The Habanero Kid

Glen's conference officially ended at breakfast as the group divided. Some took the early bus from the Mayaland Resort to Cancun to catch flights home while others lingered to do a final tour. We were in the latter group so said good-bye to friends in the former before packing up to leave.

To beat the hordes of tourists from Cancun, we boarded the bus early and drove to the Balancanche Cave. We arrived just as it opened so were the first group into the caverns that day. We had been warned by others that it was a 'hot' cave and quite unlike any other we'd been in. After winding our way through the jungle (Yucatan is a mid-canopy rainforest), we descended steep steps into the cave. It was well-lit and had Mayan drums and songs playing. The cavern was alive with bats who didn't seem bothered by us or the lights and music. Most of the gravel path was easily traversed and where steep stairs cut the rock, there were ropes to cling to.

A narrow tunnel connected the two main caverns and in the second was the outstanding 'tree of life' formed by the meeting of stalactites and stalagmites. Surrounding the formation were offerings to the rain god, Tlaloc, which consisted of some unusually decorated pots.

At this point, the cave became very hot--not so much in heat but in oppressive humidity. My camera lens fogged as did my glasses whenever we stopped moving. The path led deeper into the cave so we descended the narrow steps down to the final cavern. Here was the source of the humidity, a large pool of water. Beside it were offerings which included hundreds of small stone maize grinders.

By this time, we were dripping wet, literally, from the humidity. I've never experienced that before. Since we were the last of our group to leave the cave, it was eerie having the place to ourselves.

Our next stop was the Cenote Ik kil (Sacred Blue Cenote). This was an obvious tourist stop but again we were the first to arrive. The pool of clear water was about 25 meters below the surface and the waters were at least 40 meters deep. Long roots dangled down from the lip and fly-catchers darted among them. Most of the group swam but Glen had a plugged ear from Saturday's swim and I was suffering from my heat rash so neither of us wanted to chance it. I thought I would regret this decision but in the end preferred photographing the cenote to swimming in it.

As we left, several tour buses disgorged hundreds of tourists. It was so nice to have had the cenote to ourselves and enjoy its wonders.

We then stopped at the colonial town of Valladolid for lunch. Sheilah recommended a good place and the whole bus decided to eat there. The staff at El Meson del Marquez were overwhelmed so lunch took much longer than expected. From the authentic Yucatan cuisine menu, Glen had baby shark (dogfish) pie while I had a chicken dish. We sat with friends and Jennifer also had the chicken dish while her husband, Neil, and Morris (of scorpion fame) had Cochinita Pibil.

I wish I could remember the name of what I ate but it came in a huge soup bowl. The base of this stew was corn pureé loaded with pieces of chicken. Garnishing it was a mix of salsa, olives, capers and almonds. Glen's dish was shark between two tortillas garnished with a shiny green habanero pepper. Before I could warn him, Glen popped the pepper into his mouth. I have never seen his face so red. He washed it down with cerveza (beer) but it was several minutes before he could talk. The rest of us could not stop laughing as Morris dubbed him, The Habanero Kid.

We bought Glen a lovely Mexican shirt in a nearby Mexican artisan store while our friends, Janet and Iain, debated laying down $8500.00 on a sculpture of a sitting girl. They left without the purchase but I think they will buy it eventually.

The bus ride back was very quiet. Everyone slept! Hey, we are mostly older people who had had a great meal with drinks. Besides, the scenery we passed was much like Canada's boreal forest--one bores of it quite quickly.

We ended the day having supper with Neil and Jennifer--something I thought I might miss when my heat rash flared making me nauseous about an hour before we were to meet them. Glen helped by laying cold cloths on my ankles which took down the swelling and lowered my fever. But, for the first time in my life, I could not look at a beer so had a margarita on the rocks.

Chichen Itza

Glen has sworn that he will never again celebrate his birthday during a Canadian winter but spending it waking up under the soft drapery of a mosquito net to the sound of birdsong made this year's birthday special.

I had set our alarm so we could enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading out to tour Chichen Itza but there was no need for the birds woke us at 6:15. We breakfasted under a palapa as peacocks descended from their roosts in the surrounding trees. From our friends, we heard tales of giant spiders and scorpions invading their rooms so were glad we only had to deal with an odd-looking beetle.

Our guide from Ek Balam, Victor, also lead us on around Chichen Itza (which means 'at the mouth of the well of the Itza'). The heat was not as oppressive as the previous day and no other tourists explored the site since most come from Cancun, a three hour drive away.

We strolled beside columns leading to the Temple of the Warriors as we entered the Mayan site. Dominating the landscape is the famous Kukulcan Temple (or El Castillo). The pyramid is so named because two feathered serpents (the god, Kukulcan) descend its staircase. These are illuminated by the rising or setting sun on the vernal and autumnal equinox. There is one place in the square where clapping will cause the pyramid to make an eerie cry. One can no longer climb or view its interior.

