Inca girls

After all the (unfair) criticism that Sebastiao Salgado received for his Refugee Children book and exhibition, I don't feel that comfortable exhibiting pictures of children. This one I took in Peru over 2 years ago, and for that same reason, I still haven't publish it.

Innocence is lost forever it seems. At least in the eyes of way too many beholders. Fortunately not in the smiles of these charming little Inca girls.

Henri Cartier-Bresson Interview

We all have a hero, somebody that inspires us, somebody we'd like to be. For me, and for thousands of photographers around the world, this person is Henri Cartier-Bresson.

He invented photojournalism as we now know it. We all are Henri's children in a sense, and even so he remained a remarkably subdued figure during all his life. Always refusing to appear in public or being photographed.

That's why when I discovered this one hour long interview I was so thrilled. To being able to see inside this giant of a man, it's a very privileged thing.

A wonderful interview by Charlie Rose, with the most enthusiastic introduction by Richard Avedon (another master). Don't miss it. It'll be your best spent hour ever.

Winged Warrior

This is a well known sculpture at Ek Balam.

However impressive as it is on the outside, it's the inside of Utik Kan Le'k Tok' tomb what it's set to change many of the views that we currently hold about Mayan culture.

Little has been published about what the archeologists have found, but expectations are pretty high. Much has been said about Ek Balam, but little is known for sure as it's a relatively new archeological site. Works only started in the mid-eighties, and 2 big structures have not been excavated yet.

This impressive winged warrior is one of the tomb's guardians. The entrance to the tomb is guarded by Kukulcan's fauces and it's meant to be an entrance to the underworld, probably used for initiation rites.

Today I met with Mario for the 1st time in months... Our Mayan project it may still have a future. More to come!

The Albaicin at sunrise

Cold January Day

Yesterday it was as cold as it will ever get around here... it really was chilly. Yet these kids were having a great time and didn't seem to be worried by the very cold sea water.

Went to Puerto Morelos for a fish meal and tequila (it was way too cold for beer). That pretty little place never fails to make me feel good.

This week...

...that rain never seems to stop... I can't wait for a bit of sun to get out, stretch my legs, and take some sunny pictures. It's even cold down here! And I miss the pelicans!

What the duck...

It's not that I don't have any new pictures to show... but yesterday I bought my 3rd external hard drive... and yes! space is becoming an issue.

Also my little homage to Aaron Johnson and his great WTD comic strip (see more at http://www.whattheduck.net).

More Ek Balam...

This is the Oval Palace at Ek Balam, as seen from the main pyramid. The fact that this building has an oval back, tells us about its Peten (Guatemalan) influence. Another peculiarity of this city is that it has strong defensive walls, unlike most Mayan towns. Quite remarkable too are their cisterns to preserve rain water. One of the theories about the Mayan demise it's actually that they suffered a very severe drought and its consequential scarcity of food...

Whatever the reasons are behind Ek Balam's architecture, the real truth is that this is a very special place.

It was a beautiful afternoon spent driving, walking, taking pictures... Today I went to change my truck's internal fluids and filters, as I can't wait to hit the road again and wanted to have a hassle free ride. Bronco is at 120,000 miles and never missing a beat. What is it with men and their old vehicles? Why do we get so attached to them?

Bronco Days

Yesterday I took my big and old truck and went for a long drive to Ek Balam, a Mayan site close to Temozon (around 20 miles from Valladolid and a 330 miles drive all in all).

This is one of my favorite archaeological sites as it's a pretty compact, and normally deserted (although yesterday the parking lot was full). It has some of the most impressive, and unusual, sculptures ever found in Yucatan (including winged warriors). Most puzzling are the hieroglyphics that can be found at the entrance of Utik Kan Le'k Tok' tomb, by looking at them you'd believe that you were somewhere in Egypt or the British Museum, not Yucatan...

After 4 hours and a hundred pictures I headed to the little Mayan community of the same name, that it's located just up the road from the site. I wanted to see if they could fit in my photography project, and was also curious to meet those crazy Italians that had decided to open up a restaurant and a hotel in the middle of that wilderness ("Dolcemente Ek Balam" it's called the place).

The Mayans and the Italian food proved disappointing (it was a rather sad Mayan community and the restaurant, ended up being one of those places run by people who prior coming to Mexico had never cooked anything), but the hotel was cute with well looked after grounds and clean rooms (but executed in a motel kind of style, without the boutique feeling that I was expecting). At least the meal was inexpensive.

On the way back it occurred to me that this was my first (non-business related) solo trip since I live in Mexico. I've done loads of leisure trips here, but always with friends. Next weekend will be the second, with a scheduled weekend trip to Yaxuna's Mayan community already on the books. That one should be exciting, it's one of the few Mayan sites that I haven't seen yet.

New Year's Eve in Playa del Carmen.

And first picture of 09. A kind of Mayan Riviera Times Square, but with no clock on sight to kick the year off... it was funny to see how each little group of people decided to start their celebrations at different times...

Happy 2009!