Chichen Itza

Perhaps the most iconic picture of a  Mexican step pyramid. This is the main temple at the Chichen Itza temple complex.

The map of the complex.

Quite dusty in March when I was there.

Not a lot of what they said about the place made sense to me, but the architecture is impressive.

They claim all the open ground was used to play a game.

If you feel you want to read something about the temple.

The iguanas are still resident.

Think I should have told you more about Chichen Itza? Here’s somthing to read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_Itza 🙂

Tulum – Yucatan

Modern day Maya can still visit their beautiful Tulum. It is conserved as a National Park. Not quite the same I presume, but it’s still there.

I believe around a third of the inhabitants of the cities have Maya as their home language. Very much alive.

And the local flavour is there to welcome you.

Tastes like chicken I hear..

These cities had hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. You can see the city of Dzibilchaltun stretching for kilometers before you reach the archeological site. The highway goes right through it. It is quite unreal. There is hectares of the stuff. Far too much to keep everything fenced off.

 

The view still cannot be surpassed.

Many US citizens move to the Yucatan to retire. It is on the Caribbean  sea, lovely, safe and beautiful. And malaria free, as opposed to their southern neighbours.

Officially known as the free and independent state of the Yucatan, one of 31 Mexican states.

You can swim at almost all of the archeological sites in the Yucatan. They were built by a canotte. Lovely fresh waterholes connected to the underground river system.

The Yucatan has no surface rivers but underground rivers break through the limestone and gives you these beautiful cool fresh waterholes.

At Tulum off course you also have the sea. Not cool, but still ravishing.

Caribbean Coast – Cozumel

The beautiful island of swallows lies about 20 km off the coast of the Yucatan peninsular, in the Caribbean sea.

The archetypal tropical island with swaying palm trees and turquoise blue sea.

Looks like stranded coral.

Many of the big passenger liners stop here

and this guy is fishing with a hand line.

Each note an artwork in itself. Frida Kahlo is popular in her own country now as well. Pity she had to die first..

Cozumel has one of the most important carnaval’s in the Caribbean, if I am deciphering it correctly.

My guess is these creatures that line the seafront are also from carnaval.

The last one is a tortoise with a banjo or something.

Loved the refrigerated transport. Apparently they have not agriculture on the island. It is mostly a nature reserve.

And they have nature! Around 800 bird species in the Yucatan.

Also the necessary sea birds.

And off course iguanas.

They bask in the sun on walls and get out of the way very quickly when you approach. Eaten I understand..

And dogs lie in front of the gate, in the street. To guard the property I assume? And the neighbours’ dog is in front of his own gate, just a few meters on.  Just goes to show, it is all social customs.

And a pharmacy on every corner. Perhaps the reason they advertise? A bit surprising..

You can buy snorkeling gear there as well.

And my favourite, new food.

Green tamotoes, in husks like gooseberries. They make a (famous) green sauce with them.

And Jicama. Peeled, they can be cooked and do very well in a stir fry, but also great raw. A fresh soft taste, a bit like apple.

Very handy for travelling, I found, as they don’t brown when cut.

And a boat  for you if you feel like going a little way.

 

 

Cozumel – Island of Swallows