ONE OF THE GREATEST PLACES THAT I VISITED IN MEXICO WAS PAPANTLA. THIS IS ONE OF THE PLACES, NEXT TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, WHERE I SAW THE PAPANTLA FLYERS -- 4 FLYERS AND 1 LEADER. THEY ALSO PERFORM AT EL TAJIN - AT THE RUINS. THE FLYERS PERFORM ABOUT 4 TIMES EVERY DAY STARTING AT 10 AM AND GOING INTO DUSK AT 6:30 PM. THEY FIRST PRAY TO THE GODS OF THE WIND, SUN AND THE 4 DIRECTIONS N,S,E AND WEST. THEY DANCE TO THE MUSIC THAT THE LEADER IS PLAYING WITH HIS FLUTE AND DRUM, BOTH ON THE GROUND AND ON TOP OF THE POLE. ONCE THE FLYERS CLIMB THE POLE, THEY PULL UP THEIR ROPES. I THINK IT IS TO AWKWARD AND HEAVY TO CARRY 70+ FEET OF ROPE UP TO THE TOP. THEN, THEY SPIN AROUND A SPOOL ON THIS 4 SIDED BENCH -- FASTENED BY ROPES, TO BRING UP THEIR OWN FLYING ROPE. WHEN COMPLETED, THE LEADER ASCENDS TO THE TOP. THE LEADER WILL PERFORM HIS DANCE BY BENDING FORWARD AS WELL AS BACKWARD WHILE HE IS PLAYING HIS RHYTHMIC SONG TO THE GODS -- MAYBE LOOKING UP TO THE HEAVENS AND WORSHIPING THE GOD OF THE SUN. WHEN HE IS FINISHED STANDING ON TOP OF THE POLE, HE SITS ON TOP OF A SPOOL, STILL PLAYING AND PERFORMING. NEXT, THE SQUARE SHAPED PLATFORM / BENCH SPINS, AS THE FLYERS LEAP OFF THEIR PERCH FLYING IN A CIRCLE TOWARD THE GROUND. THEY EACH REPRESENT A DIFFERENT BIRD IN FLIGHT, LIKE PARROTS OR MACAWS, WHILE THE LEADER REPRESENTS AN EAGLE. THE POLE IN PAPANTLA IS 37 METERS TALL, WHILE THE POLE AT EL TAJIN IS 11 METERS SHORTER. IT TAKES ABOUT 6-7 MINUTES FOR THEM TO FLY DOWN THE POLE. THE TOTAL PERFORMANCE IS ABOUT ONE HALF AN HOUR LONG. PLEASE SUPPORT THE PAPANTLA FLYERS, WHEN THEY COME AROUND BEFORE AND DURING THEIR SHOW, GIVE THEM YOUR APPRECIATION BY DONATING TO THIS FINE PERFORMANCE. YOUR SUPPORT KEEPS THE SHOW GOING. THEY USUALLY ASK FOR ONE DOLLAR OR 10 PESOS, PLUS THE SAME FOR GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS. IN CASE YOU ARE CURIOUS, YES THIS ALBUM WAS MADE WHILE ENJOYING MAYBE 7-8 SHOWS, AND A LOT OF PHOTOS. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING PERFORMANCES I HAVE EVER SEEN. THEY ONLY HAVE A ROPE TIED TO THEIR WAIST AS THEY FLY TO THE GROUND. DON'T MISS THIS CEREMONY, AND OF COURSE MAKE SHURE YOU BUY A TEE SHIRT - ABOUT $5.00 WITH A PHOTO!!!! FOR A SCREEN SAVER OR DESKTOP WALLPAPER OF THE FIRST PICTURE -- CLICK BELOW

800 X 600 SCREEN SAVER OF PICTURE #1