MC Raven Ride Report 40 - Las Pirámides de México

Las Pirámides de México

From the time I came to mainland Mexico from Baja I'd looked forward to reaching the Gulf of Mexico and the Yucatan. Why? Glad you asked. The Pyramids of Mexico.

The first site I visited was in the Tampico/Veracruz area. The site is named El Tajin. Probably the most notable feature of this site is the performance of the Voladores. The photos don't begin to capture just how thrilling this performance was: the sound of the flute and drum echoing across the plaza, the hushed breath of the crowd, the regalia worn by the flyers. I tried to video tape the performance but, a hand held camera at full zoom just shakes too much. Check out the pictures of the flyers and the pyramids at El Tajin and someday, I'll bore you in person with my vacation videos.

The man standing on top of the pole is playing the flute with one hand while beating a drum with the other - not strapped in.

After El Tajin I spent several days (lifetimes!) fighting my way through Veracruz and vicinity traffic to make my way towards the Yucatan and the pyramid at Chichén Itzá. Up to this point, I'd always been able to avoid the major cities and their traffic. That time was past. In one town I spent 2-hours sitting still in the sun while the bike overheated and we didn't move a foot. I gave up. I'd been watching the local motorcyclists cruze by splitting lanes, weaving through the stalled traffic, riding on the shoulder or even, across yards. I decided that I'd join them. Recall that my bike weighs 960lbs fully loaded and is in no way as maneuverable as the 125cc Chinese imports that the locals ride. It didn't matter. I had to get moving or cook my (few remaining) brains out.

Eventually, I made it out the Yucatan to Chichén Itzá where I spent 2-nights at the Hotel Chichén Itzá. Since the hotel was only about 1/4 mile from the entrance to the ruins, I was able to leave just after breakfast and walk there. Good thing I started early because, by mid-day, the tour buses had arrived and unloaded about a million tourists. I helped one tourist take a picture standing in front of the  main pyramid. He was from Egypt - he wasn't very impressed. Check out the pictures below.

Thousand soldiers

This is where they threw the sacrifices and the offerings of valuable goods.

A pyramid thisss big

The advertisement and the actual meal. Not too bad.

Crossing back across the Yucatan heading towards Palenque and then on to Guatemala I got suckered by a gas station attendant who gave me a counterfeit 500-Peso note in change. It was a purely Gringo mistake taking that bill. After that long in Mexico I should have recognized the difference. Shame on me.

Should be worth about $30US, actually worth nothing.

Of the three pyramid sites I visited, I liked Palenque best. It's perched atop a mountain and had fewer visitors. It was cooler with more accessible ruins: I could even climb atop and into some unlike Chichen Itza.

I'm really beginning to look forward to the different caution signs. I saw warnings for mountain sheep, caribou, horses, cattle, bison and moose along the Alaska Highway. Here's some that are brand new

Beats Batman's spotlight any day.

Next stop: leaving North America behind. Central America, here I come!