Today I learned about the ancient Mayan civilisation in the Museo De La Cultura Maya in Chetumal. A civilisation that started around 2500 BC, the Mayans beautifying techniques included wooden vice-like devices to flatten their heads flatter, and placing a ball between the eyes of new-born babies so they became cross-eyed, again as it was a mark of beauty in the Mayan empire. Ialso learned that the Mayan solar calender consisted of 20 months of 18 days and 5 other days that were considered extremely unlucky. Finally I learnt about the Mayans only using maguc mushrooms on special occassions, and how they hunted animals such as jaguars and turtles for sustenance.
Unfortunately, after a bowl of frijolles charros the previous night with the lovely Berenice in Chetumal, I myself was on the path of a turtles head by this point, and so had to cut my Mayan education short as the museum toilet was out of order.
Public Toilet Footnote:
My first visit to a Mexican public toilet brought the discovery that Mexican toilet cubicle doors are sized in accordance with most Yucatan Mexicans are not much over five foot tall. I could have had a fantastic view of the urinals if I was into that sort of thing, and indeed not busy focussing on being economical with the four sheets of toilet paper that the the attendant had given me when I paid my 3 pesos toilet entry fee.
I can confirm that consumption of frijolles charros necessitates at least six sheets of toilet paper the following day, plus another two to wipe the sweat from your brow half-way through.
