campeche-to-uxmal.html'>Campeche to Uxmal</a><br />29-30 January 2008: Champoton, Edzna, Campeche, Sayil, Labna, Kabah<br /></TD><TD><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/edzna.html">Edzna</a>, <a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/sayil.html">Sayil</a>, <br /><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/labna.html">Labna</a>, <a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/kabah.html">Kabah</a><br /></TD></TR><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><a href='http://wallowinginthemaya.blogspot.com/2008/02/uxmal-and-merida.html'>Uxmal and Merida</a><br />31 January-1 February 2008: Uxmal, Merida, Mayapan, Piste<br /></TD><TD><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/uxmal.html">Uxmal</a>, <br /><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/mayapan.html">Mayapan</a><br /></TD></TR><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><a href='http://wallowinginthemaya.blogspot.com/2008/02/chichen-itza-coba-and-tulum.html'>Chichen Itza, Coba and Tulum</a><br />2-5 February 2008: Chichen Itza, Coba, Tulum Ruinas, Tulum Town, Maya Riviera, homeward bound<br /></TD><TD><a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/chichen-itza.html">Chichen Itza</a>, <a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/coba.html">Coba</a>, <a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/tulum.html">Tulum</a>, <a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/catherwood-in-yucatan.html">Catherwood in Yucatan</a><br /></TD></TR><br /></TABLE>Jill, Ian and Modestinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122859105828936321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008876232208881598.post-52785616706319765332008-02-28T16:57:00.011+00:002008-03-03T18:50:03.958+00:00Chichen Itza, Coba and Tulum<B>Saturday 2nd February 2008, Piste near Chichen Itza, Mexico</B><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7BrO59Fmm1Z-MjjW1kIqpcPk0WFMy9Sv0MWyDstVaEBcDjZFLSBvHzNMpcGF4qQsJQGp_XNpX5RdwE-9p6Y2ep4twLoFeGn8u4-qxZHaAxLvOlEi8lmyeC-hnglBblSnKgNJ93CYgrs/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-02.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7BrO59Fmm1Z-MjjW1kIqpcPk0WFMy9Sv0MWyDstVaEBcDjZFLSBvHzNMpcGF4qQsJQGp_XNpX5RdwE-9p6Y2ep4twLoFeGn8u4-qxZHaAxLvOlEi8lmyeC-hnglBblSnKgNJ93CYgrs/s400/MAYA-02-02-02.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079138915155378" /></a><CENTER>Human sacrifice to Chaac Mool at Chichen Itza</CENTER><br />We were the first to arrive at the Archaeological site of Chichen Itza this morning and happily the day was slightly overcast. Coral, our own archaeologist, was not permitted to guide us around the site and we were obliged to hire an official one with a rather limited English vocabulary and an even more muddled idea of Mayan archaeology. This was rather frustrating for us as we were intent on retracing the steps of Catherwood in the 1840s to find how the buildings had been restored from the tumbled ruins he had found.<br /><br />Near the entrance to the site we were confronted by the emblematic shape of the Castillo, a massive pyramid topped by the temple of Kukulcan. The structure reflects the Maya calendar with four flights of 91 steps plus one on the top platform making a total of 365. Other numbers represented are the eighteen months of the Maya year and the 52 years of the Meso-American century. On the equinoxes the shadow of the sun undulates down the steps forming a serpentine line which ends with the carved snake heads at the foot of the stairs. It is a spectacle that draws crowds much in the same way as the solstice at Stonehenge. The public are no longer permitted to climb it since American visitors made a habit of falling to their deaths from the structure.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKLcmt3GkUI4OsGlRF6XlqohWgMyJWJX_D5p7uzM58PgBxRw82jWOzoEvyz0tR6DhuJ1aB-rJqDJVsl9xpi4RJydcGY1i0NIQNxZMsROAUaLiDJC96bpJwnq1igzmHE7NZHg9jiPts2jW/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-14.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKLcmt3GkUI4OsGlRF6XlqohWgMyJWJX_D5p7uzM58PgBxRw82jWOzoEvyz0tR6DhuJ1aB-rJqDJVsl9xpi4RJydcGY1i0NIQNxZMsROAUaLiDJC96bpJwnq1igzmHE7NZHg9jiPts2jW/s400/MAYA-02-02-14.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165850858979295426" /></a><CENTER>Temple of Kukulcan, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6VLSagwSeaxJGcK68jBNPUd6aE5nSULyA0vFsc7Jz28v5y6yB6PEwXkl15D7S6cTSABryMNFCPYWnwqEBgYg-ZldN87R709gWTZoVld8eDIqLEU508WmBznU71lLOHfWaUUvhyphenhyphen6GYHWu/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-16.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6VLSagwSeaxJGcK68jBNPUd6aE5nSULyA0vFsc7Jz28v5y6yB6PEwXkl15D7S6cTSABryMNFCPYWnwqEBgYg-ZldN87R709gWTZoVld8eDIqLEU508WmBznU71lLOHfWaUUvhyphenhyphen6GYHWu/s400/MAYA-02-02-16.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165850871864197346" /></a><CENTER>Snake head staircase, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br />Nearby was the Platform of Eagles and Jaguars, reflecting the two orders of knighthood introduced by the Toltecs. It is thought that they took over Chichen Itza after migrating from Tula in the Valley of Mexico in the tenth century. Certainly many of the features of the two sites are very similar, but Chichen is much bigger than Tula and the influence could well have been in the other direction. The debate continues. The platform is decorated by images of eagles eating human hearts. The destination of the heads of the hapless victims was clear from the adjacent tzompantli or skull rack, another import from the Valley of Mexico with its decoration of row upon row of impaled skulls.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJYDB4RQliTaxeVrl3sOTyma3__tkJbjbE9gNt7xR8qMfiVPWczQs5OfzoXmrAIHezw7sYPBLucb7vaDbYZw4EwhbddiCog4IdYJNC6KbC72ur8EtG_8rKXGerB3kbsuIDf9_8U1dQKvG/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-19.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJYDB4RQliTaxeVrl3sOTyma3__tkJbjbE9gNt7xR8qMfiVPWczQs5OfzoXmrAIHezw7sYPBLucb7vaDbYZw4EwhbddiCog4IdYJNC6KbC72ur8EtG_8rKXGerB3kbsuIDf9_8U1dQKvG/s400/MAYA-02-02-19.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166032256923044882" /></a><CENTER>Platform of the Eagles and Jaguars, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPAY_LSihZfHehqZlMbfn_ay8aoDaHUikw7UfYwYDGNL3DlCe__wkr5bsz7f8RQtpKfrLMsh86kH1qGYqV43FTwSDVjXfH4xDY_fCTuCHTTBKtqlDq6rh8vtSmfaaV94oqzBdk8V7SeaY/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-20.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPAY_LSihZfHehqZlMbfn_ay8aoDaHUikw7UfYwYDGNL3DlCe__wkr5bsz7f8RQtpKfrLMsh86kH1qGYqV43FTwSDVjXfH4xDY_fCTuCHTTBKtqlDq6rh8vtSmfaaV94oqzBdk8V7SeaY/s400/MAYA-02-02-20.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166032261218012194" /></a><CENTER>Tzompantli or skull rack, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWFULYwr2GqA4Pty81vQRG4U4oO5SA8iAgTSiqKpVcAtKqIoNa3NQk51s_es97pti-r8336Ym_kc_VjXiRVQHoW-Aw64AaF9xRtjHeQ-8sG6pBCQ7rv5SioyqPIEDIyi4lIiuheQGXAxk/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWFULYwr2GqA4Pty81vQRG4U4oO5SA8iAgTSiqKpVcAtKqIoNa3NQk51s_es97pti-r8336Ym_kc_VjXiRVQHoW-Aw64AaF9xRtjHeQ-8sG6pBCQ7rv5SioyqPIEDIyi4lIiuheQGXAxk/s400/MAYA-02-02-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166032308462652466" /></a><CENTER>Warrior on Platform of Eagles and Jaguars, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br />A relief to arrive at the Temple of the Jaguars with its rather endearing jaguar throne. This backed on to the main ball court of Chichen, a massive arena with stone hoops placed centrally along the two facing vertical walls and the sloping lower levels decorated with gruesome pictures of the fate of the players, whether winners or losers is unclear. They are shown decapitated with blood spurting from their necks. Obviously a grudge match!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGYU5x3yC5dvDqIUUCo223tTRb7HyeaON-TYfS6DjvnmiYs5_pWGomSqVDQn0yxkvCVkBNQUR6AIqD4HqOgNN2IH9ToM9inPC6KilEWVfrpb2qRtJsdhn2fBqzsr5_PdciGPfZkXWG6Uc/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-24.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGYU5x3yC5dvDqIUUCo223tTRb7HyeaON-TYfS6DjvnmiYs5_pWGomSqVDQn0yxkvCVkBNQUR6AIqD4HqOgNN2IH9ToM9inPC6KilEWVfrpb2qRtJsdhn2fBqzsr5_PdciGPfZkXWG6Uc/s400/MAYA-02-02-24.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166033253355457634" /></a><CENTER>Jaguar throne, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCGzq7gFspxsJkA67Exd7Utus-TdeTIBH2WZ-K3t57U4nzTmTePCm9uHiORpVO-eqwRC8PGM0kTli4a4astmzv6ZXp03Zx1l5A9jzG9u7zaAWodQMjOLfUP4tghxNPyYf6IXC7cVO1wgP/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-28.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCGzq7gFspxsJkA67Exd7Utus-TdeTIBH2WZ-K3t57U4nzTmTePCm9uHiORpVO-eqwRC8PGM0kTli4a4astmzv6ZXp03Zx1l5A9jzG9u7zaAWodQMjOLfUP4tghxNPyYf6IXC7cVO1wgP/s400/MAYA-02-02-28.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166033884715650210" /></a><CENTER>Ball Court, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1Z07yqiqDcoU_15McEj6P0Piw9zYrnxWFjw9KJTZMS16z1aRe7EAWn53xfUeiOV8vCeOtXOBZcsE-ZMReaaa-JrgczzkT-I6sL2jeeaAmwGUIGWG4RMnk51eaNhuaV5TtVmZqcqm-QcJ/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-26.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1Z07yqiqDcoU_15McEj6P0Piw9zYrnxWFjw9KJTZMS16z1aRe7EAWn53xfUeiOV8vCeOtXOBZcsE-ZMReaaa-JrgczzkT-I6sL2jeeaAmwGUIGWG4RMnk51eaNhuaV5TtVmZqcqm-QcJ/s400/MAYA-02-02-26.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166033261945392258" /></a><CENTER>Stone hoop, Ball Court, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br />Others did manage to die a natural death and were buried in low pyramids in the Osorio and surrounding structures. This was in an area where there were also residential structures, including the colonnaded Casa de las Mateles or house of the grindstones, evidently an area where corn was prepared. This is in the older classical part of the city where the dominant structure is the Caracol or snail, so-called from the winding stairway inside the circular tower which was evidently used as an observatory as the windows align to important celestial phenomena.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCZX5TuDNzN7v6kXITum6UUxWodgV9fqmTvaysOs4Rv4tpdt3Z9_Xk5E35gT5aKyqn6y8cL7uwLO2h4fA0U5XtlTy9f6MRp-87N2bCcArShn1oyFQoJxidSnSBFPIRR3Eu0Q1xAtUKT2p/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-36.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCZX5TuDNzN7v6kXITum6UUxWodgV9fqmTvaysOs4Rv4tpdt3Z9_Xk5E35gT5aKyqn6y8cL7uwLO2h4fA0U5XtlTy9f6MRp-87N2bCcArShn1oyFQoJxidSnSBFPIRR3Eu0Q1xAtUKT2p/s400/MAYA-02-02-36.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166034468831202594" /></a><CENTER>Caracol, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br />On the southern edge of the small portion of the whole site that is open to visitors is the building named as Monjas. Like in Uxmal this was named by the Spaniards and it is more likely to have been an administrative building than a nunnery. It is elaborately carved with masks of the rain god Chac in the Chenes style. Nearby is a smaller building in the Puuc syle with the lowest level unadorned, dubbed the Iglesia, or church. Both of these facades were drawn in great detail by Catherwood.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCPxO292tVf3mwqL4_PRB4Gb_A9bINc3oAMTK-tBHGaUCNeLod5pvJdAxDFbRjLL0-RlJ9qh70odg3KAPZHrMriD_BjPO1RqZDsQa1_g-y1XcP5Q2KoltqO9U67Sx-oa5cjWzneVswIQD/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-40.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCPxO292tVf3mwqL4_PRB4Gb_A9bINc3oAMTK-tBHGaUCNeLod5pvJdAxDFbRjLL0-RlJ9qh70odg3KAPZHrMriD_BjPO1RqZDsQa1_g-y1XcP5Q2KoltqO9U67Sx-oa5cjWzneVswIQD/s400/MAYA-02-02-40.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166034992817212770" /></a><CENTER>Monjas and Iglesia, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAzrdsgxIWDSEbLPNSJ6Lh4IsT3cr7Ct3KSpvewa4g3Tf6S6fekQV19wuHGy_mf8tpUPkYoXjI4w-xnkca-xHKfK5Jz26kWvnQeoOrzCdxRxSAa3yJKtjdFFnpOkWgaOmJU3KA6_sX-pp/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-41.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAzrdsgxIWDSEbLPNSJ6Lh4IsT3cr7Ct3KSpvewa4g3Tf6S6fekQV19wuHGy_mf8tpUPkYoXjI4w-xnkca-xHKfK5Jz26kWvnQeoOrzCdxRxSAa3yJKtjdFFnpOkWgaOmJU3KA6_sX-pp/s400/MAYA-02-02-41.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166034997112180082" /></a><CENTER>Iglesia, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqyAUONEiskAEMfH7CTxVlymFG-Hx-GOWGV1laY58xR03_bCO2-wYtnLgMXQJ1OmYg9xPMenOsKlcxMiuEjrXJYsLRI8RsXw3vLMJnYCOAyHtHF8ruQsFpYBoZWqbVyQAYugs3YyB83E-/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-42.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqyAUONEiskAEMfH7CTxVlymFG-Hx-GOWGV1laY58xR03_bCO2-wYtnLgMXQJ1OmYg9xPMenOsKlcxMiuEjrXJYsLRI8RsXw3vLMJnYCOAyHtHF8ruQsFpYBoZWqbVyQAYugs3YyB83E-/s400/MAYA-02-02-42.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166035005702114690" /></a><CENTER>Las Monjas with Puuc-style decoration, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br />We then crossed the whole site from south to north, proceeding along an old Mayan sacbe or causeway, lined with people hawking knickknacks, to the formidable cenote or well, a massive natural depression in the limestone where maidens were reputedly cast as sacrifices to the rain god. American archaeologists dredged the well and discovered the bones of men as well as women and many offerings of jade and gold objects, some of which we had seen in the museum in Merida although much has been spirited away to the United States.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mMdOkDxoUWPKLNpD_kJHWfo-p30tqOoRqh_7slyB6IlokaU2PKr37TI05c__qkDP3c1Vj8QOqATHTJZ3yRxOmfEBQDl0yqvyJBML8Xnpgt-OzFR-xhFDaoTqH-6tQ-i2ApqYHy5xvJk/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-47.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mMdOkDxoUWPKLNpD_kJHWfo-p30tqOoRqh_7slyB6IlokaU2PKr37TI05c__qkDP3c1Vj8QOqATHTJZ3yRxOmfEBQDl0yqvyJBML8Xnpgt-OzFR-xhFDaoTqH-6tQ-i2ApqYHy5xvJk/s400/MAYA-02-02-47.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079151800057282" /></a><CENTER>Sacrificial well or cenote, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br />Our last port of call was in the Toltec part of the city, the Temple of the Warriors, a stepped pyramid fronted by rows of columns carved with warriors in bas-relief. This is very similar in layout to a temple complex in Tula, and the rows of columns continue ad infinitum in the neighbouring Square of the Thousand Columns which is thought to have served as a market area.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8UUU6WBsf3qiirtLptVFFXNdtToGgE3UED0bfGtUyiPHu6onhCyen6QHC9ijvNKep2B0sUlgqra6Wp49fXR38N9rleIg6PcGJy6uwEy3jUvJeQg5Ut5UoGvzMmF5hbxuG8YrE34-XrOS/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-51.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8UUU6WBsf3qiirtLptVFFXNdtToGgE3UED0bfGtUyiPHu6onhCyen6QHC9ijvNKep2B0sUlgqra6Wp49fXR38N9rleIg6PcGJy6uwEy3jUvJeQg5Ut5UoGvzMmF5hbxuG8YrE34-XrOS/s400/MAYA-02-02-51.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166035778796228050" /></a><CENTER>Temple of the Warriors, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt-zBBq0kXxKuQNMXNat5P7pVrFQYmaeqnrr1jAfM2o283A6BW7W7KPnUyKwGXImNPORCuQ0sZOh6zqezu8q72sOuOpnxq6bNwQmQVqu_rKOj0BKZwzub8qweOrWVwCYscTq3IS8ZjNrP/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-53.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt-zBBq0kXxKuQNMXNat5P7pVrFQYmaeqnrr1jAfM2o283A6BW7W7KPnUyKwGXImNPORCuQ0sZOh6zqezu8q72sOuOpnxq6bNwQmQVqu_rKOj0BKZwzub8qweOrWVwCYscTq3IS8ZjNrP/s400/MAYA-02-02-53.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166036951322299890" /></a><CENTER>Square of the Thousand Columns, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br />By midday the site had become very crowded with coach loads of visitors coming out from the coastal resort of Cancun. Under what shade existed Mayan family groups had set up stalls selling souvenirs that ranged from quite nice brightly coloured striped Mexican rugs, belts and bags to the downright dreadful plastic pyramids, jaguars and Mayan heads. It was also very hot and sticky and nobody wanted to spend longer at the site. Coral suggested a nearby Cenote where we could swim and have lunch. It sounded an excellent idea but we were all rather disappointed to discover it was so deep the water was in complete shade and the atmosphere was rather foreboding. Nobody wanted to swim in an eerie, bottomless pit so we gave it a miss, going together for a buffet lunch instead. We are now hardened to the ways of Mexican waiters so hung on desperately to the sides of our plates to prevent them from being whisked away between mouthfuls!<br /><br />Once our meal was finished there was nothing much to do during the heat of the afternoon, so we returned to our hotel, walked up and down the village street of Piste where we discovered the public library in a wooden shack with broken glass in the windows, no books at all and a bank of six computers! Nearby we found the cemetery, decked out with brightly coloured tombs and artificial flowers. The most interesting feature in the village was the Catholic church constructed from stones taken from the archaeological site of Chichen. A couple of jaguar heads incongruously adorned the church doorway and bits of decorative carving were randomly scattered amongst the walls.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonk5PwPOWTT0Y38hCXRUsxD-xtSeZSla4yL1APCE46zIP61mtOxM-sBipKVm_BYXEL8iXeZQwSeIJUXGWcgTGs2WN-OT0Tjm4HdLdSTkE_3GRRs1mXrBUMwg59LO3acXocP2XTBm8uQk/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-58.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonk5PwPOWTT0Y38hCXRUsxD-xtSeZSla4yL1APCE46zIP61mtOxM-sBipKVm_BYXEL8iXeZQwSeIJUXGWcgTGs2WN-OT0Tjm4HdLdSTkE_3GRRs1mXrBUMwg59LO3acXocP2XTBm8uQk/s400/MAYA-02-02-58.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079160389991906" /></a><CENTER>Village cemetery, Piste, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAKlvmWrLtu7SKlIZxMiuo8MgW5IN9EKwYd1EoygHiw2AKJXeAADqEiRxvMWoOWGF-n3QYOd-Vplc1PLH6waaclDWbjczLTxTS9-nicJyyxlOQOJGDpzQR9Yb5RitDlsrBsp4Yyyc1qM/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-57.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAKlvmWrLtu7SKlIZxMiuo8MgW5IN9EKwYd1EoygHiw2AKJXeAADqEiRxvMWoOWGF-n3QYOd-Vplc1PLH6waaclDWbjczLTxTS9-nicJyyxlOQOJGDpzQR9Yb5RitDlsrBsp4Yyyc1qM/s400/MAYA-02-02-57.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079156095024594" /></a><CENTER>Catholic church, Piste, Chichen Itza</CENTER><br /><B>Sunday 3rd February 2008, Tulum, Mexico</B><br />We are now on the edge of the Caribbean about 80 kilometres south of the tourist Mecca of Cancun. It is strange to think that it is almost exactly a year since we last saw the Caribbean, in very different circumstances, from the coast of Trinidad. In both cases we had never really expected to find ourselves there but the opportunity presented itself. After the heat of inland Yucatan it is a very refreshing change to again experience the sound of the ocean and the cooling breeze that is carried on the trade winds. The sea is a brilliant turquoise capped with white waves. There is silver sand and there are palm trees. Why though you may wish to fry on the beach with nothing to do all day is a puzzle but there are obviously lots of young and beautiful people that are content to spend their holidays simply soaking up the sun on a beach bed while being served chilled drinks by the hotel barman. There are also quite a few red and corpulent ones!<br /><br />Our tour is drawing to a close. We have visited our final Maya site and the travel company "Explore" thought it would be a nice idea to end the tour at an hotel fronting on to the ocean for a couple of nights until our flight home on Tuesday. Unfortunately we have been left here without any form of transport. Nor is there a shop or anywhere within miles where we can buy food or drink other than the hotel restaurant charging phenomenal prices. The rooms certainly look lovely but they are not very practical being badly lit and uncomfortably arranged. We have a hammock on a palm fronded balcony overlooking the sea. There is no street lighting on the road behind the hotel so we can't leave the site after dark and the telephone line is down so we cannot phone for a taxi. The price per night is excessive to our way of thinking but we have no choice as it is included with the package. We are not alone in feeling frustrated and we would have preferred to go home a day earlier. <br /><br />Our first stop this morning was at Coba, a site lying between two alligator infested lagoons in an area of dense woodland which gave welcome shade and made the site enjoyable. The site was so extensive that cycles were for hire and rickshaws were available. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDWhnr43Ig-FqRBmbzGLno0LVhPwnpZmLU0vuZ9D1WZEYsJ2Zi0dg4dMoVshUV7amAMFiQ-Lzz_A6Zw80U-glBfcaIJN1PCxHiY_lOZQ9m_AuHTKSgbAQQ3Opt2j61EzNw1crV1kwr0o/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-26.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDWhnr43Ig-FqRBmbzGLno0LVhPwnpZmLU0vuZ9D1WZEYsJ2Zi0dg4dMoVshUV7amAMFiQ-Lzz_A6Zw80U-glBfcaIJN1PCxHiY_lOZQ9m_AuHTKSgbAQQ3Opt2j61EzNw1crV1kwr0o/s400/MAYA-02-03-26.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079912009268754" /></a><CENTER>You never know how the kids keep themselves amused when they go out to play! Coba</CENTER><br />After being guided round the group of structures near the entrance by a chap with gold inlaid teeth who rejoiced in the name of Isabel, we set off on foot under the trees to the pyramid of Nohoch Mul, the second highest in Yucatan. On the way we passed a series of structures attractively set in the woodland, including the Conjunto de las Pinturas, the starting point of a raised causeway, and a ball court. There are several eroded stelae, showing that the site was occupied in the classic period. In some ways the style harkens back to Tikal and other sites further south, in fact in one part of the ruins we did not have time to visit there are carvings that have been identified as Queens of Tikal standing on local captives. The Nohoch Mul is most impressive and, as it was Ian's last chance to climb a Maya pyramid he braved the heat and the 120 steep uneven steps. The view at the top was extensive, with the lagoon in the distance, but not as rewarding as Mayapan, where there is a good view of the other buildings on the site. In the covered temple on top of the pyramid a bat hung stoically, braving the continuous intrusions of tourists. Coba is most remarkable as being the hub of no fewer than forty sacbes or causeways, the longest running in an almost straight line for 100 Km westward to Yaxuna to the south of Chichen Itza. How they managed to engineer wide straight roads, paved with gleaming white stucco through trackless scrubby woodland with no hills to provide vantage points is a mystery. Modern Coba did not have a metalled road leading to it until the 1970s. In classic times Coba supported a population estimated at 50,000 and survived long into the post-classic period, with new constructions continuing into the 14th century. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy12N3og6fej0wAG9kTR76ybQ9NrR401dCT_h1bQ0n9b6xfDh6KUtCOfO35TYkcovppAHrk6YM1qdTyeJTcQ1mZ2GNYg6SyfOzWf3zExBQyPu455c3w9PVcCH3-qu9al1Xw9HVsIVETVXZ/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-13.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy12N3og6fej0wAG9kTR76ybQ9NrR401dCT_h1bQ0n9b6xfDh6KUtCOfO35TYkcovppAHrk6YM1qdTyeJTcQ1mZ2GNYg6SyfOzWf3zExBQyPu455c3w9PVcCH3-qu9al1Xw9HVsIVETVXZ/s400/MAYA-02-03-13.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166005516456657954" /></a><CENTER>Temple in Conjunto de las Pinturas, Coba</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSH8Xv4L8Ql7RZ9oJQWX5YLeZt4AdU_jBBpxh1IjR78DGKtjsDarnJNsvlDUmI6Hsogk0odgH5Cch3qsaNy_serOiAXsRNja52k6wpdXfvs7p7gQn9WvRbk34IQYKuzhKM1Xjv3Rucw5ou/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-15.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSH8Xv4L8Ql7RZ9oJQWX5YLeZt4AdU_jBBpxh1IjR78DGKtjsDarnJNsvlDUmI6Hsogk0odgH5Cch3qsaNy_serOiAXsRNja52k6wpdXfvs7p7gQn9WvRbk34IQYKuzhKM1Xjv3Rucw5ou/s400/MAYA-02-03-15.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166005533636527170" /></a><CENTER>Reconstruction of stela,Coba</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhzHUOpJB1gaK5_wf7xp8Ebd835Av-t4C7YrKIVdyvZmJn4iMOLLKlumHOt__Q_fbmdmF4XLLyP5r3iohZejbumE-7ZL2lMgaJsL6ztjzCHKJC9oeBztHBqJlZnb_9gPBMvfQBagEGItK/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-09.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhzHUOpJB1gaK5_wf7xp8Ebd835Av-t4C7YrKIVdyvZmJn4iMOLLKlumHOt__Q_fbmdmF4XLLyP5r3iohZejbumE-7ZL2lMgaJsL6ztjzCHKJC9oeBztHBqJlZnb_9gPBMvfQBagEGItK/s400/MAYA-02-03-09.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165849205416886386" /></a><CENTER>Buildings in the main group, Coba</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3a8YquZgohJsVp21eztV7YRaXehhdq3JuF04tR_QTb286D30EsMy6xb3f7Kv6a2Fkr4pTBSWi217PIfJneXZ0ezhebp0dJQBIgtcQHXmGr5JYNNXtYvgSEXaukXZwq90ERbhqAMezXTk/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-16.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3a8YquZgohJsVp21eztV7YRaXehhdq3JuF04tR_QTb286D30EsMy6xb3f7Kv6a2Fkr4pTBSWi217PIfJneXZ0ezhebp0dJQBIgtcQHXmGr5JYNNXtYvgSEXaukXZwq90ERbhqAMezXTk/s400/MAYA-02-03-16.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166005542226461778" /></a><CENTER>Nohoch Mul, Coba</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVo-2OKCKiLO1XPPbA97f9RQltTyCUYK3vH0HAU1xpLmk4fX3xJAD8J8jsjpu3HTEyuPv2AqblgesKhRsNETAPDf044NnGOwJqcpTGYFzcYgupC8S6SJdsz8I1WAvWO3qOHc_nYzWiC5t/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-17.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVo-2OKCKiLO1XPPbA97f9RQltTyCUYK3vH0HAU1xpLmk4fX3xJAD8J8jsjpu3HTEyuPv2AqblgesKhRsNETAPDf044NnGOwJqcpTGYFzcYgupC8S6SJdsz8I1WAvWO3qOHc_nYzWiC5t/s400/MAYA-02-03-17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166005550816396386" /></a><CENTER> View from the top of Nohoch Mul, Coba</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0p4Jvmblduf31hNGK5HWwU3mrkZOvpS0j1rIVLh0JU4N3JB2q9Whw9SM1E7BKCAH1wcmKckN_yK7xLZVqxRo9SWKO3BKYVgjTkOkHNahAhMB1CPib5hRUrGjVyduach-mxVpoRho8mxL1/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0p4Jvmblduf31hNGK5HWwU3mrkZOvpS0j1rIVLh0JU4N3JB2q9Whw9SM1E7BKCAH1wcmKckN_yK7xLZVqxRo9SWKO3BKYVgjTkOkHNahAhMB1CPib5hRUrGjVyduach-mxVpoRho8mxL1/s400/MAYA-02-03-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166005933068485762" /></a><CENTER>Corner in Chumuc Mul showing how a new building is constructed over an earlier one every 52 years, Coba</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-Sz5kCNjaIye_Q-Z4xhqVhD_PteuvmZYbS-tm5T98hnHWK5vJZA0vkldalHuOl2gg-i1QhQ5fl-PqC3D1SY6preegfaD0Nh_2b6CYDAaDSYN_yWEZS1qOa_cSALVItsrpg_lMhfymhM/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-24.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-Sz5kCNjaIye_Q-Z4xhqVhD_PteuvmZYbS-tm5T98hnHWK5vJZA0vkldalHuOl2gg-i1QhQ5fl-PqC3D1SY6preegfaD0Nh_2b6CYDAaDSYN_yWEZS1qOa_cSALVItsrpg_lMhfymhM/s400/MAYA-02-03-24.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079903419334146" /></a><CENTER> Map showing routes of the sacbes, Coba</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrROEjLte69ubH1a1vvUDqwhUo_0AuNUYDK5ZVWBC78saZ__gWsszwKTd690ugLu7R8B9riFkN06-WlrO8LTH9rwUYiKBeQOSrKFR9wAInndwTGOGAP8Wd0S-A9gQBlr087_neilJccaM/s1280-h/MAYA-02-03-22.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrROEjLte69ubH1a1vvUDqwhUo_0AuNUYDK5ZVWBC78saZ__gWsszwKTd690ugLu7R8B9riFkN06-WlrO8LTH9rwUYiKBeQOSrKFR9wAInndwTGOGAP8Wd0S-A9gQBlr087_neilJccaM/s400/MAYA-02-03-22.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079181864828402" /></a><CENTER>Jill and Coral, Coba</CENTER><br />We continued to our hotel in Tulum where we bid farewell to Coral, our Mayan archaeologist. A few minutes on the beach were enough to convince us we were going to get bored here pretty quickly. So we stood on the roadside and eventually found a passing taxi to take us to the clifftop archaeological Mayan site of Tulum where the breeze from the ocean made the heat bearable. It is a very picturesque site, quite unlike anything we have seen elsewhere and in appearance resembles the archaeological sites to be found around the coasts of the Mediterranean. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTm1YAISBmyWMICRdL81QPcb1ka_5WvEnPx4qeb-VaENv8ut7dmm_3DrKbQPYB6n6loYHZuZaBwc3BAh3L0Eo1ndimmUBLbSyepgVOIjM9RWSc40Hw_lxzg8nUQnSCG_lvlTRdmRU_KWm/s1280-h/MAYA-02-04-01.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTm1YAISBmyWMICRdL81QPcb1ka_5WvEnPx4qeb-VaENv8ut7dmm_3DrKbQPYB6n6loYHZuZaBwc3BAh3L0Eo1ndimmUBLbSyepgVOIjM9RWSc40Hw_lxzg8nUQnSCG_lvlTRdmRU_KWm/s400/MAYA-02-04-01.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165846641321410498" /></a><CENTER>Defensive walls, Tulum</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNYHxSC_XwLIabhWDrkp_EpYqxz3gVYiyJgvG48ejQQiVuyLtQ57CjcCJFb4Qz7El1vFq1NpUk1-Pln4VDufUrzRwkfY5DOCCKnkhw8rRO6-UKxonyEWHFdFPJWgNoUeiFPzjWOR3ebX8/s1280-h/MAYA-02-04-04.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNYHxSC_XwLIabhWDrkp_EpYqxz3gVYiyJgvG48ejQQiVuyLtQ57CjcCJFb4Qz7El1vFq1NpUk1-Pln4VDufUrzRwkfY5DOCCKnkhw8rRO6-UKxonyEWHFdFPJWgNoUeiFPzjWOR3ebX8/s400/MAYA-02-04-04.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165846658501279730" /></a><CENTER>Temple of the Winds, Tulum</CENTER><br />Tulum is a post-classic town, probably founded around 1200, perhaps as a port for the town of Coba, to which it was connected by a causeway. It was clearly of strategic significance and was surrounded by defensive walls with watchtowers at the corners. The buildings are not spectacular but the seaside location and spacious layout makes it an agreeable place to visit, and it was crowded by day-trippers from the Maya Riviera. The dominant building is the Castillo, perched on cliffs above the sea and the buildings bear marks of Toltec influence. There is a temple to the Descending God, probably personifying the setting sun, and it is appropriate that this, the last of our Maya sites dates from the twilight of Maya civilisation. It was viewed from the sea by the Spanish explorer Grijalva in 1518 and a member of the expedition described its brightly painted buildings and the fire burning on top of one of the buildings. The site continued to be occupied by the Maya until the end of the 16th century.