Our next adventure:  Mexico and Guatemala!  After flying into Cancun, we took an ADO bus to Tulum, and then a taxi to our first lodging in Mexico: Dos Ceibas, a beautiful and affordable Mayan Holistic boutique hotel right on the beach. We thoroughly enjoyed our rustic yet luxurious stay.  Sand paths led to various accommodations, the pool, the restaurant, and to the beach.  We had an upstairs room with a gorgeous patio (and a wonderful neighbor!  Shout out to our new friend from North Carolina, Lisa).

While in Tulum, we visited two Mayan ruin sites:

Zona Arqueológica de Tulum: A coastal site used by the Mayans for trade and commerce (notably trading in obsidian and cocoa).  Tulum is considered a "contemporary" or modern site dating from 1000-1200 A.D. as it is a later development.

Muyil: Nestled in the jungle, Muyil is far less touristy than Tulum. We walked through the jungle of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve to discover ancient structures, including the impressive El Castillo.  A boardwalk path through the wetlands led us to a lagoon.  Along the path we spotted an anteater and a fox and lots of mosquitos.  

To move between the city of Tulum and the Hotel Zone where our hotel was located, we selected Colectivos as our mode of transportation.  A Colectivo is a shared van used by locals to get around Tulum and the Riviera Maya. While Colectivos take slightly longer than taxis, they are far less expensive and a great part of the travel experience.  The door on the van in the photo wouldn't close so it swung open and shut on the very bumpy roads! The broken door also helped provide a breeze, which may be why no one really cares if it slides back and forth during the ride.  We didn't.

After a comfortable and affordable 4.5-hour bus journey from Tulum, we arrived in Merida, the cultural heart of the Yucatan. Merida is also the capital and the largest city in the Mexican state of Yucatan.  It was founded in 1542 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco De Montejo and built on the site of the ancient Mayan city of Tho’. The city boasts a rich blend of Maya and Spanish heritage, evident in its beautiful colonial architecture.  The Cathedral de San IIdefonso is one of the oldest cathedrals in North America, constructed between 1561 and 1598.  The Spanish used the stone from the Mayan city to build the cathedral.  

Our visit coincided with the Festival De Las Ánimas and the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The historic Gran Plaza, a convenient 5 minute walk from our hotel, was bustling with events and markets, celebrating the occasion. Each night, the streets came alive with music, street dances, and the tantalizing aroma of traditional Mayan cuisine.

We attended a demonstration of an ancient Mayan ball game called Pok-ta-Pok, an ancestral Mesoamerican ballgame that the ancient Maya played for over 3,000 years. Beyond being a sport, it held profound religious significance, symbolizing the cosmic battle between light and darkness.  The announcing was entirely in Spanish, so we had to look that part up!  The game itself is a mixture of soccer and basketball.  The players use their hips to hit the ball through the hoop and the crowd goes wild when a team scores just like any ballgame.

 

For our last day in Merida, we embarked on a day trip to Uxmal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Uxmal, a Mayan site dating from 800 A.D. was, at its peak, home to 25,000 inhabitants.  It was like exploring an ancient city with distinctly different neighborhoods.  Although climbing the Pyramid of the Magician or the Great Pyramid is not allowed, we could climb the stairs of the Governor's Palace.  The intimidating but short climb was worth the effort for the amazing views!