Explorando en Yucatán

Turistas y viajeros

I dragged myself out of bed this morning at 6:30 and got ready to go on a run through the town with Destiny. We laced up our running shoes, pulled our hair back in ponytails, and came uncomfortably close to a speedy car before we even got started. Compared to running in Virginia Beach where there are wide sidewalks, streetlights, and drivers more or less have respect for pedestrians, running through Valladolid was a bit frightening. The sidewalks are very narrow and extremely uneven, there are stray dogs everywhere, and people drive very differently. After running about a mile, we made it to a paved bike path that was a lot safer to run on than the side of the road. Even though I was a little on-edge, running through the town allowed me to see the buildings and houses up close as well as briefly interact with the local people with a passing “buenos días.”

Following breakfast, we sat in the van for about an hour riding to Chichén Itzá, another archaeological site that was active from approximately 600-1200 A.D. Chichén Itzá is the most popular Mayan site among tourists, which was made obvious when we arrived. There were many locals setting up small shops outside of the entrance where they sold hats, blankets, small ceramic carvings and sculptures, necklaces, t-shirts, wall decorations, backpacks, and just about anything a foreigner could spend money on. Not only were the vendors selling merchandise outside of the entrance, but there were tables set up around the entire trail that directed tourists throughout the Mayan ruins. When I wasn’t trying to find an angle to take a picture of a pyramid without 20 plus people in the background, chances are I was part of a giant pack walking in the middle of the trail with my head down in an effort to avoid making eye contact with the vendors. Even though the place was packed full of people and vendors, the pyramids, temples, and other buildings were incredible to see.

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The first structure we saw was Templo de Kukulcán, a temple to the Yucatec Mayan feathered serpent deity. The temple has four sides with 91 steps on each, resulting in 365 stairs total. There are also sculptures of serpents on the northern side of the pyramid. After admiring this structure, we walked to Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors). This temple is comprised of hundreds of rounded and square shaped columns that are carved with now faded images of warriors. We also looked at el Observatorio, which is also called el Caracol (the snail) due to a spiralling staircase located inside the tower. The Mayan people used this observatory to view astronomical events like eclipses, equinoxes, and solstices. The last ruin we saw was of the stadium for el juego de pelota. In this game (known to the Mayans as poc ‘ta pok), the players must use their hips or forearms to hit a rubber ball into their corresponding stone ring found high up on a tall stone wall (like the scene from the movie The Road to El Dorado). This was a ritualistic game, and the winner won the privilege of being sacrificed. There is a carving on the sides of the wall of the stadium area that depicts and describes the beheading of a person. In addition to the ruins, we visited two more cenotes, Cenote X’toloc and Cenote Sagrado, which were the sites of many religious sacrifices to the god of rain, Chaac. These were both open cenotes, differing from the closed Cenote X’Canché, and their water was not nearly as clear.

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After leaving the overcrowded tourist trap of Chichén Itzá, we ate a quick lunch of tortas on our way to Yaxunah, a much older site that was built around 700 B.C. This site is part of communal land still being used by Mayans to this day. Here, our group and a group of college student volunteers from la Universidad de Valladolid watched a reenactment of a version of el juego de pelota. Two men dressed in what appeared to be traditional Mayan dress and used their hips to pass a rubber ball back and forth to each other. There were drums being played and conch shells being blown as horns. After the game was over, we climbed a few steps to the ancient acropolis to witness a ritualistic dance and ceremony. We drank a hot corn-based liquid (I believe it was called saka) made with water, sugar, and honey while the men danced to rapid drum beats with sticks of fire. The ritual was an example of what the ancient Mayans performed for Chaac, the god of rain. As in Chichén Itzá many years later, Chaac plays a large role in the lives of the Mayans.

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After the ritual was over, we talked with a few of the students from Universidad de Valladolid about the volunteer work they do to promote ecotourism and then explored the other ancient ruins. We were the only people there, no vendor or herds of tourists were anywhere in sight. We learned that the first rain of the season is collected and used in many rituals as a cleanser, and it is believed that washing a baby in this rain can prevent it from developing asthma. When there is a rainbow in the sky, it sends a message to the people that Chaac has given his blessing on the growing season. The present day Mayan people that use this land continue to perform sacred rituals every March 20th, when the seeds are planted, to ensure that they have a successful growing season.

