A real life Mayan history lesson...

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7/5/09 = The Chichen Itza


Had to get up early today…and by early, I mean 7am. Really begrudge it these days; it’s such a chore, even though we are getting up to do something amazing. Dread to think what it will be like when go home and have to get up for work! Even ended up awake at 6:30, so put an hour in at work before had breakfast (work = blog). Restrained self to just 2 slices of toast at breakfast + fruit, then packed up and set off to bus station at 8:15. Only a 20min walk, but 20mins with 20kg bag = not fun! Taxi only 30peso, but is amazing what will do to save £1.50 these days…we walked. Thought it would be cool before 9am; how wrong can you be! Merida is never cool! Sweating within 3 steps out of hostel and then had to contend with all people on way to work. So, we bustled our way through crowds, with our giant bags, with sweaty faces and sweaty-wet clothes…nice!


Found 1st class station and bought tickets; 1 to Chichen Itza and another forward ticket to Cancun for later today (250 peso = not bad). Had a bit of a wait, which was probably a good thing - needed some drying time - then onto lovely, cool, air-conditioned bus 😊. Cooled and chilled for 2hrs, then arrived at Chichen Itza. Unloaded bags and headed off to buy tickets = 111peso each = great. Hadn’t planned on a tour, but when got offered one for just 100peso to join another couple, decided to take it. Didn’t really understand anything when went to Teotihuacan, would be nice to understand something here. Stored bags for free = even better, then plodded off with our guide and American couple.


Walked through the original walls of Chichen Itza and first thing saw was the giant pyramid placed in the middle = a pretty big deal in Mexico; one of the most worshipped places. Guide told us some of history about it and demonstrated the crazy good acoustics as he clapped and the sound echoed through the pyramid much louder than the original clap. Amazing…especially since scientists still can’t figure how they built it that way. He told us all about the faces and 4 stairways up to the top of the pyramid and that each stairway has 91 steps + the step at the top = 365…one for each day of the year. Clever. The pyramid = the Mayan calendar. It also explains why each of the steps is so steep; they could only have 91, but they still needed it to be tall.


V.disappointed to find that couldn’t climb the pyramid. Banned since last year when a person fell from top to bottom and died. Well, they are v.unsafe looking and once start falling, don’t think there is any way to stop. Shame though; there is supposed to be a really cool inner chamber inside. The other interesting thing the guide told us about was the snake. At 4pm everyday, the sun sets on the temple in such away that the steps going down look like a snakes body and the Mayans built snakes heads in each of the corners. The Mayan people believed the snake was an important sign sent from the Rain God to indicate rain and Mexican people still gather today on 31st March (equinox) to celebrate this; up to 65,000 people. Funny that when the Spanish invaded, they were scared to visit Chichen Itza because of the snake stories.


We were really lucky today, because ruins only just re-opened and flu pandemic still pretty bad, only hundreds of visitors, rather than the thousands that usually come. Wondered round easily and got loads of good photos. After pyramid, went to visit temple behind = where the sacrifices were made. Really interesting building. Rows and rows of pillars with engravings of the warriors that were sacrificed there. Really interesting to find out that t was actually an honour to be sacrificed and only special people were chosen. You had to be born in the last 5 days of a month and then, if chosen, the children would receive a special education and train to be warriors with the hope of one day being sacrificed to the Gods. Only the best warriors were chosen, because they had the strongest and most special souls. Also really interesting that the reports of sacrifices claim that the warriors never screamed as their heads were slowly removed because they were so brave. Modern historians have confirmed the lack of screaming, but not due to bravery, more because of the ‘magic mushrooms’ the warriors were fed before they were ‘sent on’, which left then high and totally delusional. All v.interesting…well, to me anyway.


