Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Trip: Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), April 2005
In April, three college friends and I celebrated our collective 50th birthdays at Maya Tulum, a spa located on the undeveloped part of the "Mayan Riviera" just south of Tulum. Tulum is the spectacular Mayan site, set on a high cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The narrow spit of beachfront which stretches from Tulum to Puenta Allen is about 60km long and boasts one beautiful beach after the next. (Not exactly pristine, unfortunately, as all manner of plastic garbage washes ashore.) Unlike Cancun, which is an over-developed, Spanglish mess, this part of the coast is still predominently beach shack territory. Thankfully, the Mexican government has set aside a lot of land, designating a "biosphere" among the indigenous mangrove swamps.
I hope this small corner of the world can remain free of the globalization that threatens all countries, but I am fearful. I feel lucky that we were able to see it now and stay in a place where the windows still opened to the sounds of the wind and waves and the crabs and lizards crawled freely into our rooms.
I hope this small corner of the world can remain free of the globalization that threatens all countries, but I am fearful. I feel lucky that we were able to see it now and stay in a place where the windows still opened to the sounds of the wind and waves and the crabs and lizards crawled freely into our rooms.
The Biosphere Treehouse
Though the winds make this structure sway worse than a skyscraper in an Earthquake - brave the climb because the view from the top is magnificent.
Lattes on the Beach
We delighted in discovering Posada Marguerite and the wonderful brew they whipped up every morning for us.
Modern Men Interpret Ancient Customs
If these guys were meant to scare tourists, they weren't doing such a hot job.
Looking toward Portugal
Although Maya Tulum's beach sits on the Caribbean Sea and is protected by a barrier reef, the surf can still get pretty frothy.
The shady walkways of Maya Tulum
The casitas are close together, but mostly private. Noise does carry as we found out one night.
Cooool Pool
This tidal pool was home to a lot of interesting aquatic life. Stretching the length of the its coast (and into Belize) the Yucatan Peninsula boasts the second longest contiguous reef in the world, behind the Great Barrier.
Zamas on the Beach
We enjoyed the guacamole at Zamas, although Sarah wishes we could be dancing to the Ritmo Latino of Bohemios
Casita Wall
Creative grouting forms an almost African like pattern. I've seen this technique a lot in Mexico.
Mid-day shadows
I am fascinated by palm trees, all the different varieties leave different "imprints" on the sand
Tulum: An Annotated History
The "city" of Tulum was erected most probably in the period between 800/900AD and possibly as late as 1550AD, although the oldest object found at Tulum was a stele (vertical slab with hieroglyphs)dated to the mid 6th c. AD. Over time, Tulum became a strategic point for commerce on the Yucatan Peninsula, owing to its location on a high cliff overlooking the Sea. Its pre-Hispanic name was Zama, which means "dawn," and it is not hard to deduce how it got this name. Although colonial Spaniards knew about the city, references were pretty well lost after 16th c., as the city was deserted. In the early 19th c. John Stephens, an American from New England, probably the most well known "discoverer" of the Mayan sites, brought Tulum (and other locales) to public attention through his copious writings.
A View of the "Castle"
The Tulum Castle, the largest structure in the city, functioned as both a sentry and main temple.
Temple of the Frescoes
The Temple of Frescoes, located at the approximate center of the "city." This structure was built in 2 stages -- the ground valut is the oldest temple on the site and retains a good bit of the decoration, although we weren't able to see that on the day we were there. The upper temple is reached by outer staircase. Mayans depicted their world through flat, multi-chromatic frescoes and three dimensional reliefs on walls and stele.
EEEK!
Lizards of more than 6ft in length inhabit the nooks and crannies of the walls surrounding Tulum. They are well camouflaged, blending in completely with the grey stones. Can you find the lizard?
The Road to Puenta Allen
Puenta Allen is the end of the line, 57 kms due south from Tulum, along a sometimes paved, sometimes not, beach road through the "Biosphere," a tract of land in the mangrove swamps, which the Mexican government has designated for protection. (As an aside, the "treehouse" lookout in the preserve is definitely worth a climb.)
Getting to Puenta Allen takes 2 hours and when you arrive you realize it's the Mexican equivalent of a one horse, or maybe half a horse town. The main drag is pretty straigtforward, you're looking at it. There aren't too many places to eat here, but the town does boast an "army base," which turns out to be one guy with a rifle hanging out on the veranda and a forelorn patrol boat. It's good to know that Mexico is taking that homeland security thing seriously.
We Propose a Michelin Rating
We recommend the quesadillas con camarones. With a bottle of Dos Equis at $1, this is the best meal for the value you'll ever have.
Coba: A (Very) Annotated History
Coba is inland from Tulum about 47 kms. It was once one of the largest and most powerful trading cities and occupies a huge tract of land encompassing several lakes. There's CROCS in them thar water too! Coba is unique among the Mayan sites as it has only been cleared, not restored. Perhaps only a dozen or so buildings have been excavated and everyone seems to agree there are many more. None the less, two ball courts and the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan make it well worth the trip. (Not to mention the vendor stands conveniently located along the Coba road at speed bumps, which proudly display local textiles and hammocks.)
Additionally, Coba has an extensive system of formal roads called sacbes (saak-bay) which were quite sophisticated in their engineering, as they include "roundabouts" and junction markers.
Additionally, Coba has an extensive system of formal roads called sacbes (saak-bay) which were quite sophisticated in their engineering, as they include "roundabouts" and junction markers.
Don't Look Down
It may not look like it from the Ground but the Xaibe is extremely steep. Only Mary and I climbed all the way to the top. What a workout.
My God, what a view!
At 126 feet, this structure is taller than its more famous cousin, "El Castillo" at Chichen Itza. Needless to say, the top of the Xaibe provides an incredible lookout. I'm guessing you can easily see more than 50 miles in all directions.
A Day at Sea
No trip to the beach would be complete without the requisite snorkeling trip. Hard to tell from the photo, but the water was quite rough. We marvelled at our muy macho hombre, who stood on the back seat navigating the swells with just the rudder for backup.
Farewell to the Yucatan
Inevitably the strong arm of nature wreaks havoc on human endeavor... As the ocean sweeps away the last physical vestiges of our stay at Maya Tulum, Las Chickas (sic) bid adios to the magical and mysterious Yucatan.
Next year brings a new adventure for Las Chickas - !Viva la reunión!
Until then, tune in for my other activities.
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