|
One of the highlights on a trip to Cancun, Mexico is visiting the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. This is one of the finest Mayan archeological sites found. The tour costs around $100.00 American, but it well worth the price.
You will be driven around in a very comfortable air-conditioned van, and taken to all the best sites. Your guide will speak English fluently and will take you to many shopping areas where you will be able to pick up some great bargains. Be sure to travel in the cooler winter months, I went in December and the weather was pretty comfortable at around 85 humid degrees.
The pyramids are a spectacular site and you can climb to the top, but it is a steep seventy five-foot trek. There is plenty to see here even if you’re not into climbing. The Temple of the Warriors is a three-tiered platform that stands next to the group of a thousand columns, that is reminiscent of Egypt’s Karnak. As you stroll the grounds you will come across a number of platforms. These structures are flat and square and each has a low staircase on all four sides. Typically they were used for rituals, music and dancing. The great ball court is most impressive and is the largest one found in Mesoamerica.
On this field, life and death games were played with a 12-pound hard rubber ball. Winners of the game were awarded jewelry and clothing from the audience, but losers lost more than jewelry and clothing. According to the carved panels located at the site, they lost their heads to the winning captain. Be sure to visit the sacred cenote. It is a well around 25 feet in diameter and 25 feet below the ground surface. The legend goes that they sacrificed thousands of men, women and children to the rain god Chac, so that he may produce rain for the villagers. As you travel through this spectacular site be sure to bring your own water, you’ll need plenty of it, and you won’t want to drink the water their, it may give you Montezuma’s revenge.
|
| |
