Day 6 Monday; Uxmal Kabah, Maya family, chocolate museum , sound and light

The entrance to the ruins of Uxmal is about 2 blocks from our hotel.  So convenient!  We climb up a small hill and when we get to the top --- Pyramid of the Dwarf.

Legend has it that it was built in one night by the Dwarf king. But when we look at it from an archaeological point of view, we see 3 distinct times of being built.  Uxmal means 3 times in Maya and all of the main structures have 3 different times of construction.  Everyone  can understand why this is one of my favorite sites.  There is beauty and gracefulness to the design of the structures.  Susan said she felt the structures supported community.  Maybe, that’s what I like about it. 

We spend about 2 hours in the ruins. 

As we leave, we enjoy some nice, sweet, cold mango juice.

Our next stop is the ruins of Kabah.  They are about 10 miles down the road.  In the days of the Maya, they are connected by a sacbe (white road).  The arched gate way to Kabah has been reconstructed.  The main structure of Kabah is a long, low temple with representations of the rain god, Chac, covering the entire front façade.  This site is much smaller than Uxmal so only takes about ½ hour to visit. 

We go to a nearby village to visit a traditional Maya family. The wife makes us the best, handmade tortillas. One sign of a good tortillas is that when you cook it, it puffs up.  All of hers puffed up so beautifully. 

The husband demonstrates how to prepare the henequen to get the fibers, which they dry and make extremely strong rope and twine. 

We also see several fruit trees, herbs, etc. 

Lunch is back towards Muna.  The restaurant is big to accommodate tour buses but we are the only ones there.  It is a family run place and of course, Juan knows the family.  The matriarch of the family is there sporting a beautiful hand embroidered huipil.   I compliment her on it enough that she brings out the one she is working on.  The band of embroidery on her huipil is much wider than many.  The one she is working on is full of red roses.  

We enjoy lunch starting with sopa de lima, a chicken based soup with vegetables, tortilla chips and a slice of lime.  It is this soup that gave me the idea of adding lime to my matzo ball soup.  Then we all have the combination of chicken and pork pibil.  It is slowly backed in banana leaves with sour orange and anchiote.    Yummy!

The chocolate museum is next to our hotel.  We decide to go directly to the museum rather than stop at the hotel.  If we make a stop at the hotel, we might all opt for a siesta instead of the museum.  The museum is less than a year old so I hadn’t seen it before.  It is well done.  They have a family of spider monkeys that were fun to watch, a demonstration of a chocolate ceremony from the Maya times, a demonstration of preparing the chocolate along with a taste test opportunity.  You know we all took advantage to the taste test! 

We’ve had a busy day and relax beside the pool with a glass of wine.  Several groups have come during the day so it isn’t as quiet as the previous night but still very nice.  We talk with a  friend of Juan, (actually, everyone is a friend of Juan’s)  who grew up in the same village as Juan.  They learned English together by listening to music such as the Beatles and Cat Stevens. 

Susan and Julie go to the Sound and Light show at Uxmal.  When they return, we enjoy a late dinner at the restaurant at the hotel. 

We all turn in for a relatively early night. 

Day 5 (Sunday) Merida

Today is a day to relax and enjoy the city along with the locals.
A college friend  of mine  who is now the director of the Central College program in Merida was planning to join us for breakfast.  But an emergency came up with one of the students so she was not able to join us after all.  Susan was not feeling real well and decided some extra sleep would do her more good than breakfast.  So, it was just Julie and I.  We fall into a pattern quickly and order the same breakfast  as we had yesterday.
After a leisurely breakfast we head out.  The feeling is very different from Saturday.  Today there are bicycles instead of cars, vendors setting up along the streets.  We stroll to the park and walk the circumference.  I buy an embroidered blouse and an embroidered headband.  No one in the group is really a shopper so we are mostly people watching.  We find a park bench in the shade and do more intensive people watching

On one side of the plaza a performance is beginning so we wonder over.  We are lucky to get a seat perched on a low wall.   It appears to be a dance and singing school for children from 8 or 9 up through young adults.   The production is a story of the aluxes (little pixie, pranksters in Maya folk tales) playing with the children's dreams through different periods in Mayan history.  The last one was of the future.  The children were all playing with their electronic toys and the aluxes couldn't get their attention.  The narrater talked about how sad the aluxes were when the kids were playing with electronics and not outside where they could interact with the aluxes.  It was fun and certainly a local attraction. 

Juan met us at our hotel and we drove to the Central College house which is a great example of the elegant early 19th century houses.  

After visiting the Central house we went to Juan’s house for a lunch of tacos.  It was fun to catch up some more with Juan’s family and share some of my pictures of Japan and the family there. 

Back on the road to Uxmal, with a stop in Muna which is Juan’s hometown.  We drive past the house he grew up in and where his sister still lives.  It is a traditional Maya house with a thatched roof.  There are fewer and fewer of the traditional houses left in Muna.  We also visited the cemetery.  Always interesting to see how different cultures honor their dead.  With the rocky soil, an underground burial really isn’t possible.  The cemetery is to resemble a town with little houses and streets.  Family keep the structures painted.

On to our hotel at Uxmal.  It is an elegant, old hotel that has beautiful, manicured grounds, welcoming, professional staff and an inviting pool!   After a refreshing swim and a bit of a rest, we enjoy a delicious meal beside the pool.  Life is good!

