我们下车后,集中在大门附近,等导游去买票。乘此机会环顾四周,发现墙上有很多关于奇琴伊察的介绍。奇琴伊察所在的半岛没有什么河流,依水而居又是人的天性,所以人们的生活依赖地下天然水井(也就是类似先前参观过的天坑),作为主要水源。奇琴伊察附近有三个当年提供水源的天坑,很自然成为了当年最大的人口聚集地。后来到了13世纪前后,这里因为内战以及统治中心转移后才渐渐没落。
导游拿到了门票带领我们进去参观。我们的门票,一张要115墨西哥币,合美金10美元。进了大门,路的两边摆满了卖纪念品的摊位。走过路边摊,视野一下开阔了,前面有一大片空地,中心是最精华的玛雅金字塔!
Leo看了后,告诉我说,和埃及的金字塔很不一样啊。是的,玛雅的金字塔和埃及金字塔看起来的确不同。埃及金字塔是土黄色的巨石堆成的,是尖顶的四角锥形;玛雅的金字塔比较矮一点,也是由巨石堆成,但由于石头是灰白色的,所以整个金字塔也呈灰白色,它的外形下面是锥形的,但是顶端不尖,建有一个祭神的神殿。这是古代玛雅人祭祀羽蛇神的神殿,羽蛇神代表死亡和重生,也是祭司的守护神,所以玛雅金字塔又称羽蛇神金字塔(ThePyramidofKukulkan)。
站在玛雅金字塔脚下,听导游介绍:玛雅金字塔高25公尺,底部四边各56公尺等长,围成一个正方形,它的四周各有四座楼梯,每座楼梯有91阶,四座楼梯加上最上面一阶共365阶,刚好是一年的天数。玛雅人非常重视天文学的数据,建筑里处处都是关于天体运行规律的数字。金字塔总共分九个层次,代表玛雅人的宇宙观,他们认为人死后要先经过九层地府才能升天。
Leo在埃及的时候,爬过金字塔,这次也很想去爬玛雅金字塔,不过很可惜,导游说,据说2005年前,还可以登上台阶,但是那年有人从金字塔上失足摔下来,送了命,之后,就再也不让人爬了。
奇琴伊察附近还有着玛雅历史上最为著名的球场。球场坐落在奇琴伊察的东端,是中美洲各个玛雅遗址中最大的一个球场。球场比现在一般的田径场略窄长些,大约有150米长,两头各有一座庙宇,那是玛雅部落首领的看台。两侧是两条高高的平台,是达官贵人坐的。场地两侧各有一面高墙,这是古老的玛雅人利用声学原理设计的高墙,人们分别站在两头的庙宇里不用费劲就能传音对话。
在球场一侧的墙面上绘有球赛的场面和胜利者被推上神庙做人祭的场景。导游向我们介绍,当年参加比赛的双方要用高难度的动作在激烈或者说残忍的对抗中把球穿过球洞,因为这样的比试实在是相当困难,所以绝大多数球赛都是以0:0告终。一旦有人得分,玛雅人就会看做是神的格外恩典,举国欢腾,普天同庆。不过,接下来,胜出的球员,将要把命送上。原因是当年玛雅人认为胜者实在是太伟大了,所以他是最好的敬神的英雄。比赛结束后,他的头颅被陈列在球场边的台子上祭祀神灵,也接受后世的敬仰。Leo刚开始以为听错了,后来虽然理解了,但是还是不能接受,他说:“赢了比赛丢掉性命,太残忍,也太不公平了!”
知道了这个历史,心里很不舒服,停留片刻就出了足球场。玛雅金字塔的另外一侧树立着千条石柱。解说牌上说这个遗址是古代的武士庙,纪念玛雅勇士的。它的天花板原是用木柱盖成,因年代久远而不复存在,就只留下这千条石柱让后人凭吊。
接着,我们到了奇琴伊察北边的圣井(CenoteofSacrifice),古玛雅人就是仰仗这口大井建造城市、安居乐业的。不过,导游接着讲述到,以前玛雅人遇到干旱的时候,就会把宝物跟小孩放到井里祭祀雨神,祈求风调雨顺。本来在球场Leo就为赢了比赛丢了性命的勇士鸣不平,现在又开始被“丢小孩到井里祭祀”搞得很难受。愁眉苦脸地说:“玛雅人到底怎么想的啊?太残忍了!”
