Mexico

Palenque

Palenque is one of the most beautiful sites in all of Mesoamerica. One of the most elaborate tombs discovered in Mexico is located in the Temple Of Inscriptions housing Pakal, shown in the painting of the sarcophagus below.

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Cancún

Perfect beaches, plenty of beer, and tons of sun.

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Chichen Itza and the Autumnal Equinox

I visited Chichen Itza on the Autumnal Equinox to see the shadow of Kukulkan descend from the northern stairway of the Temple of Kukulcan, or El Castillo. The shadow descends only on the equinoxes and encodes many aspects of the Mayan calendar along with the pyramid.

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The day was rainy and cloudy and our hopes of seeing the phenomenon were dim, but about 20 minutes before the process was to begin, the clouds parted, and quickly the day turned majestic. It didn’t last long though, because 30 minutes later the clouds returned and blocked out the sun permanently. Being able to see as much as we did though was still a real thrill. Above, you can see a mock image of what it would have looked like if we were able to see the entire process.

There are new excavations being done all around Chichen Itza and it is possible that the entire plaza area may be sitting atop a stucco/concrete foundation. Above you will see pictures of the these excavations, as well as the football court, the King’s throne, and the Observatory.

Tulum

Tulum is a Pre-Columbian Mayan archeological site sitting upon the Caribbean, that had a walled city serving as a major port for Cobá. It’s a relatively small site, but one of the most beautiful I’ve seen to date.

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Cobá

Cobá is one of the oldest Mayan cities and predates many other sites in the Yucatán Peninsula. Cobá dates from 600 A.D. to the post-Classic period of the 14th to 15th centuries.

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