Continued from to be continued:

One of the problems with dates in history is that different sources give different dates. And that is certainly true of Mayan history. Michael Coe (The Maya) gives dates different from the material I have purchased at the sites we have thus far seen. And, in some cases the dates vary considerably. So, the dates given will be approximate.

I left off last time with the collapse of the Classic Maya which occurs between ~800 - 900 CE. The Toltecs arrive in the Yucatan around 800. It is explained that while the Toltecs were the conquerors, the Mayan and Toltec cultures blended, which can be seen very clearly in Chichen Itza. Classical Maya architecture exists which predates the Toltec arrival. Then, when the Toltecs arrive, new architecture was built on top of the older structures and contained elements of both groups. It is during this period of blending that Chichen Itza reaches its height as a center of trade, culture and power in the Yucatan. It was during the Classic Period that economic and political power and control became centralized in urban centers over nearby settlements. These settlements were connected to the main centers by a series of roads. These roads also served to connect the major urban centers to one another.

In the case of Tulum, its position on the coast enabled it to develop as a major hub for seafaring trade all along the eastern coast as far as Belize and Honduras during the Late Classic and Early Post Classical Period.

Coba's development as an urban center began during the Early Classic (~250 - 600 CE) and in the Middle Classic it became a regional capital interconnected with many other centers including Chichen Itza and Uxmal (which we visited yesterday and the day before.) We visited Coba on the way from Tulum to Merida, on the 13th.

We must remember that these urban centers were places for religious and political affairs and also housed the elite. The largest numbers of the populations lived outside these centers in surrounding areas.

Uxmal began to develop as a political power ~100 CE by an elite who considered themselves intermediaries between the gods and the people. From this time on, Uxmal developed a more urban organization and there was a gradual increase in its poilitical, religious, economic, and cultural importance in the northern Mayan area. Between ~200 and 100 CE, Uxmal consolidated its position as an urban center and became the dominant city of the region. Uxmal went through an important transition between ~1000 and 1200 CE with the arrival of the Toltecs, who introduced new political and religious concepts such as the increased emphasis on the cult of the serpent god Kukulkan (Quetzalcoatl to the Nahua). Images of Kukulcan can be found on buildings from the early 10th century onwards. Around 1200 CE, Uxmal was abandoned (for reasons unknown) as a residential center and was used exclusively as a site for ritual ceremonies.

One of the things I have been struck by as I have learned more about the Mayan civilization is the similarities that exist between the Mayan religious concepts and those of the Hindus in early India. For both cultures, time is believed to be cyclical rather than linear. Both conceive of time as continuous cycles of creation, life, and destruction. There are similarities in symbolism, as well. Both have deities related to these elements. Both use the symbol of the mother giving birth and the phallus as fertility symbols. These are only a few of the similarities that I have seen. There are numerous others. There are other ancient cultures who also share many of these ideas as well. As a teacher of world cultures and world history, I always try to emphasize not only the differences between and among cultures, but also the amazingly numerous similarities.

We have benefitted greatly from the interaction we have had with the guides at Uxmal and Chichen Itza. In both cases the gentlemen were locals who were Mayan and clearly identified very strongly with these incredible places. They provided us with wonderful insights into the culture of the Maya. This continues to be an extraordinary journey.

Lynda

Chichén Itzá (la ciudad al borde del pozo de los Itzaes)

