The Weight of Time 7-5-10

Tucan Sihoplaya, Campeche

In archeology or engineering one often encounters the term ‘subsidence,’ a label for what happens when the weight of centuries and troubled history press down on a structure built on a soft foundation. Perhaps the most celebrated example of subsidence can be found in the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Over a span of five centuries, this elegant tower listed twenty-two degrees out of vertical. Millions of dollars were spent to save this architectural icon from an ignominious ‘whump’ on the ground.

The vast Caerphilly Castle in southeast Wales was built on a spit of sand in the Nant Gledyr River in 1268-71 AD. Standing under the listing central tower, one wonders when the ignominious ‘whump’ is going to occur. The protective outer walls and buttresses of Caerphilly are textured with ominous fractures and gaps, caused by building on soft sand. Yet, to the best of my knowledge, the central keep and curtain walls of Caerphilly still stand.

Fourteen centuries before Gilbert ‘the Red’ de Clare decided to build Caerphilly; Mayan engineers were planning and constructing the great ceremonial city at Palenque, a majestic setting on the eastern edge of the Tumbala Mountains in what is now known as Chiapas State. The mid-Classic ceremonial wonder that is Palenque is now enfolded in an arboreal canopy, offering welcome relief from the torrid tropical sun. Gratifying is knowing that those now living in the region value Palenque enough to have invested heavily in its future. The pristine condition of the site and the tastefully designed infrastructure make the site far more accessible and user friendly than many.

For twenty years a dear friend has kept a photograph of the Temple of the Crosses on the wall in her hallway. For twenty years we have made quips about needing to go see this together. This haunting image from another dimension became our reality today. We stood in the complex of the Temple of the Crosses, amazed at the sense of time and place, the endurance of this city for thousands of years. Two thousand years before Columbus showed up in the Americas, the grand plazas in these cities were venues for great celebrations of conquest and spiritual advancement. Today we had our own quiet unseen celebration of friendship on the same plaza five hundred fifty years after Columbus showed up.

Unlike ancient temples and pyramids which succumb to the effects of subsidence, good friendship provides a firm foundation for life. Our friendship feels unweighted by time, even weightless. Twenty years has given us strength rather than compression. It seems our central keep and curtain walls are without fissures, our foundations unbroken.

After fulfilling dreams on the platforms of the temple, we descended the mountainside, enfolded in a wonderland of forest, waterfalls, and aquamarine pools. Traveling north for six hours, we alighted at Sihoplaya, an isolated town on the eastern shore of the vast gulf. Dinner at sunset with long-time friends in paradise is indeed something to celebrate.