Iguanas in the Yucatan are probably as common as squirrels in the eastern USA. I am sure Mexican people think the gringos are all insane taking pictures of what they probably consider pests. This one was special though. This was taken at Chichén Itza which is a World Heritage site, so that makes him special…right?
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UNESCO Iguana
I am sure our guide told us the significance of this pillar. However, I have no idea of what the significance is. I think it may be some sort of calendar but just can”t remember. I like the image because of the contrast between the pillar and the small pyramid behind it. The pyramid behind the pillar is about half the size of the larger and more famous structure at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Pillar
Most people visiting Chichén Itzá are elated to see the large Pyramids and the Ball Court. As you are walking through you gain an appreciation for the wonderful Mayan culture that seemed so civilized and yet so brutal. It reminds me of our USA culture. However, the observatory really impressed me. To think that this ancient culture was also mapping stars and comets was a little surprising. Yet Mammoths and Saber Tooth Tigers still existed when the Mayan culture was flourishing.
This image is an edit of an earlier post using Google’s NIK editing tools.
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The Observatory Redux
Original Image
I have never been to Venice where some people say the canals are beautiful and others say they smell like garbage or death. I have been to Amsterdam which is a beautiful city and loaded with wonderful canals which are actually part of the city’s flood control system. I have heard the canals are full of abandoned bicycles but can vouch they don’t smell of death or garbage.
Then there is Bruges which is sometimes called the Venice of the North. A magnificent ancient city with a wonderful network of canals. I have been there a number of times and each time I am struck again with the beauty of the ancient town and the cleanliness and blue waters of the canals. Everyone should visit at least once and if you can’t make the trip then at least watch the wonderful movie En Bruges and you will see what you are missing.
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En Bruges
One of the most interesting things about visiting the ancient Mayan sites in the Yucatan was seeing their incredible attention to detail. Along the walls of the “ball court” there were incredible engravings like this which detailed the rules of the game.
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Ball court rules
When touring Chichén Itzá in the Yucatan before visiting the pyramids you stop at a long field. This is known as The ball field . They would play a soccer type of game in which they would kick a small ball through this goal. The goal sits atop a stone wall that is easily 20 feet high.
I have tried to visualize how they did this and still can’t quite comprehend it. The rubber type ball is about the size of a softball and the goal is not much bigger!
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Goal!
We own a time share at the Westin Lagunamar in Cancún. Most of the Mayan ruins are at least an hour away by car or bus. However adjacent to the resort is a small park maintained by the state of Quintana Roo. This ruin was a lighthouse for ships that were sailing towards Tulum around year 200 of the modern era. It was chosen because it is the highest spot in Cancún.
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Mayan Light House
Most people visiting Chichén Itzá are elated to see the large Pyramids and the Ball Court. As you are walking through you gain an appreciation for the wonderful Mayan culture that seemed so civilized and yet so brutal. It reminds me of our USA culture. However, the observatory really impressed me. To think that this ancient culture was also mapping stars and comments was a little surprising. Yet Mammoths and Saber Tooth Tigers still existed when the Mayan culture was flourishing.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
The Observatory
Jungle Drums above a popular cenote near Cancun Mexico. The young leopard drummer was one of three dancing and entertaining as the more fearless visitors walked down hundreds of stairs to swim in the denote and the rest of the more sane people watched the musical performance.
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Jungle Drums
There was an iguana that lived near the parking lot at the Westin Lagunamar. Every time I saw him, I either had only my wide angle zoom lens and when I was carrying all my gear or the telephoto lenses he was nowhere to be found. Clever Iguana that one. This one at Chichen Itsa seemed to want to pose for the camera however.
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Iguanna
Imagery Photography 