Throwback Thursday takes us to the magnificent Chichen Itzá, our destination in 2005 days after our Ruta Puuc tour. (Click name to see the earlier August post.) The site is four square miles, so give yourself a full day to look around.
- El Castillo – Temple of Kukulkan (Quetzalcoatl)
This tremendous monument was built in the 11th century! The temple has stairs on four sides, 91 on each, with one top step for all = 365 days, a solar year. The Maya were precise observers of astronomy. The pyramid has nine levels, each is divided in two, to represent the 18 Maya months. The terraces have inset panels, 52 to symbolize the solar and religious calendar convergence every 52 years. Since 2006, the steps are no longer open to the public because they are too steep and dangerous.
2. Maya Ball Court
The wall of the Great Ball Court at Chichen Itzá is 39 ft high (12 m). In Mayan, the game is called pokolpok. The ball represented the sun and the hoop was the sunrise or sunset. Players were forbidden from using their hands or letting the rubber ball touch the ground. They could only move it with their heads, hips, elbows and knees. The heavy ball left bruises, and players wore padding. The game was created most likely by the Olmecs, who formed and used some of the earliest known rubber balls from rubber tree sap.
3. El Mercado
The Spanish named this large expanse with pillars, El Mercado (The Market). Archeologists are not yet certain of the purpose of this space. No evidence has been excavated yet.
4. El Caracol Observatory
5. Sacred Cenote
The Sacred Cenote was a ceremonial place for the Maya to communicate with their gods. They threw gifts and sacrifices into the water to ask for relief from droughts. On the day we visited, we were fortunate enough to witness a young man in traditional garments. It was a special part of the visit, even though he admitted he was there to film a commercial…
Fake Flamenco 
Wow look at all the beautiful places to explore and photograph 🤗
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Thanks for your comment! Has your family traveled to Latin America? You have beautiful posts of European destinations and even Morocco on your site.
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No, we haven’t been to Latin America yet, but hopefully we’ll make it one day 🥰
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Once world traveling is safer again, I think you would love it. Also, I’ve read that Brasil and Argentina have Latvian immigrant communities.
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Fascinating, Rebecca! What a wonderful treat it must have been to visit this place!
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Thanks, Janet. You are such a great regular commenter. I appreciate it! It was wonderful to see these marvels of Maya architecture.
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Amazing place, so much history.
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Thanks for commenting, Clare! Yes, imagine if the stones could speak.
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Awesome post, Rebecca! Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, Michele. I appreciate your comments and compliment!
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You are most welcome.
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I hope to visit Chichen Itza someday, as it’s part of the Seven Wonders of the World, and I’d like to go for that! You’re fortunate you got to see people go up the steps of the temple, prior to it being blocked off. Considering that we’re geographically the closest to this Wonder of the World, it should be feasible to check it out (again) someday!
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Yes, it is one of the more recently appointed 7 wonders of the ancient world. It was scary to climb, bit glad we had the chance!
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I’ve visited Chichen Itza three times in my life, the first was 9th grade Spanish class Easter break trip which seems totally amazing to me now that we did that. Love seeing your photos!
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Thanks for your comment, Debbolita! Cool that you were able to go to Chichen Itza in 9th grade. I went to Mexico City in 9th grade. I don’t know how our chaperone did it. It must have been like herding squirrels! Thanks for the compliment on the photos. Welcome to Fake Flamenco.
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