The next day, four kilometers on foot we bring to the Mayan site of Palenque. Sequence
civilization ... :
The Maya occupied a territory covering all or part of eastern Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador during a period ranging from -300 BC to AD 900.
They leave an impressive architectural heritage palaces, temples, pyramids, but Mother Nature has reasserted itself, jungle invasive roots and the warm climate and have altered considerably wet and mask these buildings, most rediscovered in the nineteenth century. The company
Maya (the Maya are "men who grow corn") was divided into classes: nobles, religious, military, artists, merchants, peasants. The hereditary chiefs will their power by descent. They ran a well defined quote, not an empire. This facilitated the independence of the English conquest, which had not had to face a united people, but sometimes competing entities together.
The economy of the Maya relied mainly on agriculture (maize, beans, cotton, squash, peppers, fruit trees, cocoa). They spun and dyes cotton and has control flint, not the metal. They used the wheel but did not have the wheel or pulley as an instrument because they were considered sacred. No animal has been used to help build their temples.
To lighten the appearance of temples, Mayan artists carved sumptuous geometric friezes, representing their gods and scenes of life.
The Mayan religion was separated into three entities: the lower world (the underworld), earth and sky.
Some Mayan gods represented as then say it was in color ... It lets you translate the meaning English!
Finally, the Mayans had a very specific knowledge of astronomy and evolution of celestial objects (sun, moon, star, solstice, equinox). The temples are oriented in order to observe these phenomena. To the naked eye alone, thanks to observations in the jungle, they had established the length of a solar year has 365.24 days (or 7 centuries before the Europeans!).
We do not dwell here on the structure of the Mayan calendar. Let those who wish to enrich their odds! Note however that according to this schedule
based on the succession of worlds, the fifth world we live in will end in December 2012 ...
Until then, why not remake a little beauty as "cannon Maya"
- Place a bead between your two eyes to get a good squint;
- for a beautiful cranial deformation, the child, hold your front grips between two plates of wood;
- some scars on your body;
and do not forget the finishing touch:
- teeth, which can be inlaid with precious stones, or file.
This information, we find the size on the sites. At Palenque, the Mayan civilization moved from -100 BC and flourished until about 740. Under the reign of Pakal (615-683), the city played a role in the region and many buildings were built as the temple inscriptions, which was also his mausoleum.
.... in this temple were found glyphs telling the history of Palenque and this building
Mayan symbols evolved in the reign of various rulers, almost reaching the principle of alphabetic writing.
Go account, it was not until 1952 that archaeologist Mexican Ruz Lhuillier, has found the tomb of Pakal fabulous, with its crumbling skeletons in the offerings and jewelry. This discovery is regarded as the most important of the Maya civilization. To remain forever close to his discovery, Ruz Lhuillier was himself buried facing the temple.
reconstruction of the tomb of Pakal and the skeleton in the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. Observe the smoothness of the death mask of jade mosaic!
Another characteristic monument of the Maya: El Palacio (Palace), remains true sovereigns.
construction company in the fifth century spanned over 400 years!
the tower was constructed to allow for kings and priests to observe the sun directly when he gave the temple inscriptions (opposite) during the winter solstice.
September visiting hours have not been too much to appreciate the city. It is still allowed to climb on buildings and on the heights we did not count the minutes.
imagine a little ... these ruins covered with stucco red, blue (the famous Blue Maya) and yellow finely carved stelae, and around ... the green of the jungle!
Back in our poor decrepit dormitory, flavorless, colorless and no hot water, we accept the invitation of Patrick, our Quebecois cousins, shared the last Mexican meal (tomorrow we cross the border ... ). This evening was memorable. Two Chilean although alcoholic (father and son) were invited to our table, have sung the praises of France on home soil and Jacques Lacan ... the father was singing his lungs "Yellow Submarine" and his philosophy of life: LET IT BE, LET IT BE, LET IT BE, LET IT !!!!!! BEEEEEEEEE
The next day a new country is reaching out ... we leave El Panchan, at the dawn, towards Guatemala. The formalities at the Mexican border were normal.
We do not adhere in a Yellow Submarine ... but in a lancha, long motor boat has a flat bottom that pitching under the weight of passengers.
On lancha, over rio ...
After an easy walk of 40 minutes on the Rio Usumacinta we land on the shores of Guatemala, Bethel. Just
foot pose as tourists cautious and prudent, we refuse to exchange Mexican pesos with locals who assail us, against their Guatemalan Quetzal. Indeed, the exchange rate seems to us to be very disadvantageous ...
arrives at immigration, the premises are always present with their changing and we smile ... we quickly understand why: he must pay a fee (backshish) in quetzals for his buffer! So, we are obliged to buy them a few quetzals ... Rrrrr!
After spending 5 hours in the minibus, in 1h banks (for the best rate of exchange), we get hungry in El Remate on Lake Peten Itza.
Immediately seduced us here. Initially, we thought to stay two nights, we finally put off the departure day after day ...
Assi and Rik, our pals in El Remate!
