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Experiences in the Mayan country
In June 2001 we spent our summer holiday in Mexico. Only bathing or "chill out" did not suffice for us. So we made a circular
trip via Yucatan before the bathing holiday. In the meantime we made some excursions to the known Maya site on the Mexican Peninsula and in Guatemala.
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Come on
After a 10 hours flight over Newfoundland and along the Eastern Coast of North America with a wunderschönen view to the Bahamas and Key-West, we landed finally in a country we expected a nice holiday from: Mexico.
The first which strikes us was besides the high temperature of approx. 34 degrees (by the way durgin the whole holiday,
the enormous air humidity, which was never under 80 %
Probably we were only unlucky, but the waiting period at the airport from the plane to the passport check in the airport
of Cancun amounted about 3 hours! Without air condition or some airflow in a never ending queue.
The reason for it was explained afterwards:The economical dependence of Mexico from the USA is enormous (more details later),
for this reason all pieces of luggage of the European tourists (including carry-on baggage) were checked for food due to the
existing convention with the United States in order to prevent from the possible risk of infiltration of the MKS-virus.
But every waiting ends sometime and our bus for the Yucatan circular trip waited geduldig until all Mexico-discoverer
completed this procedure. Finally in an airconditioned room (bus):-))
The trip leaded us from the tourist center Cancun in westward direction, straightforward ... no curve bis to the horizon
and only outside the small towns and villages "traffic calming" bumps, which would cause an axle fracture for the the one,
who is unfamiliar with the area.
The landscape around : green thick brushwood ..no river, no visible water.
Our nice tour guide answered this question with the explanation that the peninsula Yucatan is nerved by subterranean caves,
which carry water and make sure additionally to the heavy rainfalls, that these forrests are so lush.
Valladolid
current temperature Valladolid
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short round tour in our first milestone Valladolid.
First check in in a nice little hotel dinner and pass the efforts and impressions of the first day in review. I do not sleep so good for a long time.
Valladolid is the second largest city of Yucatan with approx. 80.000 inhabitants. A short round tour around the place in the center in front of the cathedral built in 1706 cathedral must suffice, because we were curious about the first highlight of our journey: the approx.
20 kilometer afar archeological excavation of the Maya culture Chichen Itza.
Chitzen Itza - world cultural heritage of the UNESCO
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Due to the proximity to our first accomodation we had this site one and a half hours on our own.
The Maya city belongs to the best known zeugnissen of the pre-Colombian culture and the reconstruction of the buildings is mostly progressed.
This big Maya city between Cancun and Merida belongs to the best known reports of pre-Colombian culture and is therefore compulsory for all Yucatan visitors.
First of all we noticed that there were no stands and traders on the area.
One can find them at a small market in front of the main entrance in the tourist centre.
In contrast to many other Maya's metropolises, Chichen Itza has never sunk into oblivion.
It served even as the first establishment for the Spanish before the choice was changed to Merida.
The earliest dates of the site mark the year 618 A.D.
Nowadays one knows that the site has been founded about 100 years earlier.After the city was left in the course of the history
several times and was rebuilt,it was involved till 1185 in power struggles for the dominance on Yucatan.In the northwest of
the site the ball game place dominates.It is 168 m long and 36 m wide, alongside surrounded by a high wall.It is the biggest
known ball game site.The stony snake-decorated rings soar at a height of approx. 7m in the field.The opinions about the sense
of these rings diverge these days.Partially that the "purpose" of the play is to play the ball through the rings. On the other hand,
it is assumed that the rings only divided the playing field like a volleyball field.
It is only sure that the sacrificial cult was very great in the Maya's empire and that the loser's team probably was sacrificed to the gods.
The Chuc-Mool statures of which severals can be found in the territory are associated with the rain cult.
They are fomred as a kind of sacrificial altar in man-shape.
Ticul
When we thought of Mexico before this vacation, we imagined desert with picturesque cacti.
But not the dry West of Mexico shapes the peninsula Yucatan.
We watched the scenery, which passed by, with marveling eyes:
Dense jungle as far as the eye can see. Vegetation up to a height of 4-6 metres.
Thorny underwoods, opuntia and mimosa, Spanish cedars partially overgrown by moss, numerous kinds of palms and the red blooming Flamboyant trees grow together to an endless green dense wood.
From time to time a gigantic Ceiba tree which tops many market places of the villages.
According to legend the first tree, connection between sky and earth.
