Today was our pre-arranged trip of visiting Chichen Itza. Thanks to seeing how people had dressed at Tulum, I was more prepared. Nothing tight on me today, I'd learnt my lesson from denim shorts and a tankini yesterday. No, today I was in a loose cotten mini skirt, and a bikini, with a sheer top over to conceal my shoulders! Our rep also said to take a book for the coach journey, water, lots of sun cream and an umbrella.
We were collected along with another American couple at 7.50, Steve didn't make it to breakfast, he slept instead, but I needed some juice and to fill our water bottles.
We had a mini bus that was soon full from collecting at other hotels and then we got to a massive 5 star one and had to change onto a coach. I did have time to nip to the very posh loos though!
Then two hours later, we were at a cenote which we could have had a dip in, but being 175 ft deep, both Steve and I were a little apprehensive. He'd have gone in, if I'd gone in, and vice versa, but neither of us were enamoured of it. It was beautiful though. The butterflies were amazing, lemon yellow and lime green and flying around in drove. Steve filmed them, and I swooshed at the them and they all flew around his camera looking like cartoons!!
Then our next stop was lunch, we had 'entertainment' during it, girls dancing with bottles of tequila on their heads and then asking for tips (which Steve did graciously give, he's getting better) and lunch was a buffet style just for tourists!
Then around 2pm we got to Chichen Itza. It was 45 degrees here, and I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm very English and considering it was 10 degrees a week ago for our wedding, I'm amazed I didn't faint away.
I got my umbrella up and hat on and sunglasses and went around looking slightly crazy but it was worth it to avoid the sunstroke and heat stroke I'm prone to. I shall censor any photos though, I looked like a shiny red tomato. Steve has started calling me his little lobster which I don't like.
The ruins were amazing, and our tour guide gave us a wonderful detailed commentary on the Mayans and the ruins for over an hour. Steve slipped away to film which I didn't mind as I was listening to the tour and we both got some good photos.
On Sundays, locals are allowed in for free, so there were lots of Mexicans wandering around too, and lots selling their wares which looked like a lot of tat to be honest. A lot of stalls had death and skeletons as their theme which I didn't get before the tour, but with all the sacrifices and imagaery remaining on the pyramids, it made sense afterwards.
Some of the things we learned:
The Mayans had royal families and babies had to have their heads shaped to show they were royal. This is where the sombrero came in, they'd put it on a babie's head so tightly, they'd make their heads a papaya shape. This was only done for royals. Sometimes, babies would be killed due to the tightness of the contraption, and if this were the case, they were dismissed as being a weak child and not worth being alive.
They had a lot of sports, and there is evidence for games with a bat and ball. Winners would live, and losers would die.
They would have warrier battles as well, and again, winners would live and losers would die, and have a head chisselled into a wall which we saw, with lots of skeleton heads in.
Every so often, 7 virgins would b sacrificed to bring water and rain, and it was an honour to be chosen for this. They'd be put in a white robe, and have a stone fastened to their feet and they'd all be pushed into a pool and drowned. Parents actually volunteered their own children for this.
When the Spanish invaded, they knocked some pyramids down to build churches and completely wiped out the Mayan culture. Recent excavations have been done around the site to paint a better picture. It was all very interesting anyhow.
We then headed back on the bus at 4 and got back for around 6pm to our hotel. We changed for dinner, and had drinks at a bar by the sea, Banana Mama for Steve and Cosmopolitan for me, and then went to the Steak Bar for dinner. We both had a t-bone and man, they were tasty. The steaks here are so delicious, they season them so well, and cook them to perfection.
I then having nearly fallen asleep in my dinner (I think the 45 degree hit had taken it's toll) was taken home by Steve and promptly crashed asleep immediately. Dreaming of delicious steak though :)
No comments:
Post a Comment