Monte Alban and staring like a stunned monkey

Monte Alban-View the Slide Show


Monte Alban. The name conjures up a city in the sky. Bloody sacrifices. A time lost. As for actually being there…there are no words for the feeling you get when standing in an archaeological site of this magnitude. Breathtaking? Awe-inspiring?



Mere trifles when compared to the overwhelming sense of time that rushes over you. For a moment, I wanted to cry. (for those of you who do not know me—I was an archaeologist for a number of years)

I told the New Hampshire guy (the one who says he want to bring me there for a few days but so far nothing, but I digress...) that I was stunned and he came up with the phrase. "Like a stunned monkey"

And that's fairly accurate. For a few minutes, I just stood there like a stunned monkey.

And then I got to walking. And being me, I had to go the opposite way of the group. I am sure they are lovely people, but when walking through Monte Alban, it is best done is silence, or it is for me, and not with a bunch of strangers.

So, I took the long way around, went by the lovely Abode and then finally up the stairs, coming into the Main plaza through the back side of the North Platform.

Again, I wanted to cry. I know...SUCH A BABY! But it’s MONTE ALBAN! GEEEEZ.

From there, it was a slow walk through the park, taking my time, soaking up history. Most of the platforms are roped off, but the South One is climbable. And I do mean climbing. It’s a very tall platform and the stairs are approximately 16 inches high. You will work your gluteus maximus on the way up. I was hurting and the thinner air did not help!

But it’s well worth the pain. From the South Platform you can see most of the complex and the valleys. I sat there for about two hours and just pictured what it must have been like at one time. Vendors? Children? Ceremonies?

And as I always seem to do, I met other writer’s. Two lovely women, Sabine and Greta, who came from a retreat and would soon be leaving, (Ladies, if you want any of the pictures, send me an email.)

Finally, it was time to make my way back to the main gate, but I never travel in a straight line and detoured through the North Platform and around the Ballcourt and finally ending up on the bus (I’ll talk about driving in Mexico in another blog)

I hated to leave. Loathed to go. There is still so much to explore! I didn’t even see Tomb104!

Guess I’ll have to go back.