After the compulsory Tequila we were strong enough to investigate another one of the known Maya's sites after short continuation of our journey:
Uxmal - World cultural heritage of the UNESCO
ground view
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The ruins city which is situated about 80 km southward of Merida, belongs beside Tulum and Chichen Itza to the most often visited historical sightseeings of Yucatan.
It presents itself to the viewer as an impressive example of the late-classical Maya's epoch.
Without doubt the city played also politically a leading role in the Puuc region during its height between the 7th and 10-th century.
Nevertheless, the city as many other cities of the region was left for unknown reasons.
One owes the first information about the city to father Lopez de Cagullodo in the 16th century.
Almost 300 years later the adventurer Jean Fredrik von Waldeck described the ruins, before the untirable Maya explorers Stephens and Catherwood documented it in 1841 in an exemplary manner.
The surface of the excavation area amounts to 700x800 metres.
The restored buildings give an insight into the Maya culture.
Directly after the entry into the plant you stand in front of the imposing pyramid of the fortuneteller.
The oval construction form attract attention, which deviates from the buildings in Chichen Itza.
The pyramid has been overbuilt in the course of the years several times.
The oldest structure is from the year 569, the last one from 10 centuries.
Das Bauwerk ist 38 m hoch. The building is 38 m high.
Two 60 ° steep stairs go up (closed for visitors).
The "scquare of the nuns" is situated at the feet of the pyramid.
This is a very deceptive name which trace back to father Lopez de Cagullodo, the first European visitor.
He thought that certain vestal virgins protect the everlasting fire for the sacrificial death here.
In any case:The inner courtyard of this quadrangle is decorated richly with nice facades.
The facilities are nicely cultivated and freel from shops.
After the first inspection we moved into our hotel "Hacienda Uxmal" which was established in 1950 in colonial style.
Nearby the excavation sites, it enchants with its beautiful design and its big rooms.Shortly before the nightfall we
walked again from the hotel to the excavation site.At the entrance we got wireless headphones which could be tuned
to the corresponding national language.Then we were fascinated by a 40-minute light show of the antique buildings.
Rumbling and lightening accompanied this coloured show.But the story, which is told on the earphones, is rather annoying.
After a dinner in the hotel with Maralachi music, we went to bed exhausted - but not without coming out as a "Cocaracha hunter".
As the hotel was built in the woods hundreds of paddocks quacked with almost ear-deafening "melodies" to sleep.
The information about the Maya cultures was almost too much for one day.This is the price for a circular tour.
You are "yakked" and the stories range from science to fantasy.You will also be amazed without the background legends
and information if you stand in front of such imposing constructions and think about the fact that all stones were worked
on without tools.The Maya had nothing except for flints and wedges.
Sayil
The next day expected us again with early morning temperatures more than 30 degrees.
The impressions can be hardly absorbed so fast and the bus is again on the way to Sayil.
In my opinion one could also leave it out, but it is located en route to Kabah, on the Puuc route
and the stopover lasted only approx. 30 min.
(Who knows if we will ever come again:-)) so we made some photos and went to:
Kabah
This Maya's site was really worthwhile. The details of the frescoes and figures were unbelievable.
I have never seen such works elsewhere. The round tour through Kabah lasts approx. 2 hours.
The small ceremonial center Kabah is situated 20 km afar from Uxmal.
The imposing " palace of the masks " stands elongated on a platform.
Instead of the usual ornaments of the Puuc region, the figurative pictures of the facade sterilise
exclusively the mask of the rain God Chac.The palace is all over decorated with them.
Also the name "Kabah" refers to the haut école of the pre-Columbian stonecutters, who created
one of their masterpieces here.The construction was also built in the 8th century.
Celestun
Finally, the following tour led us by the sea.
Although we will spend our next bath vacation on the Caribbean coast, our feet felt first of all the sea water of the gulf of Mexico on the beach of Celestun.
The city is situated approx. 100 km to the west of Merida and is known for his fish restaurants.
The beach is many kilometres long and very wide. The adjoining lagoon is under nature conservation.
With anticipation we entered one of the recommended restaurants.
Here we had lunch. The choice was composed of everything the sea gave:
From crawfish and lobster up to Octupus.
In order to bridge the waiting period until the food would be served, we walked on the beach which was properly littered with shells.
Parque Natural del Flamenco Mexicano de Celestun
Early in the afternoon 3 boats waited in the natur reserve for us.
