Last December we spent a week in Mexico in Quintana Roo but it was not quite enough time. This year we are going for thirteen days and looking forward to exploring different ruins, the same beach and also Isla Mujeres. It’s not just the weather, it is the cultural difference between our countries that makes it extra fun. This is a doorknob for example.
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Mexican Doorknob
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.
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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
This is the Royal “Box” on the Ball Field at Chichen Itsa. The culture was advanced enough to have sporting contests that were a cross between Quiddich and soccer. Of course there was no witchcraft but archeologists know that players were beheaded but it is unclear if it was the winners of losers.
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Mayan Ruin
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
The Thousand Columns of Chichen Itza isn’t because there are exactly thousand columns but merely a large number of columns that supported the roof of what is believed to be the ancient market place. The roof may have been made of mortar, wood or thatch. It is believed that these were great meeting halls adjacent to the market.
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1000 Columns
In addition to the famous temple “El Castillo”, there are over 50 others at Chichen Itsa. Some were actually private for the upper classes only. You can almost see Indiana Jones running away from this one carrying an ancient artifact.
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Jungle Temple
Chichen Itsa is a large ancient Mayan city state in the Yucatan province of Mexico. This building is El Castillo and is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It is fascinating that archeologists recently discovered another temple like this one built underneath El Castillo. They believe that periodically temples were routinely built on top of other temples and therefore the Mayan culture is older than believed.
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El Castillo in Chichen Itza
Biot is a medieval village in the hills of Provence between Antibes and Nice. It is what you would expect of a Village in Provence. Narrow ancient streets, historic ruins and great little cafes and restaurants. What makes Biot unusual is the ancient glass works that have been there for centuries. You can visit the glass works and see today’s craftsmen blow glass works of art in the same way they have done for centuries. You can also spend as much money as you want in the shop. Of course even the town street map is made from ceramic glass.
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Biot Town Map
When we first traveled to Québec we bypassed Montréal because we thought all of the good old French culture would be in Québec city. The old city of Québec was not disappointing and we enjoyed our time their immensely except when we got attacked by killer black flies at the waterfalls. Then we went to Montréal to see the Jazz festival. We found out that we loved Montréal. It has the old city, history and architecture but it is also an upscale modern French city with trendy restaurants, beautiful gardens and an edge to it that we really liked. The Paris of Canada. This shot was taken in the old city and you can buy a print or see others at my commercial gallery.
Place De Armes Montreal