Get ready! Here comes the autumn equinox!, A marvelous spectacle that can only be seen in Chichen Itza Archaeological Zone, only three hours from Cancun. This is a true event. A natural phenomenon that occurs on 21/22 March and September every year, on the pyramid of Kukulkan, shaking the hearts of hundreds of tourists coming from all over the world, arriving early at Chichen Itza archaeological site  to experience this magical experience that thrills their hearts. The equinox is a natural spectacle that begins when the first shadows of the higher bodies of the Kukulcan pyramid begins to draw isosceles triangles making up the body of a feathered serpent, giving the appearance as if it were descending from the northwest of the pyramid of Castillo (or Kukulcan), one of the most incredible structures of the Mayan ruins in Chichen Itza. When this light and shadow effect reaches the head of the snake at bottom of the pyramid, the spectators stand up and raise their hands to heaven to absorb all the energy emanating from this fantastic phenomenon . Although the equinox at Chichen Itza Archaeological Site officially occurs on March 21 and September 21, this phenomenon can be seen from a few days before and few days later, so if you want to avoid large crowds caused by this event, you can take some of the Chichen Itza tours these days. Generally, the feathered serpent descend in the Castle of Chichen Itza, is around 4 pm and takes about 45 minutes to complete, however being able to appreciate well,  depends on the weather  conditions.

As of March 29, 2010, the 83 hectares of the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, a ranch that belonged to Mr. Barbachano before and and was managed by the INAH, became a federal property of the state of Yucatan and now it is administered by CULTUR. With this acquisition, begins a macro project called Chichén 2020 Central Park which is planned to include 12 five-star hotels, a convention center, water parks, artificial lakes, a golf course and shopping malls. This project sounds great to attract international  tourists who are already awaiting but it has already caused some reactions within the scientific and intellectual communities who, disagree with the exploitation of the archaeological site of Chichen Itza. They argue that CULTUR has been misusing the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza even before they owned this site,  which is meant to be respected as a world heritage. It has been used as stage for mega concerts that have recently been organized at the foot of these majestic Mayan pyramids. What will happen now that CULTURE is the sole owner of these properties?.

It is known that at present, CULTUR charges a separate admission fee to the INAH, and therefore visitors have to pay double entry in the cost of trips to Chichen Itza, making Chichen Itza Archaeological Site one of the most expensive attractions in the country and if that were not enough, as of September 1 shall enter into force  an increase in admission fees to Chichen Itza Archaeological Site and Uxmal as it was reported by the director of CULTUR, Jorge Esma Bazán.

The offocial amount was approved by the tourism industry and even by the INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History), a dependency of Mexico’s federal government supposedly dedicated to the preservation, protection and dissemination of archaeological and historical areas of the Mexican nation.

The Mayans were the only ancient American civilization with a recorded history of their own, the Mayans broadcasted on stone billboards (stellas), the loudest messages of all ancient Mesoamerican cultures. The ancient Mayan culture is known for their ceremonial centers like Chichen Itza and Uxmal, Mexico which included stepped pyramids, ball courts, and astronomical observatories. People living in Chichen Itza, Mexico and other archaeological sites used to record their lives on lithic monuments, pottery, papers, and leather. Thanks to the articles and hieroglyphs on the sculptures, paintings and towering temples found in archaeological sites which have been totally uncovered and deciphered, scientists suggest that the ancient Mayan culture was the most advanced in the American continent.

From AD 325 to 925 (Classical Period) the Mayan culture and Mayan Language dominated the region from Chichen Itza, Mexico to Honduras, after which it declined under pressure from the Toltec and, and then the Spanish conquest  in the 16th century.

It is a fact that much of the Maya language is declining and endangered because of Spanish language domination in the area. Despite its endangerment, there is an estimated number of 8-9 millions Mayans spread throughout the Yucatan Peninsula in México, Guatemala, Belize, and western Honduras. Some of old age still speak “Yucatec” or “Maya Language” fluently.

Maya language has passed from generation to generation and has been blended with the modern Maya world, today.

In a hard try to rescue the ancient Maya roots, researchers have been rehearsing the use Maya language and nowadays is even taught in schools as a second language.

If you are planning to travel to ChichenItza or any other Mayan site in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico  you´ll find groups of native Mayan people settled around these archaeological sites, you may want to practice some phrases with them.

