{"id":90,"date":"2014-11-04T02:06:04","date_gmt":"2014-11-04T02:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jimily.org\/?p=90"},"modified":"2014-11-12T16:03:57","modified_gmt":"2014-11-12T16:03:57","slug":"is-it-a-site-or-a-local-dish-marian-penny-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jimily.org\/?p=90","title":{"rendered":"“Is it a site or a local dish?” – Marian Penny 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

What did we fancy after visiting Uxmal and Kabbah? More Mayan Ruins!<\/p>\n

Bused second class with the locals from M\u00e9rida to Chichen Itza. I am totally paranoid, kept checking at each stop off that no one was stealing my bag from the bus hold. Gah, exhausting.<\/p>\n

Stayed at Villa Arqueologica which is actually in the park, so a mere 5min walk in the morning to get to the ruins. Got there early, a very good plan. At 8.30am the hawkers are just setting up, and the tour buses have yet to come in. Probably only about 40 people walking the site. By 11 it was mayhem. Just like a theme park.<\/p>\n

Its not so much the decoration at Chichen Itza so much as the scale of the city and number of buildings that makes an impression. There are 3 zones of buildings and 2 cenotes.. plus a million hawkers lining the paths between and hundreds of tourists.<\/p>\n

In order of preference:<\/p>\n

1. The main event: El Castillo<\/p>\n

\"El<\/a>
El Castillo with a helpful woman showing scale<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"El<\/a>
El Castillo looking like hawkers’ tat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Imagine the heads bouncing down from Toltec sacrifice, and the crowds roaring.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Quidditch: The Giant Ball Court<\/p>\n

\"Need<\/a>
Need a broomstick to reach this hoop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ball court is much\u00a0bigger than Uxmal.. 8 metre high rings. Interesting carvings depicting a team captain being beheaded – the winner or the loser?<\/p>\n

3. Does what is says on the tin: Wall of Skulls<\/p>\n

\"Wall<\/a>
Let’s remember those that lost their heads<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Spent the rest of the morning by the pool – hot stuff this history business.<\/p>\n

Got a taxi to Valladolid in the afternoon – REALLY lovely spanish house hotel in a colonial town.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Valladolid\"<\/a>
Our street<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Walked about and had burritos on the square. Very pretty colonial town, but not sure there\u2019s enough here to hold interest so kinda good we\u2019re moving on.<\/p>\n

On seeing a bar in an apparently dry town (well, clearly reserved town), and in the style of “going OUT out” courtesy of Micky Flanagan, Jim says<\/p>\n

It’s a bar on the corner, a BAR bar.
\nBar bar blacksheep have you any booze?
\nYes sir yes sir, three kegs full<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Didn’t go out though. Fell asleep in the enormous and comfy bed. Zzzzzzzz.<\/p>\n