Copan (the Ruinas)

I'm not much for ruins. This is sad, since I've had the chance to see an awful lot of them. I like ruins and ancient civilizations and all that, but it's hard for me to quantify, or rather equate my ruin-going experiences with something magical, and/or awe-inspiring. Like when I see pyramid after pyramid it's hard for me to take in the moment appropriately: Oh my gosh! This pyramid represents engineering miracles and this hieroglyph is WRITTEN LANGUAGE! I don't know. Maybe there's something wrong with me.

However, Copan Ruinas was the first site of ruins I'd voluntarily gone to on my own (and had to pay my own entrance fee for). Maybe because of this, or maybe because it was situated in one of the most picturesque locations imaginable, that I really made an effort to learn and appreciate. We opted against a tour guide because they were expensive and our budget is being squeezed what with this two-week marathon tour of Honduras, and we had a lovely time meandering through Copan and eaves-dropping sporadically on other tour groups. The Archaeological Museum located on the site though had more than enough explanation regarding Copan rulers, and bat carvings, and the use of the number zero, and I complemented this knowledge with thorough reading of my guidebook, wikipedia pages, asking J. lots of questions (because she lurves and thus knows about the Mayans) and watched the video Cracking the Maya Code on YouTube. And you know what? I had a good time. And I learned. And I would go again. Ruins: Win.

This is me attempting to illustrate how I might play Mayan futbol.

I would, without a doubt, not have survived in this civilization.