Chichen Itza boasts the largest ball court discovered so far in Mesoamerica. Its walls soar 12 meters and it is 166 meters long and 68 wide. The hoops through which a rubber ball must pass are a good 10 meters off the ground and are carved with intertwining serpents. At the base of the walls, is a scene depicting the decapitation of either the winning or losing captain, depending on who tells the story. The ball player's blood is seen fertilizing the soil.

Near the Temple of the Jaguar, is the Tzompantli with row upon row of carved human skulls. Nearby stands a broken Chac Mool, a reclining figure who cradles a dish on his stomach but faces away from it. It represents a go-between the Mayans and their gods. The dish holds the hearts of those sacrificed to ensure prosperity of the people and their lands.

A wide Mayan road, raised 2 meters above the surrounding countryside, leads to the well at Chichen Itza called a cenote. There are no above ground rivers in the Yucatan. Since it is a limestone plain, water flows through it creating caves and cenotes, or sinkholes. Cenote Sagrado was never used as a well for drinking water as it was sacred. Thousands of objects have been found in the cenote including gold, jade, and human skeletons.

Another imposing building of Chichen Itza is the observatory. It is also called El Caracol (the snail) for its spiral staircase. Here the Mayan priests studied the heavens creating an unique method of measuring time. They had two calendars, one 260 days long and one 365 days. These were like two meshed gears and every 52 years, when they came together, the Mayan began their lives anew. They doused their cooking fires and broke their pots.

A third measure of time, called the Long Count, allowed the Maya to record events beyond one generation. One Long Count period is about 395 years. So far there have been 13 of these periods with the 14th to begin in 2012. Since the Mayans number system is a base-20 rather than the base-10 system, there are still 6 more Long Count periods left in the Mayan calendar. So, the movie 2012 was hogwash.

By the time we had learned all there was to know about Chichen Itza, it was lunchtime so we walked back to the Mayaland Resort to enjoy their tasty buffet. Maya dancers entertained us with tap dances which involved balancing bottles or glasses on their heads.

After lunch, Glen was supposed to attend meetings but decided since it was his birthday, he would play hookey. While I uploaded photos onto my computer on our veranda, he swam in the pool not far away. The both of us did attend a showing of a National Film Board movie called the Mystery of the Maya then learned of the site of the group's next meeting--St. Maarten.

After supper, we all trooped back to Chichen Itza to view a light show with music and commentary giving us the same information we had heard during the day. My translator didn't work so I nodded off from time to time, taking photos only when other people's flashes woke me. Some of our friends spent the time stargazing as the heavens were crystal clear.

After the show, we chatted with our neighbours on our veranda until midnight. It was a taste of what it must have been like in the past before TV and computers ruled our lives.

Internet-Free Zone

On Friday, we left the beach-scene of Cancun and entered an internet-free zone in the centre of the Yucatan peninsula, hence the date of this posting.

At Glen's conference an invited speaker gave an interesting talk on Mayan science and all spouses were encouraged to attend. It was an update on what has been discovered about the Mayan over the last few decades. Afterwards, I packed for our trip to Mayaland. We were checked out of the Hilton and on the buses by noon. Our boxed lunch was incredible with two large sandwiches, a cookie and fruit as well as a bag of chips. This was washed down with lots of beer.

We travelled across the Yucatan to Ek Balam, a recently unearthed Mayan site (it was discovered in 1886 but not excavated until 1987). We had a Mayan guide who taught us the significance of the various buildings and roads. 'Ek Balam' means black or night jaguar in Mayan. The tomb of one of its king, Uki-Kan-Lek-Tok, dominates the site and it is here you see beautiful sculptures created from limestone. One can climb the pyramid to the top and get a feel for the size of the city. The steps are treacherous and descending can be frightening for anyone who has a fear of heights. There are no ropes or railings to cling to so you are on your own.

The site has a small ball court and several buildings which would have housed the nobility of the city and its priests. These ruins are not well known so one can explore them unfettered but my impression is that this won't last much longer as many feet have worn away the soft limestone already.

Mayaland is an oasis in a rainforest and welcomed after the heat (35 degree C)

of Ek Balam. Originally, it was the Chichen Itza hacienda until Fernando Peon bought it and the surrounding Mayan ruins to create a hotel for those who wished to see the antiquities. His family continues to operate it and other resorts on the property. We stayed in bungalows of three suites connected together by a veranda. We enjoyed the evening chatting with our neighbours on the porch, the night air alive with the sound of frogs and insects.

But, before this relaxing time, we had a Mayan feast that featured music, dancing, and a human sacrifice (it was very subtle and only a few witnessed it). Oh and lots of food! My favourite was a Mayan dish called Cochinita Pibil which is marinated pork in banana leaves. A tiny Mayan woman made fresh tortillas over a small fire. Tamales, refried beans, stewed chicken, and fruit all had to be tasted. I put some very hot green chili sauce on my plate which must have been made with habenaro peppers. The gentleman beside me gracious gave me his bottled water to cool my mouth.

