30.04.2010 - About Playa del Carmen to Tulum and Coba
To get on our Yucatan trip, we have one more day indulged in Cancun's beautiful beaches. At the end of the day we had matched the route, and Kathy had her first sunburn.
After breakfast with Hungarian salami and French cheese - all of Kathi smuggled in - we started the next morning in the south. Playa del Carmen was our first stopover. In a quiet side street near the tourist center, our hobby stable and we explored the place. It was early afternoon, sunny and hot. The city was deserted. But the beach was crowded. A small place we had been released yet, so we could spend the rest of the day with a fresh sea breeze in and around water.
"Shall we stay here tonight," Kathy asked. "Then can we go in the evening in the city. " It was a good idea! I had no desire to go further and was looking a long time for an ice cold Corona beer.
Playa del Carmen, Yucatan is the second largest tourist destination, not so artificial and sterile as Cancun. In the city there are small hotels, shops and a distinctive restaurant and bar scene. We strolled through the city, took a drink here and there, ate pizza at an Italian restaurant.
About midnight we were back on the hobby. Basko had been paying attention - he could not prevent us from behind parked cars were total. No more sheets of paper fit in between and we were happy that nothing was damaged.
The next morning, Playa del Carmen was still asleep, we are very early went to Tulum to be from the midday heat and the other tourists there. Maya Tulum is the only settlement that overlooks the sea and that's what also makes its appeal. From here, the Maya went into their ocean-going canoes to Guatemala, Honduras and even as far as Costa Rica and Panama. raise
About turquoise sea and white sand beach is El Castillo, Tulum, the most impressive structure, and several smaller temples. It is a great sight, how they connect well-preserved Mayan buildings with land and sea to the harmonious beauty. The remaining buildings are almost exclusively badly damaged ruins.
noon came the coach with hundreds Tourists from nearby hotels All Inclusive, as indicated by the colored bracelets. Now the Voladores had their audience. Upside down they could be hanging from ropes, turning down from a high tower and showed that an ancient ritual of the Totonac action.
us it was now too busy and too hot. On the beaches, south of Tulum, we spent the rest of the day and night.
The next morning was again timely getting announced. We drove to Coba, located 45 km west of Tulum. In the dense bush, off the beaten track of Tulum, here are impressive ruins of Maya and the highest building of Yucatan, the pyramid Nochol Mul.
Coba, older than Tulum and Chichen Itza, was in the Maya Late Classic the most important town in the north-east of Yucatan and it is probably the most extensive Mayan settlement ever. But this is not really visible, because on the 70 square kilometer site first excavated and reconstructed buildings are very few. It is already an impressive idea that wait of many mounds still secrets to the archaeologists, and many a stone in the ground is the tip of an undiscovered temple or a building maybe.
Unlike Tulum, we were able to climb some buildings, and the Great Pyramid Nohoch Mul. The stairs are badly damaged and the rise did not seem to be easy. Despite the heat, we wanted to go up. 117 steps we had to climb until we had the upper platform of a great view of the dense forest and all-consuming individual ruins. We rested us out and were looking forward to the view and the cool breeze in 42 meters height.
The descent was a little challenging. Some tourists slipped on the pants, step by step down. The 60 degree tilt looked strong from the top is quite different. Backwards, with his hand to the auxiliary rope, we came to sweaty, but happy bottom.
05.05.2010 - Chichen Itza
Our trip to Chichen Itza lead over Valladolid. 3 weeks ago we had to leave in the Ford small friendly repair shop, the maintenance service for our complete Ford Transit. A necessary spare part for our coupling had to be ordered. We agreed on the trip to Chichen Itza shortly to come by and to change the clutch master cylinder. Unfortunately, I had praised the service early. The part was not delivered, it would take another 10 days. At the busy calls and by giving the chassis number, I could see that the part not even was not ordered. Perhaps they had thought that I did not come back. I was disappointed. Kathy could have brought the part easily from Germany. Perhaps here also my German standards of place.
