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.

And I finally had the chance of exploring the magical Mayan world starting from Tulum a Pre-Columbian Maya walled city serving as a major port for Cobá. Tulum is located along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.

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

Pictures taken in Valchiavenna a few weeks ago. This is the area where I was born and where I grew up.

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

When I took these pictures I was very sick and I’ve been very sick for days after that. Now that I feel better I can look back and really appreciate the unique beauty of the sunset at the Grand Canyon. You will be able to spot the Colorado river at the bottom of the Canyon.

If you want a quite place with several beautiful white send beaches and amazing snorkeling options… check out St. John!

I love iguanas. While on the beach in St. Thomas, I took a few shots of this green one eating (click on pics to enlarge, and once on the album page on the little icon on the top of the pic to see it full size).

It is always very nice to take a break from the cold Boston in December. St. Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands, is a good place to enjoy warm sun and oceans with crystal clear water. If you love snorkeling or being on a boat, you have to try out the Cool Boats. A trip on Silent Lady (or Bones) to Turtle Cove and Honeymoon Beach is going to lift the mood (click on the pics to jump to the complete album).

Tapas, Sangria, Jamon…