Shopping

Today Glen's meetings started at 8:00am and spouses were supposed to take a glass bottom boat out to the reef. However, the surf was high so the tour was cancelled. Instead, we were to go shopping. As most know this is not what I like to do so when I heard the changes I was ready to head back to our room. Sheilah pleaded with me to join the ladies shopping (okay, there were three men but they bailed as soon as we reached town). Her convincing argument was I would see a beautiful stain glass window of the Mayan calendar at an upscale mall. I caved and found another soul, Jennifer, who also didn't want to shop.

Yes, we did tour the market and saw some interesting crafts for sale but I had seen most before in Ixtapa and so had no desire to buy. Finally, Jennifer and I left the market and wandered over to a Mexican hotel chain, RIU, that was very ritzy and checked out their lobby.

Our next stop was the modern Kukulcan Plaza where the stain glass window was amazing. Most of the group were done with shopping so we all headed upstairs where Luis, our guide, said the mall had an art gallery. The first pieces were done by students and in a very modern style. A set of dance sculptures excited me as the artist captured the essence of dance.

We had lunch with two couples from the meeting then Glen slept on a pool chair while I read. Above us, a flock of female frigate birds hovered. We then walked along the beach to check out the dredging operation. We re-visited the Hilton's Seafood restaurant for supper and I had oysters while Glen had cerviche. Our main course was fish, I had snapper and Glen had grouper.

Tomorrow we see more ruins on the road to Chichen Itza then have a Mayan feast at the Mayaland Resort.

Tulum and Xel Ha

We had hoped our first viewing of Mayan ruins would not disappoint and it didn't. Tulum was a walled city on the Caribbean Sea and served as a trading centre for the Mayan. Its sandy cove was a perfect landing area for their canoes. Our guide, Eduardo, told us that obsidian has been found at this site that originated in Guatemala. Tulum covers a large area of which much is excavated. We saw many stone houses with columns and arches reminding us of early Greek architecture. The central temple faces the city and not the beautiful azure seas of the Caribbean. Beside it, stands a building through which passes the sun's rays during the summer and winter solstices. These were important dates in the Mayan calendar.

We spent over an hour in the hot sun wandering through the ruins with hundreds of other tourists but were able to find places of calm among the antiquities to absorb the sense of the site's history.

Tourism is the main source of income for people in this region of Mexico so outside the ruins was a market with Mayan dancers and vendors selling a variety of souvenirs. They even had a Subway and Dairy Queen. Tim, from California, had to have a Dairy Queen ice cream because he had heard so much about them. We were not

popular when we clambered onto the bus with our cones.

Our next stop was Xel Ha (pronounced Shell-ha). The word means brackish water and is a lagoon where salt and fresh water meet. It is a nursery for fish and we were to snorkel there. It also had a dolphin experience and a tube ride. It was much like Disneyland but everything is free, including beer. It was full of mostly American tourists but I did hear French and German as well as Spanish. There were three huge parking lots for buses but the first one was barely full so even though it seemed crowded, it was not.

We had brought masks and snorkels with us so just had to grab a locker, a life belt, and get into the inviting waters of the lagoon. I was very excited about using my camera to take underwater photos. We saw lots of fish, a sting ray, and sea urchins. I soon learned how to take pictures and took hundreds--some not so great but others I'm thrilled with.

Exhausted, I slept on the way back to the hotel since it was a two hour bus ride back. We had a lovely Mexican dinner as a welcoming reception for the meeting and were able to connect with many of our friends. The tamales were excellent!

Cancun

We arrived yesterday to lovely weather in Cancun. Apparently it has been raining most days so everyone is happy with the sunshine. Our hotel room looks out onto a lovely beach that wasn't there last week. Storms and high tides had washed it away. There is a dredging operation that is bringing the sand back.

As we sat at the pool bar last night--on stools outside the water, our good friends, Sheilah, Tim and Ed joined us. At supper we met up with other couples from the meeting and ate in a great seafood restaurant. I had cerviche while Glen had Baja oysters. We both had grouper for our main course. The food was delicious but the restaurant was empty.

I think we are seeing the affect of H1N1 for when we went to the golf course, Kukulcan, we were the only ones on the driving range. Very few carts passed us on the way to the 10th hole. As we ate lunch--Glen had a Mexican hot dog while I had shrimp tacos--we watched two groups of golfers finish their rounds and no one came behind them.

The beach is almost empty and like Baja there is no swimming due to the undertow. You would think everyone would be crowding the pool but you would be wrong. I do believe the hotel is half empty.

After a quick cool-down in the hotel room, we are now off to enjoy the beach but in the shade as I have had enough sun for today. Curse being fair!!