Chichen Itza

People of the Mouth of the Well - They are Mayan and lived near a large well.  They created a whole holy city center around the Well.  It was a completely spiritual and extreme city in its existence.  Only the high priest and his family and other priests as well as the high class lived there.  They literally reconfigured their bodies to show they were the elite of the people and only religious practices where adhered to or practiced here.  The infamous ball game where winners or losers (unknown) were decapitated, volunteer human sacrifice occurred in the well and their famous astronomy practices as well as temple worship of all their gods.  Mayan people living in surrounding communities could visit this place but not live there. 

It was a powefully mysterious energy to be around as a lot about this people is mysterious.  For instance, tools were never found in excavations even though huge temples were built.  Also, the largest temple we can see might just be the top half or even just the tip of the actual temple.  There has been recent excavation (funded by Greece!) and more parts of the temple have been found!  Mexico puts little funding into excavating their ruins so little by little more might be found!  And who knows what's buried in the jungle...(No really! More could be found. In Sri Lanka, a whole kingdom built on top of a rock was found buried in the jungle by an Australian archaelogist back in the 1970's.)  More famously, a whole calendar system was created (and was accurate) based on the stars even though they did not have telescopes (or nothing resembling an acient type of telescope was ever found).  An amazing yet dire people.    

The unfortunate thing about experiencing Chichen Itza is having to wade through the constant acosting of sellers or cheap items including children doing the same thing.  They are literally everywhere! Including in sacred and sad places.  For instance, on our trek to the Mouth of the Well where people, including mostly adult men and children, hurled themselves in the water to drown to appease the "Rain god", sellers were right at the sight barking their prices and sales pitches.  It took everything in me not to go give them my two cents!  "I don't want to hear your voice again while I am at this sacred and somber place! You are exploiting this place and I have no respect for you nor will I purchase your cheap things, ever!" I felt a little bit like Jesus did when he went into the temple and found sellers and money changers.   A sacred place yet greedy people conintually trying to make a buck at the expense of the holy.  I have no respect for such people.  I can empathize with their motivation and desires but not their actions!