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnnkoWD8PjKspZxkbLM085IUGOpr9i5db-PjPY1ZTVxjzuTPc1td4PN0hEHvtJrZRmTs4DI7TVu9IJOK8Mwmf9pReP5vEZSbRmq2xSlHbqJ6x60g4HhERsYF7sg7K5ccfQ8nrhOwbbsGU/s1280-h/MAYA-02-04-14.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnnkoWD8PjKspZxkbLM085IUGOpr9i5db-PjPY1ZTVxjzuTPc1td4PN0hEHvtJrZRmTs4DI7TVu9IJOK8Mwmf9pReP5vEZSbRmq2xSlHbqJ6x60g4HhERsYF7sg7K5ccfQ8nrhOwbbsGU/s400/MAYA-02-04-14.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166030023540050786" /></a><CENTER>Castillo, Tulum</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqc3NuDKNP9XR6jr6dHwebag9GkrQbSgiUMqgG2uxl0dVpaUQOVsTn6FyqfPeVbpcp8nuq42lbRP8BACGLL1PG1s4c-i1UcNqCMBJQcNNxAJ4lu8zr5h8itm9qmPjtErx_r_eOmiGM-1n/s1280-h/MAYA-02-04-07.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqc3NuDKNP9XR6jr6dHwebag9GkrQbSgiUMqgG2uxl0dVpaUQOVsTn6FyqfPeVbpcp8nuq42lbRP8BACGLL1PG1s4c-i1UcNqCMBJQcNNxAJ4lu8zr5h8itm9qmPjtErx_r_eOmiGM-1n/s400/MAYA-02-04-07.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165847474545066018" /></a><CENTER>North watchtower, Tulum</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yAA9WyVh-pI1W6Ux_dvURDF24U2UabGv8THagSpm-Nb-rlhRsddZlNbqVApYuVyghSCkBonPL0VHpA7hSepY-uSqECbqFio-60vzB_DeN8wpTE-0dxgRld1iOga7WQ-sJ7dFodAzcpK6/s1280-h/MAYA-02-04-05.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yAA9WyVh-pI1W6Ux_dvURDF24U2UabGv8THagSpm-Nb-rlhRsddZlNbqVApYuVyghSCkBonPL0VHpA7hSepY-uSqECbqFio-60vzB_DeN8wpTE-0dxgRld1iOga7WQ-sJ7dFodAzcpK6/s400/MAYA-02-04-05.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165846662796247042" /></a><CENTER>House of the Cenote, Tulum</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc7eRvasHOyL9Av2Dg3FW2bTOK57UOMYsgQCh2_Q4UL33zmELoq41VBuEedUEhNCJyrEJzPFJq8cc6VEKHY_TUNENyw5vXIDN9xyHunCuERo8s8UcnKMASFdhCtgygj1iz64D4alVFkhy/s1280-h/MAYA-02-04-18.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc7eRvasHOyL9Av2Dg3FW2bTOK57UOMYsgQCh2_Q4UL33zmELoq41VBuEedUEhNCJyrEJzPFJq8cc6VEKHY_TUNENyw5vXIDN9xyHunCuERo8s8UcnKMASFdhCtgygj1iz64D4alVFkhy/s400/MAYA-02-04-18.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166030929778150306" /></a><CENTER>Temple of the Descending God, Tulum</CENTER><br />The site closed at 5pm and we took another taxi back to our hotel. Darkness has now fallen and, trapped here as we are, all we have to look forward to this evening is half a packet of crumbly biscuits and a bottle of tepid water! <br /><br /><B>Monday 4th February 2008, Tulum, Mexico</B><br />We go home tomorrow. Only a few more hours to survive this "luxury" hotel, Hurrah! It's a pity the end of our trip is proving an anticlimax as the main part of the tour took us to the places Ian had so long wished to visit. The planning had been good and our fellow travelling companions most congenial. It has been so easy for us not having to get ourselves from site to site and until recently it had been wonderful. Since Campeche however the planning has been less good. Overall we have wasted too much time in uninteresting, modern hotels with nothing to do and allowed insufficient time to explore the more interesting locations of Antigua, Campeche and Merida, all of which have museums that would have contributed significantly to placing the Maya people in context as well as allowing time to learn something of the more recent, turbulent histories of Guatemala and the Yucatan.<br /><br />However, we are making the best of our rather trying situation on the Caribbean. Determined not to be forced to eat in the hotel restaurant last night, torch in hand we walked along the deserted road until we found a place renting out beach cabins with hammocks. They had a bar with tables outside. Compared with our hotel it was scruffy but fine for us. The beer and food was less than half the price of our hotel and the waiter – a Mexican lad in beach wear rather than a uniform – delightfully friendly. <br /><br />We finished the evening, after a couple of beers, lying on the beach in the dark looking up at the starry sky trying to recognise constellations which here are oriented differently. We are not hot on astronomy and eventually gave up, returned to our room and watched a dvd on our computer.<br /><br />Overnight we left the windows open and slept to the sound of the sea. At 6am we went down to the empty beach and watched as the sun rose over the horizon and the Frigate birds and Pelicans set off to sea in search of breakfast. Then we went back to bed.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKhFvvS10Es2JImJpzpD4EtCcRNMS8uSq8jEPFYapfe84LL_X1KH_XhRvHz5_XCpfvruZwQtLAS1Ss5ziGs6vmdNIH9ZkzDgZ4ciD-NNZ1m2rdRO4vqNwGys9AABBv-pqOcjIVeWCvQk/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-03.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKhFvvS10Es2JImJpzpD4EtCcRNMS8uSq8jEPFYapfe84LL_X1KH_XhRvHz5_XCpfvruZwQtLAS1Ss5ziGs6vmdNIH9ZkzDgZ4ciD-NNZ1m2rdRO4vqNwGys9AABBv-pqOcjIVeWCvQk/s400/MAYA-02-05-03.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079920599203378" /></a><CENTER>Sunrise over the Caribbean, Tulum</CENTER><br />As late as possible we went to the hotel restaurant in search of our own breakfast. Normally we only need coffee but we discovered we'd already been charged for a full breakfast so determined to get our money's worth. <br /><br />Down on the road we eventually flagged down a taxi which drove us into the town of Tulum, miles from the beach, the hotels or the ruins. However, it had a main street of shacks selling tourist junk and several bars and restaurants so we passed a couple of hot, sticky hours being pestered by vendors of sombreros, ponchos, rugs, jewellery and ceramics. In a side street we found an open church but were prevented from entering by a self appointed guardian who presumably wanted money from us. It is so horrid to be in a tourist area where everyone tries to exploit you.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbL5fqZTG3FNB0x_6LfPsdtnny4iPOqhY09js3J2L45YTprmiPle0GyqLc7b7QWNSVZe5a8iPKCZDPkf7SrHW2W4t049q6yRlsQX9F7ecURqK6hdAEru7AigXO7C8HsbJooaOUM8Rw5fA/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-04.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbL5fqZTG3FNB0x_6LfPsdtnny4iPOqhY09js3J2L45YTprmiPle0GyqLc7b7QWNSVZe5a8iPKCZDPkf7SrHW2W4t049q6yRlsQX9F7ecURqK6hdAEru7AigXO7C8HsbJooaOUM8Rw5fA/s400/MAYA-02-05-04.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079929189137986" /></a><CENTER>Street signs are generally hand painted. We rather liked this one, Tulum</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgN6R0DO0eIVzZBieQrBhyK5r2xJ8hJCzUE2ZX9UO2xTItINA590niurc2DGSgSpG1T2UIJNfWMuUyxSKpi-gomgL6EA_rwrTypF5wYvUDakNOOBKE5Co6aPgurUmoFtTrSOqD8RTmkq4/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-05.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgN6R0DO0eIVzZBieQrBhyK5r2xJ8hJCzUE2ZX9UO2xTItINA590niurc2DGSgSpG1T2UIJNfWMuUyxSKpi-gomgL6EA_rwrTypF5wYvUDakNOOBKE5Co6aPgurUmoFtTrSOqD8RTmkq4/s400/MAYA-02-05-05.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172080289966390866" /></a><CENTER>Shop on the main street, Tulum</CENTER><br />At a bar we stopped for cold drinks. The water was turned off and the toilet didn't function. The town is really very run down, scruffy and only exists because of the development of the Yucatan coastal strip as the Mayan Riviera. We raided the only shop we could find selling foodstuffs leaving with a six pack of beer and several packets of biscuits before stopping another taxi to take us back to our "idyllic part of paradise."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf95qGnRMFbJnzUGmQSP6F-cLBXI2SOwZcVmDRUGWmic4luRA1riRuce5bxPQ6xb9UJL4ImoVCxESgr8dQ5SifSc4ekequJl_futxsrDd3Lie3MPpevmuxlFQvcNgmW6ftjIH3oYGpMk/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-06.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf95qGnRMFbJnzUGmQSP6F-cLBXI2SOwZcVmDRUGWmic4luRA1riRuce5bxPQ6xb9UJL4ImoVCxESgr8dQ5SifSc4ekequJl_futxsrDd3Lie3MPpevmuxlFQvcNgmW6ftjIH3oYGpMk/s400/MAYA-02-05-06.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172080294261358178" /></a><CENTER>So little to do Ian even took a photo of Jill! Tulum</CENTER><br />Our room had been visited and on the bed was a basket constructed from a clean bath towel, topped with a spray of bougainvillea. In the bathroom the end of the toilet paper had been folded into a neat rosette! So this is what we are paying for is it? We are becoming such cynics!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnrUGM-a7wK9J_YqEiyagGa2o_mqjD4QoggDNgq-PwTex1VCM-Ub3y_gEFuAZhSbd8fdSTfpT7hYVwzU1n2w-_ReFlgsycmb7jNBYvXSjc6chWNlue-NJ8HQk0dYEnWZ7vWhKmcNfqDU/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-09.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnrUGM-a7wK9J_YqEiyagGa2o_mqjD4QoggDNgq-PwTex1VCM-Ub3y_gEFuAZhSbd8fdSTfpT7hYVwzU1n2w-_ReFlgsycmb7jNBYvXSjc6chWNlue-NJ8HQk0dYEnWZ7vWhKmcNfqDU/s400/MAYA-02-05-09.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172080302851292786" /></a><CENTER>Hint for a tip from the chambermaid, Tulum</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSDCAduq-zY9iPtAhIIu8a9XB-s_xhqxjLUyerwkXOZXYfUaNlhStVUVkG2sZmUEoBnYDAc8ltG_95WBDb2bV1d7aEDbgSGbkoBlH_6DU4JBf0mf5kUBklQjZ97KWiWSn3cF2JH83hGo/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-01.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSDCAduq-zY9iPtAhIIu8a9XB-s_xhqxjLUyerwkXOZXYfUaNlhStVUVkG2sZmUEoBnYDAc8ltG_95WBDb2bV1d7aEDbgSGbkoBlH_6DU4JBf0mf5kUBklQjZ97KWiWSn3cF2JH83hGo/s400/MAYA-02-05-01.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172079916304236066" /></a><CENTER>On our hotel balcony overlooking the sea, (okay, so what else is there to do?) Tulum</CENTER><br />After beers on the balcony we were ready to face the beach at last. Ian donned his swimwear!!!!! It has to be said that the sand was soft and the sea wonderfully warm though very rough. The perpetual breeze made a stroll through the surf quite pleasurable and Ian cheered up considerably when he realised several of the bronzed beauties were intent on getting a complete all over tan! We ended the afternoon constructing a Mayan sand pyramid and drawing a Mayan warrior and the rain god Chac in the wet sand.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLVIPJS6kh19YawlfDI7vhyphenhyphenX9wVEtwJL0IfbFGINrLjazf-C5bbgxYXfj1gfhOm_igCzLvnnjek-nSIxxsm8m7P09XKxgPbsiiGgvi8P7l76AGMH1VObO-2UzC4BzHaQvNsVyrWUUWEs/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-10.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLVIPJS6kh19YawlfDI7vhyphenhyphenX9wVEtwJL0IfbFGINrLjazf-C5bbgxYXfj1gfhOm_igCzLvnnjek-nSIxxsm8m7P09XKxgPbsiiGgvi8P7l76AGMH1VObO-2UzC4BzHaQvNsVyrWUUWEs/s400/MAYA-02-05-10.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172080307146260098" /></a><CENTER>The Great White God arrives from the sea! Tulum</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg42XL3Q0rUeZ4x7-6lhac9fkCxs_p0bSmE-L_XCexoogjrPYXQ-WatYabOOiqsgoa2Jcz3MprYRdmwUyJeFRjB2TUsAel25i0EhCXqW57_X_9XQiZIDGfS55vu6F4WYCALORB0sjKgEo/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-11.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg42XL3Q0rUeZ4x7-6lhac9fkCxs_p0bSmE-L_XCexoogjrPYXQ-WatYabOOiqsgoa2Jcz3MprYRdmwUyJeFRjB2TUsAel25i0EhCXqW57_X_9XQiZIDGfS55vu6F4WYCALORB0sjKgEo/s400/MAYA-02-05-11.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172080311441227410" /></a><CENTER>View along the beach, Tulum</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzFTUaMTvtvY7CuLKu00NYGmLkPV-R5DtnJ88O1VvVkhN1Vx3mQG4Ol21QUdETuB5rdVe_871sZ_E7YX-Gups4qQMzqZNoeFfg2cqYBJTaH0VxdChaHc1TvuFSjT1ZLT-0yamAdX4Ijs/s1280-h/MAYA-02-05-12.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzFTUaMTvtvY7CuLKu00NYGmLkPV-R5DtnJ88O1VvVkhN1Vx3mQG4Ol21QUdETuB5rdVe_871sZ_E7YX-Gups4qQMzqZNoeFfg2cqYBJTaH0VxdChaHc1TvuFSjT1ZLT-0yamAdX4Ijs/s400/MAYA-02-05-12.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172080461765082786" /></a><CENTER>Head of a Mayan warrior, Tulum</CENTER><br />This evening the whole group joined together for a final meal with our delightful tour leader Louise, who has done everything within her power to ensure things have gone smoothly for everybody. We chose another hotel further along the beach but in common with most around this area, it was high on price and poor on value. It did a great line in large white plates that provided an elegant frame for the small work of art in the centre. Several meals were either wrong, badly cooked or forgotten. As usual staff were incapable of working out the bill and as we felt the meal was overpriced we omitted to point out our bill was out by several dollars in our favour! <br /><br />One of our group visited the ruins on the coast at Tulum this afternoon and managed to accidentally disturb a boa constrictor. It's the first snake any of us have seen around the sites, which is surprising given that there are several hundred species to be found in Central America.<br /><br /><B>Monday 11th February 2008, Exeter</B><br />We have been home several days now and have fully recovered from our exhausting journey that seemed to take us nearly two days! We left our beach hotel around lunch time on the Tuesday morning in a specially hired coach. After two hours of monotonous travelling along a straight dual carriageway cut through the wooded scrubland that seems to cover the entire Yucatan peninsula we reached the airport south of Cancun and bid farewell to our guide Louise. She was due to climb onto the roundabout all over again in a couple of days. It's not that glamorous a job trudging around the same old sites, coping with travellers' problems of lost luggage, mislaid possessions and moans about not wanting to stay in luxury hotels on the beaches of the Caribbean! Sometimes she must look after us all with envy as we leave the heat and brashness of Cancun behind and head back to the chill, damp air of England that stings our nostrils as we step off the plane. <br /><br />Our first plane took us to Mexico City. It was fortunate that we had over two hours there to find our flight. It took all of that! It's the largest and most unhelpful airport we've ever used and we are sure there is a huge population of travellers who have spent years wandering the corridors searching unsuccessfully for their connecting flight. If Kafka were to be writing novels today, he would surely set one in an airport! It would make his traveller's attempts to reach the castle on the hill look like child's play!<br /><br />We flew through time to Madrid starting six hours behind Greenwich time and arriving one hour ahead. Then back though time again to Heathrow and the long coach journey to Exeter. It was early Thursday morning when we finally reached home.Jill, Ian and Modestinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122859105828936321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008876232208881598.post-42554942401238997232008-02-27T14:51:00.008+00:002008-02-29T12:37:08.862+00:00Uxmal and Merida<B>Thursday 31st January 2008, Merida, Mexico</B><br />Yesterday at Uxmal the hotel staff sent us up a couple of flights of stairs with our luggage, only to discover our allocated room was already occupied. Today they made up for it by carrying our luggage out and loading it onto the coach for us. Unfortunately it wasn't our coach! We discovered in time but really we do seem to have encountered an inordinate amount of muddle from hotel staff during this trip.<br /><br />We spent the morning at the site of Uxmal. When we arrived at 8am it was reasonably fresh but by the time we left at midday we were definitely finding clambering around ancient walls in 34 degrees of bright sunlight very draining. We became so used to the huge iguanas posing motionless on the walls, or hiding in culverts with their tails sticking out, that we ceased to be intrigued by them. There were dozens around the site and they seemed to change their colour according to whether they were on grey stone walls or amongst the green bushes. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhKeWFnzf0eEcEb6zTTpoN-uA_vzO5wLxSTi6JOUWiXo41SlQOUYZMUQTflqi_aDdi5p58J_iFnmd9Z5Qv67LBHIYL-641bqxoL7BZ5h7_4PkmDhVbRiJjZG9aTCZ7IQniXrKHlnYscI/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-22.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhKeWFnzf0eEcEb6zTTpoN-uA_vzO5wLxSTi6JOUWiXo41SlQOUYZMUQTflqi_aDdi5p58J_iFnmd9Z5Qv67LBHIYL-641bqxoL7BZ5h7_4PkmDhVbRiJjZG9aTCZ7IQniXrKHlnYscI/s400/MAYA-01-31-22.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171676902342982722" /></a><CENTER>Iguanas, Uxmal</CENTER><br />Uxmal was occupied during the classic period and most of the visible buildings date from around the eighth and ninth centuries. It is also a town that survives into the historical period recorded at the time of the Spanish conquest. For a while in the 11th century it was part of the league of cities which included Chichen Itza. The centre of power then shifted to Mayapan until in 1441 the Xiu rulers of Uxmal threw off their yoke. During the conquest the Xiu family allied themselves with the Spaniards.<br /><br />The Pyramid of the Magician, supposedly built in a single night, lies at the entrance to the site, unusual on two counts, firstly because of its rounded corners and secondly because, when it was reconstructed the additions were built not over the top, but just behind it, leaving the older stairway and temple still visible on one side.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1CVoxoPBPxEOdk1qOiX2LoxB4fhqF9kMbMTx9RewDK1W2gBCduJXHqWlESzINgJ5D6qtdaZrUKcG7O2D_BEUSPTtIXfOXIsbWr8DOoSj4nevwbGEN4RBb74eCCpXSDGGja3AZCgbPRi_/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-34.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1CVoxoPBPxEOdk1qOiX2LoxB4fhqF9kMbMTx9RewDK1W2gBCduJXHqWlESzINgJ5D6qtdaZrUKcG7O2D_BEUSPTtIXfOXIsbWr8DOoSj4nevwbGEN4RBb74eCCpXSDGGja3AZCgbPRi_/s400/MAYA-01-31-34.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166025230356548114" /></a><CENTER>Pyramid of the Magician, Uxmal</CENTER><br />The buildings are decorated with geometrical mosaics of stone – our guide described the site as poetry in stone and the friezes were certainly invocations to Chac, the god of rain, so many of the creatures depicted were associated with water and fertility. There were reliefs of birds and the feathered serpent wound its way along the tops of the lengthy buildings. Perhaps the most perfect and most elaborate complex was the so-called Nunnery with buildings around four sides of the quadrangle where the sound and light show was held. The Maya cleverly allowed for perspective to prevent distortion in the lines of the long buildings. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LwKIhd3lyiqfth4rH-FEVEex4HTP0sBnYtgcQhYC2Dnk-fnX3bPF16FSmhY3m4KMiggZmH106Bhfn7RtiYY2UtRV0FzIPJvBsoZBsggOIsmsmU3HyGe3Grs-NgiI6vlSRX7a8hr0OKO4/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LwKIhd3lyiqfth4rH-FEVEex4HTP0sBnYtgcQhYC2Dnk-fnX3bPF16FSmhY3m4KMiggZmH106Bhfn7RtiYY2UtRV0FzIPJvBsoZBsggOIsmsmU3HyGe3Grs-NgiI6vlSRX7a8hr0OKO4/s400/MAYA-01-31-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166021871692122450" /></a><CENTER>Nunnery, Uxmal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTS0W6UWeBiE8TiIGIY9Aclrum12unQPniiXbvKBooAMm3197KxAaiuL9YD75TPM0mFIUsgrvAWFIAvGY38DMzv8LQaL-TeSNxAZw73yiaKPOMdexggPJBpjotGf011WgZN8xoRU2-LeU/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-19.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTS0W6UWeBiE8TiIGIY9Aclrum12unQPniiXbvKBooAMm3197KxAaiuL9YD75TPM0mFIUsgrvAWFIAvGY38DMzv8LQaL-TeSNxAZw73yiaKPOMdexggPJBpjotGf011WgZN8xoRU2-LeU/s400/MAYA-01-31-19.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166020643331475762" /></a><CENTER>Detail, north wing of the Nunnery, Uxmal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKo991U4RuUAe_IFv3jn7EBVjUOAslS2jZrCx6uX1nUXixCtU1rs2HKO9_bL4uSYJbMpkp4IM6o4STRnhnenLboAt945ZhBQEVVKtXbN7CZkJiQq0iw2ZLxhILC6XxXsM7CwZr0hRb3Gl/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-17.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKo991U4RuUAe_IFv3jn7EBVjUOAslS2jZrCx6uX1nUXixCtU1rs2HKO9_bL4uSYJbMpkp4IM6o4STRnhnenLboAt945ZhBQEVVKtXbN7CZkJiQq0iw2ZLxhILC6XxXsM7CwZr0hRb3Gl/s400/MAYA-01-31-17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166020617561671954" /></a><CENTER>Nunnery, Uxmal</CENTER><br />Beyond the ball-court, which had rings rather than markers the House of the Governor stood in a prominent position near the Grand Pyramid. Probably its original function is represented by the name the Spaniards gave it. There is the figure of a ruler placed centrally on the long façade and in front of it is a jaguar throne on a raised dais.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cakvmtO7E7VzWaIyTcrCAju2UOMTIfio7TUdSWwO751mn3wdgkb1LNAm16xPOiUbubdOyYfLlLIy9cIQX-SL9XAsLqPRgn1K1kbph14x-8nmhTcZEYWTQlCUZkROisTb8gGS3uVyRLfm/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-33.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cakvmtO7E7VzWaIyTcrCAju2UOMTIfio7TUdSWwO751mn3wdgkb1LNAm16xPOiUbubdOyYfLlLIy9cIQX-SL9XAsLqPRgn1K1kbph14x-8nmhTcZEYWTQlCUZkROisTb8gGS3uVyRLfm/s400/MAYA-01-31-33.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166025221766613506" /></a><CENTER>View towards the Nunnery with Ball Court and Magician's Pyramid, Uxmal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSTx_yRONFL5bknQQ1f5KcYv8xiNmc9HJrx0cSdrskjaBhjXKTIPhlvLa8npuiaiMvEg10ZbaiBsQc5HoiqseUHmKvnlAV1GgDhgA93Pav19moCDpCIcVomsHBcUZ9XhZVp5dNf53k4-O/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-27.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSTx_yRONFL5bknQQ1f5KcYv8xiNmc9HJrx0cSdrskjaBhjXKTIPhlvLa8npuiaiMvEg10ZbaiBsQc5HoiqseUHmKvnlAV1GgDhgA93Pav19moCDpCIcVomsHBcUZ9XhZVp5dNf53k4-O/s400/MAYA-01-31-27.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166024427197663650" /></a><CENTER>House of the Governor, Uxmal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaBe2Fer3EGVct3UdK6VZ4I5t_-ERzkIeewAERIUvdkEIsC_oLmgI4XJrFPBRc1i4Nq4EaG9KzmLEdKcEgLvbvd79tnNBInOOBrDfJ4XtW-cA-j50rdspTuu2nFBu0nnpBIvLsCcb99J5/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-29.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaBe2Fer3EGVct3UdK6VZ4I5t_-ERzkIeewAERIUvdkEIsC_oLmgI4XJrFPBRc1i4Nq4EaG9KzmLEdKcEgLvbvd79tnNBInOOBrDfJ4XtW-cA-j50rdspTuu2nFBu0nnpBIvLsCcb99J5/s400/MAYA-01-31-29.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166024444377532866" /></a><CENTER>Jaguar throne and frieze, Uxmal</CENTER><br />To one side of the Governor's palace is the House of the Turtles, perhaps the simplest and most classical in style of the buildings with turtles on the cornice above the colonnades.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxM1POuIWqcOcsJvs0egdzhW_IL6WnzEzju4Ro3SApM7LQAURHKsx9Vzq-fE94ciZSpmofPKG1aBWMk6Kxlsk6PLDDnqxTtfvpbJCh6Yc9ElQYbsW4MBtS9wXBgNpQHMLq3LN_Xs6UxfUz/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-37.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxM1POuIWqcOcsJvs0egdzhW_IL6WnzEzju4Ro3SApM7LQAURHKsx9Vzq-fE94ciZSpmofPKG1aBWMk6Kxlsk6PLDDnqxTtfvpbJCh6Yc9ElQYbsW4MBtS9wXBgNpQHMLq3LN_Xs6UxfUz/s400/MAYA-01-31-37.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166026441537325634" /></a><CENTER>House of the Turtles, Uxmal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VetH2BHlCie66niWhfgm_Qjkt6KWTI_aj-eiY9nQLOtlsmIZoNCWpSOOHt5JwW6Mbeik3MdFGr9NhyU1zX-r1o_qMpHq0nYdBQ68FDXk6xMXRO83OCa5vLcPuxHcUTP4AfDo_ucdQ38o/s1280-h/uxmal-107.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VetH2BHlCie66niWhfgm_Qjkt6KWTI_aj-eiY9nQLOtlsmIZoNCWpSOOHt5JwW6Mbeik3MdFGr9NhyU1zX-r1o_qMpHq0nYdBQ68FDXk6xMXRO83OCa5vLcPuxHcUTP4AfDo_ucdQ38o/s400/uxmal-107.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171272391902073650" /></a><CENTER>Catherwood's drawing of the House of the Turtles, 1848, Uxmal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO35dQ3sPhzXF3d1ZjQaI1y6ISHCobTD8CEgLm6pgrBnaVEWyC0dSL3gFV2sD7KGTCJ8Pij5RpoUg6tnZpMdc-6j5s1ByWtLQH8L5rKpxG5qk4n0Ti7mWePqvLRTpAbwcd6ubO3TChOxxm/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-30.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO35dQ3sPhzXF3d1ZjQaI1y6ISHCobTD8CEgLm6pgrBnaVEWyC0dSL3gFV2sD7KGTCJ8Pij5RpoUg6tnZpMdc-6j5s1ByWtLQH8L5rKpxG5qk4n0Ti7mWePqvLRTpAbwcd6ubO3TChOxxm/s400/MAYA-01-31-30.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166024452967467474" /></a><CENTER>House of the Turtles, Uxmal</CENTER><br /><br />The site of Uxmal is the most highly developed for tourists of any we have seen so far and has been visited longer than most as it is fairly accessible.<br /><br />Our tame Mexican archaeologist Coral later introduced Ian to the refreshing drink of Pulque which she adores. It is made from the fermented juice of the agave plant. Chilled and drunk from the can it is very refreshing. It is also alcoholic and Ian was feeling quite contented with the world by the time we reached Merida about 1pm!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJA7jngg116xf7vyJgIUojsuAowUAm83K7m14VYxrQvKvoDIrQoddjqbBO9XutZXoWjw8hVu-F36boaubYTufYubgYxVEeoiUyr33JrTyyp7AgEtS7GvQVTtf_bqS2Wlueg6-PFQMIf4/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-48.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJA7jngg116xf7vyJgIUojsuAowUAm83K7m14VYxrQvKvoDIrQoddjqbBO9XutZXoWjw8hVu-F36boaubYTufYubgYxVEeoiUyr33JrTyyp7AgEtS7GvQVTtf_bqS2Wlueg6-PFQMIf4/s400/MAYA-01-31-48.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171676910932917330" /></a><CENTER>Fermented agave drink</CENTER><br />This afternoon we left our travelling companions and set off to discover the delights of the town. We had imagined Merida as a beautiful Spanish colonial town filled with impressive parks, churches and residential buildings. All these do exist but they need seeking out. Today Merida is the capital of the Yucatan region with a population of 600,000. Almost all have Mayan blood to a greater or lesser degree, mixed with Spanish. They are called Mestizos. Generally they are quite small, tending to be stocky but the children in particular are quite beautiful. Most speak Mayan as well as Spanish and many signs are written in both languages. We have been surprised that there are so few older people to be seen on the streets. Most of the population is under 35 and seems to consist of only two generations. It is quite rare to see men over 45 and we have seen very few women older than about 40! When we do, they are usually praying inside a church or begging at the door. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeJUB452o4ss1JeGU3niVwB1QxwrsWbkcfyeOUFML09MwNxtxGRev52F6-192L4jCVL1RxZlYfjJkl032DYseEp7UhDUzXt7EsdvT36GbF-kYyDL75rCRwXKO-JaZKXas0vr6MHWXErM/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-53.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeJUB452o4ss1JeGU3niVwB1QxwrsWbkcfyeOUFML09MwNxtxGRev52F6-192L4jCVL1RxZlYfjJkl032DYseEp7UhDUzXt7EsdvT36GbF-kYyDL75rCRwXKO-JaZKXas0vr6MHWXErM/s400/MAYA-01-31-53.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171676915227884642" /></a><CENTER>Public park, Merida</CENTER><br />Merida city centre is mainly low rise buildings laid out in a grid system with the roads unimaginatively named Calle 43 – 69. Even numbers run north to south and odd numbers from east to west and a one-way system keeps the traffic flowing quite freely. The streets all look much the same and the town map must surely be the most boring one in Ian's collection! However, we found our way to the municipal market where we bought a cheap lunch of mushroom and cheese burritos with cream and salsa, with chilled lime juice to drink. Walking slowly and seeking the shady side of the streets we then made our way across town to the Anthropological museum housed in a large and beautiful villa of the colonial period. It was well worth the exhausting drag across town and we wallowed in the air conditioned rooms as we looked at the artefacts gathered from the sites of Uxmal and Chichen Itza. Pottery, carved or clay figures, knives, daggers and tools chipped from flint, offerings to the gods made from jade - ornaments, bracelets and necklaces. There were even skulls that had been deformed to produce the typically shaped heads of the Mayan elite nobility. (Babies and young children had their skulls compressed between blocks of wood to make it pointed at the top with the nose coming straight down from the forehead.) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbO0qYBGByrrfye6Dk9Cs7-IZzDUhXyUhokKSoEu1EGiFHDCv5vWC_lSW80Sv-MDvK4iWMnnG2kUY0PYLeb1sR2RijeuSunHt8tRsFSjrTQoo9Y8SWCfO_jILhbra4rVoib8Jr3xPrak/s1280-h/MAYA-01-31-58.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbO0qYBGByrrfye6Dk9Cs7-IZzDUhXyUhokKSoEu1EGiFHDCv5vWC_lSW80Sv-MDvK4iWMnnG2kUY0PYLeb1sR2RijeuSunHt8tRsFSjrTQoo9Y8SWCfO_jILhbra4rVoib8Jr3xPrak/s400/MAYA-01-31-58.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171676932407753842" /></a><CENTER> Anthropological museum, Merida</CENTER><br />As we made our way back towards the town centre we discovered we were in the middle of the carnival. Somebody explained that it was day five of a ten day celebration and this afternoon it had been the parade of the children. The streets had been closed to traffic and were lined with citizens standing in the hot sunshine watching the children as they passed. As the parade ended around 6pm and darkness fell, the procession broke up and hundreds of cute kids dressed as Egyptian goddesses, geisha girls, ballet dancers, princesses, pirates, Roman legionaries, cowboys and Chinese emperors trotted along with their parents, blowing bubbles, eating candyfloss and buying doughnuts and soft drinks from the many street stalls.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvxiXnHuMEXVexQ5MSmjRBQycHhp7jQhMCmWL1onK-WUeaYoW6dbG9kcPahr531XsyglWnPrTHt50nh_7t7LrqDEozslJtRTqAi-NhliJNqd8UA13c95NfRqVr_8qUnId3MSdegN31yQ/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-01.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvxiXnHuMEXVexQ5MSmjRBQycHhp7jQhMCmWL1onK-WUeaYoW6dbG9kcPahr531XsyglWnPrTHt50nh_7t7LrqDEozslJtRTqAi-NhliJNqd8UA13c95NfRqVr_8qUnId3MSdegN31yQ/s400/MAYA-02-01-01.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171676936702721154" /></a><CENTER>Carnival, Merida</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkjW6L73WfIUHuGFTvFGvUSkdpvE5VaPxodKYJpGd7KpQAWjq1BOY_WZaiHWaJ-P-SJmZCLCqh8CvnPDrkq6xtUJXAdH-YZFZZDkRQLt-ZNDdpI1HAJjI3NjF25JuFnq3UVE5ht2vQZE/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-06.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkjW6L73WfIUHuGFTvFGvUSkdpvE5VaPxodKYJpGd7KpQAWjq1BOY_WZaiHWaJ-P-SJmZCLCqh8CvnPDrkq6xtUJXAdH-YZFZZDkRQLt-ZNDdpI1HAJjI3NjF25JuFnq3UVE5ht2vQZE/s400/MAYA-02-01-06.