If you can squint your eyes and think really, really hard, you can probably remember back in December when I told the story about The Time The Roommate Gave Me Cancer while on our trip to Cancun. Well, in honor of Cinco de Mayo (and FYI, May 5th is not: a) Mexican Independent Day or b) about or having anything to do with Hellmann's, ya big dummy) I am pleased to share a short photo essay concerning ancient Mexico, the photos from a tour that my cancer got us.
When the Roommate and I went to Cancun last year we visited lovely downtown Chichen Itza on a super duper fucking hot day. We took a tour which consisted of being bused two hours on a plush tour bus with a very knowledgeable Mayan tour guide who had a cooler full of ice cold Coronas for our touring pleasure. He told us that when the Spanish explorers came they asked the Mayans "What is this place called?" in Spanish and the Mayans replied in their Mayan dialect "Chichen Itza" so the Spanish said "Oh, ok, this city is called Chichen Itza!" Only problem is that "chichen itza" in this particular Mayan dialect means "I don't understand you". So welcome to a short photo essay of the ruins of I Don't Understand You.
I switched the camera to B&W here, evidently I decided that either it's more artsy without color or the colors were unnecessary and distracting to the photos. Please bear with me.
This is the Roommate and I sitting on the temple stairs. Each individual stair is quite tall and not too terribly deep (by that I mean not deep at all, half your foot would fit on it) so it's difficult to climb even if you're not afraid of heights.
Now we were lucky enough to have gone to I Don't Understand You in April of 2005 because that was the last year that the Mexican government would let common tourists like ourselves climb the pyramid. This is the view down the steps from the top platform. Feeling dizzy yet? It almost looks like the stairs are more like a slide. See what I mean about the stairs being definitely "not deep"?
This is also a view from the top of the pyramid, of another temple in the city of I Don't Understand You. As you can probably tell, it's kinda high. 
See that little speck with her hands on her hips? That's me. Remember when I said the stairs weren't deep and the climb scary even if you're not afraid of heights? Well, turns out I'm afraid of heights so the Roommate climed up and took these lovely shots for our viewing enjoyment. Thanks Roommate! Have a shot of tequila on me!And to my readers out there, wherever you are, have a fun and drunken Cinco de Mayo, ya'll!
3 comments:
Sort of looks like you're looking up at him and thinking, "I don't understand you. Why did you climb that thing?"
Going up didn't look that bad, but going down must take a bit of nerve...or a need to go to the potty.
Oh, I wanted to be up there. When we were leaving I heard that there was an inner staricase I could have taken, which would have been ok. The girl who told me about it said it was extremely hot and damp, the walls were sweating.
Fun!
I love your pictures. :-)
They remind me of a wild hair that I got a few years ago. I had a free ticket on Alaska and flew down to Cancun. I wanted a real Mexican experience, so instead of hanging out in Cancun, I took a bus to Merida.
Lots of stories from that trip, all good. The ruins are truly amazing.
Thanks for sharing your memories with us and happy Cinco de Mayo!
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