Mexico Day 6

Getting readied for an early morning pick up for our tour of the Ancient Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. Just popped open the forecast… Says 30°C is the high for inland Yucatan. Hmmm… Cold cervesa will hit the spot when we get home! Much of the day will be spent on the move so really no updates expected until later in the day, so….

This is how it went! At 6:30 AM sharp our host and driver for the day, Juan, met us at the back door of Casa Tykel and was just what the doctor ordered! Very friendly, wonderful English, helpful and super accommodating. He got us on the move quickly and we were bombing out the toll highway in jig time! With an hrs time change, we were parking in front of Chichen Itza (or as Juan called it “Chicken Pizza”) as the gates opened. My kind of arrival! On the drive to the site (appr. 2 1/2 hrs) Juan had asked if we’d prefer to have a private guide for the morning tour in Chichen Itza. We went for it… and Juan reached out to Manuel, a contact he had used in the past for this service. Manuel met us out front, helped us through the ticket buying process, got us to the washrooms, and began his tour of the site.

Manuel knows the site and history well… almost 30 years of guiding experience. The key to his interpretation of the site was solidly entrenched in taking some time to make sure his clients understand the Mayan people. He focused on cultural beliefs in religion, mathematics, art and astronomy. This all tied in wonderfully with our scheduled first stop, El Castillo or Pyramid of Kukulkan. The Pyramid of Kukulkan is the icon that millions come to see. It is impressive for sure… both in sheer grandeur and (with the support of Manuel’s description) its scientific engineering, intrinsically linked with days and movements of the sun in the Mayan calendar. Days of the year, solstices, religion, architecture… all interwoven in an amazing structure that serves as a precise time piece. Part of the “fun” touring groups have on site includes clapping, and listening to the acoustic responses from the face of the pyramid. Very cool… Two sides of the pyramid have seen major restoration and the viewer can get a real sense of the level of craftsmanship and dedication that must have been involved in its establishment. It was special to be in presence of such a space.

Manuel was quick to point out that the common Mayan would rarely have ever stepped foot in the city of Chichen Itza… it was reserved for those in the upper class of Mayan society. Today, many of Mayan culture set up stalls within the site to sell plates, jewelry, carvings and all manner of souvenir and trinket. As the morning progressed the site became busier (Chichen Itza sees upwards of 1.5 million visitors annually)… not to mention warmer. Other highlights of our tour included the Sagrada Cenote (a source of water and the real reason for location of the city in this area), the Temple of the Warrior and the Great Ball Court that we visited at the end of the tour. Manuel was excellent, and we would not have learned as near as much about the importance of this UNESCO Site if we hadn’t taken the recommendation to secure him.

Juan was waiting in front (handed out some cool refreshments) as we departed from the site and we were soon whisked away from the frenzy at the main entrance to our next stop, just outside the city of Vallodolid, at the Cenote Saamal and Hacienda Restaurant Selva Maya. It’s a gorgeous setting, with a wonderful Cenote as the centrepiece. Upon arrival Juan scored us wristbands and we headed directly into the change room areas (with lockers) to get ready for a swim. Haven’t been in a body of water with scenery like this one before… cool but refreshing. An elaborate set of stairs takes you down this deep hole in the earth to the waters edge where you can jump into this natural pool (life jackets a must) and splash about. Excellent set up!

Then off to lunch! We stumbled into a lovely buffet that featured a fiesta of choices for lunch. Chicken, pork, tortillas, rice, fruits, and all manner of Mexican fare. Cold cervesa too! The room was a decorators heaven, and we were fortunately just finishing up as a tour bus arrived! When all was said and done (after a little scramble figuring out who, how, where to pay) the stop cost us $50 US which is a deal at any rate! Always good to keep a few extra pesos or $US in your pocket as credit cards here can be cumbersome and are not always accepted as a method for payment like at home. One last stop, before heading back to Puerto Morelos, at the central plaza in Valladolid for a quick look at some of the shopping stalls. The girls headed off while Juan and I chatted about travel, some of the buildings in Valladolid and life in Canada. He answered so many of our questions about Mexico through the run of the day… Way beyond driver and much more like a tour guide! Great fella!

The trek home was quiet… everyone a little “stung” by the heat and the early start! Leaving Valladolid we did get to see some of the more extravagant homes settled just outside the city core. We took a different highway route back (At a brief highway stop I nabbed a pic of this road map), but really no more exciting than the way in. Very flat, very straight, and almost traffic free! We were home shortly after 5:15 PM, settled up with Juan, and solidified our Saturday pick up for the airport transfer to Cancun International. The evening was ours to rest and relax, rustle up some supper and maybe pull one last item out of the hopper for Friday. Big thank you goes out to Vero, Manuel and Juan for all their help in making the day such a success. Another great day here in Mexico… Powerful vacation!

… Mexico Day 7