SPED Field Trip to Cerros Maya

Yesterday we took all of the Special Ed. students and their parents and siblings to Cerro Maya (Maya Hill).  Dating back to 350 BC and flourishing as a trade port until 250 AD this coastal historical relic was ideal for a family fun day. How incredibly cool to be able to go on a school trip to a place that looks like this!!!

Our bus was full to the brim.  Some even sat in the aisle.

This is the palapa where we ate lunch.

Jaheed, Misael, and Gineli played catch with a football.

Kristel brought her computer (?) which created a gathering of curious classmates.

Here is some of our gang walking to the palapa.  You can see Misael, Yelitza and her daughter.

This is the pretty path into the forest surrounding the Maya temples.

Here is the main temple that has been excavated.  It overlooks the sea. 

The main mask on the lower right panel is a depiction of the rising sun and of Xbalanque, who is God of the sun. 
The lower mask on the left is Xbalanque as well, but in the position of the setting sun
The upper mask on the right is a depiction of Hunahpu, a god visualized in the planet Venus or the Morningstar
The upper mask on the left is Hunahpu as well, but in the position of the Eveningstar

Three Deaf friends on the top of the temple.

The sea and beach beside the temple.  This is a nice place to swim, but we chose to swim back at the palapa because the sea was calmer there.

This later temple was built to a king who wanted his temple to be more prominent..

The pretty walk back is lined with the snake plant, also called "mother-in-law's tongue" because it wags continually in the breeze.

Good advice.

This is the ferry that carries cars and people across the river. When two men crank the heavy wire, the ferry moves further up the wire and thus across the river..  I seriously wondered if our bus could fit on it.

Our bus driver and another man turning the crank..

Yep, it fit.  This was a fun adventure to end a terrific day.