"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King
Xunantunich is named after a ghost.
The legend of the Stone Woman started in 1892 when a researcher witnessed a Mayan maiden ascend the staircase of El Castillo, the main pyramid of Xunantunich. She was wearing a flowing white gown and a tangle of long, dark hair atop her head. When the woman reached the top of the pyramid, she swiveled, revealing penetrating, blood-red eyes. A few seconds later, she disappeared into the stone. The research crew searched the ruin, but she had vanished without a trace.
No one knows the ancient name of this Mayan city near modern-day San Ignacio, Belize, so they named the site Xunantunich. The moniker means Sculpture of a Lady or the Stone Woman.
We didn't see the woman in white when we climbed El Castillo, but she still scares unlucky tourists to this day.
Follow my feet again...
28 comments:
What an amazing place to visit! Not sure about the scary stories but the wildlife looks amazing too.
Love it. I was there years ago. We were staying on the coast of Belize with friends but my husband and I made a special trip inland just to see the ruins. I don't think we heard about the legend of the Stone Woman when we visited. Thanks for sharing the story.
Great photos! I got a delicious chill reading about that Stone Woman! Great ghost story!!! :)
Gorgeous photos, as usual. I really love the ones of you climbing up and then the vistas around you. Wow! And Stone Woman is a great story. :-)
What an interesting place to visit.
Wonderful photos of a very vintage and exotic place! We both have legends on our blogs today.
Sharon - that is a magnificent site. It is enough to make me want to go back to Belize. But I am not sure I want to go on that ferry! Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday!
Fascinating! I've never heard of this before. Thanks, and thanks for hosting. :)
looks like a fascinating place to visit and amazing views. Happy travels, stay safe, and thank you for the link up.
I enjoyed reading your Post... especially the quote of Stephen King, because my husband has all of his books....
...stay healthy and well.
Interest legend, and looks like a fun visit.
Amazing!
Thanks for joining us at I'd Rather B Birdin this week
~Anni
Hello,
What a great post and photos. You have reminded me of my trip to Belize and this same little ferry and visit to the ruins. Cute shot of the Swallow. Great critters! Thank you for linking up and sharing the post. Have a great day!
How amazing! And the views are spectacular! Not sure I could ever walk up those little stone steps but you did great! Thanks for sharing!
Loved the horses on the ferry. Wayne and I saw lots of Mexico when we had our airplane. One trip we flew into the Chichen Itza airport and walked to the ruins for a tour. We flew near the Belize border but never crossed. - Margy
Looks like you had a good time. Lovely pictures.
It's interesting that there are so many legends everywhere. You just never know what you will find as you travel :)
The views of your climb are just stunning to see, so worth your trouble.
Your link at 'My Corner of the World' this week is greatly appreciated!!
Just wow! You saw they opened Macchu Pichu for a lone tourist who had been stranded there under COVID lockdown for 7 months and was finally returning home - just the best story!
Oh my goodness! It looks amazing. I would love to go there.
I'm not too sure I would trust my car on that ferry, Sharon. Iwould be afraid of sinking! The rest of the trip looked so interesting--glad you did not see the ghost!
These are incredible. What a magnificent destination!
Local lores add a lot more character to places, don't they? :) I love these stories!
Thank you for sharing the Stone Woman's story and for showing us these sights.
Thank you also for hosting this blog hop, Sharon. :)
Your colorful outfit makes the photos charming. I liked the lizard and the bird. Sad you could not get a photo of the lady in white :).
Sharon - that rustic ferry looks just a little scary. The ruins are incredible architecture. My favorite photo is the one labeled "El Castillo" - fascinating how the carvings "interrupt" the rest of the structure. Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday!
Wow, what a spectacular ruin!! On a commanding site. Great photos!!
What an incredible site. I'm adding this one to my bucket list! Absolutely breathtaking!
Wonderful Belize! It has been a lifetime since we've been there -- I'd go back if I could, but I wouldn't be able to climb the pyramid this time. So I'm grateful we did go a lifetime ago. Your pictures are lovely -- ours are from before digital cameras so not so good to start with and faded with time. Sigh. Me too.
Thank you for this trip. The engineering and artistry of the buildings there is staggering. The story is riveting.
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