Often called "floating gardens," these rectangular plots did not actually float, and were much more than gardens.  The technology to create them was introduced to Mesoamerican cultures in the Valley of Mexico sometime around 1150 AD, and quickly secured their place in history a vital tool of agriculture to support the enormous cities that prospered in that area.  Today, the chinampas are indelibly associated with the indigenous cultures of the region, particularly the Aztecs, who made them an indispensible element of huge urban centres like Tenochtitlan.

Pre-Classic period (~2000 BCE – 200 BCE)

The exact date of the Mayan civilization's inception isn't known; the earliest artefacts associated with the early Maya have been carbon-dated to about 2600 BCE, but the first organized settlements probably appeared around 800 years later. These early villages began as simple farming communities, as local tribes developed from wandering foragers into more permanent, sedentary villages. They experimented with agriculture, pottery, and mining for gems; among the artefacts from this period, many clay figurines and bowls remain. Mayan control over the trade of precious stones like jade and obsidian in the highlands of Guatemala would prove an important foothold as the larger Mayan economy developed. Though most of their large buildings and cities were not developed until later, one vital innovation did appear in the Pre-Classic: the Mayan system of hieroglyphic writing, which would enable the Mayans to record their history, and, much later, allow archaeologists to begin decoding it.

Between its founding in 1325 and its fall almost two centuries later, Tenochtitlan – named for the prickly pear plants which grew among the rocks near the site of its construction – was one of the world's most magnificent cities. The capital of the Aztec empire and its most important city, its construction and flourishing represented nothing less than a prophecy come to perfect fruition, and even to the European invaders who helped finally to defeat it, Tenochtitlan was a majestic and undeniably incredible site to behold.  

The polytheistic Mayans are famous for their pantheon of gods.  As one of the Mayan Kingdom's most powerful and enduring metropolises, and today among of their most-visited relics, the city of Chichen Itza is famous for its pyramids and temples, which pay tribute to many of these gods, although two are represented with special frequency: Chak, the rain god, and Kukulkan, the feathered serpent.

The biosphere reserve of Sian Ka'an is a widely known non-government and non-profit organization. It is maintained by groups of wildlife activists and conservationists in the Tulum municipality.

The Sian Ka'an reserve itself is located in the Quintana Roo, a Mexican state, but its reputation travels far across the world. As a matter of fact, tourists from all over the world visit the Yucatan Peninsula just to see the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve.

This small, and largely unheard of bird, loves the relatively low temperatures and humidity offered by the Central American highlands. The Quetzal species has had a massive impact on the Central American people and government. This tiny colorful bird has been thriving in Central America since the times of the ancient Mayans. Here are a few ways this lightweight bird has influenced heavy changes in Central America. The species can also be found in Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela. The small fowl has been battling poachers and natural selection for thousands of years, but the advanced means that are used by man today can’t be matched by the Quetzal’s “live free or die” way of life.

The Namesake

The name Quetzal originally comes from the Aztec term in Nahuatl, meaning “large brilliant tail feathers,” which the Resplendent is famous for. The Nahuatl word “quetz” means, literally, “stand up.” This word would often be used in reference of a large plume of standing feathers. In the beginning of the bird’s long history, only the Resplendent was given the name Quetzal, but with time it was discovered that there are 5 other Quetzal species, none of which are doing much better than the Quetzal in terms of numbers.

Aztec God Quetzalcoatl

When the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl died at his own hands, burning his own body to ash, it is said his heart was all that remained. The Aztecs called him the God of the Morning Star because they believed that when he burned up, his heart rose into the sky and became the morning star.

People commonly believe that the Aztec religion stated that the god would return and Quetzalcoatl would usher in a time of peace and tranquility for the world. Evidence of this prophecy has never been found in Aztec writing. Every piece of writing found on the subject has been written in post Hispanic tongue. There is little to no evidence that the belief of the great feather dragon like god would return... ever.

Mexican history

As a matter of fact, the first recorded writing of the god’s return are in Spanish writing by Cortes himself assuming that the Aztecs had mistaken him and his party for their gods. Cortes also reports to the King and Queen of Spain of the Aztecs ignorance and naïveness towards the Spanish Conquistadors.

The real rumor that Cortes was considered a god by the Aztecs started a full half century after, in a paper called "Florentine Codex." This codex suggests that the ruler of the Aztecs, Moctezuma II was taken by Cortes as a god from the very first meeting. The Aztec king offered words of peace such as, "You have graciously come on earth, you have graciously approached your water, your high place of Mexico, you have come down to your mat, your throne, which I have briefly kept for you, I who used to keep it for you." Perhaps Cortes should have realized, being a world traveler, that not all civilizations have words for certain things and speak in a very friendly manner to honored visitors and members of their own tribes. The famous Hispanic saying, mi casa, es su casa, comes  to mind almost instantly. But, there is no real proof that the Aztecs saw Cortes and his men as gods from a single sentence upon their first meeting. The Aztec King said, "You have graciously arrived, you have known pain, you have known weariness, now come on earth, take your rest, enter into your palace, rest your limbs; may our lords come on earth."

If you read that last sentence carefully, you'll see that the Aztec King says that have suffered pain... no god suffers pain or needs to rest their wary limbs. Gods have no pain and never need to rest. The Aztecs may have been gullible, but they weren't completely dumb. By the time the Aztecs had put together that the Spanish were there for gold and for domination, there was little the Aztecs could do about it.

There has never been proof that the Aztecs took the Cortes landing party as gods; not until 50 years later when this rumor really started to take grip around the known world. Cortes was surely dead by then and so was never able to cash in on his new found divinity.

Mayan history        

There are many different religions and belief systems that have tried to predict when the earth was going to end, all of them have been wrong. Every person and religion that has tried to predict earths final day had been, thankfully, wrong. What makes so many of us believe that the Mayans got it right?

Perhaps we believe them so much because of their amazing building achievements as a civilization, or maybe it was their ability to read the stars and make the most accurate calendar that has ever existed; the Mayan Calendar. The Mayans were also very good storytellers, and believed that the world’s destruction had happened several times before.

2012

Much like the Bible, and many other holy books, the Mayans listed a set of prophecies that are supposed to start on 22nd December 2012, culminating the next day – 23rd December 2012. The 7 Mayan Prophecies of  2012 are as follows:

If you are a fan of horseback riding, you can definitely enjoy the feel of wind as it blows past your hair and the breeze blowing freedom as beautiful landscapes roll past as you ride on a horse. Thousands of people who love equine all over the world enjoy this feeling and this has led to the burgeoning of horseback riding vacations in many parts of the world including Belize and Guatemala.

Horseback riding Vacations

You can find many package tour deals that offer many types of horseback riding getaways. For example, you can find inn rides, which allow you to combine riding with overnight stopovers in various places. The other packages available are safaris that enable you to enjoy beautiful wildlife from the back of a horse, tours for the entire family and horseback fishing trips. One of the best ways to get away from the stress that is caused by the demands of contemporary living is to take on the adventure of horseback riding vacations.

Many have come to know the Riviera Maya as a place for single or couples vacations. If given the chance, the Riviera Maya can be a great place for the whole family to go.

First off, one of the great things about the Riviera Maya is the crowd, there isn’t one! The multitude of things to do there range from dining, ruins, and some small adventures that no one should miss out on while in the Maya Riviera.