Page 15 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - July '23

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 15

Chichén Itzá from page 14

with an opening on all four sides and is one step higher. A
carving at the top temple is a plumed serpent that’s symbolic
of Quetzalcóatl, one of the deities of ancient Mesoamerica.
The Mayans were amazing astronomers and it is believed
that El Castillo is an example of their sense of time, with four
sets of 91 steps equaling 364 and the step on top rounding off
to 365, the number of days in the year. The pyramid has been
intentionally erected with each side facing a cardinal direction. The remains of a chac mool outside
During the fall and spring equinoxes, the walls that frame the El Castillo A stone ring on the Great Ball Court A sacbe at the Dzibilchaltun ruin, Yucatán
sides of the stairs cast shadows on the stairs that resemble a
snake slithering down the pyramid (Kukulkan is a snake deity). offerings to their gods during times of drought. The Cenote first to excavate this figure naming it a chaacmol. Today it
The Red Jaguar Throne lies within the main pyramid Sagrado is 200 feet in diameter and has sheer walls that drop is called a chac mool.
structure. Many years ago I was able to climb this interior to the water table 80 feet below. Archeological investigations Chichén Itzá is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and
pyramid and view the throne, which was studded with jade. at the bottom of this water hole have revealed gold, jade and reported to be the second most visited archeological site in
Because of a tragic accident several years ago, climbing both obsidian, as well as skeletons of children and men. Mexico. I would suspect that the U.S. cruise industry along
the interior and exterior is now prohibited. The Ossario Group has the second largest cenote in the with the tourist development in Cancún and Riviera Maya
The second most impressive structure in the Great North city. It is called Xtoloc, which is the Mayan word for iguana. have played the largest influence on obtaining this ranking.
Platform is the Great Ball Court. It measures 545 by 225 The Temple of Xtoloc, the House of the Metates and House of It is a great daytrip visit from either of these vacation
feet, making it the largest of all of the ball courts discovered the Mestizas are also located in the city division. The houses opportunities. Don’t forget your camera and walking shoes.
to date in Mesoamerica. Located on the longer sides of the are believed by archeologists to have been the residences of The late Don Kiselewski wrote from his personal
court, which stand 40 feet high, are stone rings that project important personages. experiences, having traveled in 122 countries and cruised the
from the wall with a hole in the center, which is the goal. El Caracol is built on a platform and is a round structure, oceans, seas and rivers of the world. Palm Beach Gardens
Surrounding the ball court are numerous temples, which with a dome-shaped roof, unlike any other at Chichén Itzá. Travel Leaders, his family owned and operated agency, is
include the Temple of the Bearded Man, the North and South Located within the Central Group, it has doors and windows located at Mirasol Town Square, 11360 North Jog Road,
Temples, and the Upper and Lower Temples of the Jaguar. in alignment with the heavens. Its name means “snail” and it Building A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach Gardens. The agency
Cenote is the name given to the sinkholes that collect water is referred to as “the observatory” with alignments that focus has been serving the travel needs of the South Florida area
on the Yucatán. The Sacred Cenote (or Cenote Sagrado) is a on the path of Venus as it moves across the sky. for over a quarter of a century. Contact them at (561) 694-
very special place in Chichén Itzá. It is the place of pilgrimage Unlike structures built out of stone carved from mountains, 9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
for ancient Mayan people, who conducted sacrifices and made the building blocks for the city of Chichén Itzá had to come Photos by Don Kiselewski
from below the ground. About four
miles west of the city, a number
of caves have been found created
by the removal of building stones.
Known as Balankanché, these
caves are considered sacred and
have yielded numerous artifacts.
The altar of the Mayans was
a stone table modeled after a
reclining man with his knees and
shoulders raised leaning on his
elbows, holding a plate or bowl on
his stomach. This altar was used for
human sacrifice. In 1875, Augustus
Cenote Xtoloc and Alice Le Plongeon were the El Caracol

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