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171677202990693522" /></a><CENTER>Carnival, Merida</CENTER><br />The central square lies between streets 60, 61, 62 and 63. Around it stand the Cathedral, the 16th century house of the conqueror Montejo, which stayed in possession of the family until the 1980s but is now a bank. Over the main entrance is a representation of the conquering Spaniards trampling Maya underfoot – which has surprisingly survived a series of periods of unrest by the suppressed Maya. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C1OtYXNRixvZVdZU4eCoLbH8A0ahFlbRSXavhcmxGSCOgKhutCKJkGTWNj9pktokudA8dg5iZrt5r1jcG74xEk1tMls-fYULpvMI-rNfZ2tjuXyrLzITYpZKRytR_fCoaRJEtujn_sM/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-08.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C1OtYXNRixvZVdZU4eCoLbH8A0ahFlbRSXavhcmxGSCOgKhutCKJkGTWNj9pktokudA8dg5iZrt5r1jcG74xEk1tMls-fYULpvMI-rNfZ2tjuXyrLzITYpZKRytR_fCoaRJEtujn_sM/s400/MAYA-02-01-08.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171677211580628130" /></a><CENTER>Catherdal, Merida</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNSe9V_mt5hGJK7gXLBxKyJRa7OnpyfMoHn2Bj8sZ0bLK2dKkc29_cZ11vgExqNra-rEd2JMtCZP-mz0Ei0SQRSakRJ82cVBhs686xsnwC3Kl9VyfVmm1waxoGIbs9-5oNg_scoTQI4Y/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-19.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNSe9V_mt5hGJK7gXLBxKyJRa7OnpyfMoHn2Bj8sZ0bLK2dKkc29_cZ11vgExqNra-rEd2JMtCZP-mz0Ei0SQRSakRJ82cVBhs686xsnwC3Kl9VyfVmm1waxoGIbs9-5oNg_scoTQI4Y/s400/MAYA-02-01-19.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678057689185522" /></a><CENTER>House of the Montejo dynasty, Merida</CENTER><br />We looked inside the rather stark Cathedral built in the 16th century with stones taken from the city of Tihoo which formerly stood on the site. The interior had been stripped of its decorations during one of the uprisings. We also went inside the elegant Governor's Residence with its colonnaded courtyard. On the stairway and the first floor are a series of powerful murals by the local artist Pacheco painted over a period of 25 years and depicting the Maya cosmology and a series of historic incidents which placed so much of what we had seen in context - the conquest, the destruction of the Maya writings by Bishop Landa, the English pirates, the arrival of the printing press as recently as 1813, the Caste Wars of the early 19th century, the selling of prisoners as slaves to Cuba and recent land reforms. We were fortunate to see them as an official meeting was just finishing in the main hall as we arrived. In fact everything seemed to be happening today in Merida and the place was extremely crowded. In the crowds there was an attempt made to open our rucksack but fortunately they picked an empty pocket.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQxap0wNAfN-hHOzBlPT5FinnwGL3f-lXpFqJ6u1ReU-6fN_rM6WR9p_OPCs7FNpR2qoqZhdUHL6dD0iAeHG3STJpK1GjX5WZDwDp4Ota9yttz56hW_foibqjgC6AYUmG2t8fxNRPVEE/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-17.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQxap0wNAfN-hHOzBlPT5FinnwGL3f-lXpFqJ6u1ReU-6fN_rM6WR9p_OPCs7FNpR2qoqZhdUHL6dD0iAeHG3STJpK1GjX5WZDwDp4Ota9yttz56hW_foibqjgC6AYUmG2t8fxNRPVEE/s400/MAYA-02-01-17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678044804283618" /></a><CENTER>Governor's Residence, Merida</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9FVo8Yk6Wz2fvAUpF2BUtTD5Aq2T-P4YsbbITrR1KUmLsANpVU-ZNoWAFHq35Hj5QaVbxK50ocLCXLgVv6t5AELrAbhI-n4m14mt3_vd0vFFpt3hF6hlaOW43aWhnDcNK8e2vHcwg_U/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-13.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9FVo8Yk6Wz2fvAUpF2BUtTD5Aq2T-P4YsbbITrR1KUmLsANpVU-ZNoWAFHq35Hj5QaVbxK50ocLCXLgVv6t5AELrAbhI-n4m14mt3_vd0vFFpt3hF6hlaOW43aWhnDcNK8e2vHcwg_U/s400/MAYA-02-01-13.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171677224465530066" /></a><CENTER>Courtyard of the Governor's Residence, Merida</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyM6Nu1fLvTbWvKQHXcbyyq7s-kiGeUffw10Dd1iGc_hkc6-vkF9xvzBWnR_dXM2l6yOhlPlt2nSXB7oUXEyOvlYmRuTAf37ypYI5m-N8v4GEaG9wrJa5sns5BuOyqSKf4HwXv4YYpEp0/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-09.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyM6Nu1fLvTbWvKQHXcbyyq7s-kiGeUffw10Dd1iGc_hkc6-vkF9xvzBWnR_dXM2l6yOhlPlt2nSXB7oUXEyOvlYmRuTAf37ypYI5m-N8v4GEaG9wrJa5sns5BuOyqSKf4HwXv4YYpEp0/s400/MAYA-02-01-09.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171677215875595442" /></a><CENTER>Mayan myth depicting man created from corn, Governor's Residence, Merida</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUeTZtDMuC5iEXFcibyfIbqqwDAwjuZhK9oYU2nO3-MZUmYWTwQ-lM9BsF0U4uz2slN11_1FM_ZFqtOA1Fc16hjrmsLUoh8Teb7prUYycYQxyYFFgkLjgMNjZLCrlX7023pSxyeGcaE0/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-12.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUeTZtDMuC5iEXFcibyfIbqqwDAwjuZhK9oYU2nO3-MZUmYWTwQ-lM9BsF0U4uz2slN11_1FM_ZFqtOA1Fc16hjrmsLUoh8Teb7prUYycYQxyYFFgkLjgMNjZLCrlX7023pSxyeGcaE0/s400/MAYA-02-01-12.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171677220170562754" /></a><CENTER>Interior of the Governor's Residence, Merida</CENTER><br />Finally, we stopped for supper at a restaurant that looked slightly less of a tourist trap than the others with a few Mexicans eating there as well. It was quite pleasant but not particularly good value. We chose Poc Chuc because it sounded exotic. When it came we realised it was actually Pork Chop! However, it was served with fried beans, caramelised onions and tomatoes and lots of green guacamole. <br /><br /><B>Friday 1st February 2008, Piste near Chichen Itza, Mexico</B><br />We were not due to leave Merida until midday so we were up and out early this morning, making the most of the relative cool before the day heated up. First though, a cup of coffee at a baker's shop with Mexican hot cakes smothered in honey and cream. We expected pancakes but these were far more substantial. Though very nice, even the two of us sharing a plateful couldn't manage to finish them! <br /><br />We made our way across town to the Municipal Museum, recently installed in the former Post Office, which turned out to be completely free and blissfully air conditioned. Several groups of school children were being taken around by their teachers and were enjoying it all immensely. This museum was of particular interest, dealing not with the ancient history of the Mayan civilisation, but with their living conditions during the 19th century and the caste wars as they struggled for recognition. One of the poorest and most remote of the Mexican states, Yucatan quickly became the richest during the second half of the 19th century when the commercial value of Henequen was realised. This is a plant, indigenous to the Yucatan. Its leaves produce fibrous strands that can be twisted and woven to form string, sacking, matting and hammocks. It is known in Europe as Sisal after the port through which it was exported a short distance north of Merida. As most of the land in the Yucatan was owned by a few wealthy landowners they became extremely rich while the Maya Indians worked almost as slaves to maintain the industry.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpunG4FoeWIkpvvg0J1wq73UrCNRcumbAxOMzeFfliTD-6yoNVA9r4-JVnRVzyqMelKPmjydcjeluTBFesJ1WU9LrggCOUkFeU9dwF6gDAR_Wkgsk6lXi_IGrXG6GM3PN6PNEENcZwWH8/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-22.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpunG4FoeWIkpvvg0J1wq73UrCNRcumbAxOMzeFfliTD-6yoNVA9r4-JVnRVzyqMelKPmjydcjeluTBFesJ1WU9LrggCOUkFeU9dwF6gDAR_Wkgsk6lXi_IGrXG6GM3PN6PNEENcZwWH8/s400/MAYA-02-01-22.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678066279120130" /></a><CENTER>In the Municipal Museum, Merida</CENTER><br />Upstairs the museum had several temporary exhibitions including paintings by local artists depicting scenes from Merida and animals of the Yucatan peninsular. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIlGU9HN8XZceGfGo7BDg84NO0i83U7VbfAvpfKsI6_acWf8Njv9ZJuqnfN68WF4TcVNAPTXAKDDPIUf2sWcyhigyez7HgwhymP7zBNQnX37HyN9GX3XwATVEgAWdrxRWcKwux_N5oRA/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-26.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIlGU9HN8XZceGfGo7BDg84NO0i83U7VbfAvpfKsI6_acWf8Njv9ZJuqnfN68WF4TcVNAPTXAKDDPIUf2sWcyhigyez7HgwhymP7zBNQnX37HyN9GX3XwATVEgAWdrxRWcKwux_N5oRA/s400/MAYA-02-01-26.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678096343891218" /></a><CENTER>Painting of Merida Cathedral, Municipal Museum </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7z-yaOLvEMsCCvYMQ_NulwUdHhOSeWIt7P3n_oSsJxSwvTI7v7-nCVDSf_vn_dWwug8DBmnEDoOetKB2h5DXOJi1Vb0ukc2nGFl3TBIFjDU_gflE7WywzY5UCShw4gre6zwy5fKuWWY/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-28.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7z-yaOLvEMsCCvYMQ_NulwUdHhOSeWIt7P3n_oSsJxSwvTI7v7-nCVDSf_vn_dWwug8DBmnEDoOetKB2h5DXOJi1Vb0ukc2nGFl3TBIFjDU_gflE7WywzY5UCShw4gre6zwy5fKuWWY/s400/MAYA-02-01-28.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678100638858530" /></a><CENTER>Painting of indigenous animals and plants, Municipal Museum, Merida</CENTER><br />We discovered the huge food market filled with fruit, vegetables, courges and cooked meats. It is quite astonishing just how many peppers are consumed in Mexico. There were countless long stalls laden with every possible variety and colour of pepper. Their piquancy varied from mild to white hot though they all looked deceptively fresh, shiny and innocent. Just in case a basket load of red hot chillies proved insufficient for a quick family snack, there were stalls selling large bags of dried, ground chillies that could surely have kept the entire UK supplied for months!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WMlFSzxN9TH3GFeSyAuI892f-0Ly8tVEpBzQ2DclZPkLJO6Cix-IcI6HrqO75FGqJ7YFKkervlxfWfKoDuzMjdTWIyExKe8vH6fke1xO5LPbmXOHRt8RPMfUj27ZQX8dEfQG7U3cZOA/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-30.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WMlFSzxN9TH3GFeSyAuI892f-0Ly8tVEpBzQ2DclZPkLJO6Cix-IcI6HrqO75FGqJ7YFKkervlxfWfKoDuzMjdTWIyExKe8vH6fke1xO5LPbmXOHRt8RPMfUj27ZQX8dEfQG7U3cZOA/s400/MAYA-02-01-30.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678414171471154" /></a><CENTER>In the market, Merida</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWGAq8b9pwQ0Za6k91Pb-F5ItIKPOJW7EUQGm7ZvZ-n_oI8a1AMCJI_ZV6pZ-BeqcwHB48gyryKTx1BE9_8BfmtzwQiZ4UdsoJS1R5748BIDZPOCisAjD5wfYM_5fasyWawtxrfTiHkc/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-32.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWGAq8b9pwQ0Za6k91Pb-F5ItIKPOJW7EUQGm7ZvZ-n_oI8a1AMCJI_ZV6pZ-BeqcwHB48gyryKTx1BE9_8BfmtzwQiZ4UdsoJS1R5748BIDZPOCisAjD5wfYM_5fasyWawtxrfTiHkc/s400/MAYA-02-01-32.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678422761405762" /></a><CENTER>Peppers in the market, Merida</CENTER><br />It was here that we discovered where the older population of Merida was to be found. The men were stallholders while the ladies were buying the food for the family. Unlike the younger women, who all wear fashionable western clothes, these ladies were wearing the traditional dress of the Yucatan consisting of a colourfully embroidered white smock known as a huipil over a longer lacy petticoat. For them the market was a meeting place and they were standing in shady corners chatting together. Such a sight may well die out. We cannot imagine the younger generation of women choosing to disappear from general view, confining themselves to their homes and forsaking their jeans and smart sandals for the traditional dresses of their mothers.<br /><br />Time was passing quickly and the streets were too hot and crowded to hurry back to our hotel, so we contented ourselves with popping in to just one church as we passed by. It proved an interesting experience. Although the churches here are far less ostentatious than in Spain the statues of the saints are life size and fully dressed in velvet robes trimmed with braid and lace. Strategically placed beside the altar of this church there was a life-sized depiction of the Last Supper with Christ and the apostles. In front was a pew where a lady stood fervently praying aloud to the statues around the table. In another corner, a particularly tragic Christ robed in scarlet velvet, was being caressed by a mother and son as they stood before it. Catholicism is still very much the dominant faith amongst the people of the Yucatan - though we have seen a number of very different religious sects including even an Ebenezer Chapel where we were cheerfully waved to when we peeped in at the door!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5MJzjt-Ymb_zqFF5aJtgQsH5IpYCmjGiackNOMzq_-2jFVHYh338mHGn7o-gZSEsn0iRJ4spDgKbhQhrtwnkZG1xDr96ZEpHUlyE3hEeRLuucQJ7FC1WUIA-p53ILW6QUrGDq6yYo48/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-33.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5MJzjt-Ymb_zqFF5aJtgQsH5IpYCmjGiackNOMzq_-2jFVHYh338mHGn7o-gZSEsn0iRJ4spDgKbhQhrtwnkZG1xDr96ZEpHUlyE3hEeRLuucQJ7FC1WUIA-p53ILW6QUrGDq6yYo48/s400/MAYA-02-01-33.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678427056373074" /></a><CENTER>Praying to the Apostles, Merida</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu01Qkq5ZFeN-BZn3UrK4lYjHl2GvGQXB7VrjXn_w1Ci58_bhdgP7oriDbKX-E40hFxU-EGVNmQdpZUdLx8rLd3koiyfTqnmRKnexge4y2OPS7cq93twTVKBDVOYOvVTV77U4CMo0-Ge4/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-35.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu01Qkq5ZFeN-BZn3UrK4lYjHl2GvGQXB7VrjXn_w1Ci58_bhdgP7oriDbKX-E40hFxU-EGVNmQdpZUdLx8rLd3koiyfTqnmRKnexge4y2OPS7cq93twTVKBDVOYOvVTV77U4CMo0-Ge4/s400/MAYA-02-01-35.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678431351340386" /></a><CENTER>Statue of Christ, Merida</CENTER><br />During the afternoon we drove to Mayapan. The buildings to be seen there are scaled-down versions of what we will see tomorrow in Chichen Itza, and the site has often been deprecated for this reason. Nevertheless its importance is now being realised by archaeologists. After the fall of Chichen Itza, probably about 1200, it became the leading city in Yucatan for two centuries. Like Chichen it has a Castillo or main pyramid, here known as the Castillo of Kukulcan, the reputed founder of the city. From the top are wonderful views across the central buildings and over the flat scrubby woodlands of Yucatan. To one side of the Castillo is a round building with a remarkable circular passageway inside, rather like the Caracol in Chichen, regarded as an astronomical observatory, although without any real evidence. Just below it by a small temple is an overgrown cenote. Unlike chultunes or cisterns, these are natural holes, produced where the limestone surface has collapsed to reveal underground caves, often providing a supply of water – vital in such a parched area. The Spaniards named them from the Maya word dzonot. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLh3NR4Pw-h3YKaDHqZkRUxrnqlV7ebhRC3GEA33H_FjAyp6N5c1Mu1_w-cTblhPNNLaIT3LliwcE835-h3oXjDzyACXUHa0CqId0NZ9P1Frcg7eOzlM30kcsVW2C5oK829cRG_5X-Xdo/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-56.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLh3NR4Pw-h3YKaDHqZkRUxrnqlV7ebhRC3GEA33H_FjAyp6N5c1Mu1_w-cTblhPNNLaIT3LliwcE835-h3oXjDzyACXUHa0CqId0NZ9P1Frcg7eOzlM30kcsVW2C5oK829cRG_5X-Xdo/s400/MAYA-02-01-56.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678736294018450" /></a><CENTER>Castillo of Kukulcan, Mayapan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4mlEevY0GBiNRkM4HzLCcXlUABC1pVZAS490e-oWY7_O5BEKcnSspznn7njyTIxRCMApuaPSVyNBIUS0csrIBSA5HcIPLPPhsBgJ4lQW7HKF_-nKmnZOW8Yvpk1rj97o_uHjPanpgZc/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-55.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4mlEevY0GBiNRkM4HzLCcXlUABC1pVZAS490e-oWY7_O5BEKcnSspznn7njyTIxRCMApuaPSVyNBIUS0csrIBSA5HcIPLPPhsBgJ4lQW7HKF_-nKmnZOW8Yvpk1rj97o_uHjPanpgZc/s400/MAYA-02-01-55.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678731999051138" /></a><CENTER>View from the Castillo of Kukulcan, Mayapan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXetaeZQ1gCSyi_Ac1pf_Zo_NX9Fa18rMD5n4exovOZh2QLjP9eUHh9EUrWorQtXzavq62RkRhXzPdfqPjCprhgBzRKqPp72iYXK0Zfmvz-VgdYVyMKHAyk16jJV9SHpnaekv73fh52FJ/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-42.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXetaeZQ1gCSyi_Ac1pf_Zo_NX9Fa18rMD5n4exovOZh2QLjP9eUHh9EUrWorQtXzavq62RkRhXzPdfqPjCprhgBzRKqPp72iYXK0Zfmvz-VgdYVyMKHAyk16jJV9SHpnaekv73fh52FJ/s400/MAYA-02-01-42.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165866939336851842" /></a><CENTER>Astronomical observatory and pyramid, Mayapan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjThStoSR6UcsTSVXA6HGuQZiRMOz62YKZerwG1tppbhfAK_pIfm4J-dcuPd0LQwKWh6KAxrb7WCs9udObf1g8tqn2qCElmL4zT7y-GnA67UhhcWWbCLEyzzQk_Xi_emmqTPjGEDKDsC9u/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-50.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjThStoSR6UcsTSVXA6HGuQZiRMOz62YKZerwG1tppbhfAK_pIfm4J-dcuPd0LQwKWh6KAxrb7WCs9udObf1g8tqn2qCElmL4zT7y-GnA67UhhcWWbCLEyzzQk_Xi_emmqTPjGEDKDsC9u/s400/MAYA-02-01-50.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166002948066214722" /></a><CENTER>Cenote, Mayapan</CENTER><br />There are also many administrative and residential buildings with extensive use made of columns to produce larger and lighter interiors. Unlike in the highlands, government seems to have been by council rather than by an individual, and the so-called Hall of the Kings just below the Castillo has a particularly long gallery to allow for the number of dignitaries to be accommodated. The decorations and sculptures on the site include fragments of frescoes and have the military themes derived from Toltec influence which showed close links with central Mexico. In one place fragments of floor plaster remains, showing that the floors too were decorated, with use of Maya blue as a background to patterns, and there was evidence of at least six layers of plaster, indicating a lengthy period of occupation of that level. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYxYN0Oxw6jB-zpFT4MsN0UIpzUlDFQQs3GbWLr9KRQEcocHfHCmX5UQ3ULA3jmgLBdfXay63gKCUOnB-WdUuGyDWwFpE-cg01pBUolF99aTGmDXkhwCJjg5YugKulufZwgHHx1D_ydo2/s1280-h/MAYA-02-01-52.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYxYN0Oxw6jB-zpFT4MsN0UIpzUlDFQQs3GbWLr9KRQEcocHfHCmX5UQ3ULA3jmgLBdfXay63gKCUOnB-WdUuGyDWwFpE-cg01pBUolF99aTGmDXkhwCJjg5YugKulufZwgHHx1D_ydo2/s400/MAYA-02-01-52.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166003867189216098" /></a><CENTER>Hall of the Kings, Mayapan</CENTER><br />The heat and the number of sites we have now visited are definitely taking their toll of all but a hardy few. Despite the heat, Ian clambered to the top of the steep-sided pyramid, camera in hand, for some general views over the site while those with more sense sheltered under the shade of a fluffy kapok tree and watched. His descent was less elegant, accomplished backwards, rather like coming down a ladder.<br /><br />We are now at a rather plush hotel near the famed site of Chichen Itza which we will visit tomorrow. There is little to see along the scruffy stretch of road that passes for a village outside the gates of the hotel, but this evening we ventured out to discover it is carnival here to night. It's far less boisterous and noisy than our experience in Trinidad last year, but has caused great excitement amongst the people of the village. Like the parade in Merida yesterday, all the children were in fancy dress. They were being transported up and down the only street in balloon-covered lorries, jeeps and even a peddled rickshaw. Long tailbacks of traffic built up, there was lots of hooting, drowned out by the boisterous music, and generally a good time was had by all. Compared with Jouvert at Couva last year it was a tame affair, but for anyone who'd not experienced <a href="http://maxtedtravelstrinidad.blogspot.com/2007/03/fire-and-brimstone.html">Trinidad's unique version of Dante's Inferno</a> it was a pretty noisy affair.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFn84hf0BYPssXHuAcEjOCYKw2IlYuL08PeFZgTnLgvjMFzfdSH4CTbi8RneIxPngsdLbwM0XbWUovCu_m3kGPjmkigiJ0vMCgIMr9XXzehv3WuuESN9D3mvIYS_bHCWy17h9PmVxBqMs/s1280-h/MAYA-02-02-05.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFn84hf0BYPssXHuAcEjOCYKw2IlYuL08PeFZgTnLgvjMFzfdSH4CTbi8RneIxPngsdLbwM0XbWUovCu_m3kGPjmkigiJ0vMCgIMr9XXzehv3WuuESN9D3mvIYS_bHCWy17h9PmVxBqMs/s400/MAYA-02-02-05.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171678749178920354" /></a><CENTER>Carnival, Piste</CENTER>Jill, Ian and Modestinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122859105828936321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008876232208881598.post-10144073198591577132008-02-27T11:39:00.009+00:002008-02-27T13:06:26.810+00:00Campeche to Uxmal<B>Tuesday 29th January 2008, Campeche, Mexico</B><br />We had few regrets as we left Palenque this morning. The Mayan site had been stunning but there had been little else of merit or great interest. <br /><br />As we travelled northwest towards the Gulf of Mexico, across a landscape of huge fields, coconut plantations and cattle, the jungle vegetation gradually being replaced by orchards of citrus fruit and more broad-leafed trees. Beside the road were dilapidated villages of decaying concrete huts with corrugated iron or thatched roofs. There was less litter than we have seen around settlements in Guatemala and Mexico appears to be a richer country. Such terms are relative however. Compared to our own standards the country is poor and the lives of the inhabitants, very basic. In Guatemala we encountered thousands of tuctucs. In the coastal villages of Mexico we saw rickshaws attached to motorbikes! Ideal for transporting goods but passengers get covered in fumes. Also as we moved north, the climate changed. It became dryer and unbearably hot.<br /><br />On the outskirts of Palenque we passed an army vehicle surrounded by gun-wielding military with a machine gun mounted on the roof. Some time later we were stopped by a roadblock. Young men with dull, expressionless faces wearing army combat gear and carrying huge black guns called us to a holding area and climbed on board, eyeing us all in an intimidating manner, going through the overhead lockers and even checking out the onboard toilet. They must have been feeling bored because they then made us all get off the bus where they went through everyone's hand luggage individually. Finally they climbed into the luggage hold beneath the coach to check our suitcases! What they expected to find on a coach loaded with British tourists, none of whom would even recognise cocane if they saw it, we cannot imagine. We were told they were looking for drugs and guns. There is rather a lot to be said for living in Britain!<br /><br />By lunchtime we reached the Gulf of Mexico. It stretched green and empty to the horizon. A thin strip of white sand ran along the shoreline with coconut palms scattered along the seaward side of the road. On the landward side there was nothing but forest. We followed the coast endlessly. The emptiness of the scenery soon became monotonous with just the occasional huge, elaborate villa on the seashore to add interest. Just out to sea were pelicans. They were very agile in the air, diving directly into the sea to catch their lunch. There were also huge frigate birds, graceful in flight, and on the lagoon were bright pink flamingos.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7gvzN71ewKHpRBGcbk6KqHxsWmoudYHqATrPd7bzxCYIkvsdnLtfY0zX3EG2mPYUAL94mF1cWIhaYV2M6WUDnosPX4wuMEnxEx1accZTpVqU8RpUeC3HTdlEiC58uHz18aTf58ouDxY/s1280-h/MAYA-01-29-02.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7gvzN71ewKHpRBGcbk6KqHxsWmoudYHqATrPd7bzxCYIkvsdnLtfY0zX3EG2mPYUAL94mF1cWIhaYV2M6WUDnosPX4wuMEnxEx1accZTpVqU8RpUeC3HTdlEiC58uHz18aTf58ouDxY/s400/MAYA-01-29-02.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171623739237792594" /></a><CENTER>Fishermen on the Gulf of Mexico</CENTER><br />North of Champoton we stopped at a beachside café for lunch. It was very basic but also very nice and extremely cheap. We opted for beer with empanadas de cazon (sort of sharkmeat pasties) served with salad, fresh limes and hot chilli sauce. While we waited Jill climbed over the wall to the beach just so she could brag about paddling in the Gulf of Mexico! It was warm and clear with no waves and appeared to have very little tide. Once past the detritus of floating plastic water bottles it was quite nice with strange little red-eyed fish swimming around my feet.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNmh1J1roXjwOP9ZyOMzc_Sx35RC5WF27Sz0hDF4YaV690NSUYxL5CNt7FogUxyVyaEYCIu9oaPBmheRoeAxC1qAWDnYBdi5AwRDPO4Ttfq6Tg7tJd4qcD0w7O-Zm9Wt1b9Smc_p5AZQ/s1280-h/MAYA-01-29-04.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNmh1J1roXjwOP9ZyOMzc_Sx35RC5WF27Sz0hDF4YaV690NSUYxL5CNt7FogUxyVyaEYCIu9oaPBmheRoeAxC1qAWDnYBdi5AwRDPO4Ttfq6Tg7tJd4qcD0w7O-Zm9Wt1b9Smc_p5AZQ/s400/MAYA-01-29-04.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171623747827727202" /></a><CENTER>Beachside café on the Gulf of Mexico, Champoton</CENTER><br />Our next stop was at the little visited Mayan site of Edzna where we watched as a huge Iguana flopped its ungainly way up the deserted staircase of one of the pyramids. Edzna is a site on a monumental scale. On one side of the Plaza Principal is the Nohochna or Big House an extremely elongated structure facing a series of steps which lead up to a further enclosure on the far side of which is the Edificio de los Cinco Pisos, a mixture of a palace and a temple with colonnaded facades on five levels. A struggle up the steep staircase in the blazing sun was rewarded by a magnificent panorama of the whole site and out across the flat forested expanse of the Yucatan peninsula. To the south, beyond the ball court is the Templo de Mascarones where archaeologists had stripped off the outer layer to reveal two masks of the sungod, complete with original colouring. Finally we viewed the puzzling Templo de la Escalinata con Relievos, a temple with what appears to be a late and clumsy attempt at a hieroglyphic staircase.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-g49HpPhdrOZfKELZT5BsA8IKolqZ6mBU6ULmEHwRAp71A93gqhwCWyG0-SayhS8wNfyGgjDYLSvZ9mqVoTQDNwvouXXJWhrz2Npz7C6BN1IYGdMc4Yh4vPO9TWkd_J6Yy9cTnx5uXSZ0/s1280-h/MAYA-01-29-08.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-g49HpPhdrOZfKELZT5BsA8IKolqZ6mBU6ULmEHwRAp71A93gqhwCWyG0-SayhS8wNfyGgjDYLSvZ9mqVoTQDNwvouXXJWhrz2Npz7C6BN1IYGdMc4Yh4vPO9TWkd_J6Yy9cTnx5uXSZ0/s400/MAYA-01-29-08.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165832433569595090" /></a><CENTER>Structure with columns, Edzna</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcM-wuL1S1iY0DN4WzFBpcwMfgDF9ybSvG5k-R5sBY-44-X57S-5TFtJLjrvOd7HW7GWSnkTw-8C02T_TlWiO5dfm8L8mcwG2vmgZyjEwmggw6tBSn7-D3g5QEY1otBwMpYz4G9B4QYFk/s1280-h/MAYA-01-29-10.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcM-wuL1S1iY0DN4WzFBpcwMfgDF9ybSvG5k-R5sBY-44-X57S-5TFtJLjrvOd7HW7GWSnkTw-8C02T_TlWiO5dfm8L8mcwG2vmgZyjEwmggw6tBSn7-D3g5QEY1otBwMpYz4G9B4QYFk/s400/MAYA-01-29-10.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165832442159529714" /></a><CENTER>Arch in Area of Ambassadors, Edzna</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX7khpVoXycDnOK8iFW-MPghjaBlBNjexBwAYj5i3Gd8qqe2yAHdEw_93UTbOlw6KssnXaN8jD-obXnhRrpKlsPPM-rSJ9bp1R3zyv7QKf3ZITCs0UH_3TxZwsnTVRqplGDl2j13wEZo/s1280-h/MAYA-01-29-14.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX7khpVoXycDnOK8iFW-MPghjaBlBNjexBwAYj5i3Gd8qqe2yAHdEw_93UTbOlw6KssnXaN8jD-obXnhRrpKlsPPM-rSJ9bp1R3zyv7QKf3ZITCs0UH_3TxZwsnTVRqplGDl2j13wEZo/s400/MAYA-01-29-14.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171623756417661810" /></a><CENTER>Palace of the Five Storeys, Edzna</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH6wO9AbtrtCLj8oL5JyzHG82Sgm6nTRyz1Zz0Tq0k_4cu8yQyaLivytPTmFDu89t_9fK_nHi7hWSPaeYmLabJvjQhj8Vmj3P4feVI22v4KiSJHHK3z9-E5ItcjxgD1kUVlDQX3vz7psu/s1280-h/MAYA-01-29-17.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH6wO9AbtrtCLj8oL5JyzHG82Sgm6nTRyz1Zz0Tq0k_4cu8yQyaLivytPTmFDu89t_9fK_nHi7hWSPaeYmLabJvjQhj8Vmj3P4feVI22v4KiSJHHK3z9-E5ItcjxgD1kUVlDQX3vz7psu/s400/MAYA-01-29-17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166011258827933218" /></a><CENTER>View over the site from the top of the pyramid, Edzna</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdao6IXd9Bhj_QoWxwVAdYL8l-PB5MvBgxdjMeD95U7azN6krtPBGvhdSG9XHDL4JvcQH8s0NT5XqNqfukaO7agr9NokarFNOsL0UJpk9UrkdV3ifCxZX0dPu9djAiBsPkXfAqTy-COo4/s1280-h/MAYA-01-29-23.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdao6IXd9Bhj_QoWxwVAdYL8l-PB5MvBgxdjMeD95U7azN6krtPBGvhdSG9XHDL4JvcQH8s0NT5XqNqfukaO7agr9NokarFNOsL0UJpk9UrkdV3ifCxZX0dPu9djAiBsPkXfAqTy-COo4/s400/MAYA-01-29-23.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166011735569303170" /></a><CENTER>Templo de la Escalinata con Relievos, Edzna</CENTER><br />It was far too hot really to cope with all the climbing. At least the other sites had been in jungle settings with lots of trees. Here everything was out in the blazing sunlight and by the time we returned to the coach several of us were showing a marked lack of enthusiasm for Mayan archaeology! <br /><br />We were eager now to reach Campeche the capital of the state of the same name. Founded in 1540 on the site of the Maya city of Can Pech it rapidly became one of the major ports of the region, which attracted the attention of pirates such as Drake, Hawking, Henry Morgan and others from several nations. After a particularly violent attack in 1663 the Spanish authorities decided to construct a defensive wall, which was completed in 1686. Many of the bastions remain and within the former circuit of the walls there is a grid pattern of stone paved streets lined with elegant colonial houses which have elevated the city to the status of World Heritage Site. One of the blocks forms the Parque Principal where people sat chatting under shady trees and children scampered. It was lined by arcaded buildings, a handsome library, the Centro Cultural with period rooms spread around a courtyard and the Cathedral, built between 1650 and 1850, its interior filled with rather naïve painted statues of saints. We found ourselves in front of the State Archives and attracted by a free exhibition went inside. A series of erratic videos in a colourful English version led us through the contents of each room which traced the turbulent origins of the state of Campeche, which became independent of Yucatan in 1857, with sections on the growth of education. The helpful attendant struggled manfully with the equipment, explained the documents in Spanish, and refused to accept the gratuity we offered.