Working Title

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and green is emerging. YAY!

I want to share this photo because I feel you can feel the warmth of the sun from the photo and I sure do need some warmth back after my first horrendously cold Northeast winter. 

This photo was taken on the steps leading up to the South Platform in Monte Alban in Oaxaca Mexico with my Canon point and shoot camera. I went with my mom to Oaxaca and Mexico City in June 2008, shortly after I returned from India. We've always wanted to visit our neighbor to the south, but always put it off for destinations further away, thinking Mexico is so close we'll eventually get to it. Well, 12 years of living in Texas and we FINALLY DID!

Monte Alban is one of the largest pre-columbian archeological sites in Mexico. It was the economic and political centre of the Zapotecs. I sometimes dream of being an archeologist trying to piece together stories of the past. But I always wonder when I go to historical sites, how much of the information is true and how much is speculation. We can sadly never know the whole truth of the past. All I do know, is that they were innovative and knew how to use their natural resources. For instance, I've been to Incan, Aztec, and now Zapotec ruins and have consistently found remains of rainwater harvesting structures. They knew not to let precious water go to waste and here some of us are watching rain fall and waste away without catching it for use. I'm no environmentalist, but that is sad. We should be promoting rainwater harvesting. Its low cost and can provide water for washing and bathing, leaving potable water for drinking only. Its a great idea, I think, for everyone, especially those living in desert regions where every drop counts. Its possible to catch water on rooftops and pipe it to a tank that has a simple filtration system. Hopefully, with time and people's support these ideas from the past will catch on again. More information on the pyramids is provided by my dear friend Wikipedia.