18/8/10

Buenas noches,

Hoy estuvimos de visita en la ciudad maya de Chichén Itzá. Este lugar es realmente maravilloso y nos dejó con la boca abierta. Hacia un calor insoportable y mucha humedad, pero valió la pena pasar todas esas horas al sol. Tuvimos un guia nativo de la zona, José, que nos mostró una serpiente de cascabel que había capturado cerca de un hotel. Nos dijo que, despu}es de haber llovido mucho, es bastante normal que los animales salgan de la selva,buscando calor y tierra seca. Para un maya, encontrarse una serpiente es buena suerte ya que la serpiente es símbolo de fertilidad, abundancia y la dualidad. José nos contó muchísimas cosas y nos describió con detalle sobre todas las construcciones. También nos habló de la profesía del calendario maya que cuenta que en el 21 de diciembre de 2012 habrá un cambio que supondrá una nueva conciencia cósmica. Algunas personas creen que en esta fecha llegará el fin del mundo. Según José,esta fecha marca el comienzo de una nueva conciencia humana más evolucionada. Bueno, en el siguiente párrafo os doy un poquito de información básica y general sobre estas ruinas mayas:

Chichén Itzá se localiza a 120 km de Mérida, al Oriente del estado de Yucatán. Esta ciudad maya fue declarada Patrimonio de la Humanidad en 1988 y una de las siete maravillas del mundo en el año 2007. Chichén Itzá significa en lengua maya " la ciudad al borde del pozo de los Itzaes", aludiendo al cenote, símbolo de la entrada al inframundo. Los cenotes son pozos naturales que se han formado por las filtraciones del agua de la lluvia.

Esta ciudad maya cuenta con el Juego de Pelota más grande de Mesoamérica de cerca de 120 m de longitud y por 30 m de ancho, con forma de doble "T". El edificio más emblemático de Chichén Itzá es la Pirámide de Kukulkán o Castillo (24 metros de altura) que es una construcción de planta cuadrangular con escalinatas por los cuatro lados y orientada en correspondencia con los cuatro puntos cardinales. Esta pirámide se le ha relacionado con un calendario. Cada escalinata tiene 91 peldaños, que suman 364 y agregando el escalón del zócalo superior se obtiene un total de 365, los días del año solar.....

Hasta mañana,

Raquel

Uxmal, 8/15/10 - Wow!

Uxmal 8/15/10

Went to Uxmal today, about an hour’s drive south of Merida. The driving experience was much more relaxed, it being Sunday, although there was come confusion about which direction we were going in, but we figured it out eventually, making only one u-turn.

I imagine Uxmal to be one of the premier archeological sites of the world. It is spectacular. It is registered by the world heritage site by UNESCO, an international organization pledged to the preservation of important archeological sites around the world.

This time we decided to hire a guide to show us the site. It is not only a good way to help support the local economy, but it also gives us a chance to interact with a local person. Our guide today was Ricardo and we are grateful to him for his knowledge and kindness as he showed us Uxmal, sweating in the heat as much as ourselves. Ricardo is from a town near Uxmal called Muna and he is trilingual. He speaks Mayan, Spanish, and English. He was a wealth of information. He told us that there are many people in the Yucatan who only speak Mayan and that in the Yucatan both Mayan and Spanish are now taught in the schools. The mystery of the Maya is that in some places like Uxmal, the inhabitants seemed to have suddenly just up and left the big city centers, leaving everything behind. Ricardo told us the story of how his grandfather discovered an old house that had been taken over by the elements. There was an intact kitchen complete with unbroken eggs, plates, utensils, and even some clothes. A stone figurine about 12 inches tall from the discovery is now a family heirloom.

It’s not that the Maya disappeared, it’s that they seemed to have suddenly abandoned some of the sites. Other sites, such as Tulum were inhabited when the Spanish arrived. When asked whether there were any stories, legends, or histories among the locals about what happened, Ricardo responded no. The Maya had a complex written language, but there are no explanations in the records left to us. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t exist. The Spanish conquistadores destroyed most of the books they discovered. The surviving texts are not the original texts but texts that were written and translated into Spanish by Mayan and Aztec scribes. There are also some texts that were written by Spanish priests from dictations by Mayans and Aztecs.

I can’t even begin to describe how impressive Uxmal is, you’ll just have to look at the few pictures we end up posting. Or better yet, look at a book.

Diego

Merida, 8/14/2010 - And now for an adventure...

