Travels with Lonely Planet: Chichén Itzá, Mexico

BY GREG BENCHWICK

The Feathered Serpent Quetzalcoatl battled through the cotton-candy cloud, ripping at its billowing corners with razor-sharp talons. He'd been coming here for more than a thousand years, his shadow moving up the side of El Castillo, Chichén Itzá's largest pyramid, on the spring and fall equinoxes like clockwork.

There was no way the rain god Chaac and his little cloud would stop Quetzalcoatl -- at least, that's what 8,000 modern-day pilgrims and I were hoping as we arched our backs for a better view. We'd gathered at the Mayan-Toltec site's towering El Castillo pyramid, deep in the heart of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

And then it happened: Quetzalcoatl, the god of wind, creativity and fertility, poked his head through the cloud revealing a glimpse of his snakelike image, an undulating shadow illuminated on the side of the pyramid's nine-tiered northern staircase.

There was a collective gasp from the crowd, then hoots and hollers, music and prayer. It was like going to a concert for a Monster of Rock born more than a thousand years ago. At that moment, in a fleeting second of cosmic kismet, I felt a tenuous connection to the world, to the ages, to my past, my present and my future.

EQUINOX CELEBRATIONS

This is the essence of pilgrimage that lies at the center of the mystery and appeal of Chichén Itzá's equinox celebrations, held each year on Sept. 22 and March 20. Last year Chichén Itzá was named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World (www.new7wonders.com).

Devotees have been coming here since the pyramid was built in the ninth century. At first the towering edifice was used as a calendar to predict the beginning of spring and fall. It told peasants when to procreate, when to plant and when to worship. Today, it retains its mystical quality, attracting New-Agers and hungover spring-breakers alike, as they stretch to see the spectacular show of shadow and light.

MAYANS AND TOLTECS

The symbolism and sanctity of the Feathered Serpent run deep. The Mayan people first settled Chichén Itzá during the late classic period of the Mayan Dynasty, around 600 A.D., but it was little more than a hinterland outpost at the time. Many archaeologists say it was really the Toltecs -- a proud and rather savage people from Central Mexico -- who brought the city to its height of splendor.

Not only did Toltecs build the site's major monuments -- El Castillo, the Nunnery and the Ball Court -- legend says they also brought the cult of Quetzalcoatl with them.

Chichén Itzá exhibits many traits of Central Mexican pre-Colombian architecture. Stand in the true center of Chichén Itzá's court and give a shout; your echo will sharply reverberate.

Also worth exploring are the area's massive limestone sinkholes known as cenotes (pronounced seh-noh-tays). With drinking water scarce in the region, these fresh-water sources were considered sacred by the Maya. Nowadays, they make a good place to chill out after a hard day of touring the ruins.

Any time of year is great for visiting Chichén Itzá, and many savvy travelers come a few days before or after the equinox to avoid crowds. The shadow still shows up, both in the morning and in the afternoon, but doesn't stay as long.

But it's probably wise to get there soon. In 2012 the ''End of Days'' will come, according the Mayan long-count calendar, perhaps leaving us with only shadows of Chichén Itzá's great days of splendor.