"Mayanical" E-Log #5: Oo-la-la Uxmal

Cafe Club
Mérida, Yucatan - Mexico

Our flight home leaves in a little over four hours. Until then we are "kick'n it" here at Cafe Club, the first actual Internet Cafe- as in Internet and food- we've come across the whole trip. It makes for a much more enjoyable experience for Marlon, as he can enjoy snacks and work on his custom guitar design while I Log!
Yesterday we rented a car and drove south- roughly an hour- to the site of Uxmal. Based on what I'd read in Lonely Planet, I'd had a poetic vision of cruisin' the Yucatan in a funky old VW bug, however we got a new white VW Pointer, which I confess was much better in the end as it had AC!
Uxmal (pronounced "oosh-mahl") is considered one of the most beautific and harmonious sites due to its well-preserved pink-hued limestone structures and Puuc ("hills") setting. It has fascinating and extensive mosaics, including geometric designs ("Xs" are a big theme) and intricate carvings of everything from Chac-Mool to thatch huts to owls to serpents and turtles to representations of the planet Venus!
Like many Maya sites, Uxmal was mysteriously "abandoned" at one point, in this instance supposedly for reasons of drought. In general the Maya "disappearances" are considered one of the biggest archeological mysteries, however it’s not that big of a mystery so long as one has a basic understanding of inter-dimensionality: the Maya simply tuned the big, cosmic radio dial to a different station, one with a little less Garbage and little more Nirvana!
I found that Uxmal belongs undeniably to the air spirits: the birds, the bees (who had hives in all of the buildings, discouraging tourists from taking refuge in the cool interiors), the dragonflies... and the dragons! AND the iguanas, appropriately more draconian in appearance than their Tulum relatives and in much greater number! Marlon made fast friends with them when he shared our leftover grapes and mango skins, and at one point we were surrounded by up to five grande iguanas, each with distinctive characteristics and personalities (one Marlon called "The Knight" due to his bold air and mail-ish markings).
One of the biggest perks of having a rental car was that for the first time, we had no limitation on the amount of time we could spend at a site, and we relished it- spending ultimately close to five hours at Uxmal! (Even so, it was our thirst that ultimately drove us to the exit.) It was an exquisite experience, a perfect site to end with.
Mérida has been wonderful as well- it is a highly diverse and culturally rich city, with live music on most nights (oftentimes three bands per block), and on weekends, they close the Centro to all but pedestrians. We've highly enjoyed sitting in the Grande Plaza in the evenings with our sorbet, watching the locals drumming in circles and selling their wares and offering horse carriage rides and sharing affections (something you rarely see in the states you see everywhere here: people beyond the college age making out)!
It has been an amazing and unforgettable experience and as always, parting is bittersweet. In conclusion, I'd like to leave you with a few notes on "site-seeing":

MarandAr's RECCOMENDED SACRED SITE PROTOCOL:
1) Arrive early, right when they open, if possible. It will be cooler and you will have much more solitude- both important factors in really experiencing the site. (Nothing sucks the excitement or mystery out of an ancient city faster than flower-wilting heat and flocks of people with video cameras.)
2) Don't bother with breakfast. The night before, go out and buy the biggest, ripest mango and juiciest plums you can find. You will enjoy these at a spot and time of your choosing at the site, and they will taste SO GOOD. They will keep your energy "up" in more ways than one! Eat them over the ground so you can share the juices with Mother Earth. Afterwards, you can go out for a big, grounding lunch.
3) Go with your instincts, and don't be afraid to wander off the path! Don't feel that you have to see or climb on every structure or read every plaque to really experience the site- oftentimes the most value can be found in sitting in one place you feel called to and "being". Go where your feet take you, or where your feelings guide you.
4) If an animal crosses your path, ask it what its message is- be it an iguana, a turtle, a stray dog, a bird, or an insect! (Likewise, be aware of the people around you- often you will see the same folks repeatedly, even from town to town! Obviously, there are important wavelengths at work...)
5) Sunscreen, a hat and/or sunglasses and deet-free bug spray are good to have on hand. Also, if you are anything like me, bring chapstick and reapply regularly! (On a mildly related note, if you have sunburned lips and your boyfriend has just consumed fajitas with mui picante sauce, refrain from kissing him lest you burn with more than just passion!)
6) As a general rule for traveling, never, ever, ever, EVER go anywhere without toilet paper (thanks, Portia)!
7) All of our experiences were much enhanced by Star Essence Flower and Gemstone Essences! They are great to drop at the sites- also in your water bottles, over food (especially "questionable" items), in face creams, on sunburns, and any other incidents that may occur, such as scrapes or cuts! Marlon had a pain in his toe at Chichèn Itza that made it uncomfortable to walk- a little flower essences and Reiki and he was good as new!

