A menagerie of tourists
wandering herds of pampered human flesh
bright white sneakers, tomato-red faces, tank tops with sunburnt arms dangling
scrawny brown vendors en masse
hogging shady trees,
waving shiny trinkets, “Juan Dolla!”
weary, burnt-out guides
in mirrored sunglasses, white guayaberas washed to the point of transparency
“now look over here, my friends” ad nauseum
wrinkled wizened face
the ancient tiny Mayan lady’s sad eyes
“hankie 10 pesos” her only English
sweaty lineups
crowded bathrooms and overpriced ice cream shops
tourists in heat-exhausted stupors, indifferent employees
“hat my friend, hat my friend”
brown woman ignored by the pale masses
climbing the stairs to their overheated destiny
flocks of silver buses
motors racing, air conditioners on high
parked, waiting for their victims to return, the driver snoring in his undershirt
Wonder of the World
Chichen Itza Disney-fied
and cash cow to the government
Simply …Brilliant!
What a wonderful way to explain Chichen Itza sad reality. And it’s getting worse in 2016, for what I read in local newspapers. Went there 5 years ago by local bus from Mérida, saw what was happening at the booths where a long file of tourists were waiting, and then turned back. Later on, saw the pyramids on Internet, that’s all! But what else could be done for the local so badly paid people?
Gracias Nadia!