Teotihuacan | Hole In The Donut Cultural Travel

Feathered Serpents Litter the Grounds at Chichen Itza, But One Can Only Be Seen on the Equinox

Published August 13, 2010 | By Barbara Weibel

Worship of a feathered serpent deity may have begun as early as 200BC at Teotihuacan near present day Mexico City, but it reached its pinnacle at Chichen Itza, the Mayan cultural capital in the north central plains of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. Named Quetzalcoatl by Nahua residents of Teotihuacan, to Maya the plumed serpent was Kukulcan, a name they also gave to the famous stepped pyramid that today dominates the archeological site.

Serpent protruding from ball court stadium appears to devour Kukulcan pyramid

Chichen Itza is rife with signs of serpent worship. Thousands of limestone blocks at the base of the great ball court are carved with scenes of athletes who, upon losing a match, were decapitated; the blood flowing from their severed necks turns into wriggling serpents. Giant serpent heads protrude from the ends of the ball court stadia, while still others stand guard at the bottom of the staircase leading to the top of the smaller Ossario pyramid. The Kukulcan Pyramid also features a pair of serpent heads but strangely, they flank only the north staircase; the other three grand staircases may have purposely been left unadorned as a clue to the significance of the solo pair. The Maya built the temple so precisely that on the spring and autumn equinox, at the rising and setting of the sun, the corner of the pyramid casts a serpent-shaped shadow on the side of the north staircase that slithers down to the serpent’s head at the base.

North stairway with serpent heads at base on normal days

Corner of Kukulcan pyramid casts shadow of a serpent's body on north stairway during sunrise and sunset on spring and fall equinox. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

By all indications, the Maya culture at Chichen Itza was steeped in violence. In addition to serpents, other carvings feature jaguars eating human hearts, battle scenes, and row upon row of stones depicting human skulls. Even the cenote, which was undoubtedly their sole source of Continue reading →

Posted in Mexico travel |

Tagged blogsherpa, Chichen Itza, cultural travel, culture, feathered serpents, human sacrifice, Kukulcan, Mayan ruins, Mexico, plumed, pyramids, Quetzlcoatl, Teotihuacan, Travel, yucatan peninsula |

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You Can Get There from Here, But it Might Not Be Easy

Published May 23, 2010 | By Barbara Weibel

Mexico has the most amazing bus system I have ever seen, but it can also be the most confusing. Every city of size has a main bus station and they are called by many names: Centro de Autbuses, Cenrtal de Camiones, Terminal de Autobuses, Central Camionera, but use any of these phrases and everyone understands where you want to go. Leaving from any of these main stations was a simple process; I got in line, bought a ticket, and made my way to the correct waiting room (Sala). When I heard the departure announcement I lined up for my ticket to be checked, went to the correct bay, got a claim check for my luggage, boarded the bus, sat back, and relaxed.

Mexico City's North Terminal Bus Station, one of four that serve the city according to the points of the compass

However, when it was time to leave leave Bernal for Tequisquiapan, I had two choices: either return to Queretaro and catch a direct bus to Tequisquiapan, or find my way directly from Bernal to Tequisquiapan. With so much to see in Mexico it seemed senseless to repeat a route already traveled, thus I decided to try to figure out the bewildering system of taxi-vans, kombis, and colectivos that stream down the highways, hoping to end up in Tequisquiapan.

The manager of the hotel explained that there are no printed schedules and in many cases, no signs for bus stops; locals simply know by tradition where to stand and how often the buses pass by. But he claimed it was easy to get to Tequisquiapan.

“Take a taxi-van to “Ezekiel Montes. They pass by the hotel all day long,” he insisted

“Ezekiel Montes?”

“Yes, and then in Ezekiel Montes you get a bus to Tequis.” Sounded simple enough.

Though I had hoped to get final instructions about the exact location of the bus stop, when I left the next morning the front desk was unattended. Instead, I inquired about transport to Ezekiel Montes at the first open shop I passed and was told I could catch a van at the next corner. Dutifully I waited. Twenty minutes. Half an hour. More. But not a single taxi van drove by. Fortunately, three local women had gathered outside the corner grocer and I put the same question to them.

“Oh no, you must go up to the highway to catch the van.” I groaned. Loaded down with my Continue reading →

Posted in Mexico travel |