Friday, March 16, 2012

Mérida Bound

Cemetario





There are a bazillion photos of these ruins to be found, but I want my own.




Finally, after a long winter (actually it was a very mild winter, but winter nonetheless), we are headed for an 11-day visit in late April. We don't have any major projects planned other than possibly getting some painting done. This leaves time for some exploring.  I'm dying to get to Uxmal  - and any interesting points in between-  for a day of photography. I'm choosing Uxmal because it is a bit closer than Chichen Itza, but more importantly, less crowded. We don't want the typical tour, so I'm looking into the possibility of hiring a guide for the day. If anyone has ideas or suggestions would you please e-mail them?


Pyramid of the Magician
Uxmal is located approximately 60 km from Mérida, along the Ruta Puuc, and is among the best preserved of the Maya cities of the classic period. This is due to the superior construction of these stone structures in the Puuc style which are matched in ornamentation only by the ruins at Palenque, in Chiapas.
I think this is the governor's palace
Here's an interesting tidbit from Wikipedia: Queen Elizabeth II visited Uxmal on February 27, 1975, for the inauguration of the site's light and sound show.  During the presentation, when the sound system blasted a prayer to the Maya rain god Chaac, there was a sudden torrential downpour that drenched the dignitaries.  This was during the middle of the dry season. Lesson: If you attend an event where there will be a prayer to Chaac, best to bring an umbrella.


There's even a light show at night

*All images from Google
Information on Uxmal from Wikipedia


1 comment:

  1. I'm so jealous! We'll be traveling vicariously through you. I haven't gone exploring yet either, and everyone recommends Uxmal.

    I know I don't have to tell you to take pictures. What a perfect jaunt for someone perfecting their camera skills.

    ReplyDelete