Work Photo

 

Merida, Mexico

Last day of last city in last country!

I have been eating every meal at the food stalls on the end of town: delicious tortas, tacos, tamales made with chicken, carnitas, and conchinita; that´s pork marinated Yucateca-style in chilies and pit-roasted overnight. The perfect breakfast!

Wandering around town, I solved the mystery of what the ruins looked like the first Westerners to see them! I was very happy about that, seeing as none of the previous sites (especially the imaculate Chichen Itza) gave any clue as to what they looked like before the renovations.

Museum of Anthropology: Let´s see what´s inside!

Ye olde Chichen Itza, with "The Castle" on the right. Mystery solved.

Government buildings on the main square in the morning sun

Oldest, and in my opinion most simple and beautiful, cathedral in Central America

Old church down the street.

On my way back from the museum, I ran into a man´s shop that serviced and sold typewriters. The model above is a 70 or 80 year old model, Spanish keyboard, in new condition. He let me tap away at the keys!

And this gem, fully working in the back of his store. An appropriate way to end the last post on a successful trip:

Chichén Itzá, Mexico

Finally time to hit up Mexico´s most popular Mayan Ruin on my way west. I got there with another guy from my hostel early before any of the ticket lines were packed, and we set off. This place is the one with the amazing pyramid that looks like it was built yesterday. In fact, I really wanted to see a more jungle-taken over version because this place looked too pristine.

We started off with the largest ball court in Central America. Guides and signs there think that the players may have used their hands to help the ball through the hoops, unlike in the rest of the game courts, because of this court´s sheer size.

Yeesh. You don´t make the ring/ you lose, you purportedly die. I´ll stay in the bleachers.

The great pyramid El Castillo (The Castle), as seen from underneath the serpents flanking the ball court.

From the base of the large pyramid.

Beautiful carving details, near the ball court

Is that an ancient game of tic tac toe on the right?

Leafcutter ant superhighway (2 lane). Note all the dropped leaves from crushed comrades in the footpath. Underpass needed.

Boom, Chichen Itza conquered, with the help of Michael of Germany

The line to get in, that we avoided by getting in early. Woo!