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittaSmUHucZuq-qzJZgLLiAXCMnlfjQP_386g62f2Dqbsc5xbBHFu6D4QOZLWHcf0UJ-C1pRueq9RvyjTrCw-hJOU8wVsv7mXVKs2ArqYvclY5GeveFNnxS9u2LroJw6nLyLudcZg5gyw/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-01.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittaSmUHucZuq-qzJZgLLiAXCMnlfjQP_386g62f2Dqbsc5xbBHFu6D4QOZLWHcf0UJ-C1pRueq9RvyjTrCw-hJOU8wVsv7mXVKs2ArqYvclY5GeveFNnxS9u2LroJw6nLyLudcZg5gyw/s400/MAYA-01-30-01.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171623756417661826" /></a><CENTER>Courtyard of our hotel, Campeche</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8fhZwZJeCu7FBf9iFP6dEa5SeP8mTB7EuUG4LsPZcJpiHcMckUr9ACAfq5kASXu5CR7uTm1VyIXBQL5nnK4oSh-70mkDP-J0q3EG0J6V2UO2bm6eXbvwPU621NXUJw-zWC5aeWGPwIk/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-03.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8fhZwZJeCu7FBf9iFP6dEa5SeP8mTB7EuUG4LsPZcJpiHcMckUr9ACAfq5kASXu5CR7uTm1VyIXBQL5nnK4oSh-70mkDP-J0q3EG0J6V2UO2bm6eXbvwPU621NXUJw-zWC5aeWGPwIk/s400/MAYA-01-30-03.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171623765007596434" /></a><CENTER>Cathedral, Campeche</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuE5RNVs-3jtAOocQbtO9bcQA2ClKkhgEh6IcyzAHSLMmAL0VZXYf5wYPhqiFM2J705FqYp7612GcrydAojWH7zVbQ6Oa1Eo5VmnLFesGH3LRX5hE-YnW4RTCNSGi9eu9KaFLDiOfU-1w/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-07.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuE5RNVs-3jtAOocQbtO9bcQA2ClKkhgEh6IcyzAHSLMmAL0VZXYf5wYPhqiFM2J705FqYp7612GcrydAojWH7zVbQ6Oa1Eo5VmnLFesGH3LRX5hE-YnW4RTCNSGi9eu9KaFLDiOfU-1w/s400/MAYA-01-30-07.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624031295568802" /></a><CENTER>Library, Campeche</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgiuULTPK_xQXOW2VbuVlHGsmJ19U6y3b3yZCRs-a6dOV3S2hleirgjhys5grqcYdAsEcZdr4cS8DsJxVgGbsvef9ifdxNpIHAXaPQrcdGqRv4xk97hNFBA8KTaZyP_qWyBKB23ZIkSg/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-10.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgiuULTPK_xQXOW2VbuVlHGsmJ19U6y3b3yZCRs-a6dOV3S2hleirgjhys5grqcYdAsEcZdr4cS8DsJxVgGbsvef9ifdxNpIHAXaPQrcdGqRv4xk97hNFBA8KTaZyP_qWyBKB23ZIkSg/s400/MAYA-01-30-10.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624039885503410" /></a><CENTER>Interior of Spanish colonial house, Campeche</CENTER><br /><B>Wednesday 30th January 2008, Uxmal, near Merida, Mexico</B><br />This morning we were out early to make the most of a couple of hours around the town of Campeche before we left and before it became too hot to walk. We discovered the impressive Spanish church of San José, built by the Jesuits in 1756. It looked a more attractive building than the cathedral, its front covered in blue and white tiles and the top of one tower was used as a lighthouse. This was the tallest feature of the town and reminded us of the towers on the merchants' houses in Cadiz. They had been used as look-out towers so that merchants could see their ships on the horizon and know they were returning safely from the New World. It may well have been from the port of Campeche that they had set sail. A similar tower here would be quite likely.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJsEBo40yUQ22pD2ZzbqaQ1w7bYAcR0-jeOcYwgcIiI0lx8umXm4bnKRW9JTBqH4xCXRhyphenhyphenrUAFGhaMFTIueQAROyZilrqRcm34GdfvTgijP6U0tXaDCsdLWEQvQfc8oJL2loalx6EFm8/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-12.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJsEBo40yUQ22pD2ZzbqaQ1w7bYAcR0-jeOcYwgcIiI0lx8umXm4bnKRW9JTBqH4xCXRhyphenhyphenrUAFGhaMFTIueQAROyZilrqRcm34GdfvTgijP6U0tXaDCsdLWEQvQfc8oJL2loalx6EFm8/s400/MAYA-01-30-12.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624044180470722" /></a><CENTER> San José, Campeche</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC7YNpSSLkxi-xs71DR1Urnk_TyzvFDG3DwyvkbG56JjK6ojPvCQc1vkBYK-c2GTOsKi1e2hH9HqLTmfqvqf_l003UoKwiQsGQ5bwl5jz17gwSuDOhMco-kSTCHd9iYEPR0nRMlW6Xzc/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-16.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC7YNpSSLkxi-xs71DR1Urnk_TyzvFDG3DwyvkbG56JjK6ojPvCQc1vkBYK-c2GTOsKi1e2hH9HqLTmfqvqf_l003UoKwiQsGQ5bwl5jz17gwSuDOhMco-kSTCHd9iYEPR0nRMlW6Xzc/s400/MAYA-01-30-16.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624044180470738" /></a><CENTER> Sea front with national flag, Campeche</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRXZlflJXajWAYdNhR6TrNJSiu5Jo8mwAE2ECgHtt5cqRswmTQGDr7Isi5YsU3l7cf1aBBd2hAhpoJA_1P7nC-xV62aMx6XWVu7WF3vuykYVq4m1WRua1QYBGUmUe4NvU6L6ImdL1ANY/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-18.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRXZlflJXajWAYdNhR6TrNJSiu5Jo8mwAE2ECgHtt5cqRswmTQGDr7Isi5YsU3l7cf1aBBd2hAhpoJA_1P7nC-xV62aMx6XWVu7WF3vuykYVq4m1WRua1QYBGUmUe4NvU6L6ImdL1ANY/s400/MAYA-01-30-18.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624048475438050" /></a><CENTER> Fortified sea wall, Campeche</CENTER><br />After a stroll along the seafront where the national flag of Mexico fluttered in the breeze we returned for breakfast and a quick departure towards Sayil, Labna and Kabah. Three sites in one day is something of a record, even for this tour, but they are small and close together in the Puuc Hills near the city of Uxmal to whom they were probably subject, being joined to that town and each other by a network of wide causeways. As the Yucatan is a dry region, a situation made worse by its limestone geology, the Maya gathered water in cisterns. Even these were insufficient and the cities were probably abandoned because of drought.<br /><br />Sayil is famous for its three-storey palace decorated with a frieze of masks of the rain god Chac. It was worth keeping on his good side in a region where water is so scarce. It also makes use of columns, both free-standing and as a bas-relief motif, something we had not seen in the highland sites.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNHhkAkcxYFwuoo-C18k1LL4ybdLp0fJhOBOBmi1PoBcc0ZFz9GCgzH8PB6JjG7hUbw5-ma8kVsKt7DXdtA7wdsO3GXH-ysKY0l3j6ccwBPIGOyayUVu2IpH5IC77V24GiHsU36Xc3KFX/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-25.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNHhkAkcxYFwuoo-C18k1LL4ybdLp0fJhOBOBmi1PoBcc0ZFz9GCgzH8PB6JjG7hUbw5-ma8kVsKt7DXdtA7wdsO3GXH-ysKY0l3j6ccwBPIGOyayUVu2IpH5IC77V24GiHsU36Xc3KFX/s400/MAYA-01-30-25.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165834456499191682" /></a><CENTER>Palace facade, Sayil</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6wb7iXAhoFFHFHxhDjBit3Q08FBFSkWkH92q1DScmMyrS4fRJEZFA3gXK5VaSaH9d0RzX6DuELV6ojpyFDDC1jGax1FduIuaRjj-hxetDBG8EZdqINr1kwNp1Ic2MYlciUyrv3ya0o6H/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-30.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6wb7iXAhoFFHFHxhDjBit3Q08FBFSkWkH92q1DScmMyrS4fRJEZFA3gXK5VaSaH9d0RzX6DuELV6ojpyFDDC1jGax1FduIuaRjj-hxetDBG8EZdqINr1kwNp1Ic2MYlciUyrv3ya0o6H/s400/MAYA-01-30-30.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166009643920229810" /></a><CENTER> Typical Mayan roof construction, Sayil</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8g1nHK4DZl2rVA9CgVKUJeX5GPQ_KGF9hAaMphboEMdSAgTQEwR3MxvlcgJ11IwzI89B3RLP8VRvJxIRx3egkfzGPx33bV7gwPj0c9HVB5Ald-FYmjbTIeKfcmPxQRZpdkUTyqfrEFI0/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-32.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8g1nHK4DZl2rVA9CgVKUJeX5GPQ_KGF9hAaMphboEMdSAgTQEwR3MxvlcgJ11IwzI89B3RLP8VRvJxIRx3egkfzGPx33bV7gwPj0c9HVB5Ald-FYmjbTIeKfcmPxQRZpdkUTyqfrEFI0/s400/MAYA-01-30-32.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624417842625522" /></a><CENTER>Part of a decorative frieze depicting the rain god Chac, Sayil</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaN8Tex-dqcRX5U-fS5c7_6sX58GIAo25o8flX1x4pZ_YpQeAPNGsXWXoazg_8TlOlRcgCYtVwP4dYIXZWavnw8KS7wmg0o3WQKzotJmEWfLJ5leq7kF5OSE_RO1ILCagvSPzMjCV9kow/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-34.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaN8Tex-dqcRX5U-fS5c7_6sX58GIAo25o8flX1x4pZ_YpQeAPNGsXWXoazg_8TlOlRcgCYtVwP4dYIXZWavnw8KS7wmg0o3WQKzotJmEWfLJ5leq7kF5OSE_RO1ILCagvSPzMjCV9kow/s400/MAYA-01-30-34.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166010270985455090" /></a><CENTER>Detail from a frieze depicting Chac, Sayil</CENTER><br />Labna is most famous for its arch which links two ranges of buildings. We were particularly pleased to see this as we had been reading Stephen's account of its discovery and had even brought along Catherwood's engravings to compare. (See <a href="http://mayamiscellany.blogspot.com/2008/02/catherwood-in-yucatan.html"> Catherwood in Yucatan</A> for additional images.) The palace is one of the longest structures in the Yucatan, about 120 metres in length, and like the palace in Sayil is decorated with masks and columns. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOtwwn6hbaoTsfuhaXYlniKmrnS9CAyLyWohxBatNXlz_IGGOifOdBaLG2G8D8OOHhSO51-LwbrGbRW_zEdY1Dl2t31JZPFU413S0v8TytHtI-LwlPiLd7gOvH3SF32qz3r5yry3NXlkf/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-41.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOtwwn6hbaoTsfuhaXYlniKmrnS9CAyLyWohxBatNXlz_IGGOifOdBaLG2G8D8OOHhSO51-LwbrGbRW_zEdY1Dl2t31JZPFU413S0v8TytHtI-LwlPiLd7gOvH3SF32qz3r5yry3NXlkf/s400/MAYA-01-30-41.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166006929500898482" /></a><CENTER>Detail from the palace, Labna</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmUT761BgviX7nGNrobUlwCpeiUFVAg5gjvBk4-aEPJzQ35_nxVogC_rE5thlrnsIQVaHZQkCpMtHH1lQ47ScRwOHh69If8dDc4FDO7awHsfA4avh1ewZIlBMe8Dvmqo6AkYhZqTWfEv8/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-50.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmUT761BgviX7nGNrobUlwCpeiUFVAg5gjvBk4-aEPJzQ35_nxVogC_rE5thlrnsIQVaHZQkCpMtHH1lQ47ScRwOHh69If8dDc4FDO7awHsfA4avh1ewZIlBMe8Dvmqo6AkYhZqTWfEv8/s400/MAYA-01-30-50.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166008574473372994" /></a><CENTER>Section of a sacbe (white road) constructed by the Maya, Labna</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFj6mNINJdPLDT15EHEI0OdqcYyl-7h2LV5rKRxSxc8VtiSNl6kP_uiBgffaIBqGfx9Z26ZZAkqX71shJ4MEtAS6pPf89qfGShjyQHBRJdc1jJyQPlR7L3W0MF-ITGaA7-zePX0rzbiz0Y/s1280-h/labna-033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFj6mNINJdPLDT15EHEI0OdqcYyl-7h2LV5rKRxSxc8VtiSNl6kP_uiBgffaIBqGfx9Z26ZZAkqX71shJ4MEtAS6pPf89qfGShjyQHBRJdc1jJyQPlR7L3W0MF-ITGaA7-zePX0rzbiz0Y/s400/labna-033.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171271837851292386" /></a><CENTER>Arch as drawn by Frederick Catherwood in 1848, Labna</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidx9WvtJewXy-ziKh3oEm7DHwwCSZ1CnOTOm3sCGkrP0dItpEcHmhwHzl755sQptQDqFy2HwA_eU0bP6HPdO7cFXXTsqq9A1AJQCVpx0QW7kDEREO6EbIcI4ivq2AqaRRmOJolQh9X7EI_/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-44.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidx9WvtJewXy-ziKh3oEm7DHwwCSZ1CnOTOm3sCGkrP0dItpEcHmhwHzl755sQptQDqFy2HwA_eU0bP6HPdO7cFXXTsqq9A1AJQCVpx0QW7kDEREO6EbIcI4ivq2AqaRRmOJolQh9X7EI_/s400/MAYA-01-30-44.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166007749839652066" /></a><CENTER>Remains of the arch at Labna</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1ZMGcKGPBzO2rPQwXz9jMG9Z2fECwCYNiNVMbsinZSegf7lnw9UADA7aK-2EKCXlAsoWJtJCaQ4efmoWLVvH7nWWUwoHivYXlVjXFYA3oQL6esc955LTIjzTCxlHz5NbDDFYxshpK-XN/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-52.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1ZMGcKGPBzO2rPQwXz9jMG9Z2fECwCYNiNVMbsinZSegf7lnw9UADA7aK-2EKCXlAsoWJtJCaQ4efmoWLVvH7nWWUwoHivYXlVjXFYA3oQL6esc955LTIjzTCxlHz5NbDDFYxshpK-XN/s400/MAYA-01-30-52.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166008591653242210" /></a><CENTER>Mayan pot chard found (and left) at Labna.</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p81HOeRnVNe8F9NoJ16nMjAJffNlfBele_1K7QuhCLC-nP9dX6EXKx54m5sHpgvxacIS7uYQcjBDRLg0LL3wmU7PSqXSxPnFmWd1yiV92vi_d9DvsZIi7vJ_EUiQhGf9m85tjPokTMg/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-53.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p81HOeRnVNe8F9NoJ16nMjAJffNlfBele_1K7QuhCLC-nP9dX6EXKx54m5sHpgvxacIS7uYQcjBDRLg0LL3wmU7PSqXSxPnFmWd1yiV92vi_d9DvsZIi7vJ_EUiQhGf9m85tjPokTMg/s400/MAYA-01-30-53.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624422137592850" /></a><CENTER>Unofficial site guide, Labna.</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzo5lFZ8KYlqZ_SeJYFa5sQ_I3gnlAk0CF1K7VJumXysf_UrXZo6-MeuRkMNPvTD1qEaZG-eHWsU-g3GkntO6Wf-avl1XwdoRf_p8YiAIlTfaJCzp0G3u5txt-7jtz-YZ4j-f37VxGDo/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-54.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzo5lFZ8KYlqZ_SeJYFa5sQ_I3gnlAk0CF1K7VJumXysf_UrXZo6-MeuRkMNPvTD1qEaZG-eHWsU-g3GkntO6Wf-avl1XwdoRf_p8YiAIlTfaJCzp0G3u5txt-7jtz-YZ4j-f37VxGDo/s400/MAYA-01-30-54.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624426432560162" /></a><CENTER>Present day thatch and adobe house, Labna.</CENTER><br />In Kabah the most extraordinary structure is the Codz Pop, the Palace of the Masks, which is decorated with no less than 260 masks of the rain god with his curled nose projecting in an endless prayer for rain. It also has its arch, this one freestanding as a ceremonial entrance at the end of the causeway from Uxmal. At five metres wide it must be one of the widest spaces spanned by the Mayan corbelled arch. At its foot we disturbed an iguana, who unlike the others we had seen scrambling across the ruins or lazing in the sun on the tops of walls, did not disappear but allowed us to approach him.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBVzCF_3oXPYQLuRmPvTu7tyBuNt7B63pMys-J5vbooKNpd71MyHidddHKwnEj2YL0o8TXqPMz-K9xmKN28pGuhbMf_V4imVC-b7sJLwZ6MFPct4CVkA49EwZc5Pj5Tx-45nOEELDzVRr/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-57.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBVzCF_3oXPYQLuRmPvTu7tyBuNt7B63pMys-J5vbooKNpd71MyHidddHKwnEj2YL0o8TXqPMz-K9xmKN28pGuhbMf_V4imVC-b7sJLwZ6MFPct4CVkA49EwZc5Pj5Tx-45nOEELDzVRr/s400/MAYA-01-30-57.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165873373197861522" /></a><CENTER>Palace of the masks, Kabah</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKebh7D3VREHa6g5a39NZQKVlvxfFHhRe_UC9kKJNzJ9Ehq1pX0ucqpB8JeMpmjLjUDgDAPNUClvPrbOzH53Lm7biq9rkaYHb7faE-uCLpDjYOYjdTub-NkEQn-DUg1PuoHDLWtxTSDfCA/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-58.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKebh7D3VREHa6g5a39NZQKVlvxfFHhRe_UC9kKJNzJ9Ehq1pX0ucqpB8JeMpmjLjUDgDAPNUClvPrbOzH53Lm7biq9rkaYHb7faE-uCLpDjYOYjdTub-NkEQn-DUg1PuoHDLWtxTSDfCA/s400/MAYA-01-30-58.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165873377492828834" /></a><CENTER>Detail showing masks of Chac, Kabah</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfkf90g5kWGlYsYKVPuKBdDLonCWGEXw0_4qvXKcR54ovJY7jAfTgkKa8L1LQqFKFLpufI-JtrQEB4-Oq_WvujTgKiuOsQzc6jOT_s6zuv-UWrlrJxKq2-ZOfoe4XGdFrX7Wp3T9RvIrW/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-60.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfkf90g5kWGlYsYKVPuKBdDLonCWGEXw0_4qvXKcR54ovJY7jAfTgkKa8L1LQqFKFLpufI-JtrQEB4-Oq_WvujTgKiuOsQzc6jOT_s6zuv-UWrlrJxKq2-ZOfoe4XGdFrX7Wp3T9RvIrW/s400/MAYA-01-30-60.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165873394672698050" /></a><CENTER>Stela depicting warrior capturing a prisoner, Kabah</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5SXKfIP1z2OrHjB6ZrjnfvnPJD569zKxXFnsw0ZcPsLkJ5ARLHsDu48it8bi9qH_8k9P3DZVhd-hJPjHLXm3MaD4bXjgv1e_oXMzsEjx0O8zFJFSLDgtXdoZ60OqD2ligFcLCPKSEkPx/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-64.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5SXKfIP1z2OrHjB6ZrjnfvnPJD569zKxXFnsw0ZcPsLkJ5ARLHsDu48it8bi9qH_8k9P3DZVhd-hJPjHLXm3MaD4bXjgv1e_oXMzsEjx0O8zFJFSLDgtXdoZ60OqD2ligFcLCPKSEkPx/s400/MAYA-01-30-64.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165873905773806338" /></a><CENTER>Ceremonial arch, Kabah</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCv_QkkI0mj5NpnNzA5DN7r8GIxX-byxlpoDToIrdoPkrJCz1amjH8ZewaXt5H7iCeBB4tyAU3e9xyBhJebjsaa8mCtSYOW3gGfmX8xJBvDo10XoFjFJbdQntph2eOVYLF9vboHjUvO5I/s1280-h/MAYA-01-30-65.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCv_QkkI0mj5NpnNzA5DN7r8GIxX-byxlpoDToIrdoPkrJCz1amjH8ZewaXt5H7iCeBB4tyAU3e9xyBhJebjsaa8mCtSYOW3gGfmX8xJBvDo10XoFjFJbdQntph2eOVYLF9vboHjUvO5I/s400/MAYA-01-30-65.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171624430727527474" /></a><CENTER>Iguana, Kabah</CENTER><br />By mid afternoon we had struggled manfully around all three sites, where even the huge iguanas seemed to seek the shade. We were more than happy to board our air conditioned bus for the short drive to Uxmal and our cool hotel complete with a swimming pool! As Jill cooled off in the pool, Ian sat in the shade with a cold beer. <br /><br />As darkness fell we returned to our coach for the short drive to the archaeological site of Uxmal for a son et lumière presentation. This turned out to be rather a disappointment with coloured artificial lighting playing over the surface of the buildings while inappropriate music blared out and through earphones we listened to translations of a fanciful recreation of imagined events in the lives of the Maya residents of Uxmal during the 8th to 10th century AD. It was all a far cry from the vivid images we had conjured from the writings and sketches of Stephens and Catherwood when they first investigated Uxmal in 1848.<br /><br />Later, back at the hotel, we joined with other guests for a very enjoyable buffet supper. One of our travelling companions was celebrating her birthday which made it a particularly pleasant and friendly occasion. A huge cake with candles rounded off the evening.Jill, Ian and Modestinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122859105828936321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008876232208881598.post-16786117479861979282008-02-18T11:31:00.011+00:002008-02-18T20:40:45.299+00:00Guatemala to Mexico<B>Sunday 27th January 2008, Palenque, Mexico</B><br />Last night was spent in a wooden lodge with no glass at the windows and a roof made of palm fronds. It was sited along the jungle banks that edge the Rio de la Passion. Despite having no hot water and only brief periods of power from its own generator, we spent quite a luxurious night there. <br /><br />We had left Flores around 6.30 yesterday morning and driven to Sayaxche on the Rio de la Passion where we boarded a narrow, wooden canoe with an outboard motor attached. It had a roof constructed of palm fronds and sat so low in the water it frequently washed over the back. There followed a two hour journey down river to the Maya site of Ceibal, situated deep within the jungle and so named because of the many Ceibal trees that grow there. These trees are sacred to the Mayan culture.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANV-rlchzAIr1wXTZaKJXxUI-CkmshVXHW0DZ8hmqcVbNpV79cUVCzZTYspgrBgtGeU153VtS70DOQe2Ajy8GUNKzhIovfUlpflNw5PGCm1VSLrnvQsxWXfN-ZWaxIyz4UnNSpuBPeOw/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANV-rlchzAIr1wXTZaKJXxUI-CkmshVXHW0DZ8hmqcVbNpV79cUVCzZTYspgrBgtGeU153VtS70DOQe2Ajy8GUNKzhIovfUlpflNw5PGCm1VSLrnvQsxWXfN-ZWaxIyz4UnNSpuBPeOw/s400/MAYA-01-26-07.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168288637002906002" /></a><CENTER>Our transport and boatman, Ceibal</CENTER><br />During the journey the dense woodland reached to the water's edge where egrets, white storks, grey herons and cormorants perched to dry their wings, or search for fish. There were also green parrots and brightly coloured kingfishers while on a particularly isolated stretch of the river, a crocodile was resting on one of the mudflats. As we approached he rose up, twisted his body and flipped back into the water and disappeared. From that point on nobody tried to cool off by dangling their hands over the sides into the water!<br /><br />At Ceibal we moored against the muddy bank and scrambled up the steep, wooded track, overgrown, wet and very slippery, through palm trees, Ceibals, hanging leanders, epiphytes, orchids and fruiting trees with strange nuts and berries, quite unknown to us. Beneath our feet were lizards and frogs while humming birds flitted amongst the exotic plants and all around us the jungle echoes with the growls and roars of unseen Howler monkeys. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMiTRFffGxCTfEzAaLKBY0GywvecF21_RpOBTvcuzfDA74Mi1S8wielW3rp-3DrNOoNyhlx5pYhhX_yLFMZjcsX38e6jPL5s_-YSq7tG3TWqmoKNzaoE5Bk0JBSbXAkjGlGeQaIotLfM/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMiTRFffGxCTfEzAaLKBY0GywvecF21_RpOBTvcuzfDA74Mi1S8wielW3rp-3DrNOoNyhlx5pYhhX_yLFMZjcsX38e6jPL5s_-YSq7tG3TWqmoKNzaoE5Bk0JBSbXAkjGlGeQaIotLfM/s400/MAYA-01-26-09.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168288662772709794" /></a><CENTER>Base of a sacred Ceibal tree, Ceibal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrYKjiTgKjedYlAExRCnhcLvDuvojCvAJYtGCIbpfWIeCHYq2Ummy6qF21jkQnCI4ZYwBeB0CyNkBv1tYuzwjxYMyB0PidlrP2xa_0XZcS3qX1MasRjwQ5rFD2gI-A8V70OuUsTYvUo4/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrYKjiTgKjedYlAExRCnhcLvDuvojCvAJYtGCIbpfWIeCHYq2Ummy6qF21jkQnCI4ZYwBeB0CyNkBv1tYuzwjxYMyB0PidlrP2xa_0XZcS3qX1MasRjwQ5rFD2gI-A8V70OuUsTYvUo4/s400/MAYA-01-26-11.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168288688542513586" /></a><CENTER>Caretaker's cottage, Ceibal</CENTER><br />The Mayan city was quite lost amidst the foliage. We found a Ball Court, ruined walls, carved and decorated stelae, pyramids and altars. The site was occupied much later than other sites in the region and some of the late stelae show distinct influences of highland Mexican style. Left to our own device for a while we discovered in a clearing a circular platform with the base of a rectangular building on top.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86cp7xr35ejHuUdcM_MQRHRvvfXyXkzPyzUN4prpH6sX9VRcSD0ZlQLV-3Z_pNxO1VoZVNViI1-FBtAxtiGUm8-dl_F6S6z4INqToH9wELiTdErpL5FEFMFnRcNpI3tz-v1FClVWhSttQ/s1280-h/MAYA-01-26-08.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86cp7xr35ejHuUdcM_MQRHRvvfXyXkzPyzUN4prpH6sX9VRcSD0ZlQLV-3Z_pNxO1VoZVNViI1-FBtAxtiGUm8-dl_F6S6z4INqToH9wELiTdErpL5FEFMFnRcNpI3tz-v1FClVWhSttQ/s400/MAYA-01-26-08.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165770963997654050" /></a><CENTER>Ball court in the jungle, Ceibal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfu6b7rAW0uuiRoNYlVH2H-Pn0b2R0TrIwKiSzrftE8sfbos5ZCrPczQQHxX894JTBRUhoYF1oZ-oin9JSum7PWLGQt558K_qz5DeJutTEIH4En6AdJ6AlmmR5dsei9LtMzGTSDjCoSM/s1280-h/MAYA-01-26-18.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfu6b7rAW0uuiRoNYlVH2H-Pn0b2R0TrIwKiSzrftE8sfbos5ZCrPczQQHxX894JTBRUhoYF1oZ-oin9JSum7PWLGQt558K_qz5DeJutTEIH4En6AdJ6AlmmR5dsei9LtMzGTSDjCoSM/s400/MAYA-01-26-18.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168300478227741426" /></a><CENTER>Stela, Ceibal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoFfAXr4krwtvsjqm7helVXVT4sOprhJSq4tIvCjMw2YcZ-qkS585LqdcWZlM8RtjEHA6OB2BFdAbHylHnx8TvLQwoffbqRlB7V0zFCQ6AeMNbg_JzaZHn9I_ZYyrBpEfatb5RSMSOZ_-/s1280-h/MAYA-01-26-20.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoFfAXr4krwtvsjqm7helVXVT4sOprhJSq4tIvCjMw2YcZ-qkS585LqdcWZlM8RtjEHA6OB2BFdAbHylHnx8TvLQwoffbqRlB7V0zFCQ6AeMNbg_JzaZHn9I_ZYyrBpEfatb5RSMSOZ_-/s400/MAYA-01-26-20.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165772140818693266" /></a><CENTER>Stela in the jungle, Ceibal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsZajo8BmFp4j8juZAmHgAe0E6ovgYbOfXnu0NyPoQrvtQRaXWxax2r9yXLQoo9QDYNE4dLZp0NB9yF3GqoGGLQkP0hN5AcW19NxnNuFT9Qy9FryP22mCfi1PSjQLK7xWEhSBA2_2vP4o/s1280-h/MAYA-01-26-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsZajo8BmFp4j8juZAmHgAe0E6ovgYbOfXnu0NyPoQrvtQRaXWxax2r9yXLQoo9QDYNE4dLZp0NB9yF3GqoGGLQkP0hN5AcW19NxnNuFT9Qy9FryP22mCfi1PSjQLK7xWEhSBA2_2vP4o/s400/MAYA-01-26-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165772157998562466" /></a><CENTER>Mayan ruins along a jungle path, Ceibal</CENTER><br />We eventually returned to the boat for a picnic lunch and made our way back upstream passing by Sayaxche and our waiting coach. We continued for several more hours, the river widening out into a shallow lagoon before we turned off into one of the smaller tributaries making for the remote Mayan site of Aguateca. This site was fortified by defensive walls and shows the unsettled state of affairs in the region at the close of the classic period. Despite its defences it was deserted suddenly, structures left half completed and pottery and utensils abandoned where they lay.<br /><br />The water channel that led towards the rocky outcrop on which it was situated became ever more narrow and shallow with sharp bends that made it impossible to get the boat round without grounding one or other end on the bank. The vegetation forced its way into the boat and we eventually became completely grounded, the outboard motor simply churning up mud and fishes from the river bed. It looked as if we'd need to get out and push it off the bank. Visions of Katherine Hepburn in the African Queen flashed before us. Would we be covered in leeches as soon as we put our legs into the water? Do crocodiles like shallow water? Eventually we managed to free ourselves using the oar as a pole. No chance of turning back though as there was no way to turn the boat. Seemingly hours later, as dusk began to fall, we reached the spot from where the river widened and we had to scramble up through the jungle to the ruins of Aguateca. Of course there was no time to look around but we got some exercise seeking through the jungle for a convenient toilet stop, eyeing the mosquitoes anxiously the while and wondering where the black, hairy tarantulas might be. (We saw a dead one today and its legs were huge!) Back on board after hours spent getting to Aguateca and only ten minutes there, we headed back down the same tributary we had arrived by, praying we would get through before darkness fell as we had no lights, not even a torch. We were fortunate. This time our boatman managed to get us round without sticking and what little current existed was flowing with us. By the time we reached the lagoon it was dark and the rain had started to pour down. We were sheltered by the thatch roof but the poor boatman sat stoically on the back driving us across crocodile infested waters in the pitch dark and pouring rain! We were all relieved to see a pinpoint of light and headed towards it. The owner of the wooden lodge where we were to spend the night was on the bank to catch our rope and pull us to the shore.<br /><br />The danger over we climbed up to the lodge to discover we were to be accommodated in little wooden, one room houses, each with a bed, a cold shower and a toilet. There were mosquito nets hanging over the beds and insect screens at the windows. There were optional hammocks outside but with the insects and the rain nobody was going to take that option. While we had cold showers (we had no luggage as it was back in the coach) the lodge owner cooked us supper over an open wood fire and served us welcome beer. We dropped into bed exhausted and slept like logs.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW8MLvebLI0wMRcpghIK9cY7cIm1e13LlxYrPs0JIKeRY3catrZrOgPkiznTkzFtKO1ShYYNcDVarF_wlc0NnarY48v6p-Mb75fjbifJk3afBw4LtAzeZp30y-IFhYrA-K_cLRPVWNLg/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW8MLvebLI0wMRcpghIK9cY7cIm1e13LlxYrPs0JIKeRY3catrZrOgPkiznTkzFtKO1ShYYNcDVarF_wlc0NnarY48v6p-Mb75fjbifJk3afBw4LtAzeZp30y-IFhYrA-K_cLRPVWNLg/s400/MAYA-01-26-25.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168288752967023042" /></a><CENTER>Cold shower in our wooden hut, Ceibal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHpfsUPpYF0OVtV0Ff-rjSL8SMOMnYgW-xRhgxnm7Dt-fn-DFTjUtBC2txwNYxXGKXeqeUt2IDp-HjpijtpeYqdEyifCG7xzTl7JFk7kRMDQVLvN5KV5havDseZ9mT8eejBqqbBNLsnY/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHpfsUPpYF0OVtV0Ff-rjSL8SMOMnYgW-xRhgxnm7Dt-fn-DFTjUtBC2txwNYxXGKXeqeUt2IDp-HjpijtpeYqdEyifCG7xzTl7JFk7kRMDQVLvN5KV5havDseZ9mT8eejBqqbBNLsnY/s400/MAYA-01-26-26.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168289526061136338" /></a><CENTER>Mosquito nets and palm frond roof, Ceibal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EalslzqFKqJu776XUUohNpRhMtqgHMaRv1suYQFAbReQ39pagHoaQd_BeNe9zOUDM4bSLTqdqIPk3Lvbe2NiabJmqZZNdwa61E55Xg3u90BYv-Y3B7PvoesUuNZoeV3g6aN9q0eiMNk/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EalslzqFKqJu776XUUohNpRhMtqgHMaRv1suYQFAbReQ39pagHoaQd_BeNe9zOUDM4bSLTqdqIPk3Lvbe2NiabJmqZZNdwa61E55Xg3u90BYv-Y3B7PvoesUuNZoeV3g6aN9q0eiMNk/s400/MAYA-01-26-28.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168289603370547682" /></a><CENTER>Supper together, Ceibal</CENTER><br />This morning we were woken at 5.30 by the sound of Howler monkeys greeting the dawn. We were due to rejoin our boat at 6.15 which had moored beside the bank below the lodge. As we clambered down the slippery path through the coconut palms and tree roots we saw a watery dawn as the sun struggled to break through the humid, clammy damp mist that hung over the river, causing vapour to rise in steaming, atmospheric clouds from the surface of the water.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BQ756L4Ypkv8RDlOtO5HZQrBdfUxC2cdRk-g6AXkBYH1aet388JEq616Ub2Hul60ue5VVBnFlpACHRNM1MdTwp_waTjiSulpjOBcOzBVKv-JiOjtIeSTKJGo03tTQKDVp6oCBmNUmjw/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BQ756L4Ypkv8RDlOtO5HZQrBdfUxC2cdRk-g6AXkBYH1aet388JEq616Ub2Hul60ue5VVBnFlpACHRNM1MdTwp_waTjiSulpjOBcOzBVKv-JiOjtIeSTKJGo03tTQKDVp6oCBmNUmjw/s400/MAYA-01-27-01.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168289629140351474" /></a><CENTER>Morning mist on the Rio de la Passion</CENTER><br />Once out on the river however we soon became chilled as the damp permeated our clothes and dripped from our hair. The journey back down stream lasted over two hours by which time, after the many hours we'd squatted on the hard benches yesterday, there was not one amongst us who would have minded if it was some time before we took to the water again. The last couple of days were an experience, but too much was crammed into it and river levels are so much lower than normal in Guatemala that the boats cannot navigate through the narrow creeks of the jungle.