参观完毕,要离开的时候,又经过了卖纪念品的路边摊。别太在意开出来的可怕价格,你可以尽情杀价。原则是上来就杀一半的价。而且可以用美元付款。Leo看中了一个用当地竹筒做的敲击的打击乐器,我给了他10美元,让他自己去搞定,我坐在一边的长椅上观看。小贩开价25美元,Leo还价10美元,小贩嬉皮笑脸地说:“No,toocheap.15USD.”Leo苦着脸说:“Nomoremoney,thisistheonlymoneyIhave.”小贩耸耸肩说10块不行,最少13块。Leo只好转身要走。小贩似乎探到了Leo的底:小朋友真的没有更多钱了。所以把他喊了回去,以10块钱成交!Leo原本情绪被玛雅人的古老传说搞得很低落,现在得到了喜欢的东西,马上阴转晴,抱着宝贝奔向我。
这一天的墨西哥玛雅金字塔游览,又累又充实,两个宝贝在回去的车上便呼呼大睡了。
西卡莱特公园
墨西哥旅游途中,有一天去了当地著名的西卡莱特生态公园(XcaretEcologicalPark)。那是个与美丽的加勒比海相连的很大的海洋生态公园。现在我用Leo写的游记把那个美好的一天记住。
The third day of the trip to Mexico, we went to Xcaret in Cancun. In the morning we ate breakfast and went down to catch the bus to go to Xcaret. On the bus I slept a lot and Levin too. After that we stopped at Xcaret’s gate. It was so beautiful, that I couldn’t wait to go in.
After we went in we first went to ride a boat. On the road to the boat I took pictures with parrots. It was fun taking pictures with them. One parrot stood on my head and one in my arm. We kept walking and saw frogs and tadpoles in a pond. My little brother was very excited to see them.Then we went into a big room. There were all different kinds of mushrooms. My mum and grandma were very interested in them. They were talking about how to grow them.
Finally we arrived at a river. The tour guy invited us to sit on the boat, Then the river tour started. There were many tall trees along the river. We also saw pretty flowers. It was so beautiful! The tour guy helped us find interesting animals to see. We saw the lizards crawling along the bank. In the river there were different kinds of fish. They followed our boat for quite some time.
After we got off the boat, we went to see some little wild pigs. They were so cute and fat, I like them! The Spider Monkey Island was next to the pigs" home. When we first arrived there, we did not see any monkey. We waited for a while and saw one came out and started swinging on the tree. When he was swinging he picked fruit from the tree and ate the fruit. It was so funny. Then another spider monkey went out. That monkey went close to us and staring at us, it was really funny when the monkey was staring at us.
Then we went to tapir’s territory. The tapirs really looked like raccoons. One of the tapirs was upon a tree eating something, and I saw two of them were fighting or playing.
Then we went to the deer shelter, we saw two deer sleeping in a shelter together. I think the big one is the small one’s father or mother.
On our way to the lunch, we saw flamingoes. They were just standing there. Some were drinking the water from the little pond.My mum took some photos for them.
Later we went into a seafood restaurant. It has so much good food, such as shrimp, crab, octopus, crab soup, sea food potato, sushi, ice cream, drinks, vegetables and fruits…… it’s very yummy. It’s my best meal in my whole life.
After lunch, my brother fell asleep. We left him with grandma and my mum took me to watch dolphins playing with people. Some people swam with them and some even ride on the dolphins. I was so excited to see that. I clapped my hands a lot of times.
Then we went to the coral reef aquarium. We first saw people holding sharks and feeding them. I guess the people were not scared by the sharks. But I am afraid of them so I did not join them. Then my mum took me to see fish, turtles, sea shells, sea plants, star fish…… I love all of them!
After my brother woke up, we went to see the Mayas Village. It was a lot of fun. There are some statues. Some of the statues are broken. I am sad that the Mayas disappeared because if they were still in the world, the Mayas maybe will tell us how they built the pyramid.
When we were ready to go back, we went to a big store at the gate. We saw different souvenirs. I love a souvenir that could make horrible monster sound. But my little brother was very afraid of that so I did not buy it.
I love Xcaret! I want to come here again and again.