Thank you all for taking this journey with us.
With "mucho grande" love,
Arielle

"Mayanical" E-Log #4: The sites, the sights!

Cafe Internet Santa Lucia
Mérida, Yucatan - Mexico

What a whirlwind! We've been to three sites in as many days, and we're not stopping there. Each of them has been profoundly moving in distinctly different ways... I feel as if I carry a piece of each of them with me.
As my last Log had to be cut short due to bus departure time concerns, I will continue with the ruins at Tulum:
I found the energy of Tulum to be very similar to that of Delphi, in Greece- there was an impression of grace and harmony, and of people walking peacefully along flora-lined paths, with a real emphasis on spirituality. Granted, all Maya sites could be said to have an emphasis on spirituality, though this was more contemplative, less "My temple is bigger than your temple!" More... feminine, if you will. (Of course, this could be due to the fact that I was female in an incarnation there.) I felt like a wanted to walk with utmost reverence on the Earth.
As we finished our circle of the site and were heading back towards the exit, I was strongly called off the main path, to the southwestern corner where Tulum's wall (supposedly built for defense, though I resonate deeper with the theory that it acts to define the boundaries of the "sacred area") meets in a "watchtower". I will remind you that iguanas were everywhere at Tulum, and there we found the Grandfather Iguana. (How appropriate that the patriarch of the site's "guardians" be near the watchtower!) He was nearly as long as my arm not including his tail, and meeting his gaze made something stir deep within. He was intensity within stillness. I offered him some of my Sacred Site essence and promptly fell into a liz-erie. The following is an excerpt from my journal:
The iguanas are the Time Keepers... They are grounding. They and their brethren (of which I got the impression there are many species) hold the energy (of the sites) until the rest of us Remember. They are like poles, grounding the cosmos into the Earth and visa versa. They project Peace. Their power is in their quiet. "Power in the moment." Power is in the now, in the potential for movement/action. They are ancient but they are still here because they know how to harness the present/presence... There is no time for the iguanas. That is how they keep it. They are present/presence.
(At the conclusion, Grandfather bobbed his head several times, indicating clearly we were done. I thanked him and offered another dosage of Sacred Site essence, and he squinted his eyes in Zen acknowledgement.)
We flew back down the road in order to check out of our cabaña by 11am, me in a state of elated "being" and reluctant to depart from the ruins. After stowing our bags at reception for an hour in order to enjoy the beach one last time, we moved to cheaper accommodations in town (appropriately, at "Hotel Maya"), which allowed us to be closer to the bus station and to enjoy Avenue Tulum's many delicious restaurants and- we confess- shopping.
That night we boogied until bedtime to live reggae-rock music and enjoyed authentic Italian gelato (mmm hazelnut and almond)! To say the least, it was difficult to leave Tulum.
From there it was on to Cobá, where fortunately we were able to stow our bags at the hotel/bus station while we enjoyed the ruins. Cobá is one of the oldest sites and considered to be one of the most "important" to archeologists. Its architecture mysteriously resembles that of Tikal in Guatemala, rather than the closer sites of Chichén Itzá and Tulum (theoretically marriage alliances were made between Cobá and Tikal). As the site is so extensive, bicycle rentals are available in order to more efficiently enjoy the far-reaching and widespread groups of ruins... Coast along jungle paths with a cooling breeze a step ahead of the mosquitoes? You didn't have to ask us twice!
We cruised comfortably down the forest-lined trails on our bikes- which we named Viva Verde ("Live Green") and Toro Rojo ("Red Bull"), respectively- me catching the spirits of the trees in my embrace so they could share in the flight. The energy at Cobá is very much tree/sun. Resting my palms on the stones of the ruins I perceived Sun Light, not there merely by nature of being in the sun but by intention, with deliberation. It was the language of Illumination, and while I couldn’t comprehend it cognitively, it flowed into my veins and found resonance within.
