One of the great architectural wonders of the world, Chichen Itza is perhaps the best-known of the ancient Mayan ruins. The area was founded in A.D. 495 by the Itza Maya people, and is located about 75 miles east of Merida, the capital of Mexico's Yucatan state.

Nearly everything built at Chichen Itza had a spiritual, religious, or mythological meaning. Every year during the vernal and autumnal equinox (March 21 and September 21), at roughly 3 pm, the angle of the sunlight precisely hits the western balustrade of the mighty Kukulcan pyramid's main stairway. The resulting shadows cause seven large isoceles triangles to form, creating the body of a serpent 37 yards long that creeps downwards until it connects the large serpent's head carved into the stone at the bottom of the stairway. Thousands of people still gather here twice a year to witness this event. The equinox phenomenon at El Castillo (Kukulcan) went unnoticed for over a thousand years until the 1940's, when a Mayan groundskeeper at Chichen Itza noticed the phenomenon. Since then, an entirely new study called archaeo-astronomy has focused on how ancient cultures built monuments (like Chichen Itza and Stonehenge) using precise astronomical calculations regarding alignment of the stars and the planets. Undoubtedly many more secrets remain buried in the chambers of these ancient pyramids.

El Caracol, the Observatory at Chichen Itza, combines the Mayas' passion for architecture and astronomy. Named after the spanish word for snail (due to its spiral staircase), they used this structure to accurately chart and record key events on the astronomical calendar, including the winter and summer solstice and the spring and fall equinox.

Many of the ancient features and structures at Chichen Itza draw comparisons to the culture of ancient Rome. This photograph shows a section of one of the largest blood-sport stadiums ever built, the Ball Court at Chichen Itza. It is surrounded by hand-carved sculptures and murals depicting gruesome scenes of carnal sport and human sacrafice. Originally, historians interpreted the murals to show that the losing teams were sacraficed to the Gods. But newer theories suggest that the captain of the winning team would bow to the losing captain, who would then decapitate the hero's head. A bizarre twist, but a high honor as the winning captain got a free pass to heaven, avoiding the normal 13 stages that Mayans felt they needed to progress through to reach eternal sanctuary.

From atop the pyramid of Kukulcan, there is a sweeping view of the Temple of the Warriors, and the group of The Thousand Columns. The temple is dedicated to Choc-Mool, whose sculpture lies at the top of the structure. Chac-Mool was a mythological being infamous for human sacrafices. According to lore, he held out a bowl where the high priests would rip out the still-beating hearts of their sacraficial victims. The temple is named for the grid of 1000+ columns that stand at attention at the base of the main structure and on the west side of the temple.

A closeup view of the architectural detail at Chichen Itza. Amazingly, the ancient Mayan people had no stone tools to create these carvings! The limestone used to build these pyramids and temples is relatively soft, however, compared to other materials.

A trail of climbers reach for the summit of the mighty Kukulcan. Still need more proof of the astro-archeological connection? Each stairway has 91 steep steps; with four stairways, there is a total of 364 steps. Adding one final step to the upper platform, you now total 365 steps, equivalent to the number of days in the solar year!

Rising from the middle of the Quintana Roo jungle, the archeological ruins at Coba are unlike any other in the Yucatan Peninsula. The Nohoch Mul temple rises 140 feet over the jungle floor and is one of the tallest pyramids in the Yucatan, nearly double the size of Chichen Itza. Most of the Coba site remains untouched and unexcavated.

Historians estimate that 50,000 people once lived in the political and religious communities surrounding Coba. The city prospered during the period of roughly AD 400 - 1100. The second largest structure in the area is this pyramid, the Iglesia, standing 78 feet in height and offering a panoramic view of the surrounding jungle.