In track, the small town near Chichen Itza, we have stayed at the campsite of the Stardust Inn hotels to very early the next morning at the famous archaeological site in Yucatan be. Just a few minutes had it from runway to Chichen Itza and the large parking lot. Here is the monumental entrance building, which We already gave a first impression of the tourist importance of this Mayan site. It was great, that there were day passes, the more time you enter the grounds for legitimate.
Just past the entrance, we saw the masterfully constructed Kukulkan pyramid, the most impressive and arguably most famous monument in Chichen Itza. The pyramid began around 800 and later asked to complete 1100-1300 by the Toltecs. Impressive are the perfection of construction and the exact orientation of the pyramid on the incidence of the sun during the equinox. On 21 March and 23 September each year raises the deep setting sun, a corrugated shadow band on the northern stairway. This creates the impression that a snake would wind down from above - the descent of Kukulkan.
The Mayas astronomical knowledge had acquired by years of sky watching. Another interesting building in Chichen resembles a modern observatory. From this, as El Caracol, the Mayans referred dome observed for decades, night after night, the stars. No optical instruments, only with the use of marker edge and their logical thinking, they were able solar and lunar eclipses, predict the course and the position of the stars and the precise alignment of the Kukulkan pyramid to produce the snake effect.
Chichen Itza is really an archaeological sensation! We did not enter a single piece of work, not the Kukulkan pyramid. Annoyed us by the countless souvenir sellers, the besieged and blocked every path. Thus loses much of the mood of this great city.
The nightly sound and light show rounded off the day.
07.05.2010 - Celestun and Uxmal
of Chichen Itza, we went to Celestun on the west coast of Yucatan. The sleepy fishing town located about 100 km west of Merida on an elongated peninsula, in the Reserva de la Biosfera Ria Celestun, (UNESCO-Biosphere Reserve). Here one finds a globally unique species and assorted animal and plant life. But the main attraction are only here to be taken Caribbean flamingos. They are low, protected from direct tidal tropical salt water and abundant food, the reasons for the pink flamingos to settle here by the thousands. Change the living conditions only slightly, then they move on. Of course we wanted to see the flamingos. Much hope had not made us our boat driver in recent days, none of the large pink-colored water birds have been seen, but the nature preserve offers so much that we decided nevertheless for a boat tour.
looked after 20 minutes in the bay we really a small group of flamingos in the shallow water are available. Slowly we drove closer, without going below the critical distance. It was a beautiful sight to see the proud animals are moving gracefully, their necks outstretched and her show on the bottom of dark feathers. In this case, these movements were carried out by almost all animals simultaneously. Unfortunately, our observation was then resolved quickly, because a second boat from the other side a little too close to the colony came. In a very short time all birds in the air and flew away as a flock of pink.
The journey led through a tunnel of dense mangroves to a freshwater source in which we were able to swim well. The trees around were full of water birds - we saw two little monkeys.
spent the rest of the day on the beautiful beach of Celestun. Sunbathe, and then fresh fish in the beach Palapa Restaurant (Palapa = palm leaf covered hut) - more, one can not expect from a day in paradise. The night we spent in the boat harbor. The next morning we spontaneously for another half day at the beach decided before we went to Uxmal.
Uxmal is next to Chichen Itza, one of the most important Mayan cities of Yucatan. At the entrance stands the pyramid del Adivino, the Pyramid of the Magician. The name comes from the legend that the pyramid of a magician in only one night was built. In fact almost all the Mayan pyramids of multiple smaller buildings were overbuilding, so also this pyramid. The specialty here are the rounded edges, a novelty in the Yucatan. Similar as in Chichen Itza, there were also at Uxmal an evening sound and light show in which stood the pyramid of the magician and the so-called nuns in the center square. This was our evening entertainment secured and the next morning we were, before the heat and crowds, yet again among the ruins on the road.
characteristic of Uxmal are the large rectangular courts surrounded by various buildings with lavish decoration in the frieze Puuk style. The most interesting building is the palace of the governor, a nearly 100-meter magnificent facade, as the meeting house used for nobles and the residence of the ruler was. For the other buildings of Uxmal is still largely unclear about the purpose and use. Also on the real and social condition of the former residents of Uxmal and other Maya cities, little is known.
