Mexico Part 7. The Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan
Tuesday, 2 October 2012 6:33 am
Monday 1st October:
After another quick swim in the Gulf of Mexico we head inland over the flat limestone jungled country and into Mayan history.
Labna, was the home to over 3000 Mayans, and in this area underground water vessels or ‘chultunes’ were used to collect and store water during the dry months.
The El Palacio (Palace) is ornate with decorative carvings including this face within a serpent’s jaws.
The Mayan community thrived and built many magnificent structures from 500AD to 1500AD and there are many unproved stories why the society all but disappeared.
At Kabah, the El Palacio de los Mascarones (Palace of Masks) is an amazing sight.
The entire facade is covered with carvings including this rare one where the nose is not broken
For a small fee we were allowed to camp in the grounds of the Uxmal Lodge.
Camp 232: Mayan Camp at Uxmal
Cost: MXP 131 (US/A$10)
N20* 21.675 W089* 46.100
Today : 274 Kms.
Trip Total: 88,637 Km
Our pre dinner drinks and meal are around the pool which we then negotiated to use, as we had purchased dinner.
Following that refreshing swim we then went to see the sound and light show and listen to some Mayan stories.
The air is still, hot and very humid
Tuesday 2nd October:
We employed a guide ( MXP350, usually 550) for our visit and George was brilliant.
So many photographs and still none do it justice.
The Mayans were peasant farmers, their main crops being corn and maize, both of which they developed.
Their leaders lead an exotic lifestyle dressed in jaguar robes and exotic feathered headdresses.
The main Mayan God was that of the Rain or Sky Serpent, and it was rain that they needed seasonally for their crops, and many human sacrifices were given to please the Sky Serpent.
One theory is that it was a severe drought, and prolonged waring with neighbouring tribes, was the main reasons for the Mayan decline.
The carvings intricate in design.
A man’s head in the serpents mouth, a rattle snakes tail, a corn flower, and a corn grinder.
All around the Iguanas sun themselves on the building stones.
At the winter and summer equinox the shadow of this serpent structure casts a perfect snake shadow in the courtyard before and behind the structure.
The Mayans knew the earth was not flat and that the earth and venus circled the sun, well before the Europeans.
Everything Mayan is related to the number 12, and thus the theory that the world will end when the Mayan calendar ends on the 21st 12th 2012 the Winter Equinox. All will change as it is the end of the Mayan 25,000 year cycle.
Hang onto your chair !
Drove, via small villages noting that many of the houses are still built and lived in are of the same style that the Mayans used over 2,000 years ago.
Our lesser road, is known as the Route of Convents, and has many brightly coloured churches built by the Franciscan friars from the 16th Century,
Onto the most well known and touristy Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza.
Tried to camp in the car park but not allowed, however just outside the complex we found an open paddock via a small track leading off the main road.
Surrounded by 3 metre high corn, just perfect for us.
Camp 233: Mayan Camp at Chichen Itza
Cost: MXP Nil
N20* 41.442 W088* 34.667
Today : 160 Kms.
Trip Total: 88,797 Km
Wednesday 3rd October:
I am so pleased we visited and enjoyed Uxmal, because Chichen Itza is so over touristed that it is almost impossible to take a photograph without tour groups in the foreground.
Venders were everywhere, and constantly hassling for your business.
We were lucky that we entered at 8am when it opened to obtain this uncluttered picture. (The scaffolding is fortunately also obscured by the tree)
Have to say the ball court was the most impressive.
The game was played with two teams of seven players each. The object to get the rubber ball through the stone circle high up on each side.
Initially played without using the hands and later with a bat.
As shown by the carving around the field, the downside of the game was that the captain of the loosing team and maybe also the players lost their heads!
The carving shows the seated captain with his head missing and blood spurting.
His head is now in the circle below and perhaps used as the ball !
Lunch, and supply top up was in the town of Valladolid where the houses are all a soft pastil colour.
This light green limestone lake is set in the Jungle.
At camp and whilst we were swimming Spider Monkeys jumped through the trees,
but with drink in hand they were too quick for the camera.
Camp 234: Punta Laguna Camp
Cost: MXP 100/person (incl 60/person entry)
N20* 38.821 W087* 38.049
Today : 130 Kms.
Trip Total: 88,927 Km
Thursday, Friday 4 & 5th October:
The wet season has arrived.
Last night it rained then poured then bucketed.
This is where we will relax for 2 days before crossing into Belize on the 7th October when our Mexican Visas expire.
It was only 40kms away however the track so rough that the first 20kms took over one & half hours. Considering we had to return two days later we started early to look for a beach camp.
A faint track only 500metres long lead us onto the beach.
Part of the way we had to cut our way in but we knew at least it would be private.
Well that lasted about 30 minutes when a group of students doing turtle research wandered up the beach.
They are doing hatchling studies by digging up the already hatched turtle eggs and counting the hatched eggs.
Now we have the place to ourselves, and we never saw another person until we left.
The surrounding camp area needed a bit of a clean up however the high tide make was plastic as far as one could see.
Other than that, just perfect.
We watched the sun rise into a blue sky,
most of the day swam in the Caribbean Sea, paddled out to the coral reef in John’s inflatable kayak,
and had drinks under the coconut trees as the sun set again.
Camp 235: Caribbean Coast Camp
Cost: MXP nil
N19* 58.444 W087* 28.050
Today : 93 Kms.
Trip Total: 89,820 Km
We cross into the country of Belize on Sunday, so we are all studying the broader procedures and our route.
But must be time for another swim, Bye
Saturday 6th October:
As we head south towards Belize our final Mexican camp was in the town on Bacalar.
Actually it was the most beautiful piece of private property owned by a very old couple who let it out for camping.
Right on Lake Bacalar, the clear aqua waters lapping at the grass.
Camp 236: Laguna Bacalar Camp
Cost: MXP 75/person
N18* 39.109 W088* 24.538
Today : 253 Kms.
Trip Total: 90,073 Km