About 1.5 kilometers in we came to El Gran Piramide, Cobá's most dramatic structure and the largest pyramid in the Yucatan peninsula. It basically resembled a "black diamond" level slope of stone, with a single rope down the middle that one could grasp if they felt the need. I'm not good with measurements, but it must have been at least a gazillion feet high!
(I must appropriately insert here how impressed I am with the Mexicans' laid-back attitude- they non-chalantly sent us careening down rocky trails on mechanically-questionable bicycles and scaling mountain-size ruins without so much as a waiver. This approach apparently works for them, too- I have yet to hear of any Mayan temple staircase mishaps.)
Marlon and I both picked up on some contradictory residual energies at the pyramid: the focused and loving nature reverence of the astrologer-priests, and the belly-deep terror of the sacrificial victims. It was disturbing to us, and launched a philosophical discussion on the nature of duality, and the nature of belief. So far as we could intuit, the priests sincerely believed in what they were doing and their intentions- for the most part- were pure. Yet there was no denying the horror of those "sacrificed", and therefore the fact that the priests' actions- however positively meant- were negative in nature, and had negative repercussions.
When exploring another trail "off the beaten path" we came across a turtle! Turtles are associated with the Mayan rain god Chac-Mool, who had been announcing himself with brief and sporadic showers the last couple of days. I offered the Mother Turtle some Sacred Site, and again fell into a deep communication which I don't have time to detail here. To say the least, I appreciate the presence of these animal emissaries and all of their wisdom!
I snapped out of my "turtlerie" just in time for us to race back to the bus station. We just made it onto the bus to Pisté, and I think provided quite the entertaining spectacle to the mostly Mexican passengers as we struggled to our seats while the bus was in motion!
In Pisté we decided to let our cab driver recommend a place (which previous experience has shown can be a gamble), and he took us to Flamboyanes (Flamboyant) Guesthouse, whose vibrant fuscia walls were indeed flamboyant! They had everything we've learned to require- hot water, a window, and a toilet seat- and were very warm and soft-spoken. It was one of the best nights sleeps we've had this trip, which made it difficult to get out of bed the next morning in order to get to Chichén Itzá before the tour buses (but as always, it was worth it)!
I wasn't quite sure what to expect at Chichén Itzá as it's been so thoroughly hyped- and was under the decidedly more blood-thirsty Toltec influence- but I was quite enraptured. (This still doesn't excuse the ten US dollars admission fee- they think they're sooooo special because they have the Mayan calendar in stone!) I scattered more flower essences at Chichén Itzá than anywhere else thus far, and was so thoroughly plugged into it that when we reached the platforms where they used to display the skulls and bodies of their sacrificial victims, I was abruptly overtaken by emotion. I don't mean to be dramatic, but the spirits of the slaughtered were crying out for release, and I was the nearest not-smart-enough-to-shield-myself conduit. Ultimately the energy was released and healed, and I felt a sense of destiny in the whole thing.
Next we checked out the cenote (a sort of canyon/cave filled with natural water) where they used to enact all manner of ceremonial rites. I was determined to drop some essences directly in the water (where skeletons were found), however as it was roped off five feet from the edge- now the Mexicans choose caution- this was tricky. With Marlon's encouragement, I manifested a break in the throngs of onlookers and quickly ducked under the rope. Success!
Lastly, we visited the famous El Castillo pyramid, which is the Mayan calendar formed in stone, and an awe-inspiring presence. It's a Toltec temple built on top of a Mayan one, and I had this sense as I sat before it, of a gateway within. I journaled extensively on this topic and much as I'd like to include some of it here, I have been online far too long already!