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn8i3qTtrVdgItXqK3yGT6MaPael488fJzLa7nSc7Gw-E2fvnk8Hy06ILYqM6x1TylsElh2ylo3sd7b9wsXhkDFNfW3k2B4Ov1TMFIpy4e-0qpw5gJMiWzIV6uZtPBxq7i__rZ85z9c0/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn8i3qTtrVdgItXqK3yGT6MaPael488fJzLa7nSc7Gw-E2fvnk8Hy06ILYqM6x1TylsElh2ylo3sd7b9wsXhkDFNfW3k2B4Ov1TMFIpy4e-0qpw5gJMiWzIV6uZtPBxq7i__rZ85z9c0/s400/MAYA-01-27-02.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168289654910155266" /></a><CENTER>Ferry crossing point</CENTER><br />Bidding farewell to our delightful river boatman, who had patiently spent so many hours sitting on the back rail of the wooden boat, guiding us through narrow channels and around fallen trees, we eagerly rejoined our waiting coach at Sayaxche to warm up as we headed along rough tracks through maize fields and sugar plantations towards the Guatamalan/Mexican border.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW9P26s1zOy235G7tX3rXUtz6gzx705HDsZ0gMc9gRrZejAgCmACeCFBB78STctrtL3Ztj_7DUZnh9e5AvR1wOuKbwVLxHVDyL6PLZhq-4Jz26u7u2J15dPQg-nR04V3aIMv3CCz1iK4/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW9P26s1zOy235G7tX3rXUtz6gzx705HDsZ0gMc9gRrZejAgCmACeCFBB78STctrtL3Ztj_7DUZnh9e5AvR1wOuKbwVLxHVDyL6PLZhq-4Jz26u7u2J15dPQg-nR04V3aIMv3CCz1iK4/s400/MAYA-01-26-02.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168288572578396546" /></a><CENTER>Our river boatman, Rio de la Passion</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIZJI2dbbyXbpXyOlpvL3WQVWu7G8uPzSboboD0M5GaPaJEvFKSC3rKX-Hcdpoew_Ummo54Y99OgAdmlsY47VXUsIVAFoG3u5arSpLyv-WjOiQvN72SOSpL9P45xRjwCkkgiPrmQcyF0/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIZJI2dbbyXbpXyOlpvL3WQVWu7G8uPzSboboD0M5GaPaJEvFKSC3rKX-Hcdpoew_Ummo54Y99OgAdmlsY47VXUsIVAFoG3u5arSpLyv-WjOiQvN72SOSpL9P45xRjwCkkgiPrmQcyF0/s400/MAYA-01-27-06.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168289684974926354" /></a><CENTER>Civilisation at last! Sayaxche</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsTqPLU2lY3BpAqu5RvCJrz8e8g3Lz5upmgtTGgdf0cIhaE0yuFfOQoqXH_DNeMuuotJfhCUrrUHSUXmvHIYt5xpDbzcv8QTfzjfcgUllDJ3CnFouDQbr89BC49hbTrJzuOwu7PeGOZY/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsTqPLU2lY3BpAqu5RvCJrz8e8g3Lz5upmgtTGgdf0cIhaE0yuFfOQoqXH_DNeMuuotJfhCUrrUHSUXmvHIYt5xpDbzcv8QTfzjfcgUllDJ3CnFouDQbr89BC49hbTrJzuOwu7PeGOZY/s400/MAYA-01-27-09.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168290634162698786" /></a><CENTER>Volcanic landscape near the Guatemalen/Mexican border</CENTER><br />By the time we reached the exit border the weather had turned hot again. After some delay getting passports stamped, changing Quetzels into Pesos and queuing for the toilet (a wooden shed with a hole in the floor and a jug of water to rinse around) we arrived at the edge of the Rio Usumacimta. This divides the two countries and today there was a fierce, fast flowing current of rapids and shallows with many partially submerged rocks. As we reached the shore, several eager Guatemalans arrived to unload our cases and stack them into yet another fragile looking boat waiting to carry it downstream to Mexico! It took three boats to carry us all. We had no choice but to abandon ourselves to the skill of the boatmen and apart from some rocky moments, in 30 minutes we clambered out onto the muddy, wooded banks of Mexico. It was one the most exciting entries we have made into a country, rivalling crossing the border into the GDR back in communist times. At the top of a steep climb we reached the road to discover our new, Mexican coach and driver waiting for us. First though, Mexican border controls had to be complied with, necessitating another long wait in the hot sun while our forms were checked and passports stamped. Soon though we were on our way to our first Maya site in Mexico. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtz2vyc5_h9j3zqb7worXRNJI5bJL1lvU_BJ5HSo9IObZtQuOmmpZR6_EnWsCwzhZOQCKY5DyfzfRUuWlUrMbxd2ecvNg4dQN0TJldLNK6c33Yxmxvx4BMnREbwfZnl29itEcSGO_jaM/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtz2vyc5_h9j3zqb7worXRNJI5bJL1lvU_BJ5HSo9IObZtQuOmmpZR6_EnWsCwzhZOQCKY5DyfzfRUuWlUrMbxd2ecvNg4dQN0TJldLNK6c33Yxmxvx4BMnREbwfZnl29itEcSGO_jaM/s400/MAYA-01-27-10.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168290638457666098" /></a><CENTER>Passport control, Guatemala</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFEatNmbzWW1hsRS7t8oYY6aGwf3_k0liEGS2dk2DkYbpHL-pDnyf7w9YynhwE_uGuuTaAiWylEzMr0vgSXTjr2_jx0sHeEiFBEl8ZxQ4ch7G5HwTOisa71rem2Hycn5xx3DcvKKWIbg/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFEatNmbzWW1hsRS7t8oYY6aGwf3_k0liEGS2dk2DkYbpHL-pDnyf7w9YynhwE_uGuuTaAiWylEzMr0vgSXTjr2_jx0sHeEiFBEl8ZxQ4ch7G5HwTOisa71rem2Hycn5xx3DcvKKWIbg/s400/MAYA-01-27-12.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168290651342568002" /></a><CENTER>Leaving Guatemala</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh173RNhxF-kI0Ce_q3JGpBqHNCShyphenhyphenM_riYATaDpg5mo11-9YaAuWEQ6tWLNhEM1tHeWdcgSC7pQfPwPHYniQs-KflaAPIshvcbL_m9FfVBL73EJxAilaz0SuY3B7DmAVcNaq8XKAtOuDA/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh173RNhxF-kI0Ce_q3JGpBqHNCShyphenhyphenM_riYATaDpg5mo11-9YaAuWEQ6tWLNhEM1tHeWdcgSC7pQfPwPHYniQs-KflaAPIshvcbL_m9FfVBL73EJxAilaz0SuY3B7DmAVcNaq8XKAtOuDA/s400/MAYA-01-27-13.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168290659932502610" /></a><CENTER>Downriver to Mexico</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPjQN7-wkCN1kbeJCR4IeSPnu3jWBuhs7G2BfeJVeq3AYDvlCw2iyAy3RVosfkWXO4N7Cbmm-HR39LHNlSYTLXKBhDHdOXuF7KXASLa7uiNvKmljOxbukbopf2B3YXJOOXlgYlnMujpo/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPjQN7-wkCN1kbeJCR4IeSPnu3jWBuhs7G2BfeJVeq3AYDvlCw2iyAy3RVosfkWXO4N7Cbmm-HR39LHNlSYTLXKBhDHdOXuF7KXASLa7uiNvKmljOxbukbopf2B3YXJOOXlgYlnMujpo/s400/MAYA-01-27-16.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168290664227469922" /></a><CENTER>Welcome to Mexico</CENTER><br />Bonampak is famed for the three rooms of murals in structure 1 on the main plaza, a unique survival from the classis period. Painted in fresco in 790AD they depict the ceremonial initiation of the young heir to the throne, a battle and the subsequent judgement of the prisoners and the following celebrations. There is vivid insight into court life and the colours of the costumes give a hint of how the painted stelae must once have looked. The site is run by the local Lacandon Maya who own the land and drive visitors there in mini-buses. The site itself is small – just one main plaza with is temples and acropolis. There are large flat stelae carved in elegant low relief, mainly depicting the ruler in 790 Chaan Muan. Structure three to the left of the temple of the murals also shows faint traces of paintings. One of our group who had visited some years back says that the colours are less distinct than when he last visited them. The guides only allow three people into each room at a time and flash is not allowed but one wonders how long these paintings can remain generally accessible.<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ehQzV5Qsy6-qE-hHCh9aN0W2FxbcKq_fgh_ouzLxeWCL3vr6HKNYYtAhdPm0zqLsC_5yCUZrSA8lxbGsznd1uwKXcs98km9BYH9EB2gsVgxDoP9-dCDnCEwz3KE4HxNtxVJmvG1yLys3/s1280-h/MAYA-01-27-25.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ehQzV5Qsy6-qE-hHCh9aN0W2FxbcKq_fgh_ouzLxeWCL3vr6HKNYYtAhdPm0zqLsC_5yCUZrSA8lxbGsznd1uwKXcs98km9BYH9EB2gsVgxDoP9-dCDnCEwz3KE4HxNtxVJmvG1yLys3/s400/MAYA-01-27-25.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165774898187697378" /></a><CENTER>Surviving wall painting, Bonampak</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVVJbB5Qs2E9V_eKfUSZ18K_ONs4DuNMd0UzL0n1Mr0OrfB6ZoWh8pkOtiiW67z2hjTdXarEj5-iCgau5KL1JjXOyqjgOeF5tJbz7YNPKQiGwWZ1p9X5MbvDAR8ouT1UWu_T1brjw3VjX/s1280-h/MAYA-01-27-28.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVVJbB5Qs2E9V_eKfUSZ18K_ONs4DuNMd0UzL0n1Mr0OrfB6ZoWh8pkOtiiW67z2hjTdXarEj5-iCgau5KL1JjXOyqjgOeF5tJbz7YNPKQiGwWZ1p9X5MbvDAR8ouT1UWu_T1brjw3VjX/s400/MAYA-01-27-28.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165774923957501202" /></a><CENTER>Lintel showing warrior taking captive, Temple of the Paintings, Bonampak</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7xdRvLXg_NdKDi8Bp3jLA1_kTgNKxf454VqOi4tCTAWw13ZoP6FnXERYXU9kkLC6KDc4WMPY0Xs-uQl1LbYJg_UmfJ16DBaWfkNwj58VIFCj_LeiDLGi-nGJbRCbw9M3iB83dsM31NA/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7xdRvLXg_NdKDi8Bp3jLA1_kTgNKxf454VqOi4tCTAWw13ZoP6FnXERYXU9kkLC6KDc4WMPY0Xs-uQl1LbYJg_UmfJ16DBaWfkNwj58VIFCj_LeiDLGi-nGJbRCbw9M3iB83dsM31NA/s400/MAYA-01-27-19.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168291072249363058" /></a><CENTER>Coral and a typically Mayan guide explain the paintings at Bonampak</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPutMlhI9k5cjNpjHnE0jCZDOXaJlVtrsKlSvNC5fcewX_lQrFvjQmSIOba0S2BY7UXSHA4L5t9cRBCR6K51wyqz0L6bRr7HFsQQIwjkfsiK-_KhYgMTbf-TK06M5fAaHthwUW14yEKFo/s1280-h/MAYA-01-27-29.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPutMlhI9k5cjNpjHnE0jCZDOXaJlVtrsKlSvNC5fcewX_lQrFvjQmSIOba0S2BY7UXSHA4L5t9cRBCR6K51wyqz0L6bRr7HFsQQIwjkfsiK-_KhYgMTbf-TK06M5fAaHthwUW14yEKFo/s400/MAYA-01-27-29.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168300499702577922" /></a><CENTER>Resting on the steps of a pyramid</CENTER><br />A further three hours travelling along bumpy roads through wayside villages – better kept, cleaner and tidier than in Guatamala – brought us to the town of Palenque where we are installed in a modern hotel. What it lacks in charm is compensated for by the hot showers, air conditioning and complimentary glass of Tequilla Sunrise on our arrival. After settling in we left our group and ventured out for supper. We discovered a very pleasant restaurant playing Latin American music while Mexican couples sat outside relaxing by candlelight. We were told everything on the menu was off except fish. We said fish would be fine and spent a very happy evening with a beautifully served meal of seafood cocktail with tortilla chips followed by fillets of grilled fish served with lime, avocados and mixed salad with rice, accompanied by three Mexican beers. Our total bill, including service, was around £9! (20 pesos to the £)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlROAt7dDDnorkCaUvv8OjPUyYBZ78je2fd7IbNtZd9-tLTN9n8baoZtC4jmsVMKTKGPchLFCQn_znem2J1fcx2KNzCV894C3-QRYGbw6ppe_q2kKn3cAKfImePsqe0bRXmEOCKkiWRb0/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlROAt7dDDnorkCaUvv8OjPUyYBZ78je2fd7IbNtZd9-tLTN9n8baoZtC4jmsVMKTKGPchLFCQn_znem2J1fcx2KNzCV894C3-QRYGbw6ppe_q2kKn3cAKfImePsqe0bRXmEOCKkiWRb0/s400/MAYA-01-27-33.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168291085134264962" /></a><CENTER>Military checkpoint</CENTER><br /><B>Monday 28th January 2008, Palenque, Mexico</B><br />Most of today was spent at the stunningly beautiful site of Palenque set amidst the steaming green jungle where avocado, orange, teak, mahogany, and the sacred Ceibal (Capoc) trees offer shade from the hot sunshine and a home to exotic birds. Officially it is necessary to be shown around with one of the Mexican guides but as we had our own archaeologist, Coral, a charming young Mexican girl who is studying bones and objects found in ancient middens on the Palenque site, we paid the guide and once we were out of sight of the officials, he left us alone and Coral gave us a far more detailed, amusing and accurate account than would otherwise have been the case. There is also considerable resentment among male Mexicans towards women involved in archaeology and Coral is having such difficulties completing her research that she is actually going to Australia shortly where the government is prepared to fund her in exchange for lecturing there! <br /><br />The impressive Plaza Central is reached immediately from the entrance where local Maya, often dressed in white robes, tout souvenirs and foodstuffs. The main square is dominated by the Temple of the Inscriptions built to house the tomb of Pacal I who ruled for 67 years from 615 to 683AD. Despite his long reign his tomb had to be completed by his son and successor Chan Bahlam II who ruled until 702. The tomb, which is down a narrow flight of steps within the pyramid was first discovered in 1952 by Alberto Ruz Lhuiller, who now lies buried opposite the temple. The famous sarcophagus lid, which Von Daniken thought represented an astronaut, still lies within the temple, but can no longer be visited. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODpblH_XxPoSUEQeUYWoIZuLL-QTf4hVgrZhx9gmy42NmTWgZX53UmiYNhUHHWHwAw3owcE7zD-wvm2kySn3kPsdm0cFE3m7ROMsGq3aM58JhdJhz48MAiBDRKJfMAsP_RTEp4gJQ3VKt/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-50.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODpblH_XxPoSUEQeUYWoIZuLL-QTf4hVgrZhx9gmy42NmTWgZX53UmiYNhUHHWHwAw3owcE7zD-wvm2kySn3kPsdm0cFE3m7ROMsGq3aM58JhdJhz48MAiBDRKJfMAsP_RTEp4gJQ3VKt/s400/MAYA-01-28-50.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166016653306857602" /></a><CENTER>Reconstruction of the sarcophagus lid in the tomb of K'inich Jaanab' Pakal I in the Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque. (Claimed by Van Daniken to depict an astraunaut)</CENTER><br />To the right of the Temple of the Inscriptions however, near Temple 12, we were able to see the burial of a woman, discovered in 1994, probably the wife of Pacal. From the plaza we climbed up to the palace complex, which is richly decorated with stucco and with tantalising traces of mural painting. From the upper terraces of the palace there is a view across to the Temple of the Count, named after the eccentric French count Jean Frederic Waldek who lived in the structure for two years while he made highly fanciful drawings of the site. The palace has an unusual square tower which probably doubled as a watch-tower and astronomical observatory. It is thought that the astronomers used basins of water in which the reflections of the heavens assisted their observation - certainly the topmost roof is an addition of the archaeologists. We splashed through a maze of damp subterranean passages and admired the toilets and sweat baths, which showed that the ruling family lived in some style and, leaving the Palace crossed the River Otulum, which the Maya had converted into a covered channel passing beneath the Palace and climbed some steps to a second plaza with three temples constructed by Chan Bahlam, the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Foliated Cross, and the Temple of the Cross. Two of these had the full roof combs which, like the stucco decorations in an elaborate, almost baroque style, are a distinctive feature of Palenque. All three temple contained wonderful bas-reliefs with extensive inscriptions set within shrines. We later visited Temple 18 just outside the group which also had a remarkably preserved bas relief which had been discovered relatively recently. From the top of the Temple of the Cross is a wonderful view across the site and out over the forested lowland stretching away into the distance. Following the culvert of the Otulum river below the Palace we reached the ball court, which is remarkably small and crossing the river again at a point where it fell in cascades down a wooded valley we reached the remote Group C, consisting of buildings only partly disengaged from the woodlands and hiding who know what treasures, still to be found by archaeologists. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EedteJpGS08CPHAhc5gCyZrzoqc9GfcVBvVzgWb4A96qmC2JLm9pfkeFE-lV_ifKlSIiudNHniNjl4azwxoA3zYOxvNXrtOoACSRzPYfwyPugUf-XdYtzvXBLP3POjyJQQVMzMcb9i7v/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-30.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EedteJpGS08CPHAhc5gCyZrzoqc9GfcVBvVzgWb4A96qmC2JLm9pfkeFE-lV_ifKlSIiudNHniNjl4azwxoA3zYOxvNXrtOoACSRzPYfwyPugUf-XdYtzvXBLP3POjyJQQVMzMcb9i7v/s400/MAYA-01-28-30.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166014029081839474" /></a><CENTER>View towards palace from Temple of the Foliated Cross. Temple of Cross to right, Temple of the Sun to left, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFR-5OEhazeTgvqPU3dZX1-P_jf-xRfUx2h35QibLrPohdVNaZZT4Wis56Tm6Lx0V4HXx2bMpVfFPe0KuZ8t4dUqyLAQO-kL1YMEV5ig17JWm0lLBpQ-TPH0aU3BL9Mo_S1wX_aGYSYY2r/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-01.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFR-5OEhazeTgvqPU3dZX1-P_jf-xRfUx2h35QibLrPohdVNaZZT4Wis56Tm6Lx0V4HXx2bMpVfFPe0KuZ8t4dUqyLAQO-kL1YMEV5ig17JWm0lLBpQ-TPH0aU3BL9Mo_S1wX_aGYSYY2r/s400/MAYA-01-28-01.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165777908959772082" /></a><CENTER>Central Plaza with Temple of Inscriptions to left, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9q6ef8EKZ5Zx1IGNqPedigFLLF35kx08TmQfTGTm84nClFl3jgAdBuc-CWlf2w17iadjIxwNvg5OGhXTPZQdtJYnkhwpZr6E5YOTJWNMDNPoqlitubUzQPHzp-6NDY_MFggFt0UyTENL/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-02.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9q6ef8EKZ5Zx1IGNqPedigFLLF35kx08TmQfTGTm84nClFl3jgAdBuc-CWlf2w17iadjIxwNvg5OGhXTPZQdtJYnkhwpZr6E5YOTJWNMDNPoqlitubUzQPHzp-6NDY_MFggFt0UyTENL/s400/MAYA-01-28-02.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165777917549706690" /></a><CENTER>Temple of Inscriptions with Temple 13 in front, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzur4H15S5uN9KXW7kKz2rFTwTW3MxzxJ38kf5-8m1rhCB5NK88de-_vU3JootPacWa1j2PoGfjmlbgDfVtJAJ2CE13D_aiTXZ0JLCxrfBHI0Ew3M8rmssTfaT2nJR7QMpGAY5RluGI-k/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-05.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzur4H15S5uN9KXW7kKz2rFTwTW3MxzxJ38kf5-8m1rhCB5NK88de-_vU3JootPacWa1j2PoGfjmlbgDfVtJAJ2CE13D_aiTXZ0JLCxrfBHI0Ew3M8rmssTfaT2nJR7QMpGAY5RluGI-k/s400/MAYA-01-28-05.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165777956204412402" /></a><CENTER>Temple of Inscriptions, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFnWnJiTYK1GyDzescG8GIn7hsVfA1CAAZA22zpty8mwE8QclmezpaS5JBN6DjOPYHLMNEDwuIIEXri45oPJXD_2X6gzs91lsRk8uSvL9v1enS1UwwcWxxQvTdAhCaux5qOY4z1VDtSf2U/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-10.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFnWnJiTYK1GyDzescG8GIn7hsVfA1CAAZA22zpty8mwE8QclmezpaS5JBN6DjOPYHLMNEDwuIIEXri45oPJXD_2X6gzs91lsRk8uSvL9v1enS1UwwcWxxQvTdAhCaux5qOY4z1VDtSf2U/s400/MAYA-01-28-10.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165778823787806258" /></a><CENTER>Corridor in palace, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnMnrMlMB2xZabc7nerHNZ6Mq2zQpj1E0uGeORx0o_gsc3aumD51wA9-_L7GwUTKqyi6okSMClNpLg5ls-OBYAmE3-9DYShKqzPjZ7JFRXP3Q5cp-r6j916sAey9VltoELzyIznMh18YV/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-16.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnMnrMlMB2xZabc7nerHNZ6Mq2zQpj1E0uGeORx0o_gsc3aumD51wA9-_L7GwUTKqyi6okSMClNpLg5ls-OBYAmE3-9DYShKqzPjZ7JFRXP3Q5cp-r6j916sAey9VltoELzyIznMh18YV/s400/MAYA-01-28-16.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165780623379103378" /></a><CENTER>Bas-reliefs of captives in palace, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIiETFDOcJ2RMdcu-kshIHeLmkABjaCjj2RVAJAn_IXAZSHHMapFLkyZge8wt1KvwsG3r1A-Z9eey_q5VdKCJzOiDDSS5lTluXnozw9YRW5YAicueWgolrrJudyIAsrHW6gzicUHU7HJz/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-19.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIiETFDOcJ2RMdcu-kshIHeLmkABjaCjj2RVAJAn_IXAZSHHMapFLkyZge8wt1KvwsG3r1A-Z9eey_q5VdKCJzOiDDSS5lTluXnozw9YRW5YAicueWgolrrJudyIAsrHW6gzicUHU7HJz/s400/MAYA-01-28-19.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166012667577206466" /></a><CENTER>Temple of the Cross seen from the palace, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxROdIQz3rQLXT4pN9qvDJsxGLFvjDpVRQUOzvyjtCMEKcqrV52DMckee95naeswS1QCWi6KOyv7RYCkx63EJ51wnKoMzB6frLXI3CTW1eCXjwJvi0ml6gxMoFARhY4nqGmUFeaO9g6W-z/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxROdIQz3rQLXT4pN9qvDJsxGLFvjDpVRQUOzvyjtCMEKcqrV52DMckee95naeswS1QCWi6KOyv7RYCkx63EJ51wnKoMzB6frLXI3CTW1eCXjwJvi0ml6gxMoFARhY4nqGmUFeaO9g6W-z/s400/MAYA-01-28-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166012680462108386" /></a><CENTER>Underground passages, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4kTpf7-HT28qDn8xzpNSCaudWAUAWfNxCeLbY3hrnAZ2n5jiF9KQPjSAih_FUY920zwLJwFd3jfxif3V13Eagv66OnW1Jnp8ZDowOQabC9Aenq4UQ5Ilhw-uINtwF03t9Igfa6Em16w/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-24.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4kTpf7-HT28qDn8xzpNSCaudWAUAWfNxCeLbY3hrnAZ2n5jiF9KQPjSAih_FUY920zwLJwFd3jfxif3V13Eagv66OnW1Jnp8ZDowOQabC9Aenq4UQ5Ilhw-uINtwF03t9Igfa6Em16w/s400/MAYA-01-28-24.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168300555537152818" /></a><CENTER>Mayan latrine, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRwkduGXBNVq0zAK6uzSZedjoy0RfiPlKDNdx4hrWvSMo9OxlfFZQnXvIybrqTzRmjLJHlY5XCHpML-m4O2LnqaarPHJxgKFTz9uhwt4uXu3OYKt0PneyyKUoJHDr_veMB4GWzsvuY-E/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-31.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRwkduGXBNVq0zAK6uzSZedjoy0RfiPlKDNdx4hrWvSMo9OxlfFZQnXvIybrqTzRmjLJHlY5XCHpML-m4O2LnqaarPHJxgKFTz9uhwt4uXu3OYKt0PneyyKUoJHDr_veMB4GWzsvuY-E/s400/MAYA-01-28-31.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168301354401069890" /></a><CENTER>Temple of the Cross, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKGO8r2_nu9DTgTjtK3dtI9Q7ZiSDWJ4pVmB6czpwr_DCQHdzcJmJZjXpZiY_H2FpFWtqOhq-fP-W-aDoaVxIunqz3viZXMmXhQLVtrzoKQ7QKtsLqc7xtqPP-1i3jANo1nZqNSGH7WJ2/s1280-h/MAYA-01-28-32.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKGO8r2_nu9DTgTjtK3dtI9Q7ZiSDWJ4pVmB6czpwr_DCQHdzcJmJZjXpZiY_H2FpFWtqOhq-fP-W-aDoaVxIunqz3viZXMmXhQLVtrzoKQ7QKtsLqc7xtqPP-1i3jANo1nZqNSGH7WJ2/s400/MAYA-01-28-32.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166014037671774098" /></a><CENTER>Palace (right) and Temple of Inscriptions (left) from Temple of the Cross, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqAer1H0e7Hy-cSB5gtsZiEXlvrCWYPYJF65puGhlpkomNzG7FohyphenhyphenXS7CDMC1TBJkMmGDpJcRJzFV2z7Z0InZoBmtcwaZQPMXkPFgsDXsBTZmmYLKyqh9h18TXWBwrJkG-YjZgvUALMcz/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqAer1H0e7Hy-cSB5gtsZiEXlvrCWYPYJF65puGhlpkomNzG7FohyphenhyphenXS7CDMC1TBJkMmGDpJcRJzFV2z7Z0InZoBmtcwaZQPMXkPFgsDXsBTZmmYLKyqh9h18TXWBwrJkG-YjZgvUALMcz/s400/MAYA-01-28-44.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166016631832021058" /></a><CENTER>Bas relief in Temple 17, Palenque</CENTER><br />After six hours, having climbed several of the huge flights of steps and walked miles around the site, we were hot, thirsty, hungry and in desperate need of cool showers. After satisfying some of these needs back at the hotel we walked into town in search of a bank to change our dollars to pesos and to pay the money demanded by the Mexican government before they will allow you to leave the country. The payment of around £12 each has to be made at a bank and a receipt obtained. Ian managed it all in Spanish! Next we found a restaurant on the main plaza where we ordered iced beers and tacos filled with beef, onions and peppers served with avocados and spicy salsa. <br /><br />The town of Palenque is nothing special. It is better kept than Santa Elena in Guatemala but is also less colourful. Shops are no more than single story buildings with open fronts along the roads that are laid out in a grid pattern throughout the town. Street vendors sell fruit, bread, nuts, sweets and corn on the cob from bicycles on street corners and women with babies tied to their backs sweep the dusty streets or sit on benches beneath the trees on the plaza while their children attempt to sell souvenirs and reproduction Maya trinkets to tourists. There are around 60,000 inhabitants in Palenque, about the same number as existed at the height of the Mayan period during the 7th and 8th centuries AD. In the cathedral is a painting of the Spanish priest Fray Pedro Lorenzo de la Nada who founded the new settlement of Palenque in 1567. He did much for the Mayan people and was buried in the cathedral in 1580.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37-i2k4JBFl0iz_2LLI0HGmmgQo71-tcgZxeuj0ORlzL-9NGx0QoGhHfDUxFgMdC1Dc2l9m4r6V4DfmtBnQvBlRjoerdzEdmYdD4MafqAtsriM8s4Vzvvw1Pz6SSCqhsF-G3gIWzbEd8/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37-i2k4JBFl0iz_2LLI0HGmmgQo71-tcgZxeuj0ORlzL-9NGx0QoGhHfDUxFgMdC1Dc2l9m4r6V4DfmtBnQvBlRjoerdzEdmYdD4MafqAtsriM8s4Vzvvw1Pz6SSCqhsF-G3gIWzbEd8/s400/MAYA-01-28-60.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168291647774980834" /></a><CENTER>Street scene, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmT0Sa5X4RQX23Oli1__BdXhQIsjVxAmZSiKWwkWOE61S_IIRBr1-x9cA6yAlngSnpIaWn9oyrW8ydEscCuLIf6nzIlCIwr1FwnEoyD9ubnVnuMMWRWUCSVKPe1Wsx0nMdieyOBp6oZs/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmT0Sa5X4RQX23Oli1__BdXhQIsjVxAmZSiKWwkWOE61S_IIRBr1-x9cA6yAlngSnpIaWn9oyrW8ydEscCuLIf6nzIlCIwr1FwnEoyD9ubnVnuMMWRWUCSVKPe1Wsx0nMdieyOBp6oZs/s400/MAYA-01-28-55.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168291106609101474" /></a><CENTER>Street scene, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfKBG70Y_M4iI-rfSDRQnx1fUB2cTonzs06YvLHz7VzeXe7v2Bo14xYkVC9MaHdmtpttgQCEf7PmOIaTCyqirep0buDDwj-_N3fqatuzH1-l1y_qnKQt0uKF-48R1t6S_Mvh7qWyvHxI/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfKBG70Y_M4iI-rfSDRQnx1fUB2cTonzs06YvLHz7VzeXe7v2Bo14xYkVC9MaHdmtpttgQCEf7PmOIaTCyqirep0buDDwj-_N3fqatuzH1-l1y_qnKQt0uKF-48R1t6S_Mvh7qWyvHxI/s400/MAYA-01-28-57.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168291119494003378" /></a><CENTER>Cathedral, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuQtyD4S9tcUyP4wPph6sSieA8q0Arsm5oqABR_4-4UWyl33F96mKQBUvcu6mW0ISxsCWR3G12xE528q8Io7BQWsIYD5aSGSQZbXxpph08AnoVH9QdSeLfxl2pHJGlwT9kw4vM3PQ3ik/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuQtyD4S9tcUyP4wPph6sSieA8q0Arsm5oqABR_4-4UWyl33F96mKQBUvcu6mW0ISxsCWR3G12xE528q8Io7BQWsIYD5aSGSQZbXxpph08AnoVH9QdSeLfxl2pHJGlwT9kw4vM3PQ3ik/s400/MAYA-01-28-58.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168291626300144322" /></a><CENTER>Fray Pedro Lorenzo de la Nada, Palenque</CENTER><br />It is intriguing to see the way that the people of Palenque have adopted the recently discovered Mayan rulers as part of their heritage, not always in the best of taste. The profile of Pacal adorns the Town Hall and park benches. There is even a statue of his mother in the centre of the town and a giant copy of his head on the roundabout out of town!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUSzejN85uiwVvuUwN_W511B-1hBf6GFAtrzd8PB-Hth4N9TN4OQjab_2Yo1pulUZurGVfdE-GJVNvRlOMsJyIkWMUEkhDC8pXp67g9U0rNQhq94fI8QfA2nT8V6w5lN5GNNlTyEMk6A/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUSzejN85uiwVvuUwN_W511B-1hBf6GFAtrzd8PB-Hth4N9TN4OQjab_2Yo1pulUZurGVfdE-GJVNvRlOMsJyIkWMUEkhDC8pXp67g9U0rNQhq94fI8QfA2nT8V6w5lN5GNNlTyEMk6A/s400/MAYA-01-28-52.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168291093724199570" /></a><CENTER>Modern statue of Pacal I, Palenque</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_557ZOJzE3pyDin86h5aey6LOGtZ8LNXkn9Z62thCMBJszl7Kv7vLXhHJiK77FqDP2Bll5NixVcv5cLy22CZB85FI0kR2d2E_PlgCRY7jLalxSgcx466IZ89S8j_XrnX8zq5Hwb_EwQ/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_557ZOJzE3pyDin86h5aey6LOGtZ8LNXkn9Z62thCMBJszl7Kv7vLXhHJiK77FqDP2Bll5NixVcv5cLy22CZB85FI0kR2d2E_PlgCRY7jLalxSgcx466IZ89S8j_XrnX8zq5Hwb_EwQ/s400/MAYA-01-28-59.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168291639185046226" /></a><CENTER>Pacal's mother, Palenque</CENTER><br />It was dark by the time we returned to our hotel and gone 9pm before we felt sufficiently hungry to seek out somewhere for supper. Unfortunately our restaurant of last night was closed and the only other place within easy reach turned out to be a very indifferent experience. We were fussed over by a bevy of eager waiters who made the whole process something to be endured. Serviettes were placed on our knees, our beer poured for us at regular intervals and they took it in turns to stand beside the table watching our every move, the dishes being whipped away the second we put down our cutlery. In fact we ended up deliberately holding onto our glasses to see how long they would stand waiting for them. They were whipped away the second we let go! The concept of a relaxed meal does not appear to exist in Mexico. The experience lasted a mere 20 minutes, the food wasn't particularly good and we left with a sense of disappointment and bad indigestion. It was also considerably more expensive than last night had been.Jill, Ian and Modestinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122859105828936321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008876232208881598.post-27146689589559368232008-02-15T12:32:00.011+00:002008-03-06T20:57:04.761+00:00Tikal, Yaxha and Flores<B>Tuesday 22nd January 2008, Tikal, Guatelamala</B><br />We reached this site, isolated in the Jungle, late last night after a long day on the coach, stopping off on our way from Honduras back into Guatemala to visit the important Mayan city of Quirigua. This is in a grassy setting beside an area of dense forest where we could hear howler monkeys and see humming birds. It is surrounded by extensive banana plantations owned by the United Fruit Company. A light, bright yellow aircraft flew regularly back and forth above the tree canopy, spraying the banana plantation that surrounds the site.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBMTYCiGw7Sp2IfDaFeZ7Rz1xormMVAtzha3Kh_vgOq_-Az1h4JWQ6hGiBoYj5qYjWyU1x7JUFouWxEBAmfYzsBYeI5k1dZbznQWLm04SVIyJe6qdX5g3HgYPzncbBHm-iD_T8oP9mR3q/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-12.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBMTYCiGw7Sp2IfDaFeZ7Rz1xormMVAtzha3Kh_vgOq_-Az1h4JWQ6hGiBoYj5qYjWyU1x7JUFouWxEBAmfYzsBYeI5k1dZbznQWLm04SVIyJe6qdX5g3HgYPzncbBHm-iD_T8oP9mR3q/s400/MAYA-01-22-12.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165466794413750498" /></a><CENTER>Structure 1B-1, the Acropolis, Quirigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wA8673JJaGiLSTkYTEYLxawnHHxl7XIc3gXv644-DB3auJ1rKCl1w2KEMfoYcGWAk2qdyz52CvuClt77rw-2QG7fgAtMSa8yrG43st9ph_z9wG_MFkmQ-qm6y-elWnLKDb35JehJq31z/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-05.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wA8673JJaGiLSTkYTEYLxawnHHxl7XIc3gXv644-DB3auJ1rKCl1w2KEMfoYcGWAk2qdyz52CvuClt77rw-2QG7fgAtMSa8yrG43st9ph_z9wG_MFkmQ-qm6y-elWnLKDb35JehJq31z/s400/MAYA-01-22-05.