Last thing to visit was the ancient sports stadium = where the warriors competed and were chosen for death. Looked a lot like a quidditch pitch and exactly like the game in the kids film Road to Eldorado. A long, rectangle pitch, with high stone walls, special spectator boxes for important people to watch from and lots of images of the game/sacrifices carved into the walls. Was a game a bit like rugby, with teams battling it out to get the ball from each other and score in a little hoop on the wall. The winning team out of 4 teams were the ones then sacrificed. Unbelievably, but apparently, the teams did actually try and win, even though winning meant death. I’m sure that’s one defeat I wouldn’t be complaining about.


The tour finished after this and all in all, was definitely worth the money. He even told us at the end that the whole of the film Apocalypto was based on the site of Chichen Itza and what happened here - need to see the film now. We parted ways with the American couple and ducked into some shade for a while. Was absolutely boiling and felt like had been burning even through sun cream. Mexico really is hot and dry like desert land. Wondered through the pillars and into more ruins beyond the walls; there are lots around on this site. Lots of temples, remains, carvings and more than anything, market stalls. Sellers all desperate to sell things because site been closed for so long - swine flu having real affect on economy. Saw a really nice necklace wanted, but declined it and got the thing wanted most of all = a drink…a lovely…ice cold…fruity drink. Total rip off price, but think would have exchanged my life for it anyway. It’s so hot in Mexico!


Wondered though all sellers = much better than sellers at Teotihuacan because they have stalls and don’t follow you around, and onto last place to see = Cenote. This cenote was not a place for swimming; water was black and grimy and the bottom was made of quick sand. When the Chichen Itza site was bought by an English guy in 1904 and they excavated the site, they found that this particular cenote was full of dead bodies…all the bodies of children. Apparently, children were thrown into it as a gift for the Gods and watched as they died in the quick sand. Children have the most pure soul. Pretty gross.


On way back, a man with a ring I liked called me over and accepted my price of 180peso for a ring I really liked. Bought it. Lovely 😊, although still really wanted the necklace. Nothing else to do or see then, so wondered back to entrance, whipped round outdoor market (where sneakily managed to buy Debs some earrings for her birthday next week) then went to get some food. Bus to Cancun not until 4:30. Had some great food, but an even better strawberry milkshake. Dare I say it was even better than a McDonalds shake…yum.


Outside, waiting for bus, crouched under a nearby tree like everyone else. Thankfully, bus came on time and had 2 ½ hrs on it to chill and snooze. Arrived in Cancun at 7pm with nowhere to stay, but the name of a hostel. Turns out didn’t need it anyway. Cancun unlike anywhere else ever been in Mexico so far…so totally touristy. As soon as stepped into bus station and out of doors, there were touts and taxi drivers trying to talk to us, one of which was a tout for hostels. He represented the name of the hostel we wanted to go to, so all we had to do was follow him. Oh no…not following another guy in the dark! But Cancun wasn’t like that. Streets lined with fancy, tall, modern, holiday buildings and fountains and shops and people, all walking up and down the bust streets. Cancun is a v.different place.


Followed the American guy down random streets all full of people, passed the biggest McDonalds ever seen and to an actually nice hostel that only cost 120peso. Brilliant. Had a whole dorm to ourselves because tourism here = so bad and only even saw 2 other people in whole place. Nice room too - full of wood and looked like a tree-house. Dumped our bags and because was so early, decided to have a wonder around. Didn’t feel unsafe in the dark here at all; felt v.holiday.


Found the main local street of restaurants and bars and was nice. Small by normal holiday standards, but still had a nice feel and found a good one with cheap sangrias. When in Rome… Drank and chatted for an hour, then made our way back to hostel shattered. Always shattered on a night here; suppose because we have such busy days. Took a bit of a dodgy, back alley short cut to get back, but the giant McDonalds proved to be something of a beacon guiding the way. Still nobody in our room when crashed into tree-bed and zonked straight to sleep 😊.

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Photos

The first thing you see
Amazing that there aren't hundreds of people in this shot.

Side shot
Well, it is pretty amazing

On the corner
Can't quite see the snake effect though.