Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Google Street View now available for Mexico archaeological sites
Google Street View now available for Mexico archaeological sites
MEXICO CITY -- For travelers who've never been to the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza, a virtual window into the site's pyramids and plazas is available online, among 30 archaeological zones in Mexico now mapped by history's greatest peeping Tom: Google Street View.
From the comfort of a computer, any Internet user anywhere can now zoom in and examine the perfect form of Chichen Itza's Kukulkan pyramid, known also El Castillo, or the Castle.
On Google Street View, a viewer can almost feel like they might tumble into the Sacred Cenote, or natural sinkhole, where Maya priests practiced ritual sacrifice. Or imagine cavorting on the Plaza of the Thousand Columns. Or maybe do some souvenir browsing, up close and in intensely high resolution.
Google and Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History, or INAH, announced the new maps last week. Using a 360-degree camera mounted on a bicycle, Google captured "street views" of other major archaeological sites in Mexico, such as Monte Alban in Oaxaca and Teotihuacan outside Mexico City.
Lesser-known Mesoamerican sites are also now mapped by Google Street View, including Tula in the state of Hidalgo and Xochicalco in Morelos.
The Internet search engine has focused its publicity campaign for the new maps on images captured at Chichen Itza, one of Mexico's most storied tourist destinations. But for travelers who have been there, could Google Street View now be better than the real thing?
Consider: A recent (physical) visit to Chichen Itza confirmed that tourists are no longer allowed to climb the Castillo pyramid, no more tackling its famous 91 steps that President Felipe Calderon recently climbed in a widely mocked tourism video.
Visitors can no longer actually, physically cavort among the plaza of the columns. In fact, most of the structures at Chichen Itza these days are off-limits to tourists, who must settle on snapping photos behind wire barriers. Worse, the archaeological zone is also overrun with vendors from the neighboring communities, making a non-virtual visit a somewhat disappointing experience overall.
Since Chichen Itza was declared a new Seven Wonders of the World site in 2007, access has been limited due to concerns over deterioration and also because the site's restoration process is ongoing, said an INAH spokesman.
The same is true at the Palenque zone in Chiapas, the spokesman said, where a visitor like you and me may no longer be able to climb that site's spectacular structures. But on Google, at least, there's a decent shot of a man in an orange polo with a sweat towel on his head.
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-- Daniel Hernandez
Photo: A view of the Kukulkan pyramid, or El Castillo, at the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the Mexican state of Yucatan. Credit: Google, via INAH
Oaxaca, Mazunte, the Zapatista village Oventic, Campeche and ... Hello dear readers. Here we come to the last but one post. The journey is in fact almost to the end. I am in Cancun, a very touristy town, where tomorrow I'll fly to ... www.dekaro.com/.../oaxaca-mazunte-the-zapatista-village-ove...
Oaxaca, Mazunte, the Zapatista village Oventic, Campeche and ...
Hello dear readers. Here we come to the last but one post. The journey is in fact almost to the end. I am in Cancun, a very touristy town, where tomorrow I'll fly to ...
www.dekaro.com/.../oaxaca-
The church of Chamula, near San Cristobal, one of the most evocative places visited during this trip. Inside, the syncretism between the Catholic religion and the ancient Mayan traditions is evident. Unfortunately it was forbidden to take pictures.
Dark, bare of decorations – the only are large flakes of colored cloth hanging from the ceiling. The floor is covered with pine needles and candles, around which sit and pray the faithful, some with chickens to be sacrificed. All around, tables with candles and statues of saints, often dressed in bright colors. There isn’t the altar and the place of honor, top center, is occupied by St. John, because the city is San Juan de Chamula. Even Jesus is in a position less visible, on the left.
Then, just before leaving San Cristobal, I saw in the museum of Mayan medicine that these rituals have very specific rules, such as the number and color of candles to light depending on whether it is to cast the evil eye, the envy, some disease or illness, etc… Rituals that have been handed down orally for thousands of years.
The entrance to the church.
Storm.
Natives.
Oaxaca street.
Fruit.
Inside Oaxaca market.
Oaxaca market.
Monte Alban, near Oaxaca. For over a millennium was the most important city of the Toltecs. Founded around 500 BC, reached in the early centuries AD a population between 15,000 and 30,000 inhabitants. It was abandoned around 750 A.D.
Ketty on the south steps of Monte Alban.
The monastery of Apostle Santiago, near Oaxaca. Beautiful, but unfortunately without roof, they never finished it!
The Mazunte beach, near Puerto Escondido. The wave almost to my room.
Better another beer with friends, there’s always time for swimming.
Again in San Cristobal. Three old ladies.
The sign in front of Oventic, the village under Zapatista control.
At the entrance the Zapatistas ask general information. Sometimes they take the passport during the visit and ask questions to see what is known of the EZLN. To me, Ketty and Gianluca asked only name, nationality and profession, and few minutes later we were in.
The Zapatistas take their name from Emiliano Zapata, a leader of the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
Woman and child.
Zapatist primary school.
A little girl of the village.
Another little girl.
Happiness does not come by itself, let’s walk to it!
Sculpture in front of Campeche cathedral.
Campeche street.
Cloud, Campeche.
Hello dear readers. Here we come to the last but one post. The journey is in fact almost to the end. I am in Cancun, a very touristy town, where tomorrow I'll fly to ...
www.dekaro.com/.../oaxaca-
Oaxaca, Mazunte, the Zapatista village Oventic, Campeche and Cancun
Hello dear readers. Here we come to the last but one post. The journey is in fact almost to the end. I am in Cancun, a very touristy town, where tomorrow I’ll fly to the legendary Cuba!