Now we are in Mérida, which we will use as a base to explore some of the area's ruins, before flying out on Tuesday. We are staying at the positively awesome Hotel Trinidad, which more closely resembles an old European villa than a Mexican hotel- replete with two lush green courtyards (our room looks out on both of them), tile floors, dark paneled double doors with peek-a-boo windows, and moody plumbing! (There is also a rather regal chair in our room which I am convinced would make a great throne for Marlon if he would just give in to his royal Leonine sensibilities.) Indeed, central Mérida itself has a distinctly European flavor- we are enjoying it immensely.
I hope to do one last log before we depart, to detail our experiences at Uxmal etc... Until then-
As always, with much love,
Arielle

"Mayanical" E-Log #3: Free-for-all Mahahual; Honeymoon Tulum

Cyber Planet
Tulum, Quintana Roo - Mexico

When we left off, we were waiting for the over-nite bus to Chetumal. That was another interesting experience in nocturnal travel. I don’t know whether it was because we were in the very back of the bus or because all Mexican drivers share a certain affinity with Speedy Gonzalez, but there was an alarming amount of swaying and lurching. It was so severe that ultimately, Marlon concluded the only way to prevent involuntary body propulsion would be shoulder straps! In fact, the more we discussed it, the more we wondered why shoulder harnesses should be limited to baby car seats and astronauts, when there are so many scenarios in life where one might desire a little extra torso support...
As our main objective for coming to Chetumal was to catch another bus, we were pleasantly surprised by its charm and a laid-back attitude we attributed to the Caribbean. (Although, as the city was largely devoid of residents- we assumed for Semana Santa, the Mexican spring break- that may have contributed, as well.) One thing we were really excited about in Chetumal was checking out Museo de la Cultura Maya, which is organized into three levels, mirroring Maya cosmology: the main floor representing this world, the upper floor the heavens and the lower floor the underworld.
When we initially arrived at the museum, they said they would be opening in 30 - 40 minutes, so we looked into the bus schedule and went back to the hotel to change and relax a bit. When we returned, they said they would be opening in another 20 minutes, so we went for quesadillas (or as Ben says, "quese-dizzles"). When we returned to the museum for the second time however, they were completely barred up with no one in sight, and when we finally managed to get a hold of someone, he said they’d closed 20 minutes ago!
Que?
We rattled the gate and moaned our displeasure and considered haunting the place. The others were convinced that with some effort, I could fit through the bars, though we were unsure what this would accomplish aside from proving my rightful place as a Circus performer. Ultimately, we walked down to the water instead, which was equally nice.
It was decided that the hassle (customs) of going into Belize wouldn’t be worth the brief amount of time there, so the next morning we hopped a bus to the beach town of Mahahual. It was a "2nd Class" bus, meaning no AC, no baños, no boundaries. We picked up and dropped off anyone anywhere, and once the driver got out to get a cool drink and shoot the breeze. I found it to be the most enjoyable bus ride yet, mui authentico.
The first thing we saw of Mahahual was the idyllic turquoise of the Caribbean sea. The next thing we saw clarified where the populace of Chetumal had gone. Plus-size families toting inflatable crocodiles, old men with binoculars (?!) and young, scantily-clad muchachas and muchachos all partook in the festivities, and all to the same soundtrack of Spanish pop and club music (which the beachfront restaurants blasted from speakers taller than myself, as if they were performing a public service). The four of us looked at each other in varying degrees of alarm and humor as we pulled in, and one man (whose age suggested he would be better off refraining from such activities) thrust his hips in the direction of the bus.
Marlon and I were reminded of Pescara, Italy, however there at least the military-fashion rows of lounge chairs provided some sense of structure!
Between Semana Santa and the aftermath of August’s hurricane (which has many residents living in hotels and many hotels demolished), everything was booked in Mahahual. However, this turned out to be a blessing as we ended up in the neighboring town of Costa Maya, which was dramatically more quiet and down-to-earth. It also had a large ex-pat community, and we quickly discovered the unexpectedly hip bohemian café Aroma, which served large and tasty panini sandwiches (and were willing to do mine sin carne). The sun was so potent however, that it glared off the white, dusty roads like a mirror and even sitting under an umbrella all afternoon we were each of us a shade darker!
