Playa del Carmen news
Playa del Carmen news
Under March skies in Playa del Carmen!
Spring is just around the corner…along the Mayan Riviera, the seasons change, but the climate stays mild. A swirl of colors, tastes and perfumes fill the air.
In Playa del Carmen, spring bursts out in an explosion of exotic flowers, while the waters of the Caribbean Sea turn a hypnotizing shade of turquoise.
Butterflies fly among the palms tree in the Mayan Riviera, nature comes alive and love songs inebriate people’s minds.
In Mayan culture, March was one of the most important months of the year!
As everyone knows, the vernal equinox is celebrated on March 21st.
Most of Mexico’s archaeological sites have very strong links with astronomy, the science in which the Mayan people were most advanced.
Many people visit Chichén Itzá (in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula, just few hours from Playa del Carmen) on March 21st to celebrate the equinox. Not only is Chichén Itzá a spectacle of ancient Mayan architecture, but also a demonstration of the Mayans’ astronomical intelligence.
The Kukulcán pyramid in Chichén Itzá, “El Castillo”, is connected to the cult of the sun and to astronomical observations. It reveals the complex symbolism which governs the structure’s proportions: there are four flights of stairs, composed of a total of 364 steps. With the top platform included, the 365 steps are like the days of the solar year.
Each side of the pyramid has 52 panels, the same number as the Toltec empire, while its nine floors are divided into steps, creating 18 elements that correspond to the months of the Aztec calendar.
The Kukulcán pyramid in Chichén Itzá is a mystical place. It was used as a kind of gigantic sundial which served the population’s practical necessities and seasonal activities. Astronomer priests were able to advise farmers when to sow their fields and when to take advantage of rainy periods, while sailors could avoid storms, lunar phases and eclipses.
During the days of the vernal equinox, an extraordinary pattern of shadows playing on the pyramid outlines a gigantic "feathered snake" profile along the main Mayan temple steps. This snake stretches all the way from the top of the pyramid, along the ground and towards the sacred cenote, or well.
Trying to discover the Mayans’ secrets from the most important archaeological sites in Mexico, especially “El Castillo”, the “Kukulcán pyramid”, is something than many historians analyze in detail, but few have been able to provide explanations. Some of them say that one has to “look and learn from nature with Mayan eyes, and then you will be able to find out many things.”
During the equinox period, the hotels in Playa del Carmen are filled with archaeology buffs and people from all over the world who come to the Mayan Riviera to take part in this big Mayan event! Don’t miss the “vernal equinox in Yucatan” because it is wonderful to experience and amazing to remember!
La Tortuga Hotel and Spa in Playa del Carmen is pleased to play host to everyone who is keen on Mayan archaeology, nature and art but especially welcomes those who love to enjoy themselves on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, go on fantastic tours in the Riviera Maya, stroll along and enjoy the pristine white Playa del Carmen beaches, and everyone who likes harmonious, adventure-filled vacations in Mexico!
