Itzamna Carvings Hard to Come By

When we were filming in the Yucatan, I wanted a photo of a carving of Itzamna, the Maya Creator god. However, when I visited Chichen Itza, a couple of tours guides told me that three different looking carvings were of Itzamna. To tell you the truth, I am still not quite sure which image is the right one.

Some clues: Itzamna is usually depicted as toothless. Two of the carvings appear to be toothless. One has him sitting lotus position. I’m not sure about that. One carving has huge feathers, almost like wings, curving out of the top of the man’s head. Is that Itzamna? Very confusing.

Chichen Itza Included in Yucatan Travel Video

Chichen Itza, one of the 7th new wonders of the world, is the next destination I will be working on in the Yucatan Travel Video.

Working on Izamal Today

Today’s and yesterday’s . . . and tomorrow’s . . . Yucatan Travel Movie editing time will be spent on Izamal, one of my favorite destinations in the Mexican state of Yucatan. Not only does this beautiful colonial city have the highest pyramid in the state of Yucatan, but also, it has a gorgeous historical convent, the site of an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Izamal also used to be the headquarters of the ancient Maya creator god, Izamna. I love the place. It’s beautiful and it is sacred ground.

Ek Balam is the Star Today

Ek Balam, Mayan for “Black Jaguar,” took center stage for editing in the Yucatan Travel Movie today. Ek Balam is such a fascinating place. Absolutely amazing that its pyramid has a tomb in it . . . and, you enter the tomb via the huge mouth of a giant carved monstrous image of a god’s mouth. Not that we tourists are allowed inside the tomb. But, we can look into the monster mouth, past its huge curved teeth and also be impressed by the monster god’s huge eyes, the lids of which are held up by people carved in stone. I find the two men with wings the most intriguing. What were they? Angels?

Also, this tomb is not under the structure as it Palenque, but 2/3 up the edifice. It makes me wonder if other pyramids have tombs hidden within them.

Reviewing the footage brought me back to that very hot day in January a year ago when we visited this wondrous site that is relatively free of tourists. Perhaps few tourists come here because they are all at nearby Chichen Itza.

Valladolid Shines in Today’s Video Editing

While editing the Mexico Travel Movie today, I put together scenes describing the interesting and historically significant Yucatan city of Valladolid. It is about mid-way between Cancun and Merida, the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatan.

Preparing for a Week of the Yucatan Travel Movie

This is the week of the “gathering of the clans” to work on the Yucatan Travel Movie and also the book about our adventures in Yucatan.

Almost Lost Yucatan Travel Movie!

Today, when I turned on my computer in preparation for editing the Yucatan Travel Movie, I was shocked to see a prompt saying that there was something wrong with the computer.

I almost went into a warp-drive panic!

Fortunately, I could call my trusty tech support at Dell . . . and, I discovered that even though the prompt appeared to be giving a message of doom and gloom, it was actually a relatively frequent prompt, i.e., I had not lost all my work. He suggested I shut down and start it again.

It worked!!! Yay!

I did lose all the editing I did yesterday because . . . and this is definitely a lesson to me . . . I forgot to back up the file.

I backed it up today!!! Twice!!!

Chichen Itza Equinox Event

Today, I sorted through photographs of the world-famous Chichen Itza Equinox Event. We were in Chichen Itza for the Spring Equinox this year when the sunlight formed the pattern of a serpent’s body on the stone serpent whose body rises up the side of the stairs on the Pyramid of Kulkulkan. This was an event that required a lot of jostling and justling in the crowd to get the photo without someone’s else from the crowd getting in the way.

Yucatan Travel Movie Decisions

So many decisions to make. Whether to put this event here or there. Whether to use this event or not. How much to leave it, how much to throw out. I’m worn out. Time to rest for the day!

Working on Yucatan Travel Movie

Today, I was learning how to make titles for the Yucatan Travel Movie. I am using Sony Vegas Platinum Pro 9 software. It is very much a learning experience but I am making progress . . . and, it is fun!

I love digital! It is so much easier than film, which is the medium on which I originally learned how to make movies.