This lagoon in the gulf of Mexico accommodates flamingos, pelicans and colonies of frigate birds.
The nature reserve was a welcome change of the present trip, no " old stones ".
The lagoon, which runs close to Celestun in the gulf of Mexico parallel to the coast in the direction of
The north, is only max. 1 m deep. This is the reason that only here there is this number of flamingos,
who need the low brackish water. It smells mouldy of sulphur in spite of the wind, but not really unpleasantly.
The mangrove woods, which protect the lagoon at both sides, furnish big acuumulation of krill and small cancers who are the exclusive source of food for the flamingos.
The animals extract the pigments out of the cancers. This causes their pink colour.
Unfortunately, I have no telephoto lens for my camera, it would have been worthwhile, stuff it .-)
During the trip through the lagoon we had "break" at a small island which was "inhabited" by frigate birds.
I am taken with the birds.During our vacation I have seen them everywhere on the coast, even if not in the immense number like here.
The birds are related to our gulls, but have a wing-span of 1 m to 2 m and do not need any wing beats for flying.Very elegant glider,
which one observes being astonished.On the return we went by boat through the mangroves.
Suddenly it was getting dark, and our boatman accelerated in order to reach the "rescuing" harbour before the upcoming thunderstorm.
Merida
After this impressive boat tour the thunderstorm caught up with us.
The last wet short journey brought us to our last milestone to Merida.
Merida is the biggest city of Yucatan.
Many impressions of the old Spanish architecture made a unique atmosphere.
We moved into our room in the upper floor of a 6-storied hotel, built in Victorian style
with a magnificent view over the lively city.
Merida, the first colony of the Spaniards on the peninsula, is the most important city and economic as well of cultural centre
of Yucatan. It has a fascinating colonial charm and is alive, hectic, musty and colorful.Merida was established on the 6th of
January 1542 by Francisco de Montejo.Here he ruled as an unlimited ruler clan with thousands of Indian slaves.
This changed after the arrival of the Indian's representative, who stellte the locals under the charge of the crown and
summoned Francisco de Montejo to the committee of investigation of the Residencia to Mexico city where the admiral died still
before ending of the proceedings.
Bit by bit the European influence strengthened in the city and Merida developed rather fast to the colonial centre of Yucatans. The sisal boom in the 19-th century brought substantial wealth, which sich niederschlug in magnificent villas
and the splendid boulevard Paseo de Montejo.
Even a railroad (the only one even nowadays) was built and connected Merida with the distant Mexico city.Nowadays a modern industrial
crown surrounds the colonial city center which counts 1.4 million inhabitants.As in many colonial cities, the orientation is not
difficult due to the grid of the symetrically arranged streets:Streets with even numbers run from the north to the south, streets
with uneven numbers run from east to west. Only the fact of the unclear one-way streets is problematic for the self-driver.They can
let despair ignorants. The historical city center attracts tourists and locals equally and is called "Plaza de la Independencia".
Fountains, shady trees, benches and flowerbeds entice into resting and watching the hectic life.
The cathedral overtops the city centre. It was built in 1598.The West side of the place is separated by the wonderful Palacio
Municipal (the current city hall built in 1735).The North side of the place is limited by the Palacio de Gobierno.In the arcades
of the governor's palace nice cafes and bistros are situated.In the inner courtyard one can admire historical mural paintings
of the artist Castro Pachero.From the place towards South, the business centers and the roofed market halls Mercado Municipal
beginnen.The market in Merida. It is a continual coming and going, a pushing and crowd. In one corner market pitchmen try to
overbid themselves in volume, from the other corner louder Mariachi music buzzes.
Two steps ahead the air is filled with the smell of oranges, pineapples and guanabanas. Only a few afar the odor of slaughtered
animals takes one’s breath away. Everything has its fix place: vegetables, fruits, living hens here, leather goods, household goods,
clothes and tools there. Besides a lot of food stands.The Artesania has an own hall for embroidered blouses and hammocks, carvings,
braiding works – good quality and bulk commodity. Artful and shoddy things are naturally included.
We searched our dinner in the city by ourselves and found a comfortable tavern which prepared wonderful Mexican food.
One should never look precisely at night. The absent sewerage as we know it and the described climate see to it that
many six-legged cohabitants become awake at night.
