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EVENT

My Mesoamerican Archaeological Adventures

Type: event
Alias: Mesoamerican Ruins, Mayan Ruins, Chichen Itza, Coba, Xochicalco, Ancient Sites
Location: Mexico, Guatemala
Participants: Randal Schwartz, Neil Bauman

  • My Mesoamerican Archaeological Adventures

  • Over my years of cruising through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, I took full advantage of the shore excursions to fulfill a deep personal passion: exploring the ancient ruins of the pre-Columbian civilizations. I have visited almost every major known public ancient site in Mesoamerica, climbing the soaring pyramids, walking the ceremonial ball courts, and admiring the advanced stone engineering of the Maya, Aztecs, and other ancient peoples.

  • Key Archaeological Expeditions

    • 1. The Wonders of Chichen Itza (October 2000)

      • Vessel: m/s Ryndam (Web2000 / JavaJam Cruise)
      • Location: Yucatán, Mexico
      • The Adventure: When we docked near Cozumel on Wednesday, I took a shuttle boat to the shore at Playa del Carmen, where I embarked on a massive overland expedition to Chichen Itza.
      • Reflections: Standing before the jaw-dropping El Castillo (the Temple of Kukulcan) and exploring the massive Great Ball Court and the Sacred Cenote was an awe-inspiring experience. The mathematical and astronomical precision built into the stone architecture is absolutely mind-blowing. I brought back 230 photos from that single epic day. See Trips/2000/00-10-Web2KJavaJam.

    • 2. Climbing the Terraces of Xochicalco (February 2005)

      • Vessel: Overland (Mexico City / Buffalo Trip)
      • Location: Morelos, Mexico (about 24 miles from Cuernavaca)
      • The Adventure: While in Mexico City to teach Perl at UPN and keynoting at CONSOL 2005, we went on an incredible field trip to the fortified ancient city of Xochicalco.
      • Reflections: Built on top of natural hills that were hand-sculpted into terraces, Xochicalco is a breathtaking pre-Columbian site. Walking through the Temple of the Feathered Serpent with its exquisite relief carvings of Quetzalcoatl under the hot 80-degree sun was a highlight of my trip, resulting in over 425 high-quality photos. See From Aztec Ruins to Buffalo Snowstorms.

    • 3. Deep in the Jungle at Coba (February 2005)

      • Vessel: m/s Veendam (Photoshop Fling 3 Cruise)
      • Location: Quintana Roo, Mexico
      • The Adventure: Neil Bauman and I decided to skip the standard beach excursions in Cozumel to embark on a demanding, full-day inland trek to the deep-jungle Mayan ruins of Coba.
      • Reflections: Unlike Chichen Itza, Coba is largely un-cleared and wild, with ancient white limestone roads (sacbeob) weaving through a thick canopy of green jungle. We explored the vast site, dominated by Nohoch Mul—the tallest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatán Peninsula. Climbing those steep, historic stone steps and looking out over the endless ocean of green jungle is a memory I will cherish forever. See Photoshop Fling 3 Cruise.

  • The Allure of Ancient Systems

    • As a systems engineer, I find ancient civilizations endlessly fascinating. Exploring these sites is not just about tourism; it is about studying the physical "operating systems" of the past. Their architecture, water management canals, agricultural terraces, and calendar systems represent incredible feats of logical problem-solving and software-like systemic coordination, built entirely out of stone, sweat, and brilliant observation of the stars.

What links here

🔗Randal Schwartz
These facts are as Randal recalls them, but much time has passed for most of this. If you find a factual error, please email realmerlyn@gmail.com.