Mexico, Part 2: Chichen Itza

Some people enjoy the Yucatan because of its balmy temperatures, clear blue water, and the opportunity to relax with umbrella drinks on a glistening beach. But for me, greater appeal lies in exploring the ancient monuments and unfamiliar geography. I was excited to embark on our first tour -- a day-long tour of Chichen Itza, a stop in Valladolid, and the chance to swim in a beautiful cenote.

A tour van picked us up at the hotel and transported us to a local market, where we were to check in for the tour and then board the big bus that would take us out into the jungle. The store itself was interesting; it reminded me of the kitsch-filled souvenir shops you find in mountain towns...only everything was priced in both US dollars and pesos. And yes, they had mariachi sombreros.



Before we boarded the bus, they took our photo in front of a green screen, and then edited in the pyramid in the background. I like the real photo (above) better. What do you think?

The bus was comfortable. The scenery along the road was mostly jungle, which we were told was mostly unfit for farming because the ground was consistently rocky. Because of the rainfall, all sorts of trees and bushes could grow there...but there was no way to plow the land for any sort of mass cultivation. The trees weren't huge, but there was plenty of variety and density. You'd be lost if you got 10 feet away from the road -- but you couldn't even get that far without a machete. According to one of our guides, there were various monkeys out there, but I never saw any.

The first place we stopped was a village called Valladolid, which we were told contained good examples of the architecture common to the towns colonized by the Spanish. We did a brief tour of a cathedral that was probably once very impressive, but now seemed rather shabby and indicative of the poverty throughout the region. Along with the lack of farmable land, there is also a lack of industry; soliciting money from tourists seems to be the primary source of revenue for most of the local inhabitants. The cathedral was ripe with people selling hats, scarves, and jewelry...and there were also those who were simply begging.

This phenomenon was ubiquitous. Even within the Chichen Itza park, the vendors were at times more prominent than the gigantic stone monuments. Every pathway was lined with folks selling trinkets, clothing, jewelry, and unauthorized NFL merchandise.

Seriously, there were Mayan totem carvings with Pittsburgh Steelers and KC Chiefs logos on them. I'm sorry, but that's just wrong.



But the stone edifices were impressive indeed. And the information the tours guides shared was fascinating. The lecture began in the gigantic carving-adorned sports arena where the ancient Mayans reportedly played something akin to Rollerball.





Unfortunately, I have run out of time for today's post, so we'll continue this discussion in the next installment. Will there be tales of eerie acoustical phenomena and ritual decapitation? Perhaps...you'll have to come back to find out. In the meantime, have a great day!