"Home o ..." a Ruinas Chichén-Itzá Travel Page by stamporama

Now that Chich is a World Wonder, this UNESCO marker should now be replaced with a new one declaring its World Wonder status.

Meet Chuck -- Chacmool actually, the Mayan rain god. He is depicted in 2 ways, like this one with a crooked nose when he's on a wall or corner.

The other is when he is depicted as a reclined man, knees bent, with a bowl on his belly and his head is turned to one side. It is said that whatever or whoever is put up for sacrifice for Chuck is placed on the bowl. I fervently hope that that no longer holds true...

The Group of a Thousand Columns is made of stone colonnades on 2 sides of a huge plaza that may have served as a marketplace.

The Nunnery is so named because its small rooms reminded the Spanish conquistadors of nuns' cells, though in reality it was probably a royal residence.

Snake Heads - these obviously got misplaced as they are normally at the bottom of pyramid staircases. Or perhaps they slithered away???

It was because of the presence of these snake heads in many Mayan structures that prompted the Spanish conquerors to destroy many of their buildings, since the snake represents evil or Satan in Christianity. Mayans however revered the snake as a good god...even if they were venomous?

Now here's a real, live snake -- or rather an iguana (?). Don't worry, they won't bite if you leave them alone. Unless they grow as big as Godzilla.

After a long day at Chich, this is a good time for a cold dip at the cenote. Exotic looking, isn't it? The emerald waters even have catfish swimming around. As with the ruins, to avoid the justling for space swim late in the afternoon when the Cancun crowds are long gone.