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165465716376959090" /></a><CENTER>Great Plaza with Stelae, Quirigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7z3vBVQvJsLpNw6xKPiQHXzO68IExTPeaIAbWu2IbwAXqqOUOhyphenhyphenGmueV_98k7Rd5liqlANfk81VPf1E2uW1nMQVFwl60tr9w3weRC3YbLedlF2qB2l1fz5wN1bFAl6J4wr5xWYN8VGK-b/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-17.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7z3vBVQvJsLpNw6xKPiQHXzO68IExTPeaIAbWu2IbwAXqqOUOhyphenhyphenGmueV_98k7Rd5liqlANfk81VPf1E2uW1nMQVFwl60tr9w3weRC3YbLedlF2qB2l1fz5wN1bFAl6J4wr5xWYN8VGK-b/s400/MAYA-01-22-17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165468039954266418" /></a><CENTER>Banana plantation, Quirigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTGLdXV5DcAitupT1ijFwMWrC6_Uu_60Nj2vsvF4Re1C4-p1nsGTmd-OPX0yvksFH4ndE2EA21QQ24z8tj7tsYHyphxOuHWDhUZKvigHE93spp0nKtbxqPSSPCbLHWLNEs7MYMIFA4Xd-/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-13.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTGLdXV5DcAitupT1ijFwMWrC6_Uu_60Nj2vsvF4Re1C4-p1nsGTmd-OPX0yvksFH4ndE2EA21QQ24z8tj7tsYHyphxOuHWDhUZKvigHE93spp0nKtbxqPSSPCbLHWLNEs7MYMIFA4Xd-/s400/MAYA-01-22-13.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165466803003685106" /></a><CENTER>Banana spraying over the Acropolis, Quirigua </CENTER><br />Quirigua is a small site but important as in 738 its ruler Cauac Sky defeated our friend 18-Rabbit from the more powerful city of Copan, beheading him in the acropolis at Quirigua. The acropolis is in the now familiar style with buildings on three sides of an open area, including a ball-court. The fourth side had been washed away by the river. Before we reached the acropolis we crossed the extensive Great Plaza with its many stelae erected at five-year intervals by Cauac Sky. These were in low relief and not in the round like the stelae in Copan, but included the tallest in the Maya lands, stela E a monolithic block ten metres high. All were carved with lengthy inscriptions detailing his exploits. A special feature of the site is the so-called zoomorphs, massive rocks that had been dragged from miles away and carved in site with elaborate depictions of mythical creatures and hieroglyphic inscriptions.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwomXgxKYOLoK8l_Q6bt7TwlkVA08nuJVnsU3gbaoVq0zPbI4nWby9GGiq23utN_k94M7n3Ew0js8jx3Jw6l1Cla-QYDLL6UvMjCsRkgplgzHDfiL_IaBt0eQneQjmRLN__Ys080Vlr6n/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-16.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwomXgxKYOLoK8l_Q6bt7TwlkVA08nuJVnsU3gbaoVq0zPbI4nWby9GGiq23utN_k94M7n3Ew0js8jx3Jw6l1Cla-QYDLL6UvMjCsRkgplgzHDfiL_IaBt0eQneQjmRLN__Ys080Vlr6n/s400/MAYA-01-22-16.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165468027069364514" /></a><CENTER> Stela E, dated 771AD. Showing the ruler K'ak' Tiliw, Quirigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ14nVpry00Yf9t6cdUChUW8ygLTF7AbSod51MFwuTu4cGXKaoahc121ug34NcY4fhynpcKkntg2FxRSmbN37uZbxBsoHDRb0mduPv3pnfTz-JP6iNbZ_9un4aQJ2k3xZklc4B0-Xcaw4v/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-14.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ14nVpry00Yf9t6cdUChUW8ygLTF7AbSod51MFwuTu4cGXKaoahc121ug34NcY4fhynpcKkntg2FxRSmbN37uZbxBsoHDRb0mduPv3pnfTz-JP6iNbZ_9un4aQJ2k3xZklc4B0-Xcaw4v/s400/MAYA-01-22-14.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165467971234789634" /></a><CENTER>Hieroglyphic text on side of stela, Quirigua </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgym6YtiFtgtq1-pvMuxcgSdioRVjrQ88yQIZkAmtcr_GaIPejqZjncL00IGNB0K3UJU2m0NChGGE77g4561juhRagpxOZTXZjXsNivkMVMPQUK9slNSmMWZxNUvPygqYqv6XlvFrl0lpdN/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-15.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgym6YtiFtgtq1-pvMuxcgSdioRVjrQ88yQIZkAmtcr_GaIPejqZjncL00IGNB0K3UJU2m0NChGGE77g4561juhRagpxOZTXZjXsNivkMVMPQUK9slNSmMWZxNUvPygqYqv6XlvFrl0lpdN/s400/MAYA-01-22-15.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165467979824724242" /></a><CENTER>Stela K, dated 805AD, Quirigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVQU6_wskkbZKmOYKdxudNAOGCyFfbO1lLaXoBl526Wz1ghHXfZXK89JohXxZ2Zo2KSJ-J0kOLQ0CT-0ImWKps7kDwLinehysMnj6xzIa7m0lWrcJtj8TwzSFAHScrXlhyACm9P19D97x/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-10.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVQU6_wskkbZKmOYKdxudNAOGCyFfbO1lLaXoBl526Wz1ghHXfZXK89JohXxZ2Zo2KSJ-J0kOLQ0CT-0ImWKps7kDwLinehysMnj6xzIa7m0lWrcJtj8TwzSFAHScrXlhyACm9P19D97x/s400/MAYA-01-22-10.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165466772938913986" /></a><CENTER>Zoomorph, Quirigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjYrpgAITKB-kWlCNJNWqiabftMPHnpu_rGLNACINQwmsU_jsQkOaJMY0tjy3PVSdWiPiebELF006yPEErtTOVqWJkfXPH9ewaNCpd2uhRcQPoxUprGK58pdeiN6maIVY7YXMNPI4SsY/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-18.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjYrpgAITKB-kWlCNJNWqiabftMPHnpu_rGLNACINQwmsU_jsQkOaJMY0tjy3PVSdWiPiebELF006yPEErtTOVqWJkfXPH9ewaNCpd2uhRcQPoxUprGK58pdeiN6maIVY7YXMNPI4SsY/s400/MAYA-01-22-18.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167191586391390178" /></a><CENTER>Mayan textiles for sale at the site entrance, Quirigua</CENTER><br />We continued along the Motagua valley which became wider, with ranches where cattle grazed. Around lunch time we crossed the Rio Dulce where we stopped in the town to change our US dollars and Honduran Lempira back into Quetzals before making our way down to the river bank where we had planned to stopped for lunch. The restaurant had a palm-roofed terrace built out over the water. It was cool and beautiful and scored full marks as an attractive location. However, the service was slow and most orders were wrong. The staff where bored and indifferent and obviously found it impossible to cope with eighteen people ordering lunch at the same time. They completely forgot several of the orders and where quite unable to work out the bills correctly, eventually leaving it to us to do so. This strange indifference is so unlike western attitudes and is perhaps a reflection of the limited education available in third world countries. We have encountered a very similar attitude in other less developed places.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg01jCaYgy6GgB7-Cb262xrgfX4LQkHoJQ8Ns3ssOmnMrrBkteaTieq67CxAhAJjoDWOVinDSjDZKfv_DX6fDJLWcTor5A0HKsr3XxBZrqO2ryLpgVCrR8oK26yhFnmKibEFENsBSX2AY/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-22.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg01jCaYgy6GgB7-Cb262xrgfX4LQkHoJQ8Ns3ssOmnMrrBkteaTieq67CxAhAJjoDWOVinDSjDZKfv_DX6fDJLWcTor5A0HKsr3XxBZrqO2ryLpgVCrR8oK26yhFnmKibEFENsBSX2AY/s400/MAYA-01-22-22.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167191599276292098" /></a><CENTER>From our lunch table, Rio Dulce</CENTER><br />Returning to our coach we walked through the town straggling along the main road where huge container lorries, imported from the US, rumble along inches from the street stalls. All the buildings were single storey with businesses and banks behind, many air-conditioned and modern. In front were the street stalls and shacks where daily life takes place. It was noisy and lively with food being cooked on the street. It looked interesting and exciting with tortillas being hand made and griddled, fish being fried, and piles of raw meat in the hot sun waiting to be bought. It all looked far more interesting than the restaurant where we had wasted so much time and patience. However, the hygiene did not look too reliable and we would probably not have risked eating there had we been on our own. The entire town reminded us of Ben Totta and Aluthgama in Sri Lanka where the world of the local community existed side by side but never really touching, with that of the tourists. There were even women sitting outside their shacks with their sewing machines making garments for sale.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLe3yMF4geiObYpdiWYnRJseZ_prWK1TLcQB4XoBtsQE7hWcC3ayOOxMxOmYB8p4Dk44_OCd2HEDfn9PtYqeKSxsWyvz9QbwmApGX64hfLqBZ8whmHSIYEfS5yiypNRKkzIZtIE4sdDJs/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-19.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLe3yMF4geiObYpdiWYnRJseZ_prWK1TLcQB4XoBtsQE7hWcC3ayOOxMxOmYB8p4Dk44_OCd2HEDfn9PtYqeKSxsWyvz9QbwmApGX64hfLqBZ8whmHSIYEfS5yiypNRKkzIZtIE4sdDJs/s400/MAYA-01-22-19.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167191594981324786" /></a><CENTER>Main street, Rio Dulce</CENTER><br />As we continued our coach journey we were warned to eat up any fruit we may have with us as it was liable to be confiscated! Soon afterwards we met a road block and were ushered to the side of the road where fruit police ordered us all down from the coach. They then ransacked the inside searching for hidden pineapples, plums, papaya or pomegranates! As we waited, fearful that one amongst us may have inadvertently left a couple of lychees on their seat, a car was stopped and surrounded by three uniformed police. One, gun in hand, gingerly lifted the lid of the boot ready to open fire on any secret cargo of raspberries! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijG4L-CKbamdgPk0gj4tDFlCMrFKPF6C7ptgIPdmmMMwV-eNZ20NVxvSRip_i1gdvbgsjEmhiJla-UxfurhDQrFDIlfCHVqvDh8mVJCyRsPeCp1riao24s8kaB4g8LZor2RIEZv56Q3Ck/s1280-h/MAYA-01-22-24.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijG4L-CKbamdgPk0gj4tDFlCMrFKPF6C7ptgIPdmmMMwV-eNZ20NVxvSRip_i1gdvbgsjEmhiJla-UxfurhDQrFDIlfCHVqvDh8mVJCyRsPeCp1riao24s8kaB4g8LZor2RIEZv56Q3Ck/s400/MAYA-01-22-24.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167191603571259410" /></a><CENTER>Forbidden fruit, Guatemala</CENTER><br />Licking the last of our illicit fruit juice from our fingers and leaving nothing behind but a couple of empty banana skins we were eventually allowed back on board. It was not even at a border crossing being well inside Guatemala. It would seem there are fears of spreading some sort of fruit fungus or fly from one area to another so transportation of all fruit is closely controlled. Somehow though, it struck us as rather heavy handed. We had seen lorry loads of pineapples further back along the road and the street market in Rio Dulce had been bursting with a wonderful array of fruit and vegetables. Surely they must need to be transported around the country for sale.<br /><br />We had left Copan at 7am. By the time we eventually reached the jungle lodge at Tikal, here in the national park, it was after 7pm. We were warned that the generator would shut down at 9pm. We were allocated small lodges in the grounds. They are thatched with palm leaves and have mosquito netting at the windows. The site looks most attractive with a beautiful pool surrounded by a lawn with palm trees, hibiscus shrubs, flowers and trees that we have never seen in Europe. However, within minutes we realised that joined up thinking is not in the mindset of the ordinary people of this area of Central America. <br /><br />The entire group were lead along rough tracks through the jungle by torchlight, lugging our cases, to deposit certain of our number at their lodges. Then they led the rest of us right back, past the main reception, to our rooms just a few metres away on the other side! When we were eventually allocated our room the loo roll was beautifully pleated but there was no hot water or sink plug and the toilet wouldn't flush. At supper we were informed that the cost of our meals was already included. Once we had eaten they told us they had made a mistake and meals were extra - though to their credit they did not charge us for their error. This crazy situation has continued today. At breakfast this morning it did not occur to anyone to ensure the milk or butter were on the table before the coffee and toast arrived and this afternoon when Ian asked for a couple of beers costing 32 quetzels the waiter found it incomprehensible that Ian should proffer a 50 quetzel note plus two quetzel coins! Ian was obliged to explain in Spanish that it was intended to help and he needed a 20 quetzel note as change! There have been numerous other similar incidents that are at the same time irritating and funny – such as when we asked what the nice fish was that we were eating for lunch and were told that it was fried fish!<br /><br />However, the reason we are at Tikal is to see one of the most amazing sites of Mayan culture, set deep in the heart of the jungle where there are over 200 species of snakes, howler and spider monkeys, ant eaters, leaf-cutter ants, jaguars, crocodiles and coatimundis, several of which we have been fortunate enough to see on our rambles through the jungle and around the site today. There are of course also tarantula spiders and mosquitoes but they are keeping a low profile so far and anyway, after Trinidad we are now well hard. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6e3nUKu2OUemq2Y6zFlkn0WouYpq83GU-a3kGs5FbeAWx_MHhVznQPEjjM45jDHIRiEMdIn0OxekCvF8dVlQX4bjmjJNCSpC4EUjyYyDVbKTgdJSrzHYgJ3bqz_yZVsJSdF8haIBaYQ/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-28.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6e3nUKu2OUemq2Y6zFlkn0WouYpq83GU-a3kGs5FbeAWx_MHhVznQPEjjM45jDHIRiEMdIn0OxekCvF8dVlQX4bjmjJNCSpC4EUjyYyDVbKTgdJSrzHYgJ3bqz_yZVsJSdF8haIBaYQ/s400/MAYA-01-23-28.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192153327073362" /></a><CENTER>Coatimundi, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdm7cbxDDbsWPr4y4WVugR85WXazLLigspTo3Dp1qAIOySBfc06w0qVC35oJ01UA_eGlx-onVUxZmALnQoXW3Yi2s4N3MxnkdINmHlO7EU67679liJ9-M1e3WBmAF-ogns-2qLRr1Gm4/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-27.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdm7cbxDDbsWPr4y4WVugR85WXazLLigspTo3Dp1qAIOySBfc06w0qVC35oJ01UA_eGlx-onVUxZmALnQoXW3Yi2s4N3MxnkdINmHlO7EU67679liJ9-M1e3WBmAF-ogns-2qLRr1Gm4/s400/MAYA-01-23-27.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192153327073346" /></a><CENTER>Crocodile pond, Tikal</CENTER><br />Our Mayan guide today has been excellent with a perfect command of English. She has been able to explain so much about the flora and fauna of this site as well as bringing to life the daily activities and rituals of the Mayan people here. There is such magic in arriving early, on foot, at a site, seeing the spider monkeys high in the branches and the oscillating turkeys in the undergrowth, then discovering a huge, mysterious green mound amidst the jungle trees that is the yet to be excavated base of a pyramid or inscribed stela.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnmDVZYZ7j7qJQiKloZQKDs3ZQqMIFF5QyApw_tFaX344d_2Ur8OrLtzBrG04PyLvoRwtPBUkAviqHgJqID-YBwMSj2ZrA1LpoEXa_oSIz6WComVNDVMubE-xqsKk4aujEDMrAl4riE0/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-08.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnmDVZYZ7j7qJQiKloZQKDs3ZQqMIFF5QyApw_tFaX344d_2Ur8OrLtzBrG04PyLvoRwtPBUkAviqHgJqID-YBwMSj2ZrA1LpoEXa_oSIz6WComVNDVMubE-xqsKk4aujEDMrAl4riE0/s400/MAYA-01-23-08.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167191603571259426" /></a><CENTER>Oscillating turkeys, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFddWQF_MnkMzQbw7x11RyE0YG0IdjAlC-U_9gSQAo184MIOmBZ75lDEae7FlO9Sk1Li5vnzWkpPel-esGELpkakKzyv9KTzed-lZsRJf3hSqae3YGfzbH2UtHgVBQYBmpoBZ42faI2L3/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-06.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFddWQF_MnkMzQbw7x11RyE0YG0IdjAlC-U_9gSQAo184MIOmBZ75lDEae7FlO9Sk1Li5vnzWkpPel-esGELpkakKzyv9KTzed-lZsRJf3hSqae3YGfzbH2UtHgVBQYBmpoBZ42faI2L3/s400/MAYA-01-23-06.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165760157859936690" /></a><CENTER>Fallen stela broken by tree trunk, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2EPTQiNKIqYAlLlKlCJUqlUkGfCT2EF9mwiOJkvTIf51PNQbuIkYTa66bmi8NS87cIQaGXnhr_nFvi2wFuYwPqtpmrGqgN7-bov0osPZP62OhGPlqjBulJRC3AL4sPHtowXhlCc3o4BD/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-07.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2EPTQiNKIqYAlLlKlCJUqlUkGfCT2EF9mwiOJkvTIf51PNQbuIkYTa66bmi8NS87cIQaGXnhr_nFvi2wFuYwPqtpmrGqgN7-bov0osPZP62OhGPlqjBulJRC3AL4sPHtowXhlCc3o4BD/s400/MAYA-01-23-07.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165760166449871298" /></a><CENTER>Yet to be excavated temple, Tikal</CENTER><br />Tikal is a magnificent site. As we advanced along the shady pathways, temples on top of pyramids emerged through clearings in the jungle canopy. In some cases these were simply tree-covered mounds awaiting excavation and reconstruction, but in the Grand Plaza extensive restoration had been undertaken. Two temples, numbered Temple One and Temple Two by the archaeologists faced each other from the east and west sides of the plaza, crowned by elaborate roof-combs which formerly had massive stuccoed and painted masks, while at the north side loomed the Northern Acropolis in front of which were a row of stelae with round altars before them. The guide explained the relationship between the high priests and the people. The priests used the astronomical and other knowledge they had built up to coordinate the planting and harvesting activities of the people who in turn would keep them in their elite position. Matters changed in the fourth century when the central Mexican city of Teotihuacan took over Tikal, married into the ruling family and introduced its more bellicose ideas. Every five years the Venus wars were fought, ritual conflicts to obtain captives to sacrifice to the gods. For a while Tikal was successful, but in 562 the ruler of Tikal was captured and sacrificed by the rival city of Calakmul. For more than a century there was little building and Tikal suffered a series of defeats by Calakmul. Only in 695 did the ruler of Tikal eventually defeat Calakmul and initiate the flurry of building that led to the awe-inspiring complex of buildings we see today. Temple One was completed in 695, Temple Two in 702, Temple Three in about 810 and Temple Four in about 750. All these are massive structures but were mostly built over earlier buildings as the culmination of a millennium of construction work. In the façade of the North Acropolis it is possible to see fragments of stairways, large decorative masks and doorways from earlier phases of the construction which the Mayan architects later built over. Set away from the ceremonial centre, Temple Four rears to a height of 70 metres above the forest canopy and from its top the other temples and tree-covered mounds rise above the gently undulating forests of the Peten. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HmLBB7Cr_jqmdUTgRQhC4ArqolZeIoWBz-fz_hHU0U-ac1QLRwoGTDy-stAKY-GnBBI24kai3ljEqtIE1mQAlnidaHkyzwZbfMJyHWb-nKuTqDC22m2hyphenhyphen1Sry8IZ7gVyJeySrg2wSbQr/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-12.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HmLBB7Cr_jqmdUTgRQhC4ArqolZeIoWBz-fz_hHU0U-ac1QLRwoGTDy-stAKY-GnBBI24kai3ljEqtIE1mQAlnidaHkyzwZbfMJyHWb-nKuTqDC22m2hyphenhyphen1Sry8IZ7gVyJeySrg2wSbQr/s400/MAYA-01-23-12.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165759530794711394" /></a><CENTER>Temple 2 from North Acropolis, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNad-X8rTqOQBNjeLzgxjZjhGkRK0hwMTVGeNgS64owej6AVHIqtUiIaLxAI9ZNjjAjHdfeE9-BsGzT12zdkx7Wim7xqWOop4o6Ni1Q6lBqVndLCVqDwS_j9HhY0HYtoGZAxtKrWdUdUz/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-11.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNad-X8rTqOQBNjeLzgxjZjhGkRK0hwMTVGeNgS64owej6AVHIqtUiIaLxAI9ZNjjAjHdfeE9-BsGzT12zdkx7Wim7xqWOop4o6Ni1Q6lBqVndLCVqDwS_j9HhY0HYtoGZAxtKrWdUdUz/s400/MAYA-01-23-11.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165759517909809490" /></a><CENTER>Temple 1 from north acropolis, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGy65LwRPFRq4iUBZcsjME6z4IxOlFQRsgMcBrk3LblpAvmuldsQVQscpbjOeHSIFh5t1Lhr6HgEVP1dVTVLBXu0YrDA6eg1irA7UH0r2kJFgikkBIalTklz-DRzEVA7Z_tGM93S0FZNGY/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-14.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGy65LwRPFRq4iUBZcsjME6z4IxOlFQRsgMcBrk3LblpAvmuldsQVQscpbjOeHSIFh5t1Lhr6HgEVP1dVTVLBXu0YrDA6eg1irA7UH0r2kJFgikkBIalTklz-DRzEVA7Z_tGM93S0FZNGY/s400/MAYA-01-23-14.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165759539384646018" /></a><CENTER>Mask on earlier level of North Acropolis, Tikal </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwRgeeCdW1DPeb5N_uBFvXBD8YP9U_Ybw7UzozCQirTTwVvu5mqcMR2Qse8hyZXSoyb2MGsznzuDzcdDXW5gbMlIpI2JmFnN-P0RVuTKFtjZaFLh8ZZuUu-_5aGewJXlCnDcXAyPOSvoM/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-17.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwRgeeCdW1DPeb5N_uBFvXBD8YP9U_Ybw7UzozCQirTTwVvu5mqcMR2Qse8hyZXSoyb2MGsznzuDzcdDXW5gbMlIpI2JmFnN-P0RVuTKFtjZaFLh8ZZuUu-_5aGewJXlCnDcXAyPOSvoM/s400/MAYA-01-23-17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165760969608755714" /></a><CENTER>Pyramid in the jungle, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eEizTMfwcl-ANlmmdjN0_cJ8gLPESEDAwzFqMnGTJqt8s2kAys-SGThtbmDi49ORDVdh5b7jt-5DuEXYaTZ9o9mrRNspM7jEgiVD0zBmy9VXYqpsIdOwdRzOufocvM_LMJb8yF1mrZE/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-24.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eEizTMfwcl-ANlmmdjN0_cJ8gLPESEDAwzFqMnGTJqt8s2kAys-SGThtbmDi49ORDVdh5b7jt-5DuEXYaTZ9o9mrRNspM7jEgiVD0zBmy9VXYqpsIdOwdRzOufocvM_LMJb8yF1mrZE/s400/MAYA-01-23-24.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192149032106034" /></a><CENTER>From the top of one pyramid Ian looks out across the jungle canopy to others, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkjT7TNodK-LTjuzWV-iwv_YxWhLsIZGWVc7rK5NPw2hdpFfGz2msrYH75eAQkOx_-8526fr2rQdVv27bFccwQEseG158e4edX2nlGfL7OrF3kRqdMr182yBIVlsqWZO4or95hwzDLrmS/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-25.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkjT7TNodK-LTjuzWV-iwv_YxWhLsIZGWVc7rK5NPw2hdpFfGz2msrYH75eAQkOx_-8526fr2rQdVv27bFccwQEseG158e4edX2nlGfL7OrF3kRqdMr182yBIVlsqWZO4or95hwzDLrmS/s400/MAYA-01-23-25.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165762206559337058" /></a><CENTER>One of the twin pyramids in Complex Q, built by Yax Nuun Ayiin II (also known as Chitam) in AD771, with stelae and altars in front, Tikal </CENTER><br />After lunch the rest of the group went off for a tractor ride to see the site of Uaxactun. Ian returned to Tikal to explore further as the morning visit had touched on a mere 4% of the overall site, while Jill took the opportunity of lying on her back in the deserted swimming pool watching the oropendula birds waving their beautiful yellow tail feathers as they hopped around in the fronds of the palm tree above her. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQe_3V5UPOPcU2W3rNYPHMgT89MGhLEyLTGOu4HPvaODO_LLfuHB01fB-bwrDK7iJmyxwNhEtz-qmeO4exSpWhF3TKoA9K3OHBeN0VozVKoevmpzmwle27t_OsjEdLv_o0M7UFC2SOcI/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-40.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQe_3V5UPOPcU2W3rNYPHMgT89MGhLEyLTGOu4HPvaODO_LLfuHB01fB-bwrDK7iJmyxwNhEtz-qmeO4exSpWhF3TKoA9K3OHBeN0VozVKoevmpzmwle27t_OsjEdLv_o0M7UFC2SOcI/s400/MAYA-01-23-40.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192157622040674" /></a><CENTER>A cool place to pass the afternoon, Tikal</CENTER><br />Ian had the site virtually to himself in the afternoon and walked along deserted paths to the jungle in search of a complex called Mundo Perdido – the Lost World. This is the oldest unchanged part of the site with a pyramid and other buildings dating back to the late pre-classic period – about the end of the second century AD. It probably formed the ceremonial centre of Tikal before the Great plaza was constructed. Coming on this site and the neighbouring Plaza of the Seven Temples in complete solitude, one had something of the experience of Stephens and Catherwood, when they discovered so many of these cities and recorded them for the first time back in the 1840s. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjC5j1rx0wVB9k1vRyL3amgFWwPQs4J8aPLVrK_MstANbCyjm6p5WJiDMJqhuY2fWeug_licalc6-FmoLIrK1vd1YCYd_OPOqlTvqyl-6mYZztkwXxXkYqxq-E82rqSQNCnQfuGWCivNH/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-29.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjC5j1rx0wVB9k1vRyL3amgFWwPQs4J8aPLVrK_MstANbCyjm6p5WJiDMJqhuY2fWeug_licalc6-FmoLIrK1vd1YCYd_OPOqlTvqyl-6mYZztkwXxXkYqxq-E82rqSQNCnQfuGWCivNH/s400/MAYA-01-23-29.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165762210854304370" /></a><CENTER>Temple 3 from the Central Acropolis, Tikal </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEdVcnFfA-3ZsSuDDrQ8OxUeh7M_E4Fbrdje1Vg6fV-OZ-lPfoczacWBYaigtVy7NQPTcp-KBg1M3prh8ahYZvgvW5VSH-da8ckVVkxbCJKWjl0VgE9vOprkUNZEtDZQgGkma6yyshzzY/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-31.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEdVcnFfA-3ZsSuDDrQ8OxUeh7M_E4Fbrdje1Vg6fV-OZ-lPfoczacWBYaigtVy7NQPTcp-KBg1M3prh8ahYZvgvW5VSH-da8ckVVkxbCJKWjl0VgE9vOprkUNZEtDZQgGkma6yyshzzY/s400/MAYA-01-23-31.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165763284596128402" /></a><CENTER>Side view of Temple 3 from Mundo Perdido, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_lA6alHNOBSWt7BOth7CAfj3hKxR6sLfLjdgmzIfE1nCvCrZe_ghwxpf9NLxRGGEy0DC8X3KG_IbIQbiA1TNkdOxDnM1y0qejtI_Y7O-KR_9MvSLcwVMm7Cgerm8KG7bSQUisEmZZuRi/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-32.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_lA6alHNOBSWt7BOth7CAfj3hKxR6sLfLjdgmzIfE1nCvCrZe_ghwxpf9NLxRGGEy0DC8X3KG_IbIQbiA1TNkdOxDnM1y0qejtI_Y7O-KR_9MvSLcwVMm7Cgerm8KG7bSQUisEmZZuRi/s400/MAYA-01-23-32.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165763293186063010" /></a><CENTER>Mundo Perdido complex, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnpANN4OekmTBirPxTVYpT0N2m57X-odhsaHvZuIqIwNhJOTXXXPA1SnmWC0A3gHR_QLom4q39VqyHs14P_-Eam5i8wO8LpJjkLdY7wU8ZOyx4VRy8CopZXmHfLzSZCmK2DX3bWWVvEFT/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-35.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnpANN4OekmTBirPxTVYpT0N2m57X-odhsaHvZuIqIwNhJOTXXXPA1SnmWC0A3gHR_QLom4q39VqyHs14P_-Eam5i8wO8LpJjkLdY7wU8ZOyx4VRy8CopZXmHfLzSZCmK2DX3bWWVvEFT/s400/MAYA-01-23-35.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165764096344947410" /></a><CENTER>Mundo Perdido complex, Tikal</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQ5LsbFjrLz1mQOiOwe2V0Rg0vPimoGdJ1WrLR-sTH2XJVAxdq30yk1ZGOxP90J8qGWQaAZXRInpKXfcu1-R-i7eDS3B00PbolLo113c-m1yDIKRW-LuJ1F-Y9ApMPIpyINJbhyphenhyphenwrh9Sx/s1280-h/MAYA-01-23-37.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQ5LsbFjrLz1mQOiOwe2V0Rg0vPimoGdJ1WrLR-sTH2XJVAxdq30yk1ZGOxP90J8qGWQaAZXRInpKXfcu1-R-i7eDS3B00PbolLo113c-m1yDIKRW-LuJ1F-Y9ApMPIpyINJbhyphenhyphenwrh9Sx/s400/MAYA-01-23-37.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165764126409718514" /></a><CENTER>Ball court with Temple 1 behind, Mundo Perdido, Tikal</CENTER><br /><B>Friday 25th January 2008, Flores, Guatelamala</B><br />Flores is a tiny island on Lake Peten Itza, linked to the mainland since 2000 by a causeway partly financed by the Gallo brewery whose emblem prominently adorns the entrance archway. It is a pretty and popular location with tourists and the atmosphere in the streets of Flores is very different from that of the town of Santa Elena where the local Guatemalan people live and work. On the island more English than Spanish is spoken and the shops are filled with brightly coloured tourist souvenirs – dolls, woven belts and purses, tee-shirts, hammocks and reproduction Mayan artefacts.<br /><br />We left Tikal yesterday morning stopping to explore the isolated, steaming forest site of Yaxha, located at the end of an eleven kilometre long bumpy dirt track, around 11am. With our tame archaeologist Coral as our guide we made our way along the deserted damp wooded paths, stepping over countless trails of leaf-cutter ants while overhead, in the green canopy, black spider monkeys chewed leaves and dropped the occasional fruit down onto us. Epiphytes, including tiny yellow Oncidium orchids clung to branches, while in the undergrowth we saw enormous black beetles and even a giant locust. It was at this site that an episode of the TV series Survivor was filmed, bringing much needed money and publicity to help with the excavation work and presentation of the site. Wooden stairways erected for the camera crews now remained for the benefit of visitors and there were new interpretation panels.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5CcEqt8ehFY03PP2JAFf6aw-pp9q2yXjef6e3qw3s7GTQpJTFOktKbi0dExPwjCoNFx3rzXYmOoE0aVVapc4ReCYQ64TWQUunGVvmn1qoIf8ndj6V3VTEyP_EsD8v1b5DuMYE3ZzD8Xq/s1280-h/MAYA-01-24-03.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5CcEqt8ehFY03PP2JAFf6aw-pp9q2yXjef6e3qw3s7GTQpJTFOktKbi0dExPwjCoNFx3rzXYmOoE0aVVapc4ReCYQ64TWQUunGVvmn1qoIf8ndj6V3VTEyP_EsD8v1b5DuMYE3ZzD8Xq/s400/MAYA-01-24-03.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165765329000561458" /></a><CENTER>Stela 11, Yaxha</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHoLriHQZsdVbuby1DF2gBR8n1tbwDG2_RgGHFM4FD3eFDt75Lt8pidSMUgocG9InVDIKnoel038MB6k6lHi0duo_0tfk4jR0e9Epe4Xc9QQ-j0oiFiwq-xKn3uNN4Q6vLaQxUUBWCASo/s1280-h/MAYA-01-24-06.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHoLriHQZsdVbuby1DF2gBR8n1tbwDG2_RgGHFM4FD3eFDt75Lt8pidSMUgocG9InVDIKnoel038MB6k6lHi0duo_0tfk4jR0e9Epe4Xc9QQ-j0oiFiwq-xKn3uNN4Q6vLaQxUUBWCASo/s400/MAYA-01-24-06.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165765354770365266" /></a><CENTER>North Acropolis, Yaxha</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyv7c2xYIl3CUuBexSJ97ySdSOyzSi2um_Fotnl8tBbkALpwrEeTnVbBrBXlNvuij63CzrmOaWLZ1wLKT5wtTpYnShU2FPVeWRrgRgKCDW4sZ9R84rfEvq3xc5Mx1C9_XkgTMMUEhbJE5/s1280-h/MAYA-01-24-07.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyv7c2xYIl3CUuBexSJ97ySdSOyzSi2um_Fotnl8tBbkALpwrEeTnVbBrBXlNvuij63CzrmOaWLZ1wLKT5wtTpYnShU2FPVeWRrgRgKCDW4sZ9R84rfEvq3xc5Mx1C9_XkgTMMUEhbJE5/s400/MAYA-01-24-07.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165767098527087458" /></a><CENTER>Ball court, Yaxha</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9cJakffHzDB4BxrfHHgOx8iWvQLqlmKSChSeepfy6lR2HOLIf7C9REugbYW5m0LGshZbbxfIcwk-AJs4H7zvNPOSm5rGtuRcZeCVVuBaRaJONUbimYoawDv70-5ZHBphFAjxEQnpKiQ/s1600-h/MAYA-01-24-04.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9cJakffHzDB4BxrfHHgOx8iWvQLqlmKSChSeepfy6lR2HOLIf7C9REugbYW5m0LGshZbbxfIcwk-AJs4H7zvNPOSm5rGtuRcZeCVVuBaRaJONUbimYoawDv70-5ZHBphFAjxEQnpKiQ/s320/MAYA-01-24-04.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167273469942888818" /></a><CENTER>Spider monkey, Yaxha</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUiKZN9a_VNABmy6zHZA3VwVPkRKWXzX0VW4m-THc2Ni8w1L5o5EsxOnknqnadOEUEUtgZZMGIbCded0M9J9rrMPb6nY584dkB1YPfMO6_c69UpFt4_1qS9xubccsyPlB1_F7FVp7dUE/s1280-h/MAYA-01-24-15.