On a very cold January night “The Patriots soared to an early lead and never looked back”. My first NFL game watched from amazing seats!

Chichen Itza was one of the largest Maya cities. El Castillo or Kukulcán’s pyramid is essentially a nine-step structure culminating in a flat platform that supports a two-story temple. El Castillo’s design is thought to relate to the Mayan calendar.

Each of the four faces incorporates a broad, steep staircase consisting of 91 steps that ascends to the top platform. Counting the top platform as an additional step gives a total of 365 steps: 1 step for each day of the year.

Coba is a large ruined city of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization, located in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. It is located about 90 km east of the Maya site of Chichen Itza, about 40 km west of the Caribbean Sea, and 44 km northwest of the site of Tulum, with which it is connected by a modern road. Coba is located around two lagoons. Coba is estimated to have had some 50,000 inhabitants (and possibly significantly more) at its peak of civilization, and the built up area extends over some 80 km².

In Coba it is possible to climb (at your own risk) the tallest (42m) Mayan pyramid (Nohoch Mul pyramid). From the top the view is stunning and it is possible to detect, far away another pyramid belonging to the same site (look carefully above Sheede’s head in the above picture). Also, in Coba you can find two ball courts with very interesting details. According to the local guides, the game was ‘win or die’, the loosers were up to be painted in blue and sacrificed.

The area is still immersed in the jungle and the work of archeologists is far to be considered done. Coba is a very fascinating city of mystery. In the picture below you can see how hard is the work of the archeologists studying the Mayan cities. Coba is still characterized by piles of rocks literally fused with the vegetation.

The New England Aquarium, awesome place to spend a few hours admiring the beauty of nature.

Last weekend I finally got to visit the Aquarium. The sharks were looking pretty threatening and this is what you would see if you had to jump in the big tank for the cleaning operations. Shark teeth are embedded in the gums rather than directly affixed to the jaw, and are constantly replaced throughout life. Multiple rows of replacement teeth grow in a groove on the inside of the jaw and steadily move forward as in a “conveyor belt”; some sharks lose 30,000 or more teeth in their lifetime. The rate of tooth replacement varies from once every 8–10 days to several months.Wikipedia

Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico. Every year, in October, the city is animated by the famous fiesta of the air balloons.

It is always a pleasure to spend time in Vienna. The city is beautiful, clean and always projected into the future.

This was my first time in Budapest and I was impressed by the incredible amount of things to see.

This is the party bus as they see it in Budapest. Eight people are paddling and drinking beer at the same time… very good method to drink and burn the booze calories right away. One man behind the steering wheel… not sure if he is drinking. And if you don’t like the idea, you can always enjoy your beer sitting somewhere, indoor or outdoor. Ah freedom…

After waiting in line for the tickets (free for EU citizens) outside the parking lot, I finally gained access to the famous gate X of the Hungarian Parliament Building. Gate X can be accessed on the back of the building and only by a few visitors at a time. When a person comes out a person can go in. Remember, you need a valid ID for each ticket you want to purchase, otherwise you will be waiting one hour (or more) under the sun to experience rejection. The tickets  are valid for a selected guided tour of the building. Tours are available in several languages. If your language of choice is sold out you can always pick another option. You can buy tickets for the same day only and it is not rare for the tours to be sold out. Gate X opens at 8am. If you have more than one hour wait for the beginning of your tour, I would suggest to visit the St. Stephen’s Basilica just a few minutes away. The tour of the Parliament Building wont last long but it is worth the wait, the interior of the building is spectacular.

I honestly wasn’t expecting much from the old town. I was imagining a few houses spread out in a modern neighborhood. With my surprise, the old town looks like one of those little towns I used to see in the old western movies… with real antique guns and sheriff stars.

The 2011 travels season started with San Diego (California). Here are some of the pictures taken in Balboa Park.