santa cruz wharf

24 April 2009

Looking at the sky on Friday ~ pole twirling (7)

Lookingatthesky

I admit this is probably not what Tish had in mind for her meme…I might be stretching the concept just a bit…but you DO have to look at the sky to see this….smile

The following aerobatic performance took place in Tulum, Quintana Roo,  Mexico last December.  We were there to see the spectacular ruins and had stopped for lunch and a little Christmas shopping.

After a rather aggressive collection of donations from spectators these five men climb to the top of this pole.

a 2008.12.16 479 post

Some young and some old, their traditional costumes have heavy brocade made of ribbons and intricate bead work.

b 2008.12.16 498 post

Suddenly four of the men pitch themselves backwards off their perches.  They are wearing the rope around their waist and knotted at the crotch

c 2008.12.16 501 post

They each spin independently as the group twirls around the pole…slowly unraveling the rope and dropping towards the earth.

d 2008.12.16 485 postThe one guy on top apparently ensures nothing gets tangled up.

e 2008.12.16 488 post
It didn’t look comfortable….or OSHA approved…but I doubt they are Union.
 f 2008.12.16 518 post h 2008.12.16 490 postJust before their heads scrape the ground, they do a little flip.

i 2008.12.16 519 postBack on Earth, and back on their feet, they walk away as if they hadn’t been upside down, swinging, twisting and twirling.
It was a great show.

2008.12.16 491 postThe fifth man winds back up the four ropes.  If I was part of the group…I would take very good care of this guy.

i 2008.12.16 492 post

17 comments:

Schmoop said...

You had me at "Pole Twirling". Cool pics. Have a lovely weekend, lovely one. Cheers!!

Mel said...

Holy moly....what awesome photos. And what brave and trusting fellas.
Or....foolish...LOL

O
M
Gosh!

Tulip said...

wonderful pictures. thanks for sharing i love it. happy weekend.

Minie said...

this is awesome pictures. so scary but wonderful. happy weekend.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

Did you and the teamster try it yourselves?

Sandee said...

Yikes, that would scare me to pieces. I love the costumes. Awesome.

Have a terrific day and weekend. :)

Looking @ The Sky on Friday said...

Holy smokes! I cannot imagine being up there. YIKES!!! What talent it must take and loads of skill to be able to do this. Great shots, Katherine. This is EXACTLY what I had in mind with this meme. I love it that you've given us something else to look at. :) Nice job, my dear.

Thanks for playing along.

-Tisha

Linda said...

Ay Carumba! Not on your life on a bet! I have this whole 'fear of heights' thing going on and would no doubt have sweaty palms just from watching this daredevil feat! By the by, nice blue sky there, too!

On a side note, I sent you an email last night - not sure if you got it or of it went into one of your many folders!

The CEO said...

Radar O'Reiley does not hang upside down from ropes hung from a pole. Radar almost never photographs people, but might make an exception in this case. I don't know if I would have done as well.

dadshouse said...

That's nuts!

I was at a construction site once in Texas, and they had a big hole half-full of water. The guy in charge grumbled that it didn't meet regulations and they were supposed to put a fence up or something, to prevent someone from falling in. He said "anyone walking close enough to this hole that they might fall in - deserves to fall in!"

I wonder if he acts as agent and manager for these pole guys?

Kim said...

How cool! And the colors that they have on really play with the wonderful blue sky. Great photos!

I played too! Come on over. :)

Dianne said...

this is fantastic! all those colors against a blue sky and a great show!

what more could we ask for! ;)

Travis Cody said...

NO THANK YOU!!!!

**covers eyes**

I, Like The View said...

I can remember seeing this on television years and years ago

(-:

thank you - something I'd completely forgotten

(I love their costumes; when I was a child I had a collection of dolls in national dress, my father used to travel for his job and brought me back a doll from each country he visited - had forgotten that too, so thank you again!)

RW said...

"OUCH"!!?! Your right that dose not look comfy at all! But this is one of the coolest and action pack Looking at the Sky on Friday I have seen yet. You should have climbed to the top of the pole and got a couple of snapshots lol! ;D

Desert Songbird said...

Odd, but fascinating...

I think Travis oughtta give it a go, or maybe Vinny and Nancy on their honeymoon *grin*.

Mimi Lenox said...

The pictures alone made my knees weak. What a crazy thing to do!