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUiKZN9a_VNABmy6zHZA3VwVPkRKWXzX0VW4m-THc2Ni8w1L5o5EsxOnknqnadOEUEUtgZZMGIbCded0M9J9rrMPb6nY584dkB1YPfMO6_c69UpFt4_1qS9xubccsyPlB1_F7FVp7dUE/s400/MAYA-01-24-15.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192161917007986" /></a><CENTER>Giant locust? Yaxha</CENTER><br />Yaxha is not as well known as the major sites but is in fact the third most extensive set of excavated ruins in the classic Maya area. It is also the only site whose name survives from that period. It was long under the influence of Tikal and is the only known site apart from Tikal to have a twin-pyramid complex around its main plaza. The small ballcourt is also reminiscent of Tikal. Excavations on the main plaza revealed three superimposed layers of staircases and a large stucco mask that had adorned the façade of one of the earlier pyramids. There are several stelae, some with the goggle-like mask of the rain god. Stelae and altars had been toppled and ritually broken, perhaps to prevent them from being desecrated when the city fell in the ninth century. A long causeway leads from the lake across the site and was used to drag stones on rollers from nearby quarries. Once disused, the quarries became reservoirs or waste pits. Near the entrance is a four-sided pyramid aligned to the four cardinal points and used as an astronomical observatory. We climbed Temple 216 for a wonderful view of nearby Laguna Yaxha and the tops of other pyramids which rose at a distance above the forest canopy. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAu0PSr-JZuPgmNh9Cz6WPQK6haWl2mcy7TCyp5dIV32VE_q0xBSAXJRq2-LwZYLbMi8ABU2hNYxG8nSsG4l228TQR9Zp_oQdVlcGco1rRLhAiBCaVz7V1CzWJfZjpX7UokkPpMDuAaw/s1280-h/MAYA-01-24-19.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAu0PSr-JZuPgmNh9Cz6WPQK6haWl2mcy7TCyp5dIV32VE_q0xBSAXJRq2-LwZYLbMi8ABU2hNYxG8nSsG4l228TQR9Zp_oQdVlcGco1rRLhAiBCaVz7V1CzWJfZjpX7UokkPpMDuAaw/s400/MAYA-01-24-19.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192496924457090" /></a><CENTER>Archaeologist Coral, guide Louise and fellow traveller Richard on top of a pyramid at Yaxha</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sx2xeVTTEwhyZF-AaG3JfkEbQLob5bNIsuvmuFWvW3pD-iUddg81HoC_HugGjrSJ3XxahJC6GYc2Owx9nP7vNUQx83rFFR2dJIFvz_nUTkFkC8Xj5q-eNmLGia6u4qDbFWBnS2mL4fli/s1280-h/MAYA-01-24-20.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sx2xeVTTEwhyZF-AaG3JfkEbQLob5bNIsuvmuFWvW3pD-iUddg81HoC_HugGjrSJ3XxahJC6GYc2Owx9nP7vNUQx83rFFR2dJIFvz_nUTkFkC8Xj5q-eNmLGia6u4qDbFWBnS2mL4fli/s400/MAYA-01-24-20.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165768502981393394" /></a><CENTER>Temple 1, Yaxha</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIfYa_OPhsEcZp7iqECMSxw7EePvvhoqGdAWJTl_QAKb08WUdxrlRHFdOgb8iT4ebP7Q48ZwnWfeyAQ3uXvq993SY3qzZoEKwiWcgmwsctXKtV8J8tr7AHCiGrWsozo6bIngpQgqpjrXp/s1280-h/MAYA-01-24-22.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIfYa_OPhsEcZp7iqECMSxw7EePvvhoqGdAWJTl_QAKb08WUdxrlRHFdOgb8iT4ebP7Q48ZwnWfeyAQ3uXvq993SY3qzZoEKwiWcgmwsctXKtV8J8tr7AHCiGrWsozo6bIngpQgqpjrXp/s400/MAYA-01-24-22.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165769155816422418" /></a><CENTER>Temple 3, Yaxha</CENTER><br />After a picnic lunch, shared with a rapidly growing crowd of enthusiastic ants, we re-boarded our coach. We continued our route through a landscape of green fields and small villages of thatched or corrugated iron shacks almost hidden from view amidst coconut and banana trees that offered shade to the rough dusty ground between the adobe buildings. Each village had a roadside communal shack selling cold drinks where villagers gathered during the heat of the day. Sometimes there was even a satellite dish and some kind of electric generator. Sometimes too we saw the heads of covered concrete wells. Amidst the dust lay the thin, scraggy dogs to which we have now become accustomed and there were usually pigs and chickens wandering at liberty around the village. Frequently we saw a village school set apart from the main settlement where children were taught in open sided buildings, and there was always a church, slightly better maintained than the rest of the buildings. We saw several little cemeteries in nearby fields. They were always brightly painted in pinks and blues and filled with artificial flowers. They looked most incongruous.<br /><br />It was around 5pm that we reached Flores. The sun was low in the sky as darkness falls rather quickly around 6pm. It was still unbearably hot in our room however, which overlooks the lake and faces west. It was a joy to discover the air conditioning! After refreshing showers we felt ready to do the tourist bit and wander the streets of Flores exploring the souvenir shops and watching the sunset over the lake. <br /><br />We have been left to our own devices since arriving here while the rest of the group have gone off on boat trips around the lake or a helicopter ride to visit the recently discovered, remote Mayan site of El Mirador. Both were rather expensive extras we felt happy to forgo in favour of exploring something of the local colour.<br /><br />Last night we ate at a quiet lakeside bar watching the fishermen setting out in their boats for an evening on the water. This morning we got up at sunrise, around 6am, and skipped breakfast to make the most of the cool of the day. We walked back across the causeway to the mainland and the busy, dusty streets of the single storey town of Santa Elena. Here the streets were crowded with buses, delivery vehicles, vans, motor bikes, bicycles, lorries and hundreds of tiny tuk-tuks. A spaghetti of electricity cables hung from the facades of the buildings and across the broken, pitted streets. We expected to be pestered by beggars and stall holders but were pleasantly surprised and wandered freely through the endless labyrinth of stalls and shacks, stepping around people, animals, mobile kitchens, clothes sellers, hardware stalls and knife and machete vendors. We watched several women working as a team, pouring maize corn into a hand grinder from where it fell as flour into a container of water where it was being mixed to a dough before passing to the next woman who flapped it into tortillas. The next woman dropped these onto the hot stones while another fed the fire with wood. They were then being sold directly on the street. There were countless opportunities for photos but we felt it would have been intrusive and rude so contented ourselves with watching.<br /><br />Women and children walked around with bowls of vegetables and fruit on their heads. Live chickens, their legs bound together, lay in the gutter for sale and dogs ran between the stalls. Although people don't actually live in the centre of the town, this is where daily life takes place. Women wash clothes at taps on the street right next to where meat is being hacked up amidst a cloud of flies and hung on hooks for sale. Nearby are bowls piled with fish from the lake where someone waves off the flies from time to time with a banana frond. There are food stalls selling cooked meats, chips, burritos and rice while the dirty dishes are washed in bowls, directly on the street. Around 8am we found a slightly cleaner-looking street stall for a couple of black coffees that actually had a table with chairs in the doorway. Unfortunately the coffee came filled with sugar and was quite undrinkable but it offered us a chance to watch daily life inconspicuously as we sat with our mugs in our hands. Nearby were a couple of shoe-shine boys doing brisk business. Customers wearing boots and straw hats sat looking macho while their boots were polished like black glass. Within seconds of leaving they were covered grey with the pervading street dust.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAO5_FOVWWhGbgOxqtKKCha1CdvdTO_VU-DTQDh8O8raBOqg1BlsAkIGDeR6QggVVJbUmmpdlKGb1waTgpQmRLnLdwd0njwBnYFUhm0tVMqq5YJPdKgtpVaLmY8DKs8i-OEvG8mSqTzuY/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-01.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAO5_FOVWWhGbgOxqtKKCha1CdvdTO_VU-DTQDh8O8raBOqg1BlsAkIGDeR6QggVVJbUmmpdlKGb1waTgpQmRLnLdwd0njwBnYFUhm0tVMqq5YJPdKgtpVaLmY8DKs8i-OEvG8mSqTzuY/s400/MAYA-01-25-01.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192505514391698" /></a><CENTER>Tuktuks and shoppers in Santa Elena, Flores </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_9jWhzMoPN2ghzHqSk1LbV0sbcPlYLGn3DaBoAbkTMb8mgx7-PrPG-ijvB-SV2WzgauSv_FZF3PPqBgU3KmEju12w100sQM4ycMZ9pyZ2xD9uRRjVa-9OriNgKyphOjghoiCtG_0dlE/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-02.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_9jWhzMoPN2ghzHqSk1LbV0sbcPlYLGn3DaBoAbkTMb8mgx7-PrPG-ijvB-SV2WzgauSv_FZF3PPqBgU3KmEju12w100sQM4ycMZ9pyZ2xD9uRRjVa-9OriNgKyphOjghoiCtG_0dlE/s400/MAYA-01-25-02.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192514104326306" /></a><CENTER>Street scene, Santa Elena, Flores</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrCPcuRKWQYwbHo-M4Rkc2Bqj4lKolUuq41xUrwm0-KlCODJBawqTIQShaKBpX7TBoMjm402RynTamRDtPUuaf2mkhHd7kHb6NVnoQkrNbETuTvwt-DXtgDZN2bTPK3Tc4Jf8eMMwyF8/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-03.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrCPcuRKWQYwbHo-M4Rkc2Bqj4lKolUuq41xUrwm0-KlCODJBawqTIQShaKBpX7TBoMjm402RynTamRDtPUuaf2mkhHd7kHb6NVnoQkrNbETuTvwt-DXtgDZN2bTPK3Tc4Jf8eMMwyF8/s400/MAYA-01-25-03.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192518399293618" /></a><CENTER>Santa Elena with lake beyond, Flores </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNq7XNs1o49NrUKQ5tMKc8ONLfi6pcVNiZjie3JTs2HN7VsWsOuyc54YZKl3xNy4OhKX_vm6XH9TEFf6la3bOj8ZRM4Nt4Lid4JV6yq6UkefwQbKLgAnyyHBaiDWJUJ_zD9EYYlybkuw/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-04.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNq7XNs1o49NrUKQ5tMKc8ONLfi6pcVNiZjie3JTs2HN7VsWsOuyc54YZKl3xNy4OhKX_vm6XH9TEFf6la3bOj8ZRM4Nt4Lid4JV6yq6UkefwQbKLgAnyyHBaiDWJUJ_zD9EYYlybkuw/s400/MAYA-01-25-04.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192522694260930" /></a><CENTER>Tuktuks and electricity cables, Santa Elena, Flores </CENTER><br />Meanwhile a preacher man was shouting endlessly about the glory of the Lord Jesus to a small crowd of bystanders, children and dogs. Whenever he ran out of steam he'd fill in with several Alleluias and burst into a hymn, which everyone obviously enjoyed and joined in. At another stall a woman was singing out her message of redemption next door to a man selling live turkeys, jeans, tee-shirts and buckets! There appeared to be dozens of different Christian sects, each with their own message. In a shack we found a morning service taking place. In a former life it appeared to have been an internet place as it still had Google and Yahoo painted on the wall beside the altar! <br /><br />It has struck us that there is no graffiti here! After Europe it is wonderfully refreshing. What is sad though, is the number of young men wearing or carrying guns. Every pharmacy or drug store has its own armed guards as do the banks and even some general shops! Educational standards are low but even if you are unable to read or write there is always employment to be found if you know how to wave a gun. It is strange, given the reputation of Central America as a volatile, dangerous, drug smuggling region, just how safe we have felt wandering around by ourselves and what friendly, peaceful natures people appear to have.<br /><br />The morning remained overcast so we abandoned our intention of taking a tuk-tuk back to the island to avoid the heat, in favour of walking. During the entire morning we had seen none of the many tourists who flock the streets of Flores. They have missed so very much! However, we were not brave enough to join the local people in eating on the street and opted for a charming little café just back onto the island where we ordered a couple of burritos and coffee for a late breakfast. It was huge and delicious – scrambled egg, red kidney beans and cream cheese wrapped in a soft cornbread pancake and topped with cream. When we tried to tell our cook how lovely it was she was charming, explaining in Spanish the words we needed – delicious and tasty.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sRcAD9hXazy7A31UJ1Ttw-ALaJw0SiPyMcn2uI82tkUz4slF6cPOYW3UKdhuLEmEauJdcOHPCP2s2JyJfUhmZ9qi1M46wyNAbMlnMrGZI9rAoctmWKE2fXtS49k7DGIbs6mrjZGe8nc/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-07.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sRcAD9hXazy7A31UJ1Ttw-ALaJw0SiPyMcn2uI82tkUz4slF6cPOYW3UKdhuLEmEauJdcOHPCP2s2JyJfUhmZ9qi1M46wyNAbMlnMrGZI9rAoctmWKE2fXtS49k7DGIbs6mrjZGe8nc/s400/MAYA-01-25-07.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192939306088658" /></a><CENTER>Flores seen from the causeway to Santa Elena</CENTER><br />As the sun became hotter we climbed up to the Cathedral on the highest point of the island. It is only a tiny island, a tiny cathedral and a tiny hill so it didn't take long. Nearby we found a mirador with good views down and across the lake to the shore of the mainland. (The lake is 16 km long by 5 wide.) Flores is the site of the Maya city of Tayasal. Safe on its island it withstood the Spaniards until as late as 1697 when it was finally captured, driving many of the Itza into the jungles where they hid for many years. There is little evidence of the Maya city. In the square in front of the Cathedral there are several fragments of stelae and inscribed stones but no indication as to whether they are replicas or where they may have come from.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJoCV8GTHW4ligcI63SlRREW5weA3IFhaH1p9Y-8f2Rglt2iuuuIHYUQCfi1qHOfA41QAu-Q0q59pvOY8jiYdv3SFn8ZRNJqGFj3qNP1T_MSKj0NNvNACju-JFnNmxWtg363rdAnm8hI/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-09.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJoCV8GTHW4ligcI63SlRREW5weA3IFhaH1p9Y-8f2Rglt2iuuuIHYUQCfi1qHOfA41QAu-Q0q59pvOY8jiYdv3SFn8ZRNJqGFj3qNP1T_MSKj0NNvNACju-JFnNmxWtg363rdAnm8hI/s400/MAYA-01-25-09.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192947896023266" /></a><CENTER>Cathedral, Flores </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEist7ESrqRzj6G8SmeZDyPV7z4I6C4HwxluXdmWJoztTlNjZR7p741T7gcjp7qfSbIgikXCg9z3ZvYrsWFLq9s-OEPCoZX1xE_rqrHLFjHEmwskgDi41YiLZXZhSXiaiUm3SRnd6QaQzGM/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-11.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEist7ESrqRzj6G8SmeZDyPV7z4I6C4HwxluXdmWJoztTlNjZR7p741T7gcjp7qfSbIgikXCg9z3ZvYrsWFLq9s-OEPCoZX1xE_rqrHLFjHEmwskgDi41YiLZXZhSXiaiUm3SRnd6QaQzGM/s400/MAYA-01-25-11.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192947896023282" /></a><CENTER>Side road near the cathedral, Flores </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyQxVsGbOhfWabB3tTAQDMqgkwNUrVgoMBBmxQ6QtYj2JQeIKjn9nmOo6Hh6RzGDbJn93NaKyZLaUc23znTB1mkYKMlMNbZNlT5zabTrsxqzH-jCwYZO-9uk7wmyRA3zaPK754CHoFVU/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-15.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyQxVsGbOhfWabB3tTAQDMqgkwNUrVgoMBBmxQ6QtYj2JQeIKjn9nmOo6Hh6RzGDbJn93NaKyZLaUc23znTB1mkYKMlMNbZNlT5zabTrsxqzH-jCwYZO-9uk7wmyRA3zaPK754CHoFVU/s400/MAYA-01-25-15.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167193270018570530" /></a><CENTER>View of the mainland from the mirador, Flores </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUh2feDiYTqO6pVTv_mJZ37GJLArBpl0gB00mrYWLP8dBKXiDtuJu0bzxw-X6ddLleoA-5AVgIlw5Wc537vilNKPu0-sdj9O6bmZf6nTlvcoDZs_n6so1tMwczb7y0ZEzuL5kSZgoiGs/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-12.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUh2feDiYTqO6pVTv_mJZ37GJLArBpl0gB00mrYWLP8dBKXiDtuJu0bzxw-X6ddLleoA-5AVgIlw5Wc537vilNKPu0-sdj9O6bmZf6nTlvcoDZs_n6so1tMwczb7y0ZEzuL5kSZgoiGs/s400/MAYA-01-25-12.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192952190990594" /></a><CENTER>Taking home the shopping, Flores </CENTER><br />We rounded off our morning with a walk beside the lake where we found a café with a shaded garden filled with guava and coconut trees with a hammock slung between a couple of them. Ian promptly installed himself and we ordered a couple of chilled mineral waters. It was now very muggy and exhausting so we were happy to relax and watch as somebody skimmed up the trunk of a coconut tree to kick off the entire harvest of heavy fruit which crashed to the ground nearby. He then jumped on the lower leaves of the tree, bringing down dangerous dead fronds. When Ian went into the café to pay he discovered they were offering customers free maps of the island or free condoms! We left with a free map!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1cUx0zjKubf8xQTVFvQeQIXP5UHub8KC25gLIUD5S2X7JvKoHfNBHifxjsqG9NpXjmqa-nzKnp_nmlnwrHyjBDrMH4_keHpbk0d51sYpSBjGIDx1OkRTHghTKrK99eiXnm_EPu7GIQI/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-14.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1cUx0zjKubf8xQTVFvQeQIXP5UHub8KC25gLIUD5S2X7JvKoHfNBHifxjsqG9NpXjmqa-nzKnp_nmlnwrHyjBDrMH4_keHpbk0d51sYpSBjGIDx1OkRTHghTKrK99eiXnm_EPu7GIQI/s400/MAYA-01-25-14.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167192956485957906" /></a><CENTER>Fishing scene, Flores </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9pZ-odJ0DMPJC9_3oQaIdcQu5D-7eueCEHJUp8e587TiIjIkiW0r_pDw3tcMZZzDjPQoAog8ZO27VG80PjIBKnCUiQE-69eYyxvW7dAt1fFxCg5zd7rY5no366DBi49mfKWHKVWmC_o/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-16.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9pZ-odJ0DMPJC9_3oQaIdcQu5D-7eueCEHJUp8e587TiIjIkiW0r_pDw3tcMZZzDjPQoAog8ZO27VG80PjIBKnCUiQE-69eYyxvW7dAt1fFxCg5zd7rY5no366DBi49mfKWHKVWmC_o/s400/MAYA-01-25-16.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167193274313537842" /></a><CENTER>Snoozing in the shade, Flores </CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XYXCuYOZzD9czuoWzT6wOw68YdPBVBbsC7NqvSOgQ8uYoAlIEOcOoAPA-Tad7j7Mrmj3LoEGP2VfgJVoeEdchNAKA-bthNao9_JyeB5cWIPKSNxD0fuAA5hqJTrwAKT8-V5AnZDTr6s/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-18.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XYXCuYOZzD9czuoWzT6wOw68YdPBVBbsC7NqvSOgQ8uYoAlIEOcOoAPA-Tad7j7Mrmj3LoEGP2VfgJVoeEdchNAKA-bthNao9_JyeB5cWIPKSNxD0fuAA5hqJTrwAKT8-V5AnZDTr6s/s400/MAYA-01-25-18.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167193278608505154" /></a><CENTER>Coconut shy, Flores </CENTER><br />Back at the hotel we found our fellow travellers returning from their boat trip. They seem to have had an enjoyable morning visiting several other islands around the lake including one with a small ethnographic museum and one with a zoo of indigenous animals including a Jaguar and several species of birds including parrots and toucans.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIIhAcW0goG5W6TlU77Iyey-I5BZxRGO7FMAFxT0VrwYrmAqV_LyVxnOmxN10Bj3njLV_Q9UEfV_FFeLda6TtfMocxArhoIFFykHVYLe3u54hRk6_OQuFTuGYNot4FJ_lu-jsS_7VJxI/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIIhAcW0goG5W6TlU77Iyey-I5BZxRGO7FMAFxT0VrwYrmAqV_LyVxnOmxN10Bj3njLV_Q9UEfV_FFeLda6TtfMocxArhoIFFykHVYLe3u54hRk6_OQuFTuGYNot4FJ_lu-jsS_7VJxI/s400/MAYA-01-25-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167193282903472466" /></a><CENTER>View of the lake from our balcony, Flores </CENTER><br />This evening we are joining the rest of the group for supper in a nearby restaurant to celebrate someone's birthday. Tomorrow we will be leaving here at 6am to travel without our luggage by boat to a remote lodge where we will spend the night, rejoining our coach and luggage the next day before moving on into Mexico.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJNHbG5PHlzE6KL8d8SfetoYNhIUXDnhU_lTaxEycpxXyMgswn5LvixmNqimErVW7wit-I4o2EW2orKJrsImCqfjB9VdO_hRk2_0ZLH9W1old9Bife93EszD6KX26vAxPeIO_KXqayZo/s1280-h/MAYA-01-25-25.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJNHbG5PHlzE6KL8d8SfetoYNhIUXDnhU_lTaxEycpxXyMgswn5LvixmNqimErVW7wit-I4o2EW2orKJrsImCqfjB9VdO_hRk2_0ZLH9W1old9Bife93EszD6KX26vAxPeIO_KXqayZo/s400/MAYA-01-25-25.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167193287198439778" /></a><CENTER>Birthday celebration with our travelling companions, Flores </CENTER>Jill, Ian and Modestinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122859105828936321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008876232208881598.post-80116152197963626022008-02-12T15:42:00.000+00:002008-02-12T17:29:35.290+00:00Introduction, Antigua and CopanIan has always been intrigued by the cultures of Mesoamerica – the Toltec, Olmec, Aztec and in particular, the Maya. To one day visit some of the sites was a childhood dream that had never quite faded. First we considered simply finding our own way to Guatemala and working out an itinerary, but soon realised the inaccessibility of most if the sites and the difficulties of independent travel in such a hot climate. After searching the internet Ian came up with exactly what he wanted to do at an affordable price. It turned out to be a specialised, experimental journey organised by the travel company Explore! and there were just two places still available when Ian enquired.<br /><br />Amongst the literature we took with us were the accounts of the American explorer John L. Stevens, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan. He travelled extensively in the area during the 1840s accompanied by the English artist Frederick Catherwood, discovering and recording long forgotten sites of this pre-Columbian civilisation, already in decline at the time of the Spanish conquest during the 16th century. His travel account makes fascinating reading, depicting much about the lives of the Mayan Indians in the 19th century as well as hypothesising about the possible uses to which the ruined buildings he discovered in remote jungle areas may have been put. Catherwood's superbly detailed drawings showed just how vestigial many of the remains they discovered were but they were so accurate we were able to identify many of the same sites today. Sometimes, as at Uxmal, they were no more that a small fragment of what is now a completely restored façade. His drawings were almost certainly used to help in reconstructing these ancient cities from the jumble of fallen stones covering the sites. <br /><br />The Spanish conquest over the Mayan people was absolute. Unlike the Aztecs whose calendar foretold the return of their white God at exactly the time the Spanish arrived, the Maya proved to be made of sterner stuff and many years elapsed before the Spaniards were able to benefit from internal divisions and complete the conquest of the Yucatan Peninsula. Once in control the Spanish set about converting them from their heathen beliefs, imposing Christianity upon then and burning their books and writings. Their history was completely destroyed to the extent that nobody could read or understand the strange glyphs that adorn so many of the stelae and walls of the mysterious cities that are still being discovered in the steaming jungles of Central America. By the time the Spanish realised they should record the writings there was nobody left who could read them. Many of the indigenous peoples today speak one of a couple of dozen Maya languages but the written form now uses European script. The only known Mayan writings today are three codices in Dresden, Paris and Madrid and it is from these and the monumental inscriptions that epigraphers are gradually piecing together the history of this highly developed, sophisticated civilisation.<br /><br />The decline of the Mayan civilisation was due not only to Spanish oppression, but to war between different cities and to drought. The ordinary people worked the land growing maize and livestock, spinning and weaving - using capok from the sacred Ceibal tree and serving the high priests and the elite nobility that occupied the impressive palaces, temples and pyramids that can still be seen. The elite controlled their citizens with these symbols of strength and their advanced abilities in the areas of astronomy and mathematics enabled them to accurately foretell the auspicious dates for planting and harvesting, when the rains would come and when there would be times of drought. Their system of beliefs dictated that Gods must be appeased with sacrifices. This may be with offerings of food but sometimes human sacrifice was necessary. There were rituals for this. Sometimes wars were fought with neighbours in order to gain sacrificial victims, sometimes the winners, or possibly the losers, of the infamous ball game were chosen. Such matters affected mainly the priests and nobles, and the ordinary citizens were not generally involved.<br /><br /><B>19 January 2008, Antigua, Guatemala</B><br />We are quite exhausted! We left Exeter at 11.30 yesterday morning and finally arrived here this evening at 7pm local time. Guatemala is six hours behind the UK. <br /><br />Following the crash at Heathrow airport a couple of days ago, our plane was delayed leaving London making us late for our connecting flight in Madrid. Here we were further delayed by the airport's stringent security measures so that we were the last people onto the connecting flight to Guatemala. By the time we eventually reached the boarding gate for our connecting flight ours were the only empty seats on the plane and they were on the point of unloading our luggage and flying without us. <br /><br />We eventually landed in Guatemala City around 5pm where we met our 17 fellow travellers for this trip. They are mostly from the UK but include three Americans. Louise, our tour guide, and Juan Carlos, our driver were waiting for us outside the airport entrance.<br /><br />We left Guatemala City in bright, warm evening sunshine and travelled along crowded, busy roads towards Antigua where we are now staying in the Posada de Hermano Pedro, a former convent building constructed around two courtyards. Simply furnished it is both cool and clean. Unfortunately we have discovered that the 110 volt electric current is quite incapable of coping with our tiny portable water heater so no illicit brew-ups on this trip! Luckily for us, our computer is just about holding its own.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rNQQDulZ8iPlPEyw6EMaV56B-AYCi7J71lQQ-sbeyQM9_cPJ2kOI91ktaeRzvBLPA_cJIpJrxNMc0HASewCwUQpKBR5-2m74WuDCSnMo8wzBd2Gj4dhJNSLwf3AA6IEABbr0kDXDgAU/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-12.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rNQQDulZ8iPlPEyw6EMaV56B-AYCi7J71lQQ-sbeyQM9_cPJ2kOI91ktaeRzvBLPA_cJIpJrxNMc0HASewCwUQpKBR5-2m74WuDCSnMo8wzBd2Gj4dhJNSLwf3AA6IEABbr0kDXDgAU/s400/MAYA-01-20-12.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131463908685538" /></a><CENTER>Courtyard of our hotel, Antigua</CENTER><br />Our route between Guatemala City and Antigua took us through city suburbs of street markets, shabby, run-down areas with shops and bars barricaded against the customers who have to pass their money through a grill before the goods are handed out to them. Scrap merchants, car valetting services and builders yards jostled for space with Macdonalds alongside the main road. There were yards, waste lands and shacks with corrugated iron roofs standing alongside smart, gated developments that are similar to those to be found along the southern coast of Spain.<br /><br />The buses here are wonderfully different! They are huge and old fashioned, brightly painted with a roof rack for luggage as they run so full there is no room inside. We watched a lady run for the bus with a huge bundle balanced on her head. A man on a ladder at the back of the bus whisked it from her head onto the roof as she clambered inside. The roads are busy and badly lit with many people walking alongside them in the darkness.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZmJ0g15a3XhnQwAEQBwpJB3OP105zFsZIPcejc9Lg_n5X3q2qsDAp3RQYIvPexLn9ZkmIb5j_E3UKtL7I-MCPoq_UGiNT3VOh2ANeXluf9HFyT9WNm-XQLYexOJdaiJhruOxvfYKoYs/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-35.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZmJ0g15a3XhnQwAEQBwpJB3OP105zFsZIPcejc9Lg_n5X3q2qsDAp3RQYIvPexLn9ZkmIb5j_E3UKtL7I-MCPoq_UGiNT3VOh2ANeXluf9HFyT9WNm-XQLYexOJdaiJhruOxvfYKoYs/s400/MAYA-01-20-35.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166132352966915986" /></a><CENTER>Buses typical of Guatemala</CENTER><br />Once out of Guatemala City our bus climbed steeply up though woods where we had clear views of several volcanoes with their typical cone shapes wreathed on the evening clouds.<br /><br />In Antigua the old cobbled streets were humming with activity. The one way system was so crowded with vehicles crawling in for a free concert of Latin-American music this evening in the main square, that we were obliged to abandon our coach and carry our luggage to our hotel through the back doubles.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6zv2HIbbm3LvcZMTeQDWkAetBnvCtMjuI3rEOJ1ZecsszKMAr8-lsO54uQYHin_b4vDHbPaDlHit5zNK3TqPFIBaGkTtjoD_bnfOlhycfoEIGSdiSc_tJeKj3pgyiKqC3Nj4WjBQ6P8/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-05.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6zv2HIbbm3LvcZMTeQDWkAetBnvCtMjuI3rEOJ1ZecsszKMAr8-lsO54uQYHin_b4vDHbPaDlHit5zNK3TqPFIBaGkTtjoD_bnfOlhycfoEIGSdiSc_tJeKj3pgyiKqC3Nj4WjBQ6P8/s400/MAYA-01-20-05.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131455318750914" /></a><CENTER>Side road in Antigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BdN7eA3JVoucpflD9Ih8E5A9qldXpvtYFPFzciksuC8FeFPi9cMPeZMOnkHzeyaiHRP-7WBl7XA5NWo8BRWfV7xnunFNQqk5vWT44YeJ7ttvVO6FylMn7r6yGhe_N1bYAumLnJM3cvM/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-16.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BdN7eA3JVoucpflD9Ih8E5A9qldXpvtYFPFzciksuC8FeFPi9cMPeZMOnkHzeyaiHRP-7WBl7XA5NWo8BRWfV7xnunFNQqk5vWT44YeJ7ttvVO6FylMn7r6yGhe_N1bYAumLnJM3cvM/s400/MAYA-01-20-16.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131957829924626" /></a><CENTER>Street in Antigua</CENTER><br />Once we had sorted our room we immediately set off to explore the old town, listen in at the free concert, find a cash machine and buy some bottled water as we have been told we should not drink from the taps. We are surprised at this as everyone looks perfectly healthy and at 1US dollar a bottle it seems rather expensive. <br /><br />There are about 15 quetzels to the £. We noticed diesel costs 25.90 quetzels! Can it be for just one litre? (We asked and apparently it is for a gallon.