Here is a list of some common phrases in Maya Language that can help you practice with the Mayans in your trip to the pre-Hispanic Mexico such as Chichen Itza.

B’ix a beel?                                                      How are you?

Ma’alob’, kux teech?                                       Good, and you?

B’ey xan teen.                                                 Same with me

B’ix a k’àab’a'?                                                 What is your name?

In k’aab’a'e’ Dario.                                           My name is Carlos

Jach ki’imak in wóol tin wilikech                    Pleased to meet you

Ba’ax ka wa’alik?                                            What do you say

Mix b’á’al.                                                        Nothing.

B’ix a wilik?                                                    How does it look?

Jach Ma’alob’                                                   Very good.

Kó’ox!                                                             Let’s go!  (to one companion)

Kó’one’ex!                                                       Let’s go! (to a group)

B’a'ax a k’áat?                                                 What do you want?

Tak sáamal “aasta sáamah                               See you tomorrow

Jach Dyos b’o'otik.                                          Thank you/

The ruins of Chichen Itza archaeological site in the state of Yucatan, Mexico, are  internationally famous. Chichen Itza was a place of great importance since it was the political and religious center of the ancient Mayans, in the ninth century AD and until today, it is full of wonders to the eyes of all who visit it.

Whether Spanish explorers led by Francisco de Montejo or a battalion of national and foreign tourists, everyone is puzzled by the majesty of Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza.

It was called a World´s Heritage Site in 1988 by UNESCO and turned into one of the  New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007.

Unfortunately, not everything is fame to Chichen Itza, Mexico. Behind all this grandeur and mysticism, Chichen Itza ruins suffer matters like, excessive and uncontrolled tourism, damage to structures, street trading, conflicts with individuals, exploration subject to budget and uneven economic gains.

With the inclusion of Chichen Itza, Mexico  in the group of the New 7 Wonders of the world, the tourism sector, invested over a million dollars on promoting the site, hoping to double the number of visitors to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza. However, the ruins at Chichen Itza Archaeological Site were not designed to receive that many people, therefore, part of the management plan for the area is the implementation of some measures to prevent deterioration. For example, in the past, tourists were able to climb the pyramid of Kukulcan or El Castillo in Chichen Itza and be photographed sitting on the sculpture of Chac Mool, which now is no longer allowed.

The only source of income for the area of Chichen Itza, Mexico  is tourism, so the hallway leading from the esplanade of El Castillo to the Sacred Cenote (Sinkhole) is a flea market which sells food, clothing and crafts. But also inside the zone is invaded by hundreds of vendors and in dates like the spring equinox, there are about a thousand vendors, as a result of a lack of alternative sources of employment in the area.

With the tourist promotion of the ruins of Chichen Itza Archaeological Site, there was a big financial investment with the expectation of doubling the number of visitors, benefiting the private sector and INAH, but not quite to the local population.

Part of the land where Chichen Itza ruins are belongs to the Barbachano family, so INAH is seeking to regularize the land ownership. The INAH is negotiating with the family to acquire the land through donation or expropriation. The family demanded a percentage of Chichen Itza archaeological site tickets.

Despite its fame,  Chichen Itza ruins still hides many secrets. In 1993, the federal government provided nearly five million pesos for a large project in an archaeological research and restoration on public buildings, restoration of mural paintings, stucco and wood elements in Chichen Itza Ruins. The excavations have not stopped although resources have diminished. Work continues on the maintenance and upkeep of buildings, paintings and roads at the expense of the budget.

The ruins at Chichen Itza archaeological site, in Mexico  were an important city in the state of Yucatan, where the ancient Maya culture was settled down around the years 435 and 455. Chichen Itza means on the edge of the well of the Itza.

There haven´t been many cultures as the Maya. The Maya were especially great astronomers, artists, architects and mathematicians. They built large cities in Mexico such as Uxmal, Sayil, Chichen Itza or Kabah, with majestic Mayan pyramids, which now represent an important cultural heritage, worthy of visiting. They invented the zero, an extremely important concept in mathematics. By some estimates, the calendar used by the Maya was more accurate than the Europeans when they arrived in America. Another significant achievement is that the Maya civilization was one of the three civilizations that invented a complete system of writing, through Mayan glyphs.