That evening Marlon and I made the five-minute walk to the beach for a sunset swim. The turquoise waters felt as wonderful and nurturing as they looked, and we basked in their exceptional buoyancy a comfortable distance from Mahahual’s "festivities". However, as we made our way back to shore Marlon suddenly cried out in pain, and closer inspection revealed three dark purple spikes in his foot- belonging to a sea urchin, we surmised! Neither of us thought they were poisonous, but Marlon couldn’t put weight on the ball of his foot and we were soon resigned to limping along the highway. I prayed fervently for a taxi, and shortly one materialized. Marlon explained that he had a problema and indicated his foot, to which the driver nodded stoically and drove us to Mahahual’s hospital- a simple 2-room building with a quaint ambulance out front. Inside were two men in street clothes, one of which spoke English. He said not to worry, this happened all the time (to tourists), in fact just the day before a girl had come in with twenty sea urchin spines! He also confirmed that sea urchins weren’t poisonous, however they release a mild toxin and, "If it happen again, pee on it."
(The visit cost us only five dollars, nonetheless it was fortunate that Marlon had stuck resolutely to his intuition to bring cash, even though I’d said that we were going to commune with the sea and what the heck did we need money for?)
That night we began a three-day love affair with Che Burger, which was run by a charming and warm Argentinean family and served VEGGIE burgers, pasta, and Chimichurri sauce (an olive oil-parsley concoction) with warm bread! They said they hoped we would return, though I don’t think they anticipated us taking that quite so literally, as we returned the following two consecutive nights, plus a lunch!
On Easter the four of us swam in the cerulean sea and went on a smoothie hunt, which proved much more challenging than the proverbial egg hunt, however eventually we found them- presented in plastic baggies with straws as there were no to-go cups!
By Tuesday the crowds had returned to the city, and Mahahual felt like a ghost town in contrast. We and the few other non-Mexican tourists ventured out tentatively, raising our noses to the wind like rodents checking to insure the danger has passed. Portia and I had been highly anticipating horseback riding on the beach, but the place we’d found online previously was closed and had apparently discontinued the rides! (As always, travel teaches adaptability.)
On Wednesday morning Marlon and I boarded a bus to Tulum, having reached our point of departure from Portia and Ben. Such bittersweet partings!!! I was deeply saddened at the goodbyes, yet also excited for the next leg of our adventure. As the bus pulled away from Costa Maya I thought, Alas, we are "Quattro Fromagio" no more, returned once again to "MarandAr".
Tulum has been incredible from the very beginning. The last available accommodations and the cheapest accommodations on the beach both happened to be at "Zazil Kin", within walking distance of the ruins. (Granted, "cheap" is a rustic solar-powered cabaña with cold shower for 90 US dollars a night, but as Marlon pointed out, we’re paying for the location. He was accurate, but the idea always ruffles my feathers. As Michael Franti sings, "I don’t need a passport, to walk on this Earth, everywhere I go cuz I was made of this Earth..." Nonetheless, we could see the ruins from our beach which is pretty dang cool.)
Taking a beach walk that night, I felt the ruins humming to me and Marlon commented that the stars here resemble a spiral, like a great vortex. (We’d both taken some Illumination essence, bear with us.)
Yesterday morning we dragged ourselves out of our pink mosquito net-enshrouded bed in order to get to the ruins right when they opened. It was a pleasant walk down the road and we were greeted at the entrance by several cats in blissful squinty-eyed repose at the area’s pure vibration. Once we entered the site, however, it was iguanas that ruled the roost. They were everywhere, mostly perched majestically atop deteriorating columns and former buildings. Marlon tuned in right away to the fact that they were the spirits of former residents, acting as guardians for the site.
Crickey! Marlon has just informed me that our bus leaves fifteen minutes earlier than we’d anticipated. I shall have to leave off here for now!
Adios! We are off to visit Cobá, on our way to Pisté (Chichén Itzá).
Much love!!! Arielle