In the sixties, Acapulco was the resort area of choice on the Mexican Riviera. It has long since been surpassed by other areas like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, however it retains much of its original charm. Many consider Acapulco's harbor one of the best in all of Mexico. The town rests on a narrow strip barely half a mile wide between the bay and the mountains that encircle it. 5 million people a year flock to Acapulco's resorts, the majority of them now cruise visitors and mexican nationals. This group of boys was photographed playing soccer on the edge of the Acapulco bay, with the fog shrouding the mountains behind them.

A visit to Acapulco would be incomplete without a stop at La Quebrada to view the world-famous cliff divers. These divers tempt fate each day as they swan dive up to 130 feet into the swirling surf below. The divers must time their free fall to the swells below, to avoid plunging into water too shallow for their dives.

Blessed with warm water, sandy beaches, world-class resorts, deep sea fishing, diving and whale watching, Cabo San Lucas has become one of Mexico's premier tourist destinations. The distinctive El Arco de Cabo San Lucas is the region's famous landmark, located at the tip of 'Lands End,' the extreme southern tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. A large sailing schooner can be seen in the background.

Everyone enjoys some rest and relaxation on the beaches of Cancun, and this native iguana is no exception.

Playa Linda is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Mexican Riviera, located near the port towns of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo. The beach features great swimming, horseback riding, and a nature preserve with turtles, iguanas and crocodiles. At the northern edge of Playa Linda is a rivermouth which forms one of the areas best surfing spots. Zihuatanejo is a small Mexican fishing village made famous as Tim Robbin's 'home away from prison' in the movie 'The Shawshank Redemption."

Ixtapa is famous for its colorful local markets, featuring artwork and local handicrafts. Here is a close-up shot of small bobbing turtle-head toys.

Puerto Vallarta's 'Malecon' is the city's majestic waterfront boardwalk, featuring an eclectic mix of modern art and statues. These flying dolphins are one example, with the port and cruise ships visible in the background.

This sculpture of a child riding a magical seahorse, created by Rafel Zamarripa and called Caballeo del Mar, has become one of the enduring icons of Puerto Vallarta.

One of Puerto Vallarta's most recognized landmarks, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is located in the center of town, El Centro. THe Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico. Construction on the church began in 1918 and was completed over twelve years later. The ornamental crown topping the structure is a replica of the crown originally worn by Carlota, the Empress of Mexico in the 1860's. The original crown was damaged in the major 1995 earthquake, and has since been replaced by this version sculptured by the famous artisan Octavio Gonzales. The church is at the heart of Puerto Vallarta's religious center, and is the epicenter of an elaborate 12-day spiritual festival held each December.

Ready for a change of pace? Crank your heartbeat up a hundred beats a minute on one of Mexico's famous canopy ziplines! A short thirty minutes from the shores of Puerto Vallarta lies some of Mexico's densest jungles, home of the thrilling canopy eco-tours. If you can keep your eyes open while you soar up to 50 miles per hour over the forest, you'll see amazing array of flora and fauna. This zipline, at Canopy El Eden, takes you over the waterfalls and trails used as the backdrop of Arnold Schwartzenegger's film 'Predator.'

The turquoise waters off Cancun in general, and Isla Contoy in particular, are among the most beautiful seen anywhere. Manta rays and stingrays glide throughout the shallow beaches, and the snorkeling is world-class. During the summer months, three species of sea turtles inhabit the island to nest and raise their young. Dive in, the waters warm! Just 15 miles from Cancun, Isla Contoy offers a great escape across the turquoise waters of the Mexican Carribean. A mere 5 miles long and 660 feet across at its widest part, Isla Contoy was recently designated as one of Mexico's national parks.

White, silky beaches shaded by palm trees cover the western shores of Isla Contoy. With no fresh water resources, meaning no native predators, over 70 species of birds make their home here. Bird watches commonly see pelicans, roseate spoonbills, terns, herons, kingfishers, egrets, cormorants and on occassion, flamingos.

With over 70 species of birds on an islet less than a few square miles, the bird watching can be overwhelming, almost surreal.