Ah, a different day at last. We woke up “early”, under the
assumption that the Ecopark opened at 10 am (it really opened at 8:30 am, but
the truth got bent a little to adapt to our slow mo vacation). First we took a
ride up an 80 m high tower, which gave us a spectacular bird’s eye view of the
whole development of the Mayan Riviera. They have done a good job, because all
you see here and there are tall tower that remind you of the Rebellion’s watch
towers in Star Wars.
The big attraction, for me, was the promise of a float down
a subterranean river, so after the tower we made a bee line for that
attraction. We got outfitted with floating vests and thus were ready for
everything. It was a hot morning, with plenty of sun, so the appeal of a plunge
in fresh water was quite alluring. The one kilometer float was great, although
it was down a tunnel that had been carved to that effect, and not a true
subterranean river ☹
The kids were suitable impressed and excited, however. Ronnie traveled happily
in the arms of Mammy or Daddy, who impressed me at how good they were at
floating while carrying their heavy son (but he was also floating, so it was
more a trick on rescue swimming rather than just brute force lifting). The
tunnel was a bit crowded, so of course there were the people who wanted to race
ahead, shoving their way through family groups (at some point Faby and I did
the elbow thing to create a suitable cushion of room for our own family group).
They did a great job at providing different levels of illumination, and a few
“cave” openings to the surface, both as part of landscaping and to provide
alternative exits to those who find the effort more than they had bargained
for.
At lunch time we went back to the hotel, for food and a nap,
and around 3 pm we were back in the park to visit the aquarium, the shark tank,
and the turtles’ lagoon. By 6 pm DJ and I went to reserve seats at the Ernesto
de la Cruz Spectacular while the other parents took the kids to dinner (I made
up the Ernesto de la Cruz part). The Spectacular was from 7 to 9 pm, and
totally justified its name: First we had a couple of Aztec dances, followed by
a rendition of a ball game. Nobody really knows how the ball game was played in
Mesoamerica, but from limited wall carvings we believe it was played with a
natural rubber ball, about the size of a cantaloupe, which could be hit by
hips, knees, elbows, and shoulders with the purpose of passing it through vertical
stone hoops. In the rendition we saw the players used only their hips, and I
was quite surprised at how good they were in scoring points using hoops that
were perhaps 3 m high.
Then they played some sort of lacrosse or grass hockey game,
using wooden balls on fire! I have no idea where they come up with this notion,
which I had never heard off. I have to grant it to them, however; it was
spectacular!
Following were representations of the arrival of the
Spaniards, and of some of the battles fought between the two sides. The Aztecs
were giving as good as they were receiving, when the horses came in, at full
gallop, and routed them in defeat. From this point onward the Spectacular
became a series of musical vignettes, featuring the songs of the Revolution,
characteristic regional dances, charro arts at the beat of the mariachis
(Ronnie loved the horses and the tricks they did with their lassoes), and a
grand finale with women in beautiful flowing dresses dancing, among others,
favorites like La Bamba and El Jarabe Tapatío. It was truly fantastic!
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