The picture above reminds me of one of my favorite trips. Many years ago, I went to Chichen Itza for the spring equinox. At that time there were no huge crowds as seen in the picture above. You can see the serpent climbing the steps of the pyramid (or going down–I can’t remember which). Design inspiration, anyone? Below is the quote accompanying this picture, which came from ArtDaily. I am also including a few links about this Mayan site below, if you’re interested. And none of them have anything to do with that whole Mayan-calendar-and-the- end-of-the-world thing!
CHICHEN ITZA.- Local and foreign visitors gather before the Kukulkan Pyramid during the celebration of the Spring Equinox in Chichen Itza, Mexico, 20 March 2012. Hundreds of people gather to observe the descent on earth of a serpent shaped with the shadow of one edge of the pyramid, during the beginning of the Spring equinox, that in ancient indicated to Mayas the sowing season. EPA/Jacinto Kanek.
http://thingstodo.viator.com/cancun/celebrate-a-cosmic-spring-equinox-at-chichen-itza/
http://www.world-mysteries.com/chichen_kukulcan.htm
http://www.mayasites.com/equinox.html
http://www.starteachastronomy.com/mayan.html