At noon the last tour started, which was only interrupted by one break and ended after 4 stressing days with the arrival
at our holiday hotel Oasis Akumal at the Caribean coast on the Riviera-Maya beach. The room 40qm directly on the beach,
(but against extra charge!!) 4 metres terrace and a sea as I never experienced.(That’s saying something!)
Service friendly but not importunate, the animation decent but cordial. That’s a place where life is good.
The hotel not fully booked and only nice people ..- wonderful.(30% Italians, 60% Americans,der Rest German-speaking guests)
Now I must take up the cudgels for the hotel. I think we had luck once again. The water as already described indescribable,
so the hotel Oasis Akumal is one of the few hotels at the coast, which allows to swim and skin-dive riskless in the sea. Bathing
was a recovery of prime quality. All pictures on this page were made not wider than 20 metres from the beach. It is hard to believe
how many fishes welcomed us every day. Partially I had the feeling, that I swim through an aquarium.:-)
Most of the hotels do not have this possibility due to stones at the coast. Even our direct neighbor hotels (by the way no hotels
more than 2 floors and less 3 stars) had no swimming possibilites in the sea.Naturally only a bathing holiday would not bring what
I expect from a holiday. So some trips from the hotel to the hinterland were order of the day. 30 km northwards from Akumal
Playa del Carmen is situated.
This "tourist city" seemed not to be very attractive. The impressions were so as I imagined: It oculd have been Spain.
The prices over-priced, the sellers do not deal, because they are accustomed to the American tourists (spoiled). This causes,
that the whole region on the coast has the heart to offer these utopian prices. I must declare this as a warning. Mexico is
expensive.here..very expensive... and the hotels know thousands of tricks to pull the money out of pocket of the tourists.
For example it may happen that the credit cards cannot be read anymore. Not because the technics does not function, but due
to intended maloperation, so that it is paid with dollars cash). also our room (with ocean view) could not be booked in
Germany pretendedly.ocean view ???! 20 $ extra charge ...per day.
You will rather get "Thanks" for tip. Apropos Tip: when checking in most of the hotels a "leaflet" is distributed, on which
the "prescribed" gratuity is indicated. e.g 1 dollar per piece of luggage for the Kuli (makes 3 Euro for 3 suitcases drive
30 metres (not even bear)!
By the way one will often get angry glances, if the tip is given in Pesos instead of Dollars. This problem is tightened
by the American tourists (who are 70% of the whole tourists). Certainly it is a cheaper holiday for them than for Europeans.
The average income of a Mexican amounts monthly approx. 300 Euro. One is (I am)ready to give tip for this reason but then
the corresponding service must be given. The service, which was shown in other parts of the world more nice and friendly.
But all this is the only negative I can report of.
Also outside the hotel there was enough to see: The bus system is simple and functions as e.g. in Turkey. Keep up the finger
at the coast road and the bus picks you up, if it is not full.You give the driver a hint when leaving the bus and pay
according to the driven distance.Simple and convenient. Small busses drive in irregular terms. One waits sometimes a bit.
The big busses drive hourly from Cancun to Chetumal.
Tulum
20Km south of our hotel Tulum is situated. The sole Maya-site, which is situated directly at the coast.Contrary to other Pre-columbian
sites of Yucatan Tulum was a densely populated city at arrival of the Spaniard Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba in the year 1517.
This contact ended bloody, but had no submission as consequence. High above the Anlage directly at the wonderful cliff line
El Castillo" is situated. Also well-preserved "the temple of the frescoes" and the "house of the columns". Unfortunately one
must not enter stairs to the beamy main tower anymore. But a walk to the coast is worth, where the cliffs fall down to the
turquoise ocean and Tulum shows its real character. I planned my visit of Tulum for a Sunday, because you can save the entrance
money. But there are no actors who are disguised in Maya costumes, who entertain the tourists there. I recommend to use the early
opening hours, because the site is overcrowded about noon. A tin of Pepsi after the sweaty visit of the archeological
excavation: min 3 Euro.(by the way I have not seen any Coca-Cola in ganz Mexico....?)
One of the highlights of our Mexico journey at the second last day:
I visited the biggest Maya-site in Latin-America : Tikal. My flight was in a propeller aircraft of Aero Ferinco along
the Mexican coast above Belize (ehem. British Honduras), to the rainforest of Guatemala.
