We are at the El
Milagro Marina on Isle Mujeres off the coast of Cancun thoroughly enjoying ourselves
and soaking up as much Mexican culture as possible. We are only a 20 minute
ferry ride from Cancun so we have spent the last two days with Ann and Tony in
a rental car touring the area including two Mayan ruins.
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| Mayan Temple at Coba |
First, we headed
to Cobá. The ruins at Cobá (“Water Stirred by Wind”) are graceful and
impressive. Cobá may have once had the largest population of all the ancient
Mayan cities. This vast Mayan archeological site dates from 600-900 A.D. and
there were an estimated 55,000 - 100,000 people living there. It was the heart
of a large metropolis composed of many cities within the eastern Yucatan.
As many as fifty
sacbes (ancient roads) led into this huge Mayan city center, one of them over
62 miles long, the longest in the Mayan world.
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| Temple at Ek'Balam |
The steepness of the Nohoc Mul
pyramid (the tallest in the Yucatan at over 126 feet) and the building
techniques employed here are characteristic of the Petan region of Guatemala.
There are stories that indicate a ruling queen here married a priest from
Tikal, which may be why the architecture of the two sites is similar.
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| Tony, John and Richard |
Climbing the 120
stairs to the top of the Grand Pyramid at Cobá is worth the effort it takes.
The view from the top is breathtaking and you need to take a few deep breaths
after the steep climb up. The climb down is also a bit challenging since a
tumble would be painful at best.
The next day we
again traveled by taxi, ferry, car and foot. This time we headed to a
cenote. There are hundreds if not thousands of cenotes in the Yucatan. Cenotes
are underwater sinkholes formed when limestone caves collapse, revealing
undergrounds pools. The Mayans thought the pools were sacred places to
communicate with gods of the underworld. As such some were sites of human sacrifice. We visited X’Keken which is completely
underground. After making our way past the parking lot attendant,
admission booth, souvenir vendors, photographers, snorkel rentals, and tour
guides, we were led down a narrow stairway and into the cave-like structure
where we could swim in the fresh water pool. Tony, Anne and Richard all agreed
the water temperature was comfortable enough so Kay was tempted to go in until
the guide explained that the water is filled with bat excrement which the
catfish feed on.
After changing
into dry clothes, we drove to Valladolid located halfway between Cancun and
Merida. This colonial city founded in 1543 reminded us somewhat of Ponce in
Puerto Rico. There is a main plaza surrounded by stucco buildings painted
pastel colors. We ate lunch at El Meson del Marques in a building dating from
the 17th century.
Local foods were featured on the menu and Richard and Kay
tried the cochinita pibil - meat marinated in achiote and spices, wrapped in
banana leaf and baked underground. To eat you squeeze a bitter orange over it
and sprinkle with a powder made from dried local peppers. It was
excellent and so was the limon margarita.
If we return to
Valladolid, we will visit Case de los Vends (House of the Deer) an 18,000 sq.ft.
private home/museum with over 3000 pieces of Mexican folk and contemporary art
collected by an American couple over the past 50 years.
Next it was on to
Ek' Balam (“Black Jaguar”) a Yucatec-Maya archaeological site within the
municipality of Temozón, Yucatán. The site is noted for the preservation of the
plaster on the tomb of Ukit-Kan-Lek-Tok, a king buried in the side of the
largest pyramid. Dating from 100 BC to its height at 700-1,200 BC, Ek’ Balam
was located about 32 miles northeast of better known Chichen Itza. Ek’Balam has
only been fairly recently opened to visitors.
The most striking
building on the site is the Acropolis, at once a temple and a palace. It
features ornate carvings about two-thirds of the way up, decorating the
exterior of the Tomb of Ukit Kan Le’k Tok’. Many of these have been restored,
but you still get an excellent sense of how grand and unusual it was
originally. Rising over 100
feet and measuring about 540 by 210 feet at its base, the Acropolis dominates
the area and rises well above the surrounding forest. It was up here that the
king and his family lived, with a 360-degree view of unbroken horizons.
A recurring motif
in the carvings is the jaguar–Ek Balam itself means “dark jaguar.” Large stone
teeth create the impression of a massive jaguar’s mouth protecting the tomb,
and frescoes and carved warriors remain uniquely well preserved (and
reconstructed) among modern-day Mayan sites. To get there is a very steep climb
on uneven steps without a handrail. It’s only a matter of time before Ek Balam
follows several of the other Maya sites in banning visitors from climbing the
structures, but for now one can freely scale the temple and not only see the
fresco up close but also get a spectacular view of the surrounding region with
unbroken views to the horizon.
Groceries at
Chedraui. Gotta love a supermarket where you can buy not only the usual
edibles but also motocicletas (motorcycles)!
Mexico is very different than what we anticipated in many ways. It is beautiful, which we expected but it is
also has excellent infrastructure, is clean and orderly and the people are very
friendly and helpful. In Isla Mujeris
where we are docked, we have reunited with old friends from the eastern Caribbean
including Ted and Barbara from Vermont on Rosa Dos Ventos, Tony and Ann from GB
on Argosea, and met new friends as we settled in.
Eating is a major sport in Mexico. One meal that was very memorable was at Lolo's. Dinner at Lolo Lorena is a fabulously unique experience. A few evenings a week Lolo opens her home to 10-15 guests for dinner served at communal tables, under the stars, in a private outdoor courtyard behind her home. Lolo is chef and hostess, welcoming everyone, explaining each course and telling tales of entertaining life. During our visit we found that she was still wheelchair-bound after a fall and had died her hair green. She began with each guest introducing him/herself and amazed us by then reciting all of our names. Lolo is Belgian although her cuisine begins with classic French cooking. She puts a spin on recipes by shopping locally when possible so dishes depend on what is fresh at the markets and what she is in the mood to prepare. Usually there are no choices - it’s what Lolo feels like serving. We all brought our own wine and lovely wine glasses were set out on the table. Our waiter came around with jars of glitter and sprinkled the tablecloths with glittery designs. The meal was both interesting and delicious and included tuna tartare, a salad, tomato bisque, and shrimp with risotto. Desserts are spectacular. That’s plural. A large plate with seven small portions of different desserts for each diner. Most were chocolatey and all were delicious.
While Mexico has been a delight, there is one issue that seems to
touch many. Payoffs to traffic police
are known as “mordidas” or “little bites.” Yup, our rental car was pulled over
for allegedly running a red light and the officer made in clear, without
speaking English, that we either pay him $1800 pesos ($100USD) or accompany him
to the police station. To pay or not to pay? That is the question.
Without knowledge of local laws or customs, we opted to pay the bribe and be on
our way. This is apparently a common
issue with rampant police corruption. As we acclimate to the ways of Mexico, we
will become more astute at how to avoid these situations.
John Creelman, an “old” friend from Vermont, has been on board
since before we left Key West. He was interested in
experiencing a passage and joined us for the 400-mile trip to Isla
Mujaris. Passage making, especially relatively
short ones (4 days or less) can be a bit tiring. Nevertheless, they give you a unique
appreciation for your destination, one that you don’t have when you step out of
an airplane after 6 hours. You also don't experience 20 foot waves in an airplane!
Our next weeks will be a continuation of our exploration of the
Yucatan with a side trip to Merida. Stay
tuned and let us know when you plan to join us.
Thanks for following
Richard & Kay
Some additional Pics
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| Ek' Balam |
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Dinner at El Milagro
Our Marina Home |
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| Richard and John atop the Temple at Coba |
