Postcards Page Two

Here's a second batch of postcards, from the second half of the trip.

Ballcourt in foreground, the Nunnery back left, Pyramid of the Magician (Dwarf) on the far right. Note the steepness of the steps on this side of the pyramid.
(photo by Luiz Gomez C.)

House of the Pidgeons (Doves) at Uxmal. So named by Spanish explorers who thought the numerous holes reminded them of pidgeon holes.  This is now more of a wall than a house, but still ranks as one of the most impressive roof combs that I've seen. I wish I could have seen it when it was new.
(photo by Elena Ayora Valois)

The Great Pyramid at Uxmal. Behind The Palace, it rarely appears in tourism photos, being eclipsed in grandeur by the Pyramid of the Magician.
(photo by Luiz Gomez C.)

El Mirador (The "Lookout") at Sayil. You have to wonder if the massive roof comb has been rebuilt, or has it survived the centuries relatively this intact?
(Turistica Peninsular Fitzmacolor)

The Temple of the Sun at Palenque. You can see the side of the Temple of the Inscriptions in the distance (to the immediate right). Like other religious buildings at Palenque, it has on its roof what looks like an asymetric roof comb, but is in fact a "crestilla", which was a open framework upon which high relief stucco sculptures of gods and rulers were displayed.
(photo by Vincente Kramsky)

Lord Pacal's tomb deep inside the Temple of Inscriptions at Palenque. The ornately-carved lid (source of ancient astronaut mis-interpretations) is shown elevated above the sarcophagus.
(photo by Vincente Kramsky)

The grassy interior courtyard of the Palace at Palenque. On both sides of the stairway and elsewhere around the courtyard are large carvings of Mayan individuals. All that remains of the crestilla on the roof is a short pile of stones.
(photo by Jurgen Bavoni)

Aqua Azul waterfall, in the Palenque area.
(photo by Vincente Kramsky)

The Misol-Ha waterfalls. We could have made it here during our drive to Aqua Azul, but decided against extending the trip that far, and settled for this postcard instead.
(photo by Vincente Kramsky)

End of Postcards section