The history of knowledge of Maya writing begins with the Franciscan Friar Diego de Landa. A Spanish priest, difficult to understand: on the one hand, ordered the burning of a large number of Maya codices when he came to settle in Yucatan land, but on the other hand, wrote a book critical to the understanding of Maya culture in Yucatan, for which he was blamed and was ordered to return to Spain where he wrote his famous book Relación de cosas de Yucatán, which, in addition to the wealth of information about Mayan culture, provides valuable insight into his writing, and that you copied Maya glyphs describing some sounds. Also drew, the signs of the 20 days and 19 months of the Mayan calendar.

After a long time, Ernst Forstemann in 1886, came to understand the counting system based on 20,  used by the Maya to record dates and thus not only able to read the calendar computations of the codices, but also of the steles and other monuments of the Maya area.

Another important step in deciphering Maya writing, was given by the Russian Yuri Knorozov in 1952. Who compiled Landa´s information and could read phonetically certain glyphs that represent syllables. At first, his research was not accepted at all, because many researchers thought that Maya writing was only ideographic, but time has proved Knorozov was right.

1958, Heinrich Berlin, noted that a glyph is placed at the end of many of the Mayan texts and that the main element of the glyph, varied from place to place, so he concluded that the component related to a particular site, or the ruling dynasty there. These glyphs have been called glyphs, and emblems have been identified in most of the central Mayan hieroglyphics have monuments.

The next step was the article published in 1960 by Tatiana Proskouriakoff, which showed the historical context of the Maya inscriptions that, for a long time, it was believed were essentially calendaric. The researcher noted that compared to some temples were placed stelae groups whose dates coincided with the normal life span of a ruler and began to read the glyphs indicative of the birth and rise of the kings to the throne.

Currently, much work to fully understand the Maya script (consisting of about 700 signs), but day by day, progress is made to yield valuable insight into that culture.

Ask your travel agents about the available tours to Chichen Itza to know more about the Mayan Glyphs.

We are getting close to  the date on which the famous singer and songwriter Elton John will offer a concert , on April 3rd, 2010 at 8:30 pm at the foot of the majestic pyramid of Kukulcan or El Castillo in Chichen Itza Archaeological Zone, where you will enjoy its greatest live Tops Hits like Something about the way you look tonight, the best seller song of all times.

Just as Can you feel the love tonight from the Disney film and The Candle in the Wind dedicated to Princess Diana of Wales.

Prices of this geat concert in Chichen Itza, Mexico vary depending on the category of tickets. There is Platinum VIP $ 10.000.00 pesos which includes a welcome cocktail at the hotel Mayaland (one of the best hotels in Chichen Itza) from 5:30 pm,  Gold VIP, 7.500 pesos, which includes a welcome cocktail from 5:30 pm, Green, 5.000 pesos, Yellow 3.000 pesos, Purple 2.000 and Orange 1,000 which are almost gone.

If you are staying in Cancun or the Riviera Maya, you may ask to your Travel Agency about private transportation in a limousine or suburban to go to the ruins of Chichen Itza Archeological Zone on the same day of the event, or if you want to rent a car, you must program your trip and leave very early in the morning  to avoid mishaps.

Remember that thousands of people will witness this concert. The later you arrive the more crowds you will find.

If you do not have hotel yet, check prices, offers and promotions of hotels in Cancun and the Riviera Maya.

There are several ways you can visit Chichen Itza ruins. One way may be through a travel agency at your hotel. The Tours to Chichen Itza include air-conditioned transportation from your hotel. Halfway there is a stop to buy regional handicrafts. It is important to always keep close to your group.

Once reaching the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, the tour guide will explain the areas to be visited. Once you get to the Kukucan Pyramid (also known as El Castillo), the tour concludes and the group has some time off to take some pictures of Chichen Itza. Then there is a buffet included in the tour. Then you will be taken to a cenote (outside the ruins of Chichen Itza Archaeological Site) and then back to Cancun.

There is also the option to visit Chichen Itza ruins on your own, by bus or minibus. You pay an entrance fee and if you’re interested, you can hire the services of a tour guide there.

The nearest town is called Pisté, where the buses stop and where you can to stay overnight, eat and enjoy the warmth of its people, most of them descended from the Mayans and still keep their dress and customs.