I was the first to get up and go to breakfast. I had finished my breakfast and was reading when Raquel and Lynda joined me. We continued talking about our trip thus far after the two of them finished their breakfast. While we were talking, a group of older gentleman began gathering in the back corner of the restaurant at a long table. They were laughing and greeting each other as they settled in. After a bit one of them began playing a guitar and then a singer began a song, a classic bolero. And then other songs, boleros and rancheras, began to follow accompanied by a mix of soft conversation and quiet attention. In between songs, there was laughter and conversation and halting starts as a new player worked out the chords on the guitar that was being passed around.

The bathrooms were located in the same back corner. Raquel went to the restroom and when finished, she respectfully lingered during the performance of another song. We were all listening intently by now, us, the group of gentlemen, those few at other tables, as the oldest of the gentlemen performed in a quavering, yet still beautiful and gentle voice. We all applauded for him when he finished. Raquel began to engage them in conversation and the men soon invited her to join them at their table. Another woman, older, a friend around 50'ish, had also joined them by now. The songs and playing continued with conversation in between. At a certain point Raquel gestured toward Lynda and I and we also were invited to join them. As we did so, one of the players launched into a beautiful version of the famous adagio from the Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar. Everyone respectfully paid attention to his skill and artistry. We ended up sitting with them for a long time and joined in the drinking and conversation (as best as Lynda and could), while the guitar was passed among the players and various singers sang.

Turns out these guys come to the hotel on a regular basis from 11-2 to sing and play. They are all musicians and pictures from their younger days as musicians adorn the wall above the place they habitually sit at. The oldest with the gentle quavering voice is 92.

One of the gentlemen, Mario Urantia, one of the younger ones, 50 or so, insisted we come with him to Puerta Progreso, the beach town a half hour north of Merida to eat and see the sights. We decided to go along. He was somewhat smitten with Raquel, but he was a gentlemen and showed us around, took us to a restaurant that served typical food of the Yucatan, where we successfully insisted on paying the bill, which was incredibly reasonable. Progreso is very much of a local get away place, very few foreigners there.

The gentleman, Mario, then took us back to Merida, briefly stopping to show us the house he lived in, in the newer, northern area of Merida. This area is very modern, with a giant convention center and a giant mall and many American restaurants and stores such as Office Depot, Auto Zone, Bennigans, Fridays, Burger King, etc.

If it hadn’t been for Raquel and her Spanish we would never have encountered these musicians and we would never have had the opportunity to go with Mario to Puerta Progreso. Thank you, Raquel. Y muchas gracias a Mario Urantia, un hombre con un gran corazon.

Diego

Titular del Diario de Yucatán: Clima en los extremos

18/8/10

Buenos días,

Anoche llovió tanto que hubo grandes inundaciones en las calles de Mérida.En el periódico, Diario de Yucatán viene a primera página: "La lluvia de ayer, las más fuerte en veinticinco años". Bueno, sólo quería escribir unas lineas, pero tengo que dejarlo aquí por ahora pues nos vamos ya a Chichén Itzá ya! son las nueve de la mañana....continuaré....

Raquel

Uxmal, Estado de Yucatán

17/8/10

Acabamos de llegar al hotel después de nuestra visita a Uxmal, ubicada a 78 km de Mérida. Está lloviendo a cántaros y hace un calor tremendo!! Dentro de unos 40 minutos hemos quedado para cenar y posiblemente iremos a ver una actuación de danza, Romeo y Julieta, aquí en el centro.

Las ruinas de Uxmal son impresionantes! Ricardo, un autóctono de un poblado cercano a Uxmal, fue nuestro guia y nos explicó con detalle sobre el conjunto arqueológico. Nos contó que hoy en día no se puede subir a la pirámide del Adivino, de 35 metros de altura y base elíptica, ya que en el pasado cada año morían alrededor de siete u ocho personas al caerse desde dicha pirámide. La imagen de Chac (dios de la lluvia) aparece repetidamente en las construcciones puesto que en esta zona la lluvia era muy importante debido a la abundancia de sequías. Como nota curiosa,Ricardo nos contó que los mayas comían las iguanas que habitan por el Yucatán y que la carne de estos lagartos sabe a pollo!!!