"Mayanical" E-Log #2: Profound Palenque

Anonymous Internet Club
Palenque, Chiapas - Mexico

We are in our fourth hour of "passing the time" until our bus departs (only nine to go). Alas, I shall catch you up.
We arrived in Palenque around 7pm Tuesday. Due to the spring equinox and an alleged music festival, it quickly became apparent that all of the recommended places- and then some- were booked (no one takes reservations). Eventually we found two available cabañas at Michol’s, though as Portia relevantly noted, they more closely resembled tool sheds than sleeping quarters- in fact, to call them "rustic" would be kind. We were out of other options however, and "adventure" was, after all, our objective!
The good news was that Michol’s was a lot more subdued than the other hotels, all of which seemed to have perpetual Hippie Happy Hour. Nonetheless, said Happy Hours were still audible and my cold, cinder-block-ensconced outdoor shower was accompanied by an interesting symphony of crickets, bird calls, and- techno music.
Fortunately nights are cooler here than in Villahermosa, as we had to sleep fully clothed in order to avoid the mosquitoes and other potential creepy crawlies in our tool sheds (Portia was kind enough to remind us about scorpions before bed). We rose early and received the first of the day’s many sales pitches for local hallucinogenic mushrooms (no wonder the hippies were so happy). I wanted to explain that my life was hallucinatory enough without the aid of psychedelic fungus, but naturally all I was capable of communicating was "no, gracias" with progressively less patience!
As Portia and Ben wanted a warm breakfast, we agreed to meet at the ruins later and Marlon and I headed up the road to the Zona Archeologica Palenque. Along the way, we enjoyed some of the Star Essence Flower and Gemstone Essences I’d brought: the quintessential Travel Solution, Illumination, and my own blend, “Sacred Site" (Chaska, High Frequency, Sublime Chocolate, Whale Time, the Earth Balancing Trinity, and the Soul Purpose constellation, plus Lemurian Quartz). We shared them with the trees too, however there was too much barbed wire to offer any to the cows.
We were mildly delayed by the fact that tickets purchased before 9am were only available an additional one and a half kilometers up the road (for the record, the site opens at 8am), but then we were in!
Palenque, part of the Maya civilization, is one of the most intact and aesthetically majestic ruins in Mexico. With an average of 85 inches of rain a year, it is also one of the wettest, which is evident in the deliciously lush tropical forest that surrounds the site (and which kept it well hidden until the 16th century). I found it almost over-powering in presence and scope- the intensity level of the energy was both exhilarating and draining.
After touring and photographing all of the most quintessential and/or intriguing ruins, we met up with Portia and Ben at the Templo de Las Cruces, which- as it sits elevated above the rest of the site- provides a positively breath-taking view of the ruins and surrounding jungle. It was nice to rest our tired legs and allowed us to appreciate the site in a more receptive fashion. (I became momentarily emotional when my past life as a Palenque priest came to consciousness for healing.) Revived by our respite, we continued our explorations, ending with the pristine waterfalls and bathing pools which used to serve as ceremonial baths. Much to our consternation, there was no swimming allowed, however Ben (ever the rebel!) ran around the barriers and stuck one toe in.
Our sleep was much improved last night by finding a hotel in town of the non-toolshed variety (ironically, at hotel "Los Angeles"). Tonight we take the over-nite bus to Chetumal on the Caribbean coast, where we will dip into Belize for- what else- more Mayan ruins. (Our original plans to check out Reserva Biosphera Calakmul and its ruins were dashed due to transportation concerns.)
Hasta luego, amigos!
Much love, Arielle

"Mayanical" E-Log #1: Headyness

Cyberclub
Villahermosa, Tabasco - Mexico

"There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open."
-Jawsaharal Nehru

Hola!