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After leaving Yaxunah, we drove back to Valladolid and stopped in a market to buy some fresh fruit and then for dinner we ate tamales that were made by friends of our driver, José.

Today we were able to play the role of both tourist and traveler as we visited two very different archaeological sites. Chichén Itzá was a beautiful city with spectacular ruins, but Yaxunah offered a much more real experience. In Chichén Itzá, most of the information I learned about the ruins came from a brightly colored pamphlet or signs on the ground. However, in Yaxunah, we were able to talk directly to Mayans about their culture and get a personal tour of the uncovered ruins in addition to seeing what a ritualistic ceremony looks like.

In the same way that running through the city this morning allowed me to see Valladolid on a personal scale and not just out the window of the van, going to Yaxunah was the closest to being immersed in the ancient Mayan culture that I could get. These firsthand experiences are the ones that I will remember the most.

Jan. 10, 2019

Un día lleno de aventura y diversión.

Early this morning around 7:00, Destiny and I woke up and sat out on the small porch in front of our room to enjoy a time of peace and quiet. I was surprised to find that this so called “peace and quiet” we had hoped to find was essentially nonexistent. People were moving about preparing breakfast while making small talk. The sound of roosters crowing, chairs moving, and plates stacking filled the morning air. After spending some time reading and taking in my surroundings, Destiny, Chen, and I took a seat at the breakfast table where we soon received jugo de piña mixed with honey to drink and a bowl of papaya, cantaloupe, y plátanos to which we could add yogurt and granola. After breakfast, the three of us walked to a corner store called La Abuelita to buy bottled water for the day. However, once we got back to the hotel and opened the bottles, we made an interesting discovery: what we thought was regular water turned out to be carbonated. Assuming it couldn’t be that bad, I gave it a try… and it tasted worse than I thought it would. Deciding there wasn’t enough time to go back to the store before we left for our first excursion of the day, I poured the carbonated water into a reusable bottle and we went on our way.

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Ek Balam was the first place that we explored. It is a Mayan archaeological site that was started during the Pre-Classical era in 100 B.C, and continued developing into 900 A.D. The site consists of many large stone temples with more stairs than I could count and almost too many to climb. We climbed up two temples, the first one considerably smaller than the latter. The second temple we climbed is called the El Torre pyramid, the largest pyramid in Ek Balam. The already strenuous climb was made harder by the humid air and the merciless sun beating down on us, to which the almost undrinkable carbonated water offered no relief. As we neared the top, the steps became narrower and taller which made it difficult to keep good footing. When we finally made it to the top of the pyramid, the view was breathtaking. We could see trees and plants stretching all the way to where they met the clear blue sky on the horizon. We spent time at the top enjoying the view of the site and eventually half climbed and half crawled back down. After catching our breath and regrouping, we began the 20 minute walk to Cenote X’Canche.

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As we walked down the path towards the cenote, my heart grew with anticipation of what was to come, and I knew that the brisk walk wasn’t the only thing keeping my heart rate up. Swimming in a cenote has been a major life goal of mine for the past three years when I stumbled upon them on a Pinterest travel board. The butterflies in my stomach fluttered faster as we got closer, and I could finally see the hole in the ground that led to this awe-inspiring pool of water. Jumping into the crystal cool clear water and emerging for the first time was the closest thing to a baptism that I know (with the exception of my actual baptism as a baby that I have no memory of). As the fresh water enveloped my entire body, all of the expectations, anxious feelings, and worries that had been tucked in the corners of my brain were washed away and I was left feeling wholeheartedly content. We swam around the cenote and gazed up at the roots from the plants above that stretched all the way down until they finally reached the water. We saw bat nests along the interior walls of the cenote as well as one very large spider that was relaxing next to us on sun-warmed rocks in the shallower water. After what had only seemed to be minutes (but in reality had been an hour or two), it was time to dry off and load back in the van to get lunch. The last thing I wanted to do was leave, but I was reassured knowing that almost equally exciting opportunities lay ahead.

