Palenque - A Brown Powered World

Did you know that one single event probably changed the entire history of the world? At the time that Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492, the vast majority of the entire worlds population lived here. There were cities larger than anything in Europe and the people had advanced mathematics, farming, art, and culture. How did a few hundred Spanish Conquistadors defeat a population of millions and millions of people? The answer is simple, SMALL POX. This European disease killed an estimated 95% of the population within 25 years. It was by far the fastest and largest decrease in Earths population EVER. Small Pox originated from domesticated animals. The Europeans were able to develop immunity to this disease over thousands of years. But the people in the Americas didn't have domesticated animals when Columbus arrived. A meteor that hit Earth long ago caused an ice age in North America which caused them to go extinct. The Indians never had the opportunity to develop immunity to these types of animal diseases. Now, just for a second imagine what the world would be like had that meteor never hit earth? The conquistadors and pilgrims could have easily been contained or repelled. There would have been no Christian missionaries, no Manifest Destiny, and no United States of America. Maybe we'd be learning to speak Aztec while picking strawberries and hoping no one asked for our papers. A brown powered world? We were probably only 1 meteor away.

Way down in the southern state of Chiapas Mexico a stones throw away from the Guatemalan border sits the ancient Mayan city of Palenque. At its height this was one of the most powerful cities in the world.

The Mayan people were famous inventors. All archeological data seems to indicate that they did indeed invent the original Stair Master

 Now thats a coffin! I wanted Stevie to pretend to climb in when the guard wasn't looking. That would have been a good photo. She was too CHICKEN!

The Mayan system of writing used symbols that created words, and when put together they created sentences and stories. I kindly translated this for Stevie after deciphering the Mayan alphabet over lunch. I think she was impressed. She digs me.

Yeah, I think I could see myself living in that house right over there. This is my kind of town...

Nope, I'm good babe, you go ahead and check that one out without me. I'll wait down here. Really... take pictures...