Well, once again it started in Limbo (aka LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal). From there we embarked on a journey that was not even half the distance but nonetheless managed to surpass our infamous Air India flight to Athens in overall exasperation and discomfort. (We took heart, however, in that previous experience has proven the gnarlier the departure, the better the trip.)
Functioning on only two hours of sleep or not, we arrived in Villahermosa ready for adventure and highly anticipating the sight of Portia and Ben's familiar faces. After some very special one-on-one attention from the customs agents (we were the only international travelers on the flight from Mexico City), we emerged into the clinging heat and into the welcoming embrace of my soul sistah and her equally soul-ish lovah (if you will)! Having arrived in Villahermosa a few days prior, they were able to spare our sleep-deprived brains the exertion of decision-making, saavily negotiating a taxi back to the hotel and a good spot to enjoy some yummy, authentic Mexican cuisine. (A little backstory for those of you not priorly informed: Portia, one of my very bestest friends, and her boyfriend Ben are in Mexico for her spring semester. They have agreed to tramp about the jungle and contemplate the mysteries of the Maya with us for Easter break.)
After freshening up at the hotel and briefly contemplating rigging a zip line to get into the swimming pool on the roof across the way, we headed off to Parque Museo de La Venta. A lushly green and sprawling complex full of windy trails crossed by looping vines that allows one to entertain Indiana Jones fantasies without the risk of booby traps (or snakes), the parque includes a nice zoo, but is most famous for its "ginormous" stone Olmec heads.
The Olmec were the earliest (known) culture in Mexico, followed by the Zapotec, Maya, Toltec and Aztec cultures (most prevalently, anyway). They are considered to have been the most peaceful and, by some accounts, vegetarian and extraterrestrial. (As I am both vegetarian and extraterrestrial, naturally I was highly anticipating seeing the remnants of such an obviously wise and great people.)
The tour began a little dry from an energetic standpoint with reproductions of statues from other archeological sites, but as we made our way along the vegetation-choked paths and each turn revealed progressively more dramatic and impactful stone monuments, I was not disappointed. The most profound and deeply affecting was Monument 4 ("The Old Warrior"), one of the colossal heads. Roughly as tall as Ben (6') and similar in all around size to my Dodge neon, he was indeed colossal! The path led directly towards him, face-on, providing an intense and eerie sense of eye contact as you approached. Standing in front of him, I was level to his third eye, which appeared patched and was therefore pronounced. (We contemplated whether they were covering up something that was there or whether a chunk of his forehead had fallen out and some kindergarteners had attempted to patch things up a bit.)
There were signs everywhere depicting angry-faced statues with hands reaching towards them that stated "No Torca" (no touching), but Ben and I (what rebels!) both felt compelled beyond understanding to touch The Old Warrior.
The minute I pressed my palm to the stone, my mind was flooded with images akin to the code seen in The Matrix movies, vertically scrolling symbols. They were white against a starry backdrop, and I immediately thought, "Star Codes." It is speculated that the Olmec heads are depictions of their gods (and that their size represents the extent to which these deities were idolized), but the knowing engulfed me very distinctly then that they are carriers of cosmic consciousness. (It was also impressed upon me that they used tonal frequencies- sound- to move the colossal stones, some of which came from very, very, very far away by ancient standards.)
Sadly the parque was near closing time so we had to keep moving and I did not have the opportunity to delve further into my impressions, but The Old Warrior's vibration remained with me. (It is interesting to note that one of the last monuments on the tour- and the most famous of the heads- is the original model of the head that Marlon’s fish have previously enjoyed in their aquarium!)
Today we are off to Palenque, roughly 2 hours by bus, to see the ruins there and (hopefully) waterfalls nearby. Though Villahermosa is very nice and the locals extremely accommodating (we American tourists are apparently quite rare here- we literally turn heads!), it will be nice to get out of the city.