Day 4 (SaturdayO Merida and Dzibilchaltun

We start the day with a wonderful breakfast of  fresh squeezed orange juice and omelets.  Oh, and of course, coffee for the coffee drinkers.  Juan meets us at the hotel and we’re off to discover the gems of Merida.  We walk the few blocks to the main plaza.  Stopping along the way to see the University.  The original structure is now only used for offices.  They are the original doors that have been refinished many times and are still beautiful and impressive. 

Once at the square, we start with the Governor’s palace  and the painting that tell the history of Yucatan.  I must admit that in order to save my knees, I opt to sit and enjoy the park.  I join back up with the group to go inside the cathedral.  The original tableau was burned and replaced with a huge wooden cross and with Jesus.  It is simple dramatic lines  that balance the old architectural features. 

The big market is the next stop.  Even though it is a short walk, I decide to save my knees and go back to the hotel.  I ask Juan to get me some of the ground pumpkin seeds to make Sikil Pak  (the dip that we had yesterday at the cenote).  After seeing the pile of ground pumpkin seeds out in the open, the others decided they would pass on buying any of it.  I will cook it so am fine with it being in the open. 

After a short rest to catch our breath and cool off  at the hotel, we head out again.  This time in the car.  We head to the North side of the city which is where the main growth has been and where many of the 19^th century big houses are.  Some of the houses are still private homes, some are now banks, restaurants, offices , some are abandoned and some have been torn down and replaced with modern buildings. 

We enjoy a light lunch of  empanadas and stuffed squash at a restaurant that specializes in traditional Maya food.  We also have a refreshing drink make out of the chaya leaves.  It is mixed with lemon juice. 

On to Dzibilchaltun which means place  of the written stones.  The area has been inhabited for several thousand years.  The oldest temple seems small compared to what we saw yesterday at Chichen Itza but it is much older.  On the equinox, as the sun rises, it shines directly through the doors.  Another interesting part of the site is the chapel.  It was built by the Spanish to try to make a Christian place  that would be more comfortable for the inhabitants.  Since the Maya were used to outdoor ceremonies and rituals, this chapel is only the front area  and then is open to the sky. 

This cenote is different than the others we have seen in that it is at ground level and doesn’t require going down 50 to 100’ to get to the water.   It is shallow at one end and slants down to the deep area.  This makes it much more family friendly.  There are several small groups of people enjoying the fresh water.  We manage to get both in and out of the water. 

We meet Juan and his family for dinner at another restaurant that specializes in traditional Maya cuisine.  It was great to see them. 

Day 3 (Friday) Chichen Itza and Izamal

Big day today!  We will visit Chichen Itza, swim in another cenote, visit the town of Izamal  and  settle into our hotel in Merida.

We take the back road to Chichen Itza which is about 45 minute drive.  Juan knows all the tricks.  We stop for breakfast at the Villa Arquelogia hotel for breakfast.  There are 3 hotels at the back entrance to the ruins.  You can only use the back entrance if you’re staying  at one of those hotels or have had breakfast at one of the hotels.  We had a delightful breakfast AND we avoided the masses at the regular gate.

Susan and Julie are very interested in the history, stories , flora, fauna.  Juan gives them all they want to know.  I protect my knees so spend some time sitting and watching the people, the vendors setting up their stands, remembering all the times I’ve been to the site and the people I’ve been there with.  Quite a nostalgic journey in its self.  All of a sudden, the rain clouds come up!  Of course, Juan knows a good spot to sit out the rain.  We get there just as the rain starts really coming down.  We enjoy a chance to relax and watch the rain while staying dry.  After the rain, we continued touring the site and went to the area that is pure Mayan rather than the Mayan-Toltec mix that is the main section of the ruins. 

We continue on our adventure to the cenote which is in a small town  about 15 minutes past Chichen Itza.  Again, no pictures because I don’t take my camera down there.  Before swimming, we enjoy  lunch of panuchos and sabutes. 

Juan also orders us a dish of ground pumpkin seeds mixed with tomatoes and spices.  YUM!  And the swim was delightful!  We were the only ones at this idyllic place!  We relaxed a few minutes in the hammocks.  Ahhhhhh!   But more adventures in store so must move on. 

Iazamal is a very old city.  When the Spaniards came they found a center of ceremony and trade.  In order to show their domination, they destroyed many of the temples and built a monastery on the largest platform using stones from the Mayan temples.  Much of the city is painted an orange/yellow as that is the color of the cardinal association of the Vatican.    The church/monastery are huge but it only houses 5 monks now.    We enjoy some locally made ice cream. Yummmm!

Since we drive within 3 blocks of Juan’s house on the way to the hotel.  We stop at his house to drop him off.  His family isn’t there but we go in and Juan serves us the best mangos EVER!  They are from the orchard  in Muna that was his father’s and now his brother tends it. 

On to the hotel Casa Lucia.  We are welcomed and offered a complimentary cocktail to enjoy beside the pool.  Oh life is good!  We decide to eat at a little place across the plaza from the hotel that is know for its Oaxacan style food.  We have the  tladyuda which is sort of the Oaxaca style of pizza with the good Oaxacan cheese.