If you want to see an old city with amaizing architecture, enjoy to the really good weather even during an huracan and have good food, this is the place. Besides if you like mathematics or astronomy you finish in love with Chiche Itza.
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Once jupon a time in the South of Mexico a group of merchants sailors that were called the Itzaes, they took a beautiful land for their home near to big “cenotes”( Big natural wells). The place was called Chichen Itza, that means “mouth of the well of the Itzaes ”. And they started to live there in middle of the amazing jungle (435 A.C). This group of Mayas became to be for a period of time one of the most important civilization in the Maya world. They had big scientists and they developed the mathematics and astronomy in a singular way. Chichen Itza has been declared patrimony of the humanity, because is absolutely beautiful, and show some of the amazing architecture of the Mayas.
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Two things that’s worth’s the trip until Chichen Itza: • “The Castle” Is a big pyramid that was called “castle for the Spanish for the size. Every spring equinox you can see an amazing show: The shadows over the stairs of the pyramid give the appearance that a big snake descends until the land since the top of the pyramid. Is Kukulkan ( the God in a shape of snake with plumage, equivalent to Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs). Thousands of people goes every year to see this. • “El Caracol” Is a building that old mayas made in order to see the stars, of fact the building is very similar to the modern observatories. The name the building is because has a spiral stairs case. In that place the astronomers watching the stars for hours. They had tools very primitives but absolutely exacts. Nowadays how can calculate the exactly time of the one equinox, only watching the stars and without a computer?
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The combination of the architectureof the old buildings with the jungle makes very special view. Try to bring your best camera. The Mayas even had their own sauna.
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How to arrive:
Chichen Itza is in middle of the jungle between Cancun and Merida. There are direct Fligths to Cancun since some cities of USA and Europe ( Frankfurt, Paris), or you fly to Mexico City and then to Cancun or Merida.
Since Cancun or Playa del Carmen (or another place of the Riviera Maya) you can take a complete tour for something 70 or 80 American dollars. (Including the lunch). The tour is all day are almost 300 Kmts. since the beach until the ruins. You can go for your own and take a bus in Cancun or Playa del Carmen for 40 dollars round trip or if you prefer you can rent a car in Cancun for 25 – 80 dollars per day. (The expressway between Cancun and Chichen Itza is quite good, don’t try the way without payment because is too long.)
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Place to stay:
• Chichen Itza Hotels: Hotel Mayaland, Bestday Hotel. Really near to the ruins.
• Vallaldolid : A little town 10 KM away many cheap options but you need speak some Spanish. Hotels very cheap but basics.
• Merida: have a lot options ( capital city of Yucatan state)
• Cancun, Playa del Carmen or any place of Riviera Maya.(Have thousands of options, every single chain of Hotels are here)
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There are any clubs or Pubs in Chichen Itza, but if you are a really an adventure man (woman), you can try to go to Cantina (bar) in Valladolid and drink something with local people.
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| Restaurants: |
There are a lot of Restaurants even the smallers are good, but please be carefull because not all of them are clean enough. There are a couple Restaurant really near of the Chichen Itza park that have mexican buffet even with a show of local dances.
The Mexican food is quite good, but in the south is really spicy, but you should try lime soup and “cochinita pibil” (pork in a traditional souse) are two dishes very representatives of the maya cosine.
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Other advises:
T-shirts and shorts , this area is always hot, even during the winter, or in the hurricane season. I was there last September when the Ivan hurricane was in the Caribean and there was raining but hot anyway.
Links:
www.mexperience.com ( see the pictures of Chichen Itza)
www.travelyucatan.com
www.viajarpormexico.com
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Published on Tuesday November 16th, 2004
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Wed, Nov 17 2004 - 10:59 AM
 by magsalex
| A good report. Would be great if you could add some pictures! |
Wed, Nov 17 2004 - 10:52 AM
by bineba
Very nice report on a place I am hoping to visit in 2006. Only reason I'm not giving you 5* is the lack of photos. Will you add some later?
Sabine |
Tue, Nov 16 2004 - 07:31 PM
 by horourke
Thank you for the experience of being in imagination almost able to touch the equinocturnal stars at Yucatan. I have read of these pyramids many times without ever having such a localised virtual visit.
The links in your report work perfectly also
Hugh |
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