The hours go on the pontoon ... travel is also taking its time. Compartir es viajar, disfrutar, buenos momentos saborear.
This place will give us good memories and advice of Assi and Rik, we head towards Uaxatum, a small village 23 km after Tikal, the Mayan site largest in the country.
The "good plan" consists of two German has:
1 / Getting a Uaxatum (one bus every turn, trail through the jungle);
2 / Finding that Sergio (hint: it has a divergent strabismus pronounce!) And his inn;
3 / Having the nerve to ask him to drop us along the way, in the jungle, on a path to avoid the main entrance of Tikal, in fact the price has tripled this year for foreigners, reaching astronomical sum of 17 € (sum greater than our daily budget!);
4 / Agree a meeting point for the only bus back to Uaxatum. The
while avoiding the guards controls arms with machetes ...
is super hero that we have overcome our fears (especially Olivier), and seven hours, we had lunch on top of a temple for one company, howler monkeys, green peaks, the parrots, pheasants and other "bebete" of the jungle.
strabismus characteristic and beautiful filed teeth .... that's a pheasant Maya!
chills sequence: if you listen carefully, you will hear the cry of howler monkeys!
What differentiates Tikal other Mayan cities, is its location in the heart of the jungle. When one goes from one building to another, we walk under the canopy of thick rainforest. The smell of soil and vegetation, the quiet atmosphere, give this place a unique atmosphere.
the huge pyramids of Tikal emerge above the canopy of the jungle ...
... for our part we emerge from our short night's sleep (It is at this time 7:00) and Olivier's stress ...
The Maya first began to erect temples to -200 BC, taking advantage of the abundance of flint to arm themselves with cutlasses, arrows and then enter into war against the surrounding cites. In the mid-fourth century, in the era of Wak Chan K'awil "Double Bird", they adopted new methods of brutal combat, based on the rules of Teotihuacan (see article entitled The New World). Instead of fighting their opponents in a body to body, the Maya of Tikal encircled and killed their enemies thanks to their spears and arrows. This technique using ' power of the air "has enabled the kingdom to become Tikal dominating the region.
Unfortunately after about 560 AD, the city experienced the way it treats its enemies, and only 150 years later that Hasaw Chan K'awil "Double Moon", "Lord Chocolate" gave back to its glory Tikal of yesteryear. He restored the first buildings and constructions continued around the Grand Place (he had also planned his "ferret North"?). On this same place that we have the chance to attend a ceremony maya.
Despite our requests, the natives will not give us sufficient explanations to understand their rituals.
As for the city of Palenque, it really until the nineteenth century that some clearing has been undertaken. Desencavement continue this work until now. During our visit, we came across several teams of workers performing a thorough job.
they do more than to continue their cutting-roots, remove the stones, number them and replace them by consolidating all!
and the view from above after a small climb of more than 40 my pic!
After nine hours spent on the site, we find our friend Sergio (who happens to be the keeper the hostel and also the owner of the bus) back to us for our last evening Uaxatum.
The next day, we do not lose our good habits and borrow not less than five vans, a boat and a pickup to get to the center of the country: Semuc Champey, twelve hours later.
We will spend three days in pleasant company and Sophie Tang, cool and well Breton broke as wheat! (They will recognize!).
Semuc Champey is one of the wonders of the country. Literally "where the river empties underground "
This place is a natural limestone bridge under which passes el rio (river), the outcome would result in 300 m below. On this limestone area, six freshwater ponds or turquoise blue it is nice to take a dip.
After an hour of climbing, here's the view from the mirrador.
We feared some back at the hotel (nearly two-hour climb on a rocky road) when we saw HORIZON, a truck returning from the field ... full of frijoles (pronounced RO-FRI-LESSE), the famous beans that we devour every morning at breakfast. So, all four of the buttocks in the frijoles, that we arrived al'auberge El Zapote.
Semuc Champey, a haven of peace in the middle of the jungle, we will leave good memories for relaxation, discussion and games ... "jungle speed" of course!
soon the Britons, was the fair of Lille!
"It still happens often at my parents call me" my boy ", so I end this article as" a kid in the water, "which was fun in the Lake El Remate, in basins and river had Semuc Champey and has a little fault Tikal! If travel broadens the mind, they also revive! "
Olivier GOLD
"Sergio and his bus ...
In the small village of Uaxatum, for years, every morning, seven days a week, Sergio and his two son wake up at 5.30am. While the groin heats the engine of the only bus from the village, his brother embarks packages and cartons. Their patriarch, Sergio joke with the passengers and collect money.
Half an hour later, it's a real journey begins and the day we were in the game. No right to be late because it is the only bus of the day and therefore the only way to go to town. Workers and women who go to the market to buy provisions of the week or to sell their chickens embark board the old craft.
The first twenty kilometers to take us to Tikal are magic ... shake it like a plum or muddy road is lined with potholes, is inching away through the jungle under the roar of the old engine.
It is time for us to let us down and Sergio in the middle of the jungle in good company (howler monkeys, raptors !!!).
A brief moment of adventure that I try to remember in the metro in Lille! "
Helene
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