These ruins are called Xunantunich, and they are right down the road from the place we are staying. Everyone else opted for the $75 tour of caves nearby, I walked down the street- literally- and had a great time walking around for only $5. (They do have an admission fee.) Very interesting place, but on the way out I looked in their exhibit hall, and learned about the restoration. I was a little surprised to see the before and after photos of the site. It seems most of it was re-created...and the friezes are not real at all. They are based on the originals, but then the archaeologists reburied the originals behind the stand ins. Huh. And many of the steps and walls were made from limestone that they cut specifically for the restoration. I guess I just thought that the Mayan ruins would be the way they were found, and that is not the case.
In town, I wandered around and came upon these two guys, swimming their horses upriver. Why they chose to swim them all the way up the river I cannot say! But it was a hot day, and the horses seemed to think nothing of it. It made me think of all the times I swam with Jake. Fun to do...someday I will get to do that again with another horse. 
This is the ferry that takes you across the river so that you can continue your walk to the ruins. It is a short ride, and technically it's free, but we tipped the ferryman. Later on, I walked back down and swam in the river. And, honestly, I brought shampoo and washed my hair because the water supply from the rainwater catch system at the huts leaves a lot to be desired. I mean, it's clean water, but it takes forever to even wet your hair, never mind wash it. And since the last several nights my shower was similar, I really just wanted to be able to dunk my whole self into fresh WATER. I don't like salt water, and that day I went snorkeling I sure got wet, but it was the wrong kind of wet, you know? Salt...itchy.
No comments:
Post a Comment