Después de la visita a las ruinas hicimos algunas compras y nos sentamos a beber un jugo de frutas recien exprimidas. Nos encantan los jugos de frutas aquí!

Bueno, continuaré escribiendo más tarde. Ahora voy a prepararme para cenar con mis queridos amigos, Lynda y Diego.

Un fuerte abrazo,

Raquel

8/13/10 - Conned, Cobá, and Pinball Merida-style!

(For 8/13/10)

Today we drove to Merida.

We had to fill up with gas before departing Tulum. They still have station attendants here, who not only pump the gas but also handle the money. There is no paying for gas by credit card apparently. And these guys are aggressive! In fact I’m fairly certain our

“attendant” took me for 200 or 500 pesos or between $18 - $45U.S. I’m still not really sure. He came around from behind the car after pumping the gas and I was still seated in the driver’s seat riffling through my wallet looking for the proper bills. I swear I handed him a large bill, either a 200 or 500 hundred bill, not really watching and next thing I know he’s showing me that I’ve only given him 20 peso bill. I swear I heard a quick shuffling of paper during the exchange. I turned to him in confusion and started to argue, but then just acquiesced and gave him money in order to receive change. He was good because I don’t even know if it actually happened and I figure he probably needs it way more than I do. But from now on, I’m standing outside, facing the attendant, and I’m telling him how much gas in pesos I want ! Live and learn

Cobá is located about an hour east from Tulum. It is known primarily for four elements: 1) several Stellae, or large stone tablets, about 6’x3’, that are erected vertically and are memorials to Mayan kings, 2) the tallest pyramid in Northern Yucatan, 3) the many raised roads, or sacbé, leading in and out of the area, one of which used to connect Cobá to Chichen Itza, 60+ miles away, and 4) the large area the site takes up. I did climb up the tallest pyramid. Steps were about double the size of our steps and it was quite a workout. And another "Descending God!" Legs up over head, arms out to the side, looking out like a Meso-American Spiderman.

The town of Cobá is a small town in a remote area of the state of Quintana Roo, and it seems that you’re rich if you have a house with a cement foundation and walls. One of the informational signs in Cobá stated that today the descendents of the Maya live in houses with thatched roofs very similar to those of their forebears. The archeological sites seem to support the local economy. There are guides to the sites that can be hired and visitors are encouraged to either rent a bicycle, which I did, or hire a bicycle-taxi for two, which Lynda and Raquel did, in order to view the grounds. A good thing to, because it would have been a long and tiring walk in the heat if we hadn’t.

Just outside the grounds we stopped at a little cafe owned by a young Argentinean who was very nice and helpful. He had said that he had come on holiday to Cobá a little under a year earlier and liked it so much he decided to move and stay. He’s now a part of the community. While we were there a local farmer came by selling natural cheese. The owner said the farmer comes every 15 days and buys from him.

The poverty surrounding the site and on the road to Merida of Cobá is incredible. Some people literally live in thatched huts like people did a thousand years ago, only with cement flooring/foundation and walls rather than stone.

After Cobá, we drove the two and half hours to Merida, which was uneventful. However once we got to Merida... well, driving in Merida is like driving in a pinball machine, only you try desperately (and in this case SUCCESSFULLY!!!) to avoid hitting people, other cars, buses, motorcycles, horse carriages, bicycles... wow! Crazy and stressful! Made more so by the fact that we did not know where are hotel was only that it was near the center of town, which it is. In fact it is right off the Plaza Central. It's a bustling and exciting town and the hotel is right in the middle of it. It’s an old style hotel with a little courtyard inside that all the rooms face. We finally spotted it... then we had to figure out where to park the car. It all eventually worked out ok after navigating the one-way streets a few times.

Diego