Page 38 - the NOISE July 2014

MAYAN CIVILIZATION: Not lost, FOUND
story & photos by debbie leavitt
Merida,capitaloftheYu- catan, is a friendly town of over a million, safe to wan-
der around at night, families out in the plazas, enjoying the music, a ride in a horse cart, an ice cream, each other.
Hotel Julamis, a known oasis in the Centro Colonia historic neighborhood, fea- turing nightly tequila tastings on the roof deck at sunset and unspeakably delicious breakfasts every morning in the patio garden.
Uxmal, one of the largest and best kept ruins of a long- ago culture, a wonderful day trip out of the city along the historic Ruta Puuc.
Prayers and offerings to the rain god Chaac evident at Uxmal and most of the Mayan ruins — Chaac’s nose up meant ‘please, some rain’ and positioned down meant
‘thank you for the rain.’
Inside the Franciscan
church on the Ruta Puuc where Father Landa famously gathered and then burned all the Mayan’s tomes and writ- ten knowledge.
Sisal is the high quality lo- cal fiber that artisans use to create hammocks, guayaber- ra shirts, handbags, histori- cally and still today.
| Debbie Leavitt is an acclaimed
world-class photog- rapher who makes her home Flagstaff.
leavittfoto@gmail.com
38 • JULY 2014 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us
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