Zocolo by Night - Mexico City

We stood mesmerised and  glossy eyed as we watched the incas dancing as they jigged around their animal toenails while wearing traditional ritual costumes like a turquoise feathers like they have a peacock on their heads.  Some had animal skulls on  their heads.

the animal toenails are sewn onto a piece of material rattle as they move backwards and forwards.  they dance around the Incan chief who stands in the middle, holding  ceremonial weapon, directing the dance.  His jaguar skull, looking ferocious on his head with it's canines jutting out.

As i'm listening to the rhythmic boom of the drum sticks pounding on the animal skin pulled taught across the wooden barrel shaped drum.

Transported back in time

As I walked down the Zocolo I was alerted by a crowd.  As i got closer i heard singing. i glanced forward and spotted three ican musicians playing traditional instruments and singing & chanting.  they were plying pan flutes, and flutes made out of bamboo.  Immediately i was captivated by the rhythmic sound.  I began to relax as i listened to the hypnotic and soothing sounds of the music which seemed to surround me. I soon began to imagine myself 5000 years ago in the mist of the Incan empire.  It was easy to imagine the Incan city, at the height of it power.  A city of 250,000 at a time when London was a mere 50000 inhabitants.  I imagined myself as a warrior reading for battle as the musician played.  The honk of a passing car quickly brought me back to reality as realised where i was and more importantly, what year it was.

I immediately began to bug mum and dad to buy a CD of the music so i could listen to the music again experience that same sense and transportation back to another time.  Soon they relented and the cd was ours.