What can you expect when you visit ancient ruins

Kukulcan Pyramid at Chichen-Itza

     No visit to the Mayan Rivieria would be complete without visiting some of the ruins. Seeing the temples made of stone help you understand more about the ancient Mayan people. Our travel agent recommended seeing the ruins at Tulum.  It is the largest standing, walled city by the ocean, which was once a major commercial port for the Mayans.  There are 60 ruins still at Tulum and they include a castle watchtower. The great thing about visiting Tulum is that you can see the ruins and then take a break to swim in the ocean.

Many Peddlers at Chichen-Itza

     Instead of Tulum, we decided to visit Chichen-Itza, in the Yuchatan state. You can take a tour bus which leaves from most resorts along the coast and requires about a three hour drive. Chichen-Itza is the second most visited archaeological site in Mexico, because it contains the Kukulcan Pyramid, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A couple of years ago you were allowed to climb some of the ruins, but now you aren't allowed as the state wants to preserve the ruins better.  The one problem with this site is that there are many peddlers trying to sell you things at Chichen-Itza.  There are also many tour groups moving around, so it is a busy, noisy place. We noticed that some people hired a private guide, which might be a better way to go. Our guide talked a lot, especially about all of the human sacrafices. You may only want to hear the basic facts as you walk around the ruins.

     The Kukulcan Pyramid is an amazing structure, built by very ancient people that didn't have metal cutting tools or cranes. During the Spring and Summer Equinox at 3:00 pm, the corner of the structure of the Kukulcan Pyramid makes triangles of shadows that slither down the northern side of the pyramid toward the serpent’s head at the bottom.  Also amazing, the pyramid has 91 steps on each of its four sides and one on top for a total of 365 just like the days of our Calendar. Kukulcan is laid out along lines of astronomy and almost works almost like a giant Calendar.

Sounds Echo off the Temples

     It was interesting to learn how the temples were built to create an echoing of sound.  The guide told us how the sounds of musical instruments and clapping and chanting bounced off the buildings and it made the experience even more religious and intense when there were ceremonies and sacrifices. When you clapped your hands really loud you could hear the clap a second later hundreds of metres away!

     We also learned about a ball game that was played in ancient Mayan culture. Mayans played in a court surrounded by stone walls.  On the walls were stone rings (27 feet off the ground).  Players tried to get a ball through the circle without using their hands and feet, just using their knees, hips, and elbows. The captain of the losing team had his head cut off in sacrifice. The sound also echoed inside of this game arena, which was really cool!

Stone Ring in Ancient Ball Game Court