Belize 2b – Rainforest
Adventure – Maya Site
Joe Naumann – UMSL GeographerContributions by Dr. Norman
ChiouFebruary 16, 2006
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Antonio, our
Mestizo guide,
points out our hiking
route.
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Norman takes a
picture of Antonio
explaining the
“sticky” tree.
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Norman’s picture!
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Unreconstructed Maya structure
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Another unreconstructed structure
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Looking up at the three-tiered canopy of the
rainforest.
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Many botanicals
were identified
and labled.
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Guanacaste Tree (host)
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Thick lianas (vines)
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Path through
the rainfores
t
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Heading for the Mask Temple
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Section of path
through a very thick
canopy (no
sunlight makes it through).
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Spanish moss
abounded at the Mask
Temple site.
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First sighting
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Looking up from the base.
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Fr. Joe Weber & sign
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Mask being restored
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Artifact at the Mask Temple site.
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My walking staff was a great help on this trek.
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View of the upper structure.
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Norman Chiou & Pamphilo at the top of the Mask Temple.
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Looking down from halfway to the top
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With encouragement from Norman, I made it to the top.
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Standing at the top, the New River can be seen behind me.
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Roots serve to buttress
many tropical
trees. This was on the way to the
“high” temple.
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This was too high for me to
try to reach the
top.
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At the base, masks had flanked the central stairway.
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Norman & Panfilio head for the top – and make it.
Pamphilo
Norman
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Norman at the top.
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The less adventurous watch
the adventuro
us ones climb.
Notice the epiphytes
on the palm tree.
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Our group waits for the climbers to come down.
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Small ball court.
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Ball court
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Antonio talking about the ball court
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Stela Temple
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Stela #9 replica
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Replica of Stela #9 for close inspection.
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I had to capture these
patterns on my way
to the Royal
Complex.
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Pamphilo views the Royal Complex
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Another View
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Jaguar Temple viewed from the Royal Complex
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Finding a way
through the Royal Complex
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Antonio describing the Jaguar Temple
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Approaching the Jaguar Temple
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Norman under the jaguar’s nostrils
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Weathered calendar stone
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Last stop – gift shops
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I love this slate carving I bought here for my office.
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Preparing to leave Lamanai
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A day when dreams came true.
• When I was about 10-years-old, I dreamed of being an archaeologist in Central America discovering lost Mayan cities.
• Today at age 64, I came close enough to that dream to say “Thank you, Lord, for making it come true.”– I traveled through the rainforest on a
tropical river and hiked through the rainforest.
– I saw Mayan ruins and even climbed to the top of a moderate-sized pyramid.
– I truly walked with holy people on holy ground today.
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A beautiful day ends beautifully