A Visit to Virtual Mexico
After spending the weekend in the virtual Far East, tonight it was time to visit virtual Central Latin America - Mexico to be precise.
Rather than hack out some lumpen words of my own it seems reasonable to quote liberally from the many notecards that can be picked up here: "Visit Mexico and the Chichen Itza exhibit exist to raise awareness and promote preservation of this ancient world heritage site.
This exhibit attempts to convey an overall feeling of Chichen Itza; however, as a Second Life exhibit, liberties have been taken in creating a visually compelling display. Visitors can explore the ancient architecture on display at Chichen Itza by taking a guided audio tour from the back of a Mayan inspired butterfly or exploring on foot. If you choose not to complete the audio tour you can find information on Chichen Itza by exploring the site and accessing information kiosks placed at various points of interest throughout the exhibit."
"Chichen Itza is currently included in an international campaign known as the New Seven Wonders of the World. Using modern communications technology including the internet, the world’s population is joining together to vote. It is a goal of this project that at the New7Wonders Final Event on 07.07.07 Chichen Itza will be included in the Official Declaration as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World." If you wish to support this effort, there is a voting facility, after which you can pick up a free Mayan warrior and/or princess outfit - or you can vote online here.
As well as the main pyramid, you can visit the sweathouse, the Cenote ( water-filled, limestone sinkhole) and assorted ruins, waterfalls and forest walks, while dragonflies and humming birds flit about your head.
You can also enter inside the pyramid, where there's another pyramid! "It was common practice in Mesoamerican cities to periodically build larger and bigger temple pyramids atop older ones, and this is one such example. Archaeologists discovered a doorway at the base of the north stairway that leads to a tunnel, from which one can climb the steps of the earlier version of El Castillo inside the current one up to the top room where you can see religious Jaguar Throne, carved of stone and painted red with jade spots. The design of the older pyramid inside is said to be a lunar calendar, with the newer pyramid being a solar calendar."
It's an impressive and informative build.
5 comments:
Hello, i just surfed in searching for interesting blogs on new seven wonders of the world, you have a cool blog. Do keep up the good work. i live far from where you are and its nice to be able to see what people from across the world thinks.
Warm Regards from the Other Side of the Moon.
On a related note perhaps you might find the following links interesting. we're reviewing the best among the competing 21 participants for the new 7 wonders competition. i'll like to hear your take on the subject via comments. i'll be back soon...
The Kremlin and the Red Square
Angkor Wat
Eiffel Tower
Hagia Sophia
ps. if you have your own favourites list or if you'd like us to write about other wonders pls do mention about it in the comments.
Bibby
Kerala, India
I took a family trip to Mexico back in 1967. It was the best trip I ever had with them. We went early to the ruins of Uxmal and Chichen Itza. A personal tour guide! Your site was the closest in having a view of the inside to the top of El Castillo. I saw everything!!! I am in the process of writing a non-fiction article of my experience of El Castillo. I am excited that your site brought back some fantastic memories. My story prior to the one I'm going to write was called "Praising the Gods of Nature." I'm continuing and going to do further work on creating an article. I'm a music teacher, but do to budget cuts and a horrible way of getting rid of me, I am trying to write Children's Lit. I sure hope I can write with the same way I felt when I reached the top of El Castillo. I know you know what I mean. Keep up the great work and I'll be looking forward to hearing from you! It would be nice to keep in touch to give me more info. When I read my story to some students I was substituting for they thought it was awesome to hear about my experience. That's what I want to do is awe the kids to read about this experience of the first civilized people that is a mystery and bring it back to life.
Jean Nauer
Huh? Mexico's NOT in Central America..!!! Maybe you'll be surprised to know it's actually part of North America...
The anonymously-named "anonymous" has indeed revealed a profound hole in my knowledge of the Americas. Mexico is, indeed, in North America.
wikipedia tells me: "Central America is a narrow isthmus of southern North America extending from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico southeastward to the Isthmus of Panama where it connects to the Colombian Pacific Lowlands in northwestern South America." So a little eensy bit may qualify as Central... but I stand corrected.
I think I'd better replace "Central" with "Latin"
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