What a Wonderful World

The world around us is full of little wonders-- like the pretty monarch chrysalis pictured above, being protected and observed by my housemate’s “gentle giant” brother.

But recently the bigger Wonders of the World were named, and as a result, some sort of related tag has begun to sweep the blogging sphere. I know, because this week I was tagged by frugal friend Ms. A over at LivingWithoutMoney.

In it, seven fellow bloggers are named, with their screen names superimposed over a chosen world Wonder. Ms. A. chose Niagra Falls. And while I appreciate Ms. A’s kind connection, I’m certain any similarity of the Falls to myself, would just go over in a barrel.

Another wonder, I think, would be if any of my other blogging pals will speak to me if I tag them one more time for one of these things.

So that said, I thought I would fulfill the tag solo by sharing with you which Wonder of the World I did once get to visit.

When I was about nine years old, my parents decided to take a trip to Mexico, to see the Mayan ruins. And that is where I got the remarkable opportunity to view the city of Chichen-Itza.

It was about the same time “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was in the theaters. So going to visit ancient pyramids prompted all sorts of adventures in my imagination.

With visions of dashing Harrison Fords and ingenious native booby-traps, the idea of feeling lousy due to local bacteria had not really been a part of my imagined adventures.

But I recall spending some quality time at another archeological site, Uxmal, sitting in the shade of a tree and staring at the Temple of the Sorcerers-- grateful to have the chance to recoup-- to be very still and quiet-- and thinking how Indiana Jones must have had a tougher constitution than I.

Or his film would have taken a distinctly different turn.

Most of the days of our trip were fascinating, even to my pre-teen mind. I know I must have asked my dad more than once were the Mayan carvings in stone-- some still colored in the original reds and blues-- REALLY thousands of years old? He said they were.

When you’re only nine, how can you possible comprehend millennia?