Tikal
So many legends ...that`s it I ever dreamed of (together with the not yet reached pyramids in Gizeh)...
because the past circular trip brought so much Maya culture close to me. It was clear for me : if I have
the possibility, I will use it. AS this unique archeological excavation was not manageable in our circular tour,
I booked this trip the May-site in the hotel. As the flight from our vacation resort to Guatemala would take about
2 hours, the alarm was ringing at 4:45 Uhr. I got no breakfast, the hotel cooks also need their sleep. A small bus
of the Mexican tourist party "Go Mexico" picked me up at the reception and drove me as single "adventurer" to the private
airport of the tourist party to Playa del Carmen.
After I had paid the forthcoming journey and the other adventurers arrived, the first flight started from Playa del Carmen to the Mexican holiday island Cozumel.
This was necessary in order to collect our tour guide and to saddle him with the task of the exit formalities. Here also the
slightly bitter taste of ripping off the tourists. Because the Mexican government hat vorgeschrieben an exit and entry tax
of 50 $. But it was already contained in the journey price: After the small propeller aircraft picked up the 18 adventurers,
a short flight ging along the West coast of Cozumel southwards.
Our tour guide eine gute figur machen when serving us snacks, but he also prepared us also very informatively for the forth-coming.
During the flight again entry formalities must be filled in for Guatemala.(...in the meantime one is expert in such things :-)
After we left the coast, the view out of the window of the airplane showed only one colour: green!
The airplane turned eastwards and we overflew Belize (former British Honduras) above endless djungle.When the airplane left the
flight height of 1600 m, we had a wonderful view to Flores at the lake Peten Itza. Guatemala – the southern neighbor of Mexico
could not accentuate its attractions, because political instability made a careless journey impossible. Fortunately the problems
in the country eased. Nowadays one comes as tourist no longer between the fronts of military and guerilla. Besides Nicaragua
Guatemala is the second biggest countrys of Central America, but this cannot be seen at the airport. Only the penetrative
eyes of the lady, who sets her the stamp in my passport was a bit furious :-)).
The last 50 minutes journey by bus through the rainforest of Guatemala were bridged by our tour guide interesting and informative.
After the obligatory heat shock after leaving the bus.. the feeling of the jungle prevailed... I’d never seen something like that.
The impressions I got cannot be pressed in these lines.
Rainforest as far as the eye can see... After the entrance into the 60 qkm big excavation area of Tikal, one goes through the forrest
with unbelieving views. ..trees more than 30 metres high, which make oneself so small, take away the light. Our tour guide said:
".. If you leave the ways only 10 metres, turn yourself 3 times around, you will never find back."...and the cries of the howler
monkeys (which you never see but always hear) ... so we followed our tour guide through the rainforest.
The Maya site Tikal which was re-discovered in 1848 belongs to the most important evidences of the classical epoch and to
one of the most beautiful ruin cities of Central America.
Tikal ascended from a colony, founded in a decent pre-Christian time to the center of the powerful Maya’s empire.
The temples rise as islands out of the rainforest... "You stand 15 metres afair from a 40 metre high pyramid" said
the tour guide...but we have seen nothing! So dense is the rainforest around us .....
Many parts of the city are still overgrown by the rainforest and cannot be restored for reasons of economy. During the height
between the 6th and 9th century the Maya-Metropole extended over a surface of more than 14 square kilometres. One estimates the
then population figure for more than 100.000.In the meantime the center and the 4 big temples, which fused to a singular harmony,
excavated and conserved. On our walking-tour through the rainforest we met ant eaters, spider monkeys, a shy tarantula, an ant-hill
of leaf-cutter ants, vultures and wild turkeys... a really imposing impression in the second biggest connected rainforest of the
world. The return brought a bus tour through the center of Flores, where we could not ramble unfortunately due to lack of time.
Interesting is the information that there were only two asphaltic streets in Guatemala..-> the one from the airport to Tikal and
a dead-end street to the capital city Guatemala-City. The return flight ging through a thunderstorm and swung the small airplane
heftily.A stopover with the inescapable entry formalities was performed in Chetumal.The small city in the South of Mexiko is
simultaneously Capital city of the Mexican state Quintana Roo, in which also Cancun and the Caribean coast are situated.
After a further short flight I reached again Playa del Carmen and my concluding taxi drive to my eagerly awaited hotel.
I have muscle ache from climbing every 3 pyramids, which are opened for tourism and then take it away to Europe.
Yucatan is in any case worth a journey. It was a sunny, interesting and recreative holiday. We can recommend everyone to discover this country
this way.
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