Let’s recap the last few days. From San Cristobal I went to Oaxaca, a beautiful city, where I met with Ketty, a friend from my city (Benevento), and her boyfriend Gianluca. We visited Monte Alban where there are the ruins of the most important city of the Toltecs. Then we went to sea in Mazunte, a bit ‘south of Puerto Escondido. We didn’t do many baths because the Pacific, as always, was angry, but the idleness of the village wrapped up nicely.
In the next village, San Agustin, there were waves even higher (whatever Lonely Planet says), spectacular, about 3 meters, while on the beach of Zipolite seemed as if just happened a tsunami. In fact, in earlier days, the storms made big damage.
I went back to San Cristobal with Ketty and Giuanluca, and we visited Oventic, a village about an hour by road,under control of the Zapatistas. Small, there was not much to see except beautiful murals on wooden houses praising the EZLN and the revolution.
After, I left Ketty and Gianluca, and to break the journey from Chiapas to the Yucatan I stopped one day in Campeche, a tidy city, with colorful houses, a beautiful promenade, and walls and bastions built after countless pirate attacks.
And finally in Cancun, I’ve already been here fifteen years ago and walking I can’t figure out if I remember it or if I confuse with other tourist cities made with the same stencil, perhaps in a another continent or planet. Of nice there is only the sea, even the beaches are almost all fake, the sand brought from elsewhere. Another problem: to get to the beach often I had to pass through luxurious hotels full of rich gringos(*).
Let’s recap the last few days. From San Cristobal I went to Oaxaca, a beautiful city, where I met with Ketty, a friend from my city (Benevento), and her boyfriend Gianluca. We visited Monte Alban where there are the ruins of the most important city of the Toltecs. Then we went to sea in Mazunte, a bit ‘south of Puerto Escondido. We didn’t do many baths because the Pacific, as always, was angry, but the idleness of the village wrapped up nicely.
In the next village, San Agustin, there were waves even higher (whatever Lonely Planet says), spectacular, about 3 meters, while on the beach of Zipolite seemed as if just happened a tsunami. In fact, in earlier days, the storms made big damage.
I went back to San Cristobal with Ketty and Giuanluca, and we visited Oventic, a village about an hour by road,under control of the Zapatistas. Small, there was not much to see except beautiful murals on wooden houses praising the EZLN and the revolution.
After, I left Ketty and Gianluca, and to break the journey from Chiapas to the Yucatan I stopped one day in Campeche, a tidy city, with colorful houses, a beautiful promenade, and walls and bastions built after countless pirate attacks.
And finally in Cancun, I’ve already been here fifteen years ago and walking I can’t figure out if I remember it or if I confuse with other tourist cities made with the same stencil, perhaps in a another continent or planet. Of nice there is only the sea, even the beaches are almost all fake, the sand brought from elsewhere. Another problem: to get to the beach often I had to pass through luxurious hotels full of rich gringos(*).
(*) ”Gringos” is the way in Mexico and Central America the U.S.A citizens are called. Comes from “green go” addressed to the marines.
The church of Chamula, near San Cristobal, one of the most evocative places visited during this trip. Inside, the syncretism between the Catholic religion and the ancient Mayan traditions is evident. Unfortunately it was forbidden to take pictures.Dark, bare of decorations – the only are large flakes of colored cloth hanging from the ceiling. The floor is covered with pine needles and candles, around which sit and pray the faithful, some with chickens to be sacrificed. All around, tables with candles and statues of saints, often dressed in bright colors. There isn’t the altar and the place of honor, top center, is occupied by St. John, because the city is San Juan de Chamula. Even Jesus is in a position less visible, on the left.
Then, just before leaving San Cristobal, I saw in the museum of Mayan medicine that these rituals have very specific rules, such as the number and color of candles to light depending on whether it is to cast the evil eye, the envy, some disease or illness, etc… Rituals that have been handed down orally for thousands of years.
The entrance to the church.Storm.Natives.Oaxaca street.Fruit.Inside Oaxaca market.Oaxaca market.Monte Alban, near Oaxaca. For over a millennium was the most important city of the Toltecs. Founded around 500 BC, reached in the early centuries AD a population between 15,000 and 30,000 inhabitants. It was abandoned around 750 A.D.Ketty on the south steps of Monte Alban.The monastery of Apostle Santiago, near Oaxaca. Beautiful, but unfortunately without roof, they never finished it!The Mazunte beach, near Puerto Escondido. The wave almost to my room.Better another beer with friends, there’s always time for swimming.Again in San Cristobal. Three old ladies.The sign in front of Oventic, the village under Zapatista control.At the entrance the Zapatistas ask general information. Sometimes they take the passport during the visit and ask questions to see what is known of the EZLN. To me, Ketty and Gianluca asked only name, nationality and profession, and few minutes later we were in.The Zapatistas take their name from Emiliano Zapata, a leader of the Mexican Revolution of 1910.Woman and child.Zapatist primary school.A little girl of the village.Another little girl.Happiness does not come by itself, let’s walk to it!Sculpture in front of Campeche cathedral.Campeche street.Cloud, Campeche.
See you next time for the last episode!
Lluvia Drops Keep Falling
Lluvia Drops Keep Falling
Lluvia (JU-VEE-AH) is the Spanish word for rain – something you will learn quickly in Veracruz.
Former Hurricane Ernesto is now Tropical Storm Ernesto. Here 45 miles inland from the coast we usually get little wind from the tropical storms – but lots of rain.
Most of the east side of Mexico is covered by Ernesto. Puerto Escondido too – mucho lluvia!
We have had some power failures. To Megacables credit the Internet has been available after each ‘event’ for the most part.
Movies to watch and popcorn in bed interspersed with some Olympic events.
Tomorrow morning come rain or shine Mexico versus Brazil for the futbol final.
GO MEXICO!
Shine or Rain – Stay Tuned!
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