Carole Chapman | Carol Chapman

Tales from the Yucatan Jungle: Life in a Mayan Village

Have I mentioned that I’m an editor/publisher at Suntopaz? I’m pleased to announce that SunTopaz has just published the Kindle edition of Tales from the Yucatan Jungle: Life in a Mayan Village by Kristine Ellingson, an American who has been married to a Mayan man and living in a rural Mayan village for 20 years. Very interesting!

Officials refuse to acknowledge Chinese pyramids

Unexcavated pyramid in China from the Philip Coppens website

Here’s an intriguing quote from Philip Coppens on the Chinese Pyramids:

Despite speculation about the existence of great pyramids in China, archaeologists and bureaucrats have refused to consider even the rumours about such structures. But recent pictorial evidence proves that China’s pyramids are indeed real, rivalling those of Egypt and Central America for their age, size and significance.

Philip Coppens

In my humble opinion, I can’t imagine how someone could not consider that the “hill” in the above photo was anything but an overgrown pyramid. The edges are too sharp for a simple hill.

Our favorite breakfast restaurant in Cancun

Carol and John Chapman enjoying breakfast at our favorite Cancun breakfast restaurant

First, I took a photo of John sitting at the table. Then John took a photo of me sitting at the table. Then, I kinda, sorta put the two photos together in PhotoShop so it kinda, sorta looks like we’re both sitting at the table together at the same time. We actually were sitting at the table at the same time except when we took the photos of each other. This is where we had breakfast every morning outside at Natura Restaurant on Boulevard Kukulcan while in Cancun. They had marvelous omelets and fantastic service. Our corn tortillas are keeping warm in the woven basket with the colorful lid in the foreground. John’s favorite omelet was a Chihuahua omelet. Before you think that means a little dog rolled up in cooked eggs, let me assure you that the Chihuahua is actually Chihuahua cheese, which is similar to Monterey Jack cheese, and comes from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, just like the little dog. John also liked slices of nopal cactus (prickly pear cactus) accompanying his Chihuahua in his omelet. Not surprisingly, since it’s the city most people fly into when visiting Yucatan, Cancun is in the Yucatan Travel Movie.

My Favorite Restaurant in the World

Tea and a Purse Rack at El Meson del Marques, Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico

Not only is the food magnificent and the service supreme, but imagine that when you sit down, the waiter/waitress not only pulls out the seat for you to sit on, but also brings out the purse rack so you don’t have to put your pocketbook on the floor. My favorite meal? Guacamole made at the table and sopa de lima–a traditional Mayan chicken soup with strips of tortillas soaking in the broth and a slice of lime adding that certain special flavor. El Meson del Marques is in Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico. It is a little-frequented gem that many tourists miss. But it is heavenly. It too is in the Yucatan Travel Movie.

Videotaping Zaci Cenote in Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico

Carol Chapman videotaping Zaci Cenote in Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico Photo by John Chapman

Here I am videotaping the cenote, or sinkhole, in Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico. This Valladolid cenote, called Zaci, is featured in the Yucatan Travel Movie. There are many of these sinkholes throughout the state of Yucatan and its nearby state of Quintana Roo. The fresh water within the cenotes provided water for the indigenous Mayan people, because the northern Yucatan Peninsula does not have rivers, streams, or lakes–no surface water. Rainwater trickles down through the limestone earth of the northern Yucatan Peninsula to form underwater rivers. The cenotes provide openings to the underwater rivers. I love the deep turquoise color of the water.

Cenote Swimmer in Yucatan

A swimmer enjoys Cenote Zaci in Valladolid, Yucatan.

Zaci Cenote appears in the Yucatan Travel Movie. Here, I am looking at a woman below me who is looking at a swimmer below her in the beautiful turquoise-green water of the cenote. Cenotes formed millions of years ago when sinkholes formed in the thick limestone surface exposing underground rivers below. This cenote, called “Zaci,” the original name of the city in which it is found, is in Valladolid, an inland city west of Cancun.

Izamal Horse &Buggy Taxis and Apparitions of the Virgin Mary

Horse and Buggy Taxi in the lovely Colonial Town of Izamal, Yucatan, Mexico

Horse and Buggy Taxis in the lovely Colonial Town of Izamal, Yucatan, Mexico

When traveling in Yucatan earlier this month, we visited one of my favorite Colonial cities, the lovely town of Izamal. Early December is the perfect time to be there, because the town celebrates a many-day-long festival in honor of “Concepcion,” a statue of the Virgin Mary who is the patron saint of the state of Yucatan. Supposedly, she has amazing healing powers. Hundreds of thousands of people come to Izamal in December to honor “Concepcion.” In fact, Izamal is the site of an apparition of the Virgin Mary involving this lovely statue. We were able to shoot some supplemental footage that will be useful in future movies. Izamal is already included in the Yucatan Travel Movie.

The Rutting Season

Last night, while driving home in the dark, a buck leaped across the road in front of my car. Fortunately, my “hockey reflexes” kicked in. I quickly but lightly braked so the SUV behind me didn’t ram into my vehicle. The deer was a formidable specimen with at least six points to his antlers and could have significantly damaged the car, its occupants, and himself.

This incident reminded me of a story a friend told me, in which a buck had rammed into the side of her vehicle catching his antlers in her rear view mirror. Not having much experience with deer, she felt devastated that a beautiful creature such as this buck would have attacked her car in this manner or, alternately, that she had in some way been at fault to cause the buck this accident. Why did he do this?

I asked her if the experience occurred in the autumn. She replied, “Yes,” surprised that I had guessed. I explained to her that during the autumn, the female deer come into season, creating a strong alluring body scent that is very enticing to male deer. The bucks, who are normally extremely reclusive, hiding deep in the forest, become semi-brainless as the follow the scent of a doe … sometime right across a highway through traffic. She had done nothing wrong.

As the I Ching says, “No blame.”

Chinese Pyramids

Xianyang Pyramid 7 in China. Image from Human are Free website

Amazingly, China also has pyramids, such as this amazing one called Xianyang 7. Even though it is covered in vegetation, notice the side at the top of this aerial photo. It buckles in the way the side of the Great Pyramid in Egypt buckles in. I described this phenomenon, illustrated with a diagram and photo, in my book, Arrival of the Gods in Egypt.

Bosnian Pyramids Oriented to North/South

One thing that makes me think the Bosnian pyramids are man made are that, according to Dr. Dr. Sam Semir Osmanagic, they oriented to North/South, as are the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Maybe it’s just a coincidence.

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