Mayan temples at Chichanitsa and Uxmal

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Chichanitsa is built of low flat ground there are few hills in the area.The main pryamid is stunning and ipresses it's self on the site staning in the center of the ruins. The site boasts the biggest and what was the most prestigious ball court in Mayan times. The ball game was played by two teams consiting of seven players each whearinfeetg protective clothing.The players used their forarms, hips, shins and feet to move a seven to ten pound rubber ball up and down the field. The playing area has two walled sides sometimes they are banked. Two hoops stand oposite each other attached to the top of the walls at the center of the pitch. They are about fifteen feet high. The captains of each side attempted to pass the ball through the hoop. One hoop wins the game, sometimes this could take days. The captain of the loosing team wins the right to be sacrificed to the gods. The dress, jewellery and feathers of the loosing side would become the possestions of the victors. The game representive the journey of the sun crossing the hevans.

We get the bus back to Merdia in order to catch a bus to Uxmal and the final site of our East side tour. Unfortunatly when we arrive the last bus to Uxmal is full. We walk around the dirty streets of Merida josteling with Xmas shoppers and comuters trying to get home. We walk passed market stalls through the litter strewn streets hasseled by beggers. We are in a bit of a daze. I hail a taxi an ask the driver how much it could cost form him to take us to Uxmal. He offers to take us for five hundred pesos which is fifty pesos less than a hotlel room for a night. We take the taxi and arrive at the hotel around eight an hour after a light show that recreats the effect of the sun passing accross the temple has finished. The hotel is like a luxuary ranch. The bed in our room is snug under archways and we sleep well.

We rise early to get to ruins before the hords. It is nearly empty when we arrive. They are my favourite temple ruins due to their variety and the beautiful setting in the jungle. There is the majicians house which is a huge pryamid. Behind this is the nuns quarters in a massive quadrangle. On top of the hill is a temple to the rain god decorated with stone turtles.There is a ball court and a collection of stone penises. Boards of Canadas album Geogaddi provides the perfect soundtrack.

We eat and sleep then catch our return flight to Mexico City and the airport that we know all to well now.

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Comments

[Eric]

Mayan Ball game
That Mayan ball game makes premier division football a low stess activity for pussy cats.