7.ChichenItza

7.ChichenItza Day 7-Tour to Chichen-Itza

We had a tour to Chichen-Itza scheduled for this day, after a 7 a.m. breakfast at the hotel, our bus left at 8 a.m. This area began as a sisel growing area for which the railroad network was built. Sisel, "Green Gold," brought money to this area of rocky land. Sisel is synonamous with hemp rope. Our guide this day said he had gone to 'Broken English School.'

Chichen-Itza is arguably the best known and most popular among all the Mexican ruins. It is the most completely restored archeological site in the Yucatan. The earliest buildings date from 600 A.D. The most impressive are the Ball Court, the largest in Mexico, about the size of our football field; the Temple of the Thousand Columns; the Observatory; and the Castle, a 78 foot tall pyramid that is a solar calendar with 91 steps on each side. Each day's shadows fall on a different step. This giant calendar told the Mayans when to plant their crops, March 21. The city sees almost three million visitors each year, equal in numbers to the Parthenon or Stonehenge. Chichen-Itza covers about 4 1/2 km in area.

Bus stop for restrooms and souvenirs.	Our first sight of Chichen Itza, overwhelming.
You may climb to the top... but the steps are very steep (right).

	At all Mayan ruins, there is a chain, or rope, to help to assend and desend the steps.
	If you stand at the right spot on March 21, the rising sun from the right, casts a shadow on the steps (left) to make the shadow of a serpent heading down the pyramid illuminating the snake head on the ground level.

Serpent's head at ground level.	The snake is represented on other structures as well.
	All Mayan cities had a ball court. Chichen Itza has the largest.

	Jaguar (center) and Eagle (right).
	Snake head at the bottom of the pyramid.

Lunch was on site before we re-boarded the bus back to Merida. Children danced while balancing trays with glasses and beer bottles on their heads, and they danced around a may pole.


	The observatory from the hotel entance.

During the ride, Sue mentioned that she and Jack were going before dinner to take one of the tour members, Hope, to Progresso, a seaport city and vacation city for Merida. Progresso is 24 miles from Merida. I had heard that there was a lighthouse in Porgresso, so when Sue asked if I'd like to go, I jumped at the chance. It was quite an adventure finding Hope's destination. I was dropped off to photograph the lighthouse, which was set in the city, in the center of a square city block. They returned for me, luckily, and we returned to Merida for 8 pm dinner at the hotel. The taxi trip was $40 of which I paid 100 pesos ($10).

	The Thinker in the cultural center patio below the lighthouse.
	The cultural center plaza below the lighthouse.

Our dinner was a Farewell Dinner for Fran and her 'kids,' Dale and Kathy; and John and Sarah, who would all leave at 5:30 a.m. the next day. Three members, Dorothy, Pat, and Wanda would stay another day and night to shop in Merida, then they had four more days in Playa del Carmen before they would return to their west coast homes. Four of us would extend this trip and include the Celestun Wildlife Estuary Preserve. We made plans to have dinner with Dorothy, Pat, and Wanda, the next evening at a second-floor restaurant similar to the one we enjoyed so much in Campeche.

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