One thing is certain, however, Uxmal was the only known Mayan city without access to water. The vital wet had to be collected in cisterns and so it is no surprise, as rain water that almost all buildings of the rain god Chaak, the chief god of Uxmal, with its big nose can be seen.
was noon and our water bottles empty and the heat almost unbearable. Peter and Catherine had enough of the ruins and went to the hobby. I wanted to take some photos and was looking for beautiful settings. At the nuns square I stepped a few steps into the tall grass - and suddenly I heard this rattling excited. I knew immediately what I had disturbed the grass here, but I did not see the rattlesnake. Very slowly I'm gone backwards, eyes on the place from where the sound came, addressed. Then I saw her curled up, lying in a loud tail rattle in the dry grass. Only when I was far enough away the tension fell away from me. I wanted to now only a hobby, my thirst for calm and end the day.
is in our guidebook that is different from the rest of Uxmal Mayan sites - I can fully confirm. Rattlesnakes we've never had!
10.05.2010 - Isla Aguada and Palenque
We had earned a little rest, a day or two without ruins and pyramids. Well suited us seemed nice campsite on Isla Aguada, on which we have ever stood for two days. Always along the sea, with a stopover in Campeche, we drove to the small tropical paradise. On the square is the discount card "Passport America accepted, so we usually need to pay only half price, but once again the same discussion with the manager about how much 50%. The offer saw something like this: regular price per night is 300 pesos and a discount card only 250 pesos - but not with us. As with the last visit we discussed a full half hour - and then of course only paid half price.
The day passed much too quickly swim, sunbathe, relax. In the evening we had a barbecue in the warm night and we sat for a long time before the mobile home and had so much to tell - Kathi from Germany and their work, and we of America and our journey.
The next morning we were awakened by a wild Mexican music. On the water gathered colorfully decorated boats that were passing by then in a formation, with gun shots and missiles at the city. "In Isla Aguada celebrated in May for several weeks, each day is dedicated to a different group of people and today is the day of the fishermen" were told the hotel manager. The party went late into the night and ended with a huge parade through the city. What happened on the other days we can not do. Our schedule would have been in danger. Right after breakfast the next morning we are in the direction Palenque started.
The ride was quiet, the streets were in good condition and we made good progress. Shortly after Chable us the oncoming vehicles abandoned the Mex 186 flasher and character, we should slow down. This is common in Mexico, to warn each other of danger. A few miles further we saw the reason. Thick smoke hung over the street and a bus was damaged by the roadside. Some cars were driven to the margins, the drivers discussed excited. We have, of course, understood nothing, our English was much too bad. Individual vehicles passed us, went ahead on the road and soon disappeared in dense smoke. From the other side now came by a few cars. After waiting half an hour we decided to pass the accident site. The smoke was so thick that we absolutely in the next 50 meters saw nothing - and then suddenly, in front of us a burning car and chipped car parts on our roads. In the dense smoke from a forest fire was this car collided with the bus and caught fire. Thus, the smoke was impenetrable. Kathi had seen the danger first, and I was able to avoid the last minute. Fortunately, the oncoming lane was clear. Only after such a half an hour we were police and ambulances on the way, contrary to the accident site. It could have very different start for us, our guardian angel was back with it. We went only up to the junction with Mex 199 and survived the night, just before Palenque, at a PEMEX gas station.