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTKrob8ieGghczCQVce9gGqdKsRLSwttT0sHGRW0C6xTHcNQ1w7Y6F4mPbt9tQSZaG6Dt2QvpeMroNnrSbsamvpwJkKSm-yJqhqkcY6zgUxcNaJchyO7dR0S2NmoJAThFWrEc2tAlXyc/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-36.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTKrob8ieGghczCQVce9gGqdKsRLSwttT0sHGRW0C6xTHcNQ1w7Y6F4mPbt9tQSZaG6Dt2QvpeMroNnrSbsamvpwJkKSm-yJqhqkcY6zgUxcNaJchyO7dR0S2NmoJAThFWrEc2tAlXyc/s400/MAYA-01-20-36.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166132357261883298" /></a><CENTER>100 quetzel note, Guatemala</CENTER><br />We are too exhausted tonight to have gained anything but a vague impression of Antigua as we have been awake for almost 24 hours. Tomorrow we may have chance to see more before we move on into Honduras and our first Mayan site of Copan.<br /><br /><B> Sunday 20 January 2008, Copan Ruinas, Honduras</B><br />This morning we were given a tour of the historic centre of Antigua – in some ways a bit of a waste of time as we had skipped breakfast and done much of it early this morning and the tour was taken at the pace of the slowest. Still, the local guide did provide a little background on the constraints on development in a world heritage site where the replacement of every cobblestone and shop sign had to be considered. Undoubtedly Antigua is a very attractive town with its chessboard pattern of cobbled streets lined by low colonial Spanish style houses painted in a limited and harmonious range of colours and with imposing gateways and grills in front of the windows. It was once the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala which included in its provinces areas which are now separate countries such as Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica. However a closer look reveals that many of these street fronts are mere facades and behind lay massive ruins. In 1773 the town was shaken by a series of earthquakes and the government decided to move the capital to a newer and safer site – what is now Guatemala City. The city became known as Antigua Guatemala and for many years was virtually deserted. When it was eventually rebuilt it was in a style to match the original, unlike the two other 16th century capitals of New World Spanish dominions, Mexico City and Lima.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U2ScemNkJNGQzJ9K2AfDopTb5t2S8oJ62jo-nXKQAjbuI7nf_qSw8Z2ygQ9tJesXMLlYGTKBAJmwvCzEPDZTwGUdnTWNclZO7GWORgaX9G6ZpgYqAH_aFfeVvUbDM91mqgrtdxAC6-g/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-15.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U2ScemNkJNGQzJ9K2AfDopTb5t2S8oJ62jo-nXKQAjbuI7nf_qSw8Z2ygQ9tJesXMLlYGTKBAJmwvCzEPDZTwGUdnTWNclZO7GWORgaX9G6ZpgYqAH_aFfeVvUbDM91mqgrtdxAC6-g/s400/MAYA-01-20-15.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131472498620162" /></a><CENTER>Church destroyed by the earthquake of 1773, Antigua</CENTER><br />It being Sunday, the churches were packed and in several of them girls in white were being taken to their first communion. There was a carpet of pine needles and flowers leading up to one church and in the cathedral the service was relayed to the congregation at the back of the nave by closed-circuit television. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_hB3bNF1rxIZbgsxEA0-LwnbrybCU4WT4S_41NfYElcz2hxBUl44cAuxzNGOjAJiX1icbPmHGJ3dwsshJ6G7lFgOx3zYK8hDMnyvt0ECt5CLwgGSxJqzxBItELjkyMHA9w4tHcxq41g/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-08.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_hB3bNF1rxIZbgsxEA0-LwnbrybCU4WT4S_41NfYElcz2hxBUl44cAuxzNGOjAJiX1icbPmHGJ3dwsshJ6G7lFgOx3zYK8hDMnyvt0ECt5CLwgGSxJqzxBItELjkyMHA9w4tHcxq41g/s400/MAYA-01-20-08.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131463908685522" /></a><CENTER>Cathedral, Antigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS4w3f_3CWX9sj8C807E3czw6yqt9-RzbV01kNSMIsyZYbHKzjiAnzyxKlYkvn_ekg5gMO7pfDhkIQZBhpLvMY0b1lMmi17Z7wIt48cDFG4jzwVSJmx8xDTRnspuKPpsAYa7-eaDnEwA/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-18.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS4w3f_3CWX9sj8C807E3czw6yqt9-RzbV01kNSMIsyZYbHKzjiAnzyxKlYkvn_ekg5gMO7pfDhkIQZBhpLvMY0b1lMmi17Z7wIt48cDFG4jzwVSJmx8xDTRnspuKPpsAYa7-eaDnEwA/s400/MAYA-01-20-18.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131962124891938" /></a><CENTER>Carpet of pine needles in front of the church, Antigua</CENTER><br />Outside there were stands selling food and drink and we purchased rolls and fig and apple doughnuts for lunch from one of the sellers. Cachikel Maya from the highlands, dressed in colourful costumes, laid out displays of textiles in the ground and the main square was filled with strollers, many using the services of shoeshine boys. At the public washhouse a Maya woman with a couple of small children was doing her weekly wash. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhah3gPXiAsMXju45loc6l48HDGsz9_7wKrqchNJsCmD4EcUhJaNNNcOY1rqEV-sq4Y0qTWA2TRp2JmFsVOnxIZm8cVUYWwBY0kYOVARpbLRKNPjR0MJjw8oUMRciQGrIDu9zt6HyVLXeA/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-13.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhah3gPXiAsMXju45loc6l48HDGsz9_7wKrqchNJsCmD4EcUhJaNNNcOY1rqEV-sq4Y0qTWA2TRp2JmFsVOnxIZm8cVUYWwBY0kYOVARpbLRKNPjR0MJjw8oUMRciQGrIDu9zt6HyVLXeA/s400/MAYA-01-20-13.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131468203652850" /></a><CENTER>Maya textile market in front of the church, Antigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8-kZaxSHo9kd80YlgCpPv_jjsIqNy8hGz8dkMjGdWofL9dLA6pEttxT5zHCMiLStH2fP6Xv7xiswCgT4pDwfH2_1uSGnltM7kLa01bIJBvBQ9wS-wRVN8AB8W01eYcL0Z3zs3aYCPUU/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-29.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8-kZaxSHo9kd80YlgCpPv_jjsIqNy8hGz8dkMjGdWofL9dLA6pEttxT5zHCMiLStH2fP6Xv7xiswCgT4pDwfH2_1uSGnltM7kLa01bIJBvBQ9wS-wRVN8AB8W01eYcL0Z3zs3aYCPUU/s400/MAYA-01-20-29.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166132331492079458" /></a><CENTER>Doing the laundry, Antigua</CENTER><br />The present day Cathedral is actually in one of the side sections of the complex and behind it the nave of the original 17th century building stands open to the sky with massive chunks of masonry lying where they fell after the earthquake. In the crypt Maya Indians still burn incense to the sixteenth century Bishop Francesco Marroquin who looked after their rights and lies buried there together with the doughty conquistador Bernal Diaz de Castillo who survived many battles and was wounded several times dying at a ripe old age in Antigua. Last year Ian found a copy of his vivid account of the conquest of New Spain at a market stall in Perranuthnoe. Opposite the cathedral were the remains of the university and seminary and just beyond that, facing the main square, the arcaded governor's house. Also on the square the former town hall, now a museum, was one of the only buildings to survive the earthquake unscathed.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Swpefy2u2gGdmPmBTRcPCzrGK3yi8P2SxROcrLG9iL9BpxAdgkivN5qI6mawzFizeo7uh6JM254Gz3-QEhBrv82k7viEHf7vm-BRbUDP8XkocwDmvEG7gKvjF9V4ZdHbLMeoN0GbCJQ/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-23.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Swpefy2u2gGdmPmBTRcPCzrGK3yi8P2SxROcrLG9iL9BpxAdgkivN5qI6mawzFizeo7uh6JM254Gz3-QEhBrv82k7viEHf7vm-BRbUDP8XkocwDmvEG7gKvjF9V4ZdHbLMeoN0GbCJQ/s400/MAYA-01-20-23.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131970714826562" /></a><CENTER>Fallen masonry at the ruined Cathedral, Antigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7xg8i1ltD2jzY3t7By_6bKokeQDY_sBNaAjMVFoR7xiOiuthP5QohDMlmCplRN_zfw6Z7Cw5sczt4PNY1keH3JuhWbsdFnZts09qr-Fhw58ogmJii4JUaSjqsmmzzS6v-8IONzx8QhU/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-20.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7xg8i1ltD2jzY3t7By_6bKokeQDY_sBNaAjMVFoR7xiOiuthP5QohDMlmCplRN_zfw6Z7Cw5sczt4PNY1keH3JuhWbsdFnZts09qr-Fhw58ogmJii4JUaSjqsmmzzS6v-8IONzx8QhU/s400/MAYA-01-20-20.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131966419859250" /></a><CENTER>Square and former town hall, Antigua</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMlwr58FtZy9-Mjk6coLFkPx9sukbh8hJqWvZLHwAOTGkF4KEIdnzXeaOVr1tYUVFuXIFLDMQ4xrS7fQKhDj7Frd4WDLIdx6MxxMA1G7RrurzQIg4sdvYHsfXsdUsRD3oj485AyUe3q0/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-28.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMlwr58FtZy9-Mjk6coLFkPx9sukbh8hJqWvZLHwAOTGkF4KEIdnzXeaOVr1tYUVFuXIFLDMQ4xrS7fQKhDj7Frd4WDLIdx6MxxMA1G7RrurzQIg4sdvYHsfXsdUsRD3oj485AyUe3q0/s400/MAYA-01-20-28.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166131983599728466" /></a><CENTER>Peaceful corner with volcanoes behind, Antigua</CENTER><br />We also viewed one of the jade factories where the hard mineral jadeite – not the same mineral as Chinese jade which is softer – is cut and polished to make jewellery and copies of ancient Maya works of art. Today diamond drills and saws are used to work this hard material. In Maya times harder forms of the mineral were used to work softer varieties in a long and painstaking labour. The premises were guarded by uniformed staff toting formidable guns.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgmAo7UySe_8EU7V-YrD6R7G89RSAGfsrtHwVdbxYA1VWhbvfV8Qf0hVhDORykfOl4OkctBYWdZ_xL6zLfh7fJ3t6KmZM3xb_ZHJIDh2VEZYwwiQtk15rTi36A8fBOBSX7WZ5SvgFqwk/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-30.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgmAo7UySe_8EU7V-YrD6R7G89RSAGfsrtHwVdbxYA1VWhbvfV8Qf0hVhDORykfOl4OkctBYWdZ_xL6zLfh7fJ3t6KmZM3xb_ZHJIDh2VEZYwwiQtk15rTi36A8fBOBSX7WZ5SvgFqwk/s400/MAYA-01-20-30.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166132340082014066" /></a><CENTER>Armed guard at the jade factory, Antigua</CENTER><br />Around midday we boarded the coach and headed across mountainous terrain back past Guatemala City along snaking, climbing roads to join the Motagua valley and cross the frontier of Honduras. Much of the land was parched and stark during the dry season and the general appearance was not helped by the large quantities of rubbish and an endless roadside straggle of dilapidated shanties, many thatched with palm and with hammocks slung in front. It is sobering to realise the wretched conditions in which such a large proportion of humanity lives. In Guatemala things cannot have been helped by the long and bloody civil war which the country suffered in recent years, in which hundreds of thousands of Maya were butchered. We saw Maya women carrying pitchers of water on their head from a pump, others washing clothes in a river while children played in the white, all pervading dust, mangy dogs limped along the roadside and bony cattle sought food in the scanty remains of harvested maize fields. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MLdj511AlLhvqsbKJ7DU46ASXC-R7XSJeA0LuA6x3hAE8yZrh3InGScfY4lVsGziYGeEWw7ycujjrgbX9Dm6f5AVC_jRwPaCC05EIOm8nKElwwXUrgaILh1K3_GciUuYkqs245vglv0/s1280-h/MAYA-01-20-33.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MLdj511AlLhvqsbKJ7DU46ASXC-R7XSJeA0LuA6x3hAE8yZrh3InGScfY4lVsGziYGeEWw7ycujjrgbX9Dm6f5AVC_jRwPaCC05EIOm8nKElwwXUrgaILh1K3_GciUuYkqs245vglv0/s400/MAYA-01-20-33.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166132344376981378" /></a><CENTER>Outskirts of Guatemala city seen from our coach</CENTER><br />Once in Honduras we were soon at the attractive village of Copan Ruinas with its cobbled streets and a charming central square with palm trees, flowering shrubs and a clear fountain carved with Mayan glyphs. A cool hotel with a fan in the room provided a welcome refuge and a convivial meal with the whole group of seventeen fellow travellers, the tour leader, the archaeologist and the driver rounded off a long and tiring day. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9W8JSxvwkE6MJjDIEYXNB6Kn7adeL7PLjYMcrSE4D0Wy__3RTUEXGS8Iq_kWxM4BPFqxiYlhG4MaurFdJXfgMxIpF9daLlC2tN1szcwu7npqlqEutJPMp0VagVaqlu8GYX221mkeNjk0/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-45.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9W8JSxvwkE6MJjDIEYXNB6Kn7adeL7PLjYMcrSE4D0Wy__3RTUEXGS8Iq_kWxM4BPFqxiYlhG4MaurFdJXfgMxIpF9daLlC2tN1szcwu7npqlqEutJPMp0VagVaqlu8GYX221mkeNjk0/s400/MAYA-01-21-45.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166132687974365138" /></a><CENTER>Main square, Copan Ruinas</CENTER><br /><B> Monday 21 January 2008, Copan Ruinas, Honduras</B><br />Our first Maya ruins and Copan did not disappoint. It was located in a well-maintained park only a couple of kilometres from our hotel so this meant we could make an early start.<br /><br />We were fortunate to have the services of one of the best guides to the site and together with Coral, the tour archaeologist, who specialises in human and animal bones, we were able to learn a great deal about the health and daily life of the Maya in the classical period, which extends from about 250AD to 900AD. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oIWeMkWxr-qKHrmOhf-rKiBF4am5cNgMWpmk2QChvBDWIX2BhFZF59eSQoufEZv1SqMLD8cqJQiArSQJdK8VGrgChquDor9hzWuL35sNgkYKNI4RHwvnSqr7hsbfqr0u65Ed8YGJGysJ/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-03.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oIWeMkWxr-qKHrmOhf-rKiBF4am5cNgMWpmk2QChvBDWIX2BhFZF59eSQoufEZv1SqMLD8cqJQiArSQJdK8VGrgChquDor9hzWuL35sNgkYKNI4RHwvnSqr7hsbfqr0u65Ed8YGJGysJ/s400/MAYA-01-21-03.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165433723165570578" /></a><CENTER>Storm god depicted on one side of the stairway with glyphs. Dated AD 762.Copan</CENTER><br />The tour brought us first to the west court, surrounded by buildings with stepped ramps leading to a series of rooms often with doorways framed with stylised representations of a massive opened serpent's mouth. The development of the site was aided by a long period of stability, particularly during the long reign of Smoke Jaguar (628-695), whose 67 years on the throne was remarkable in a society where the average life expectancy was 35 years and whose stela is in the grassy courtyard. Perhaps the most important monument in this court is Altar Q, dating from about 800AD. Arranged round the edges of this square altar are the first sixteen rulers of Copan, starting with Yax Kuk Mo (426-437) and ending with Yax Pac who had come to the throne in 763. He is facing the first ruler and the sceptre of power is handed directly to him by Yax Kuk Mo. The altar is therefore a piece of propaganda designed to underline his divine authority through the long line of his ancestors. All this history has only been revealed as epigraphers have deciphered the Maya hieroglyphs over the past thirty years. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQeU_24BNO1QQO8smA-ZnKqjersunZ9uqAiP0kgL8WYntNjY_0ynzdyc86-LZ9wEbEVunoiX7i7SZLZObE5tA0JANKEmsIN_7McJoUMmZ7c-59jlzLv7-8n0-StpLYNNy3y7Og3En9IiR/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-04.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQeU_24BNO1QQO8smA-ZnKqjersunZ9uqAiP0kgL8WYntNjY_0ynzdyc86-LZ9wEbEVunoiX7i7SZLZObE5tA0JANKEmsIN_7McJoUMmZ7c-59jlzLv7-8n0-StpLYNNy3y7Og3En9IiR/s400/MAYA-01-21-04.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165433731755505186" /></a><CENTER>Altar Q, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Shvg10Jk9PK85_sxnMnyadtfl2SwXQw42t5D5WiLZhSvPLv4zJuFduhRR8JUspNj7PUiskRalz9NHau99vNvoNCWDq9AnIU4aiSDK263qe7IC8opz-RKrTaX3m94r35RM4TDspFjjinS/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-05.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Shvg10Jk9PK85_sxnMnyadtfl2SwXQw42t5D5WiLZhSvPLv4zJuFduhRR8JUspNj7PUiskRalz9NHau99vNvoNCWDq9AnIU4aiSDK263qe7IC8opz-RKrTaX3m94r35RM4TDspFjjinS/s400/MAYA-01-21-05.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165433748935374386" /></a><CENTER>Structure on the West Plaza, Copan</CENTER>Passing through the east court, also lined by religious and administrative buildings, we emerged high above the river, whose meandering course had threatened to undermine the site. The river has now been diverted away from the ruins. Passing around a large temple, still waiting to emerge from its covering of trees, we came out high above the Great Plaza. To the right is the hieroglyphic stairway rising up the front of a temple. The 2,000 or so glyphs form the longest inscribed classic Maya text, which has been reassembled in random order after the upper steps had collapsed. To one side of the staircase is the ball court where ritual ball games were played, the main object being to propel a heavy rubber ball to hit one of the markers shaped like macaw heads. It was an important match for the players as the losing team was often sacrificed. The massive main plaza is lined with a series of stelae erected by 18-Rabbit (695-738). He had greatly changed the style of art practised in Copan, replacing the two-dimensional carvings with sculpture in the round showing him in elaborate ceremonial garb, holding a sceptre shaped like a double-headed serpent, all the decorations full of religious significance. We will learn about his ultimate fate in our visit to Quirigua tomorrow. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmft1L0qbrxrnZD9PLIAkTEflFEMzk6Zj6g4wO5qud6wNAsLdJnBWyDwA8gDF5IcdFLotwHNraoGFlVjE_tkBvhUTywDrqHjCAXa42DokE6RynWiBfqlGmx6xmsjqWAsD58u6bZSfLqFJN/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-17.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmft1L0qbrxrnZD9PLIAkTEflFEMzk6Zj6g4wO5qud6wNAsLdJnBWyDwA8gDF5IcdFLotwHNraoGFlVjE_tkBvhUTywDrqHjCAXa42DokE6RynWiBfqlGmx6xmsjqWAsD58u6bZSfLqFJN/s400/MAYA-01-21-17.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165435308008503026" /></a><CENTER>Hieroglyphic stairway, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DYvwn1FgCY4kOqABgmbYYtoaBRkbxefw0HwsS7H0H_vi3s-XSN3uXuxJ6ubGAo0b9IlXqNv1R88KtiNByt7QKo2foWkHq0Wqmm3Cz6GdJlRqmNE5BVXx-l11cy4MJGqhvgKgAVbfFlHw/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-18.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DYvwn1FgCY4kOqABgmbYYtoaBRkbxefw0HwsS7H0H_vi3s-XSN3uXuxJ6ubGAo0b9IlXqNv1R88KtiNByt7QKo2foWkHq0Wqmm3Cz6GdJlRqmNE5BVXx-l11cy4MJGqhvgKgAVbfFlHw/s400/MAYA-01-21-18.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165435986613335810" /></a><CENTER>Detail of the stairway, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiGQcIQyJRbq87xMCCTYwZomGlC74u7o4I5-XCITeCvgY1pHwhww1fcnTJeX_fM_e-BlBZuBSwU-cEHi_qqgimT7ceemr1cbC7C48QHIDsLyypEJro_r4BTuJpJWxS_qZmUn8fMipIL_4/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-06.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiGQcIQyJRbq87xMCCTYwZomGlC74u7o4I5-XCITeCvgY1pHwhww1fcnTJeX_fM_e-BlBZuBSwU-cEHi_qqgimT7ceemr1cbC7C48QHIDsLyypEJro_r4BTuJpJWxS_qZmUn8fMipIL_4/s400/MAYA-01-21-06.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165433757525308994" /></a><CENTER>Stela P depicting Butz' Chan.</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVZOAKPEtmL2PikmjxJWMy4lyBkQ4LVBmRmfFz-apgsm5s-359_5LlF0HflqTFV7jYaDcri223xUNylaY6mwhCnWu9VaciD8wVOoGsEHmUAxeh70wnRrxg8TpV9v87CXKebBS0xgzg9Hp/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-09.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVZOAKPEtmL2PikmjxJWMy4lyBkQ4LVBmRmfFz-apgsm5s-359_5LlF0HflqTFV7jYaDcri223xUNylaY6mwhCnWu9VaciD8wVOoGsEHmUAxeh70wnRrxg8TpV9v87CXKebBS0xgzg9Hp/s400/MAYA-01-21-09.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165434530619422322" /></a><CENTER>East Court, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1C5GSB0Gsj4I4umWABYs1RY4-vshc7WcW4YXLNK7c8Q646jkzbwcixkO8yf_RI3ZJbvdG3jlhivwp8gNcztII48ey942xolultyD2ibIZ1GPwDIp3CxjgNgdctkcHwMN0M-fP0WVK8Pz/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-13.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1C5GSB0Gsj4I4umWABYs1RY4-vshc7WcW4YXLNK7c8Q646jkzbwcixkO8yf_RI3ZJbvdG3jlhivwp8gNcztII48ey942xolultyD2ibIZ1GPwDIp3CxjgNgdctkcHwMN0M-fP0WVK8Pz/s400/MAYA-01-21-13.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165435277943731890" /></a><CENTER>Pauahtun head. This and a companion head represent the largest scuplted figures found in Copan.</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qu6hlJYgegExJpv55QXK9kFn5QJRzEBKyOMuE1kj66luqvRtEqJt8ux1-wwEckCZ1FQqAJYxIj2WpxTmtIlm6SVnb8Zb8Pa0-ZUROS0M7RiAayoeHuM5Xvrc8475-52GZnUA2hE6lv6y/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-14.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qu6hlJYgegExJpv55QXK9kFn5QJRzEBKyOMuE1kj66luqvRtEqJt8ux1-wwEckCZ1FQqAJYxIj2WpxTmtIlm6SVnb8Zb8Pa0-ZUROS0M7RiAayoeHuM5Xvrc8475-52GZnUA2hE6lv6y/s400/MAYA-01-21-14.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165435290828633794" /></a><CENTER>Ball court, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjBBcWc07yfS8owty6my3RaRQUL6ACnm9_v_9EWQgorOvUYRkNMmbXKKfX4fOahZLwkSssg9h-2Lfj1piYaZEQt0PqG7dHQL30JrM6lvYBLVmp1-RHF3-AGkXkyxAqP6XNrTockGIPW3k/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-15.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjBBcWc07yfS8owty6my3RaRQUL6ACnm9_v_9EWQgorOvUYRkNMmbXKKfX4fOahZLwkSssg9h-2Lfj1piYaZEQt0PqG7dHQL30JrM6lvYBLVmp1-RHF3-AGkXkyxAqP6XNrTockGIPW3k/s400/MAYA-01-21-15.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165435295123601106" /></a><CENTER>Stela, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeX1BHBcapwnoRdgzQoUEWMDVBd8RbZwRxqE-iJlXo4Wq-6Okd2oqvcsLos3YmnQO5aE9u3CcXTyGMrj5uVbKC-lePIDs9Gz4ziHSu75ICVcnbNaBKuy4AhL8mmvoVCtE7HrztVtWFnfB/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-19.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeX1BHBcapwnoRdgzQoUEWMDVBd8RbZwRxqE-iJlXo4Wq-6Okd2oqvcsLos3YmnQO5aE9u3CcXTyGMrj5uVbKC-lePIDs9Gz4ziHSu75ICVcnbNaBKuy4AhL8mmvoVCtE7HrztVtWFnfB/s400/MAYA-01-21-19.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165435995203270418" /></a><CENTER>Sculpture of a scarlet macaw</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfJhKqnngrkImJ8L7Z2NDCQzBodNO8tu28Nf7F1FtrsPAyAPvSbd2dRgzRAjqlxPRSspiGjanP6AaC-o6o55sh-4S34GKKhimiQcTxoKOtt_3f8Ml6UPVlPQnAsQ-2NSL2xKXODYqpIWZ/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-21.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfJhKqnngrkImJ8L7Z2NDCQzBodNO8tu28Nf7F1FtrsPAyAPvSbd2dRgzRAjqlxPRSspiGjanP6AaC-o6o55sh-4S34GKKhimiQcTxoKOtt_3f8Ml6UPVlPQnAsQ-2NSL2xKXODYqpIWZ/s400/MAYA-01-21-21.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165436016678106930" /></a><CENTER>Stela of 18 Rabbit, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnbQxIhOCusRMO1J0KDm86jdZyPKf8iiEM6ovP4ZVhqfXZc4yhfzGM7lcPSKrqLoIzvgZ4HnCzsatBsl0JADGpB1oB_3lHbNzPmts_BsmeuVrzWgDvwoQ3cH0Op6C6HBOSalyXUURJcit/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-23.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnbQxIhOCusRMO1J0KDm86jdZyPKf8iiEM6ovP4ZVhqfXZc4yhfzGM7lcPSKrqLoIzvgZ4HnCzsatBsl0JADGpB1oB_3lHbNzPmts_BsmeuVrzWgDvwoQ3cH0Op6C6HBOSalyXUURJcit/s400/MAYA-01-21-23.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165440272990697490" /></a><CENTER>Hieroglyphic text on a stela, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOK06xzen69Nf2C6GlzztvAg0nR44YZcQj3vYi2vUvr1F1DkQqgPjjgM-HwgNmJjRM_bVcxZ7WHyRQIYaaioljWB4yfu8ocBR1UA6E6IteYftMgQMiLh5zc8NkidSaSpQZraMmYlkN96lA/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-24.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOK06xzen69Nf2C6GlzztvAg0nR44YZcQj3vYi2vUvr1F1DkQqgPjjgM-HwgNmJjRM_bVcxZ7WHyRQIYaaioljWB4yfu8ocBR1UA6E6IteYftMgQMiLh5zc8NkidSaSpQZraMmYlkN96lA/s400/MAYA-01-21-24.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165440277285664802" /></a><CENTER>Detail of stela, Copan</CENTER><br />During the afternoon we walked to the site of Las Sepulturas two kilometres away, the homes of the nobles. Each family had a series of houses grouped round a central courtyard, the house of the head of the family being the largest, sometimes decorated with sculptures. The house of the scribe, for example, shows the owner holding a conch shell which is used as a container for ink. Each house has a room with a raised platform used for sitting and sleeping, the plaster coverings frequently still intact. Under the houses were often tombs where the deceased members of the family were buried. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIG7FPPSjCmRXSMSGtnK_s7cUTLv_OBIkmHsr7d2uEsI0PF1MEFYE5alfptvvAemciW6m6TuCLsw4uelzWuy9utps_wJVZ0ruXmMGda06fMRN_Vph3YIeRNDbqhm0YZ-XKtGGD8B3J9pDT/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-36.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIG7FPPSjCmRXSMSGtnK_s7cUTLv_OBIkmHsr7d2uEsI0PF1MEFYE5alfptvvAemciW6m6TuCLsw4uelzWuy9utps_wJVZ0ruXmMGda06fMRN_Vph3YIeRNDbqhm0YZ-XKtGGD8B3J9pDT/s400/MAYA-01-21-36.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165438679557830562" /></a><CENTER>Las sepulturas. Sculpture of the scribe Mac Chaanal on the facade of the House of the Scribe.</CENTER><br />We returned to the main site to visit the excellent museum which is dominated by the full-sized reconstruction of the Rosalila temple. This was hidden intact within a later rebuilding of the temple and the original colours of the stucco surfaces which covered the stonework were preserved. This gives an impression of how striking the whole site must have been when the buildings were painted in red with decorative details picked out in white, yellow, blue and green. Traces of colouring can still be seen on some of the stelae. Some of the original monuments have also been moved under the cover of the museum and replaced by replicas in the original position. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fwihWKuApQGols2ZcCzQQWmoRVnGXKjINJJIcTnNZA5knfNbHvz5TJtpo6szbSTg3dwGX-vzdINhyphenhyphentf7EPn9gY-F3u80FSJheJ-OgszNlVqNZCIa0sgpiB25i0WkC6yyidctpVg2Xn7O/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-39.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fwihWKuApQGols2ZcCzQQWmoRVnGXKjINJJIcTnNZA5knfNbHvz5TJtpo6szbSTg3dwGX-vzdINhyphenhyphentf7EPn9gY-F3u80FSJheJ-OgszNlVqNZCIa0sgpiB25i0WkC6yyidctpVg2Xn7O/s400/MAYA-01-21-39.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165439577205995506" /></a><CENTER>Replica of the Rosalila temple, Copan</CENTER><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlfgdRLCCseNyp-fttRYYhPr418YRl0f2LX3JEwt7oQ8URy9cGEOUA9DAV3vOxyz7szj3mHFe5bxnUOKnqatnTBTUttsQSipwXFH55dgMtAzo5iGnWFKsX4ho5jpOIFJn9yaAWco2KuI8/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-42.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlfgdRLCCseNyp-fttRYYhPr418YRl0f2LX3JEwt7oQ8URy9cGEOUA9DAV3vOxyz7szj3mHFe5bxnUOKnqatnTBTUttsQSipwXFH55dgMtAzo5iGnWFKsX4ho5jpOIFJn9yaAWco2KuI8/s400/MAYA-01-21-42.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165439585795930114" /></a><CENTER>Sculptural details in the museum at Copan.</CENTER><br />We had spent the entire day exploring the archaeological site of Copan. Our fellow travellers had long since disappeared back to the village, either to relax at our hotel or to visit a nearby spa for a reviving massage. Tiny three-wheeled tuk-tuks could be hired at the site for the bumpy drive back along the cobbled road into the village but we preferred to walk. On the way we explored something of the residential back streets of Copan Ruinas. Scratching, mangy dogs slept by the roadside, chickens pottered in dusty yards, from inside dark cool bars voices and laughter could be heard. Small general shops sold everything from hammocks and tourist trinkets to porridge oats and bubble gum. We collapsed wearily for a coffee on the terrace of a pleasant café where a chicken scrabbled around our feet as it wandered between the tables while from the adjoining garden came the squawks of a couple of brightly coloured toucans and several caged parrots. The low, plastered houses in these back streets frequently had bright cascades of purple or orange bougainvillea covering their walls while the roofs were often thatched with palms.<br /><br />Nearer the centre we passed women street vendors selling bags of peeled and prepared fruit. Others were cooking at the roadside on open wood fires. Against a lamp post lent a typical Latin American wearing a straw Panama, a brightly coloured shirt and smoking a cigar, while outside the main bank were at least four uniformed guards carrying huge guns with pistols tucked into their belts. Despite this the village felt completely unthreatening and the people were smiling and friendly. Little children, who surely should have been in school, were trying to earn a living selling hand-made dolls dressed in traditional costume, approaching us with such charm that it was difficult to refuse them. (Literacy rates here are very low. In Guatemala we were told it is only about 67%! The bank notes have the value printed in Mayan as apparently so few are able to understand the written Spanish or the Arabic numerals.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXiJEHlyuFt3RwV1wCzLNjI3t084KRYamVKSeD07lijLxrUPMB1bpQSFiaQDI_jdUDP2Zk6ezzY9GqbTb1kJ4tf1IovZ9HLOj8TMNPmKoUhllQh3i8pb9lh9-9jqs8gRrGOBws3iuCDk/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-43.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXiJEHlyuFt3RwV1wCzLNjI3t084KRYamVKSeD07lijLxrUPMB1bpQSFiaQDI_jdUDP2Zk6ezzY9GqbTb1kJ4tf1IovZ9HLOj8TMNPmKoUhllQh3i8pb9lh9-9jqs8gRrGOBws3iuCDk/s400/MAYA-01-21-43.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166132683679397826" /></a><CENTER>Tuktuk and gunmen outside the bank, Copan Ruinas</CENTER><br />Ian has written graphically about the Mayan site of Copan. He did not mention however that the location was quite beautiful, set in a green valley surrounded by volcanic mountains covered in a dark green forest of unknown trees. We were fortunate that here in the highlands, the weather has been damp and comfortably cool, perfect for scrambling around the ruins. Clouds wreathed around the hills and bright red macaw parrots flew overhead or settled, shrieking in the trees that grew out from between the joints of ruined, overgrown walls.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfG1CsEKpU6TH3MTPLQ2o9E829aM5vQWzW9UAE4Td53yrTEsZrceCWh4KbxPBS3wpx8UohHc0IZ_17ACbhLcXWVdG1qAf3U2hRvnRVLv5VfCnp7tl5lNK93pTT089XRFhyphenhyphenXuinxqDAR7A/s1280-h/MAYA-01-21-28.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfG1CsEKpU6TH3MTPLQ2o9E829aM5vQWzW9UAE4Td53yrTEsZrceCWh4KbxPBS3wpx8UohHc0IZ_17ACbhLcXWVdG1qAf3U2hRvnRVLv5VfCnp7tl5lNK93pTT089XRFhyphenhyphenXuinxqDAR7A/s400/MAYA-01-21-28.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166132683679397810" /></a><CENTER>Macaw at the archaeological site of Copan</CENTER>Jill, Ian and Modestinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122859105828936321noreply@blogger.com