Chichen Itza, Part 1

A first collection of photos from our day at Chichen Itza last week during Spring Break. We entered the park through the private entrance at Hacienda Chichen, putting us next to Akab Dzib and the "Iglesia". This was a different entrance than how we entered the park in our 2005 visit, which put us in the House of a Thousand Columns to start.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Iglesia, Chichen Itza, 22 Mar 2016.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Iglesia, Chichen Itza.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Monjas, Chichen Itza, 22 Mar 2016.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Monjas, Chichen Itza.

In our 2005 visit to the park, we were able to climb through the ruins. Given the large number of visitors that the park receives, it is probably for the best that people are no longer allowed to climb the ruins. The only climbers now are lizards. There are a lot, I do not remember seeing so many lizards in the park in 2005 but now they're everywhere.

After walking by the Monjas and Iglesia formations, one next passes the iconic Caracol or observatory. We had a great day for walking around, sunny and not too hot.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Caracol, afternoon view, Chichen Itza.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Chichen Itza, 22 Mar 2016.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Osario pyramid.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Osario pyramid.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Caracol, morning view, 22 Mar 2016.

I did not take pictures of the many Mayan artisans selling their wares next to the ruins and throughout the park. Perhaps I should have. Actually, that isn't true. I took one picture showing how some of the stalls have adopted the "Predator" creature and incorporated this into Mayan iconography (the Predator was a common sight on many of the stands). I am not sure who goes to Chichen Itza thinking to themselves "what I really need to bring home from Mexico is a statue of the Predator", but there you go, an example of globalization of culture in the Mayaland.

Photo by Patrick Jones. The Predator, Chichen Itza.

I will have more photos in the next set.