Diving into Coba Today

I am really looking forward to making the tropcal birds living around the lakes in Coba fly in slow motion while putting together the Yucatan Travel Movie. One lovely little yellow songbird fluffs its wings while sitting on the top step of a tropical plant. A gorgeous irridescent huge blue heron-like bird drifts in for a landing. Can hardly wait to make them look gorgeous on film.

Coba is the Flavor of the Day

Today I made my shot list for Coba, an especially beautiful but also wild and wierd archeological site in the Yucatan Peninsula. I especially like the plethora of wild birds chirping and yodelling in the morning. With the camcorder filming, I was thrilled when a two to three foot tall brown speckled wading bird not only gave out three large squawks, but it also pooped and then flew away . . . all on camera. It is the Coba lakes that attract the tropical birds. Most of the land surface of Yucatan Peninsula is dry and without any rivers, streams or lakes. The inhabitants have to collect rainwater or haul water up from underground.

Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Izamal

Another fantastic day working on the Yucatan Travel Video. I love remembering my visits to the wonderful colonial town of Izamal where the town’s people, modern-day Maya, live among the ancient Mayan ruins . Alas, an overzealous Spanish bishop, during the time of the Spanish Inquisition, dismantled one of the pyramids and used its stones to construct a convent. Obviously, the location is a powerful sacred site. As it turns out, the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at this convent is attributed with having been an apparition because legend has it that the statue could not be moved from the convent. When we were there in December, the town had a huge celebration on her behalf complete with a carnival, a procession, and refreshments stands. Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimmage to the site.

Images of Itzamna

Here’s a link to a number of images of Itzamna, the great god of the ancient Maya: http://images.google.com/images?q=itzamna&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&oe=utf8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=4HLFStLoM4ee8AaSpKQ5&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4

He is usually toothless, sits in a lotus position, sometimes has a beard – very unusual since the pure blooded Maya do not have beards. Verrry interesting.

Today, I am including the search for an image of Itzamna at Chichen Itza in the Yucatan Travel Movie.

Izamal was Izamna’s City

The present-day beautiful colonial town of Izamal is the next topic of the Yucatan Travel Movie because it was the place where Izamna, the ancient Maya’s exalted god, made his capital.

Yucatan Travel Video Includes Itzamna

Itzamna was a very important god of the ancient Maya. He is one of their founder gods who oversaw all the other gods.

Carol Chapman

Ready to start editing

Excited about editing the Yucatan Travel Movie today.

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.