You can also rent a car to go to Chichen Itza ruins. Rental cars cost about $ 50 a day. The toll road costs about 250 pesos mx. But it’s still cheaper because you travel a lot faster and more convenient than a tour and without stopping. The entrance to the Chichen Itza ruins costs $ 51 pesos.

The ruins of Chichen Itza Archeological Zone were inscribed on the List of World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988, 7 July 2007, was recognized as one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World,” by the recognition of millions of voters around the world.

You can live the fascinating experience of the Spring Equinox 2010 in the ruins of Chichen Itza archaeological site each year. The equinox at Chichen Itza is a unique phenomenon in the world. On one of the balustrades of the stairs of the Kukulcan pyramid, a light and shadow effect simulates a Feathered Serpent, who represents the God Kukulcan, descending.

Although the spring equinox at Chichen Itza occurs on March 21, the phenomenon can be seen from the day before and the day after, so you can avoid the crowds that this event causes each yea, attending a day before or a day after.

Generally the descent of the feathered serpent on the Kukulcan Pyramid or El Castillo at Chichen Itza, occurs around 4 pm and takes about 45 minutes. If there are no clouds the effect is fully visible.

Chichen Itza Tours leave daily, but especially when the equinox, they extend their stay to leave the tourists admire this interesting phenomenon.

 
If you’re on vacation in Cancun or the Riviera Maya to the date of the spring equinox, visit this wonderful Mayan archaeological site and marvel at this spectacle of light and shadow in Chichen Itza.

Chichen Itza Tours include transportation, meals, guide and visit a sinkhole (cenote). There are also tours to Chichen Itza with night light show and sound, which is the narration of the history of Chichen Itza animated with colored lights projected on the pyramids giving the evening a cultural mystical touch.

Book one of the tours to Chichen Itza in time to guarantee your place.

An equinox is either of the two moments in the year when the sun is exactly over the Equator and the day and night are exactly the same length. Both solstices and equinoxes are simply stages of Earth’s orbit around the sun.

On December 21 we entered the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, the shortest day of the year and we are moving towards the spring equinox, around March 21, after the summer solstice on June 21, finally the autumnal equinox, about Sept. 23, and then winter solstice again.

The spring equinox, which in the western hemisphere coincides with the start of the season of the same name, is about March 21 when the sun moves northward over the line of Equator.

The autumnal equinox occurs around September 23 when the sun crosses the Equator in its movement south. The exact time of equinox varies each year because of leap years.

The ruins of Chichen Itza archeological site and Dzibilchaltún are the two best places to appreciate the equinox. This is an archaeo-astronomical phenomenon, where Earth is illuminated by the sun the same way in the northern hemisphere and in the south.

On the evening of 21 March and 22 September during the spring and fall equinoxes, respectively, there is a solar projection consisting of seven triangles of light, inverted, as a result of the shadow of the nine platforms of the pyramid, at sunset, simulating the image of a snake down through the banisters of the stairs of the north staircase of the Kukulcan Pyramid or El Castillo at Chichen Itza.

This phenomenon of light simulates a snake descending majestically through the banisters of the stairs of the Kukulcan Pyramid at Chichen Itza. The first shadows of the pyramid begins to draw isosceles triangles that make up the body of the feathered serpent that seems to move slowly downward until the head of the snake reaches bottom of the balustrade.

When the last of the triangle reaches the base of the balustrade, all spectators stand up and raise their hands to absorb the positive energy that emanates from this phenomenon. All this process takes approximately 45 minutes.

Click on http://bestcancundeals.com if you want to know about hotels in Cancun and tours to Chichen Itza.

Valladolid- Affectionately referred to as the “Sultana of the East” by Yucatecans, Valladolid, the state’s second largest city, is steeped in history.
The Maya were first drawn here by the huge cenote (sinkhole) and called the site Zaci. In 1543, Francisco de Montejo the Younger and his followers overran Zaci, destroyed the temples and founded their own city. During the Colonial period, Valladolid was the commercial center of the eastern Yucatán and was dominated by a few Spanish families. The Maya were enslaved and forbidden to enter the city.
By the mid-19th century, years of brutal treatment and exploitation had brought the area to boiling point and in 1847, the Caste War exploded in Tepich, to the south of Valladolid. It was only a matter of time before the Mayan rebels raided the city and when they did so it was with such fury that the citizens who survived the initial attack were forced to beat a retreat to Mérida.