Only 40 km it was the next morning to the ruins of Palenque, after a good half hour we were there. Strange and unusual noises surrounded us on the path through the terrain. Apart from exotic birds and heard the chirping of cicadas we are also the hoarse growl of the howler monkeys. A soundscape, which matched the mysterious ruins in the middle of the jungle. Also in Palenque there is for archaeologists to discover even more. Only 10% of over 500 ruins, pyramids and temples have been excavated and are constantly being made sensational discoveries. The most beautiful building in Palenque is the Templo de las Inscriptions, the Temple of Inscriptions, high on a pyramid built as a tomb. Only in 1952 were uncovered the grave of Pacal the Great, the most important ruler of Palenque, and thus the first tomb in a Mayan pyramid at all. In 1994, the next sensation, the grave of the Red Queen was in the adjacent pyramid discovered XIII and 2003 was an intact grave in Palenque, 1400 years old was found.
We sit in the shadow of El Palacio, the Palace of Palenque, and let the extraordinary atmosphere of this sunken city and resurrected affect us. How must it have looked like here, as Palaenque was still a vibrant city with thousands of Mayan inhabitants? Those with delicate stucco reliefs decorated buildings were painted vermilion, and formed in the bright tropical sun a fantastic contrast to the azure sky and the lush green jungle. And yet Palenque was, like all other Mayan cities, abandoned by its inhabitants, about 1200 years ago and abandoned. The reasons are still unclear, another field for archaeological science.
14.05.2010 - Chiapas Waterfalls and back to Cancun
Finally, and most southern The goal of our trip Chiapas are waterfalls on our program. Not far behind to reach Palenque we are a short drive to Cascada Misol Ha. Here the water of the river Tulija falls from 35 meters in a water tank in which we took as the first for a dip. In a way we could go directly behind the falls and view, and the sunset by the water curtain. Shower under the waterfalls was also possible here, so we came back after 2 hours refreshes wonderful hobby. We spent the night, with an interesting jungle background noise in the parking lot to the falls. Also howler monkeys were again heard in the distance.
went the next morning the tour continues to the second waterfall in Chiapas, the Cascadas Agua Azul. They are called the most beautiful waterfalls in Mexico. The road is winding and narrow. At the roadside or at the Topes back snacks and fruit are offered. Here, the seller can usually women with small children, think of something new. Stricken with the street was blocked and we are forced to stop. A drive through would have the women who held the rope in his hand hurt. Although we sometimes have bought something on the road this time, we rejected it strictly. This coercion, we could not please us. We drove slowly until the rope is lowered reluctantly and we were attacked with words. Good thing we did not understand everything. On the other tour we have employed this approach, it was outrageous and dangerous. But how much hardship forces people to such actions? How to behave properly?
Chiapas is one of the poorest states in Mexico, a quarter of the population is of indigenous descent, with no training and work. Here the fighting EZNL, a guerrilla movement for the rights and opportunities available to them. At the entrance to the Agua Azul waterfalls, we were at a turnpike requested to pay 45 pesos for the EZLN and received a leaflet. The regular entrance was collected 500 meters.
The falls themselves are worth a visit. Nestled in proliferating bank green pour the huge, dazzling white foaming waters of the Rio Yax over several cascades brown stones in a turquoise pool of water. It was a truly breathtaking sight and a great experience, had it not been for the many annoying dealers who stalked us at every turn and besieged. Grubby restaurants campaigned for their offerings and the whole area was an unkempt appearance. In the parking lot were fragments of car windows. We are not feeling really comfortable, did not let the RV unattended. Separately, we went to the pool for swimming and for a very short stay, we drove back. Four days we stayed for the nearly 1000 km to Cancun.
The next day we made the right route. We came up Chemutal and spent two days on the really beautiful campsite YAX-HA, right on the Bahia de Chetumal. About Playa del Carmen, we went to Cancun for the next day our daughter at the airport "leave".
We were sad, the great time with our daughter again went by way too fast. The expected us to call from Leipzig came on time, Kathy was well received. In Frankfurt, they had already purchased a small guide to Costa Rica and now enthused by this beautiful country and her next visit with us - a way to handle the end of a holiday.
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