Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza - The Castle

This is probably one of the most famous sites in Mexico and I was very lucky to take this great photo many years ago - back in December 1994. This pyramid is the one where the snake curls down one corner during the spring equinox. I just wonder how the ancient Mexicans (was it really the Mayans or before?) were able to build a pyramid with such accuracy. The other interesting thing is the mathematical symbols within the pyramid itself, with all the steps adding up to 365, as in "days of the year". Strange. It's wonderful to look at too and there's a great view from the top. For obvious reasons this is the main attraction at Chichen Itza but there are many other ruins spread out over quite an expanse of land. It's a pretty flat area and is very dry. There are some low trees, shrubs and bushes. It looks quite hard work for the grass. It's tropical so it's pretty hot. The rainy season is through the summer and autumn can bring hurracanes. Chichen Itza is in the state of Quintana Roo in the south east of the country and is about an hour from Cancun.