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To celebrate my upcoming college graduation, my sister and I decided there would be no better way to do so than to take a trip to Cancún, Mexico. Staying at an all-inclusive resort bordering the crystal clear, turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico, soaking up the sun until we turned red, dancing at nightclubs by night; Cancún has something for everyone to enjoy. Little did we know that a day trip to Chichén Itzá ("CHEE-chen EET-za”) would end up being not only the highlight of the journey, but one of the most wonderful memories that we have together. Chichén Itzá—an archaeological site on the Yucatán Peninsula and one of the most visited destinations in Mexico—is best known as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and home to ancient stone ruins of the Mayans. For a thousand years, Chichén Itzá (meaning “the mouth at the well of Itza”) served as the center of pilgrimage for the ancient Mayan civilization. My sister and I couldn’t wait to tour the site. One of the stops on our travels was Chichén Suytun, a “cenote” or a “natural sinkhole” created from the erosion and collapse of limestone revealing groundwater underneath. Although once used by the Mayans for sacrificial offerings, we were ironically greeted at the cavern entrance with the burning of incense by an indigenous woman, blessing us in her traditional cleansing ritual. As we continued down the steps toward the water, we admired the stalactites and rays of light pouring in through the bedrock above, and as we reached the floor, we were ready for a quick dip in the brisk groundwater. Before jumping in, our tour guide told us tales of the mythical healing powers in the groundwater of the cenotes surrounding us, exciting us to experience them for ourselves. Before you knew it, we were both diving in without hesitation, a welcome relief from the hot sun. After our healing swim in the cenote of Chichén Suytun, our tour brought us to our final destination: Chichén Itzá. As our bus pulled up, I was bubbling with excitement. I had waited anxiously for so long and would finally be able to see one of the New Seven Wonders with my own eyes! As we walked in, the great step-pyramid of El Castillo stood before us, the towering icon of the ancient Mayans. Unfortunately, we were prohibited to climb its infamous steps (365 of them, to be exact, built as a testament to each day of the Mayan calendar year), but at least we were able to wander the grounds freely. Stopping for photographs of the ruins, we noticed one of several sculptures of a feathered serpent’s head at the pyramid’s base. Asking our guide about it, he told us its name was Kukulkan, the great Yucatec Mayan god and namesake of El Castillo itself, the Temple of Kukulkan. As the sun began to set and our tour neared its end, we began our walk back to the bus. Stealing one last look of El Castillo, we were stunned by what we were suddenly witnessing, something we didn't expect to find: feathered, shadowy serpents were slithering down the face of the pyramid! Apparently, during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun strikes the statues of Kukulkan at the precisely constructed, calculated angle which reflects their shadows along the side of the temple. As fate would have it, we were unexpectedly at the perfect place, at the perfect time! My sister and I watched as Kukulkan danced his way down the steps of El Castillo, his feathers waving as if he were sending us off, bidding us farewell. She and I shared a special moment there together, one that I cherish greatly, a most enchanting end to our trip to Mexico.