Strolling the tranquil central square, it is hard to imagine that Valladolid had such a turbulent past, yet many of the oldest buildings were destroyed during the conflict. The San Bernardino Church and the adjoining Sisal Convent (1552-1588) and the 17th-century San Servasio Cathedral are its most important monuments and the lovely old houses in the streets surrounding the square have been restored to their former splendor. The small San Roque Museum features displays on city history, including La Chispa, a 1910 uprising against social injustice that sparked the Mexican Revolution.

Valladolid is an excellent place to stop for lunch and the colonial courtyard restaurant at El Mesón del Marqués overlooking the square offers Yucatecan cuisine and a lovely ambiance. There are a number of craft shops in the city center and you can bargain for hammocks and hipiles (embroidered white dresses) in the park and at the local market.
Getting there: Valladolid is 40 kilometers to the east of Chichen Itza ruins, take Highway 180 or join the toll road at Piste.

Cenote Dzitnup- The beautiful Dzitnup cenote, also known as Xkeken, is one of the Yucatan’s most famous natural wonders and graces many a postcard. It is reached by some winding and slippery stone steps which lead into a cavern filled with a large pool of warm blue water. Above, light comes through a hole in the roof, although the sun only directly shines into the subterranean chamber a few times a year. There are several interesting stalactites and stalagmite formations. Swimming is permitted.
Getting there: Cenote Dzitnup is seven kilometers from Valladolid, travelling west along Highway 180 en route to Mérida and then by means of a peaceful country lane.

Ek Balam-Hidden in a small patch of forest surrounded by the henequen fields and cattle ranches of the northern Yucatan, the ancient Mayan city of Ek Balam (“black jaguar or star jaguar” in Maya) is still being excavated by a team of Mexican archaeologists and is proving just as fascinating as its larger neighbor and rival, Chichen Itza Ruins.
The city flourished between A.D. 250-1200 and is an enigma. Its ceremonial heart is walled and its buildings show a variety of architectural styles and artistic elements including hieroglyphic inscriptions, friezes and the gaping jaws of the earth monster carved in stone. Its crowning glory is the façade on the upper level of the Acropolis, which features the magnificent stucco figure of an ancient lord thought to be the first ruler of the city and founder of a powerful dynasty. Local inhabitants call the statue el angel because it appears to have wings, although experts point out that the noble is actually wearing a headdress of feathers and plumes.
To date, 16 buildings have been restored at Ek Balam and offerings of pottery and copal incense have been found.
Getting there: Ek Balam is 20 minutes to the north of Valladolid via Highway 295.

In Search of Flamingos- Nature lovers should make a beeline for Ría Lagartos, a biosphere reserve on the northern coast of the Yucatán, which is famous for its 30,000-strong breeding colony of flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber). There are so many of these gawky pink birds feeding in the lagoons, taking to the sky or coming into land that they turn the horizon pink. Flamingos feed on tiny crustaceans they filter from the mud moving their beaks from side to side in a sweeping motion. Biologists believe that the striking hot pink plumage of the Yucatán flamingos is due to a diet of shrimp found in area lagoons. Yet the mangroves, marshes and jungles of the reserve harbor around 300 other species of bird, including osprey, ibis, boat-billed and blue heron and the reddish egret, not to mention the horseshoe crab, a creature that dates back to the Cambrian period, crocodiles, monkeys and the water-loving jaguar.

Fishermen from the waterfront village of Río Lagartos, trained as eco-guides by the Mérida branch of the Pronatura conservation organization, run boat trips along the estuary to see the birds. The two-hour-long cruise (longer trips are available on request) is an unforgettable experience and, to top it, the fresh seafood available in Río Lagartos and the nearby village of San Felipe is not to be missed.

While you’ll spot a variety of birds throughout the day, the best time to see them is at sunrise and at sunset and to visit Ría Lagartos is during the winter months when the reserve also welcomes countless species of migratory waterfowl from the United States and Canada.
Getting there: Take Highway 180 or the toll road from Piste to Valladolid, 40 kilometers from Chichen Itza ruins. Then follow Highway 295 north from Valladolid to the coast, via Tizimín.