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After a quick lunch of tacos de puerco con una tortilla de maíz, pico de gallo, salsa, y salsa caliente at a restaurant called Mozón, we went to an Agave Distillery. Here, we went on a tour detailing the process of how an agave plant is transformed into tequila. The plant is harvested from the field and cooked in a traditional brick oven which converts the complex carbohydrates into sugars that are easily fermentable. After being cooked, the plant is crushed with a giant grinding wheel in order to extract the juice which is then fermented and distilled. After it has been distilled, the tequila is aged. We were able to sample five different types of tequila with variations in the duration of the aging process. The first sample had been aged for three months, the second for six months, the third for a year, the fourth for three years, and the last for six years. I observed that the longer the tequila is aged, the more color it has to it and the less harsh it is, while the younger tequila tends to withhold a lot of the original agave flavors.

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Today I was able to experience a lot of firsts; it was my first time visiting an archaeological site, first time swimming in a cenote, first time rope swinging into a body of water, and first time tasting tequila. It was also my first time drinking unflavored carbonated water. Excluding the carbonated water incident, all of these experiences were unbelievably positive and reaffirmed my general excitement to be here.

I was able to use Spanish today when shopping at corner stores, souvenir shops, and ordering dinner. In order to continue practicing, I have started keeping a written journal of the day’s activities in Spanish. So far, it has been a fantastic way to learn the language, and I look forward to continuing it throughout the trip. I also look forward to writing more information-based posts (in addition to daily updates) as I research more about cenotes and the specific plants that live here.

I cannot wait to learn & experience more!

Jan. 09, 2019

El primer día en Yucatán.

Waking up from my mid-flight nap en route to Cancún and looking out the window to see nothing but the blue waters of the Gulf of México, it began to set in that this trip is really happening. Ever since I read my favorite book, A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffett, for the first time a few years ago, I have been aching to travel to the Yucatán to experience the unique culture (and beautiful weather) for myself. As the plane rounded the final in-air turn before landing, I gazed out of the small window to admire the tropical foliage that seemed to cover everything with the exception of the highly urbanized tourist area. After going through immigration and customs and finding my way through the airport, I was finally able to feel the warm air on my skin. The first thing I noticed upon walking out of the airport doors were the seemingly endless waves of people outside with various signs for taxi services, shuttles, and ice cold cervezas. I heard rapid conversations passing between families, friends, and workers and realized how out of touch with the Spanish language I am. Turns out when you don’t use the language for a few years after studying it for four years at a public school, you tend to forget a few things.

After dodging our way around all of the vendors, we managed to squeeze 12 hot, sweaty people plus luggage into a van. Our first stop was Las Quekas, a small restaurant that served quesadillas y sopes, for a mid-afternoon meal. I ate two quesadillas de pollo con queso y cebollas and was surprised how different it tasted from the Americanized versions I am used to eating. We bought vitamin water in flavors like dragon fruit and glass bottles of Coca-Cola, which had to be returned once finished so the glass could be reused.

After the meal, we made our way over to exchange American dollars for pesos. Because it was expected to be a long and complicated process (which it was), a handful of people volunteered to take others’ money and exchange it. Holding the pesos in my hand, I thought about how the feeling of being in México hadn’t fully set in yet and the experience so far had a strange hazy, dream-like quality to it. Exchanging the currency made it feel a little more real, but it didn’t fully set in until we reached the hotel in Valladolid, Casa Quetzal.

Immediately upon walking through the front doors of the hotel, I felt as if I had woken up from a fantastic dream only to find out that the real world is 10 times better than the dream I was having. The middle area of the hotel is comprised of an outdoor courtyard with so many plants that it resembles a miniature tropical rain forest. It was wet due to the rain that had fallen during the drive to the hotel, which only added to the effect. There is also a small natural looking pool and a pebble path cutting through the plants leading to a room on the opposite side of the square-shaped hotel where Destiny and I are staying. The walkway going around the perimeter where the rooms are located is decorated with various pieces of amazing art and outdoor patio furniture. This hotel is easily one of the most beautiful and quaint places I have been to, and I am so thrilled that we are able to stay here.

As I sit in bed feeling the cool breeze blow through the open window bringing with it the smell of rain, I am beyond thankful to have this opportunity to travel to the Yucatán and learn about the area. I cannot wait to practice my Spanish and explore the city of Valladolid, the nearby ancient ruins, and the natural area surrounding us.

More updates (and pictures of the hotel) to come soon!