A HIKE TO ALTAVISTA

We went for a hike to a Tecoxquin Indian holy site called AltaVista.  I don't know why its called AltaVista, as its located in a valley bottom shaded by dense rain forest.  Not a lot of alta or vista.  I'm not so sure about the "holy" either......at least in the way I normally define holy. 

It is a beautiful necklace of pools connected by low waterfalls, surrounded by columnar basalt.  The water in the pools is crystal clear and inviting after the sweaty hike up the very rocky creek bed.  But it is COLD.

The Tecoxquins lived here long before the Spanish showed up, and used this site for some of their religious ceremonies.  There are numerous designs carved into the hard rock.  Some of them have a vague Cross like resemblance, leading to the rumor that the Tecoxquin had some sort of proto Christian knowledge.

Kat and Bill (barely visible) scrambling

up the creek 

The approach to the site is up the very rocky creek bed.  There are lots of carvings along the way.

AltaVista

Kevin, top center of picture, is standing in a portal like depression in the basalt.

Kris and Liz from Espirtu debating about a swim.
They did.

Liz

AltaVista is still used by locals.  Somehow the old beliefs have survived centuries of Catholic assault.  Normally a fan a diversity, I would applaud this, but Tecoxquin means "Throatcutter".  This pretty much gets to the core of the ceremonies that took place here.

I haven't heard of any warriors gone missing, so I guess throat cutting has fallen out of favor.  But there are Gringos that might not be missed....Hey Newt, talking 'bout you.