Hike to the Mictlan Overlook.
Spiny Lizards and Tarantulas~! Echoes of Egypt.
Monday was a holiday here, Constitution Day. I wanted to get my walk in early.
The frigate birds were wheeling along the shoreline, harassing every diving bird that was lucky enough to catch a fish.
A canoe club was just pulling their kayaks up on the beach after a ten kilometer paddle. Some very nice kayaks!
You can follow their activities on FB. They have an annual trek coming up on Saturday February 22, 2025, the traditional V Travesía Memo Davila, a personal challenge of 43 kms, Melaque, Jal. to Manzanillo, Col. There are two categories, one of 10 kms and one of 30 kms.
There were dozens of shiners and chubbs swimming below the bridge, which was still pretty quiet. Many families, couples, and groups were on the trail, most coming down, but a few, like me, heading up.
Give a smile, get a smile. “Buenos Dias.”
I had a nice chat with Luis at the busy toll booth. I complimented him on how nice the park looks. He is happy with the way things are progressing. He pointed out the new trails on the map, shown above, in white.
I headed up to my favorite outlook, taking the cutoff towards Domo. I chased a little lizard up the trail. It wouldn’t hold still for a photo op.
The smell of fall was in the air. The hot dry weather has caused many leaves to drop. The air has that sweet warm late September day aroma.
I’m back listening to The History of Egypt Podcast, now on Episode 65, one of three about Hatshepsut. I still haven’t written up our visit to the Temples of Karnak and Luxor when we were in Egypt. They were just so overwhelming at the time. The size and significance of Karnak and Luxor are hard to grasp, built as they were over a 1000 year period of time.
Hatshepsut‘s father, Thutmose I, was the first guy to really make a splash at Karnak and Luxor. He built the 4th and 5th pylons, with 2 huge flag poles built with Lebanese Cedar to mark the entrance. The pylons helped to organize the whole precinct.
If that wasn’t enough, he had two immense granite obelisks quarried, each in a single piece. To haul them a single ship was built, 65 meters (206 ft.) long. Both were loaded at the same time and the ship hauled the obelisks on the river to Karnak.
The obelisks were topped with a mixture of gold and silver, called electrum, to catch the eye of the god, Amun-Ra, to whom the temple was dedicated. His architect, Ineni, was also in charge of Thutmose I’s tomb, the first to be built in the Valley of the Kings.
We were told on tour that the obelisks at Karnak were erected by Hatshepsut. Yet the podcast says it was her father, Thutmose I. I think everyone is probably right.
Thutmose I and his Great Royal Wife, Ahmose, had their daughter, Hatshepsut, “married” to Amun-Ra, the main god, and installed as leader of the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak. She would rise from this position of power to eventually become King, first marrying her stepbrother, then ruling in her own right. No doubt she was the Ruler of Karnak Temple at the time of the erection of the incredible obelisks.
I described her in my post Hatshepsut: King and Queen. She was the first truly powerful woman ruler in the world and merits further study. Ineni the architect would go on to build some impressive works for her as well.
Before I knew it I had arrived at my destination. Sitting above the Pacific, with a nice breeze, I rehydrated and drank in the beauty.
A boulder spiny lizard climbed up on the rock at my feet. When I moved, he skittered away, then peeked back at me, showing off his beautiful undersides.
I tried to shoot a couple of different angles without slipping off the cliff to the Pacific 600 feet below! He was probably about 12 inches long. We will see what the experts at iNaturalist say.
The Mountain began to sing to me. A deep steady bass, with roars an octave above as the breakers hit, punctuated with cymbal crashes now and then as a really big wave broke over the rocks.
The wind sang and the earth hummed along.
Too soon it was time to go. On the way down, carefully watching my step, I saw a large furry THING moving to cross my path.
I have never before seen a tarantula, but I immediately knew that’s what it was! A huge hairy spider, but much bigger than any spiders I have ever seen, crawled right across my path.
Check it out. It seemed to be a LOT bigger in person!
I chatted some more with Luis at the gate. We discussed some improvements he’d like to make, as well as the idea of getting a good geology guide written for the Juluapan and area.
When I got home I looked up the tarantula. They aren’t a threat to humans, and are sometimes kept as PETS~!
I don’t think I’ll try to bring one of those hairy guys home to the Brilliant Wife. Sounds like a good way to get thrown out of the house!
Speaking of which, we’ve got house guests coming! So I may miss a day here and there in the week ahead. Stay tuned!
Thanks so much for traveling along~!
Oh yeah, tarantulas. We have plenty of them here in Texas. Had several that overwintered against the foundation of our previous house (in protected niches). I had to be very careful mowing, since they were often cruising across the yard. Have seen fewer up here on the Escarpment in our current house.
On yesterday’s post: would love to know the names and see pix of those striking birds you so colorfully described.
Pretty dull around here in comparison.
Looked like an impressive trail. I have lizards running around and I believe they are after ants and other small insects. I call them all "Fred". Don't know why but seems like naming them was the thing to do.