We did the first part, although the heat in Merida that day was awfully humid. We had lunch in a small "cafe restaurant", pretending after to take a taxi to the bus station. -But- taxis in Merida just take 4 people. As we were 5 we had to wait until one nice taxi driver took us there. We embarked in the 3 o'clock bus Merida-Cancun, in its way, our stop was Piste, the closest town to Chichen Itza, we figure it out that our trip to the cenote was canceled because they close at 5, as our traveling time in this second class bus would take 2 hours -they told us-.
The bus was comfortable, with air conditioning and good seats. The route it took was the state "highway" a two lined road, passing along cute and interesting little towns. The normal life in the Maya country, the little churches, rounded houses with straw roofs (techos de palma), back yard animals here and there.
The uses of a second class bus is to stop in every town, so our bus did, taking one hour more that we thought to get our final destination. The summer rain started to fall all over the place and our hopes about getting Chichen Itza dried became small.
Finally we arrived in Piste, took a taxi to the pyramid site... It was closed...the day hours of the site were just finished. The constant rain over us and some sort of uncertainty if the light and show at 8 will run, all because of the rain.
We don't know for sure, -the site worker told me-. We always are ready for the show, but if it is raining (with the normal companion of thunder and lightening), we cancel for safety of everybody. At some point we believed our only picture from Chichen Itza was the shown below.
-Oh, bother-we were frustrated, but decided to wait, in the mean time I arranged with a taxi our way back to Merida, this time on the toll high way and hopefully one hour and a half less time than the bus.
Our waiting worthed it, miraculous the rain stopped, the gate of the ancient place were open and we were in our way to see "El Castillo" the tallest building in Chichen Itza, hidden by the trees, then you see this fabulous pyramid, orange colored as its white stones reflect the light of a clearing evening. Just beautiful.
Every body sits in a designed area for the show, you are not allowed to walk around, the exciment in the crowd is noticeable. The Chichen Itza light and sound show starts, lasts more than 40 minutes and you are delighted with history and the greatness of Chichen Itza, and its people the Maya Itzaes.
For me was a beautiful experience seeing my girls learning about Mayas, Aitana was impressed with what she saw.
The light and sound show re-creates the descending snake Cuculcan, that happens every Spring solstice on one side of the pyramid.
Venus platform and the "sacred cenote".
2 comments:
I love it that you post all this for us! Sounds wonderful!
I love reading about this too! Thank you. I want more!
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