Tag Archives: Brilliance of the Seas

October 8, 2021 · 5:35 am

Fun Photo Friday — Chichen Itza Favorites Part 3

A last look at Chichen Itza, as well as a farewell to Brilliance of the Seas, which had been our home for back-to-back cruises that took us from Amsterdam, around Ireland, to the Azores, down to the Florida Keys, and to Cozumel and Chichen Itza. I trust you enjoyed the journey. Now for an end to this series:

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Filed under Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation

Tagged as Brilliance of the Seas, Chichen Itza, Cozumel, Fun Photo Friday, Mexico, photography, R. Doug Wicker, Royal Caribbean, Temple of Kukulcán, travel, travel photography, vacation

October 4, 2021 · 5:35 am

Chichen Itza — PLAY BALL ! ! !

Time to play ball at Chichen Itza’s Mayan ballcourt! The venue at this location is one of the largest Mayan ballcourts yet discovered. It measures an incredible 545 feet/116 meters in length, and the width runs 225 feet/69 meters:

At the north end of the ballcourt are the “Box Seats”, where the local elites watched the festivities from this “Heaven” temple:

North Temple “Box Seats” at the ol’ ball game

The walls to either side are quite tall. And if you take a close look at the lead picture for this article you’ll see a stone “goal” that stands some 20 feet/6 meters above the ground. It is through that small, high-up hole that the opposing teams vie to throw a 6-to-8 pound/3-to-4 kilogram ball.

The goal is to throw a heavy ball through the goal

You certainly didn’t want to be the captain of the losing team here. That poor bloke got brought to the steps leading to the box seats, whereupon he was separated from his head.

And, no, I sincerely doubt his head would’ve then fit through the goal: