Adios Kooba

Back to Havana today to spend the next few days chilling in this beautiful, majestic, crumbling gem. Havana gives me a whole new perspective on the notion of “house maintenance”. This city is a fine example of what happens when you don’t maintain, repair, renew. Having said that, it is hard to maintain something that nobody lives in.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

That is one of the most fascinating things in Havana – the fact that there are dozens of shops that simply packed up its merchandise in 1961, closed the doors, and never reopened. Absolutely bizarre. And the stores that remain open are seriously depressing. The stores are almost barren – a little of this and that but not much of anything. The lighting is bad and all the merchandise is behind the counter (for fear of shoplifting). I didn’t even take any photos inside as it seemed rude. Me taking a photo is almost a kick in the guts at how Cubans live today. And let it be known, the people actually shopping in these stores are doing a hell of a lot better than others. The monthly salary in Cuba is US$25, regardless of whether you are a surgeon or a shop attendant. Its those that are in the tourist business that are making the $$$ through tips.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This afternoon we ended our tour with a classic car ride through Greater Havana. Glenn and I had Mario and his canary yellow 1957 Pontiac. These cars definitely add to the charm of Havana (and Cuba). To give you some perspective, 1 in every 4 cars is vintage. Maybe without this vintage cars cruising the streets, Havana would just be another dirty old town?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

On our car ride we visited Revolution Square, a park where those practising Santeria make sacrifices (not human) as well as Miramar, the wealthy part of Havana.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

At the end of the tour we formally bid everyone farewell. It was a great group and we met some amazing people from all over the world. Nonetheless, it was nice to be on our own again and what better way to be alone than walk along the Malecon at sunset. People come to the Malecon to catch up with friends and family over rum or beers after work. There is VERY limited access to internet here so people have to catch up the old fashioned way – face to face – rather than over Facebook, email or Instagram. Our hotel tonight was also on the Malecon with sweeping views of the sea.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Happy Easter! On Easter Sunday we changed hotels in the morning and then we strolled. And strolled. And strolled. Just exploring different areas. We visited the Plaza Tribuna Anti-Imperalista. This plaza has about 100 flags flying in front of the US Interests Section building. The flags were erected to hide propaganda that the US hung from the building.

We then visited Callejon de Hammel. This is one very funky little street where Cuban-Africans artists congregat. The area is full of Santeria inspired art. We haven’t spoken in detail about Santeria yet. Santeria is a religion followed by 60% of Cubans. Santerians believe in one God, Oludomare. Ouldomare communicates to his followers through a number of Orishas. Followers must make offerings to these Orishas. The religion is very “african” and has elements of voodooism, potions etc. However, in Cuba, it is intertwined with Catholicism. When the Spanish ruled Cuba, Santeria was forbidden so its followers practised it in secret behind the guise of Catholic saints, sacred days etc. Some followers stand right out as they wear white for a full year to cleanse themselves.

Talking about religion, it is worth noting that today feels no different to any other day. Even though it is Easter Sunday all the shops are open and there is not one sign to show that it is easter – not one easter egg, no “Happy Easter” sign. Whilst it is refreshing to be away from all commerical advertising, it is also a little sad that people don’t have the choice……

We were actually worried that things were going to be closed that we got tickets in advance to the Tropicana Cabaret. Yes, tacky I know. But there is a reason. As a little girl, I LOVED “I Love Lucy”. Lucy’s husband on the show was Cuban Ricky Riccardo who ran the Tropicana nightclub, based on the one in Havana. So, I really wanted to go to it. And whilst it was tacky it was also awesome. The costumes were razzle dazzle, the songs funny and the rum tasty……

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Our last 24 hours in Kooba was about art. About buying it and listening to it. Cuba is known for its art scene. One positive thing about socialism is that everyone can pursue whatever profession they want as education is free and everyone earns the same. So if a Cuban wants to be an artist, they will. In democratic societies where capitalism rules, people study so they can enter professions which will earn them big bucks rather than follow there dreams.

After what felt like a lifetime we settled on two pieces. We were only going to buy one and were torn over which piece as we had a budget. But the first piece was a steal at $50 so we could afford both. The first piece is by Yulier Rodriguez Perez of a ballerina torn between two worlds. Yulier is a street artist and his piece is very abstract. We had actually seen and photographed his street art yesterday!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The second piece was by Alfredo Mendoza Bullain. This is called “Conversations” and depicts three Africans engaged in a conversation. It is very deep and brooding.

Tonight we ended our trip in Cuba listening to cool Cuban jazz at La Zorra el Cuerva Jazz Club. The band was Jose Portillo & Cauce and all the musicians were AHMAZING. But the highlight was Jose, the keyboardist, whose face lit up whenever he started playing.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I am writing this blog at Havana International Airport where our flight to Cancun has been delayed 4 hours….. time to watch some trashy tv on the ipad!

Buena Vista Vinales

Today was a long day … we left Trinidad for Vinales, nine hours away including pitt stops, but the drive was well worth it. Vinales is located in the lush valley of Pinar Del Rio, west of Havana. Vinales is a small town which sits in between stunning mogotes (limestone hill formations). It is a very quiet slow paced town compared to the last week in Cuba. The scenery itself is so beautiful and peaceful.

We arrived late in the day again. Later than we should have. But that seems to be a trend of Manolo’s – I try and be patient and throw around my “Cuban time” joke, but honestly, I am getting very frustrated with the time we are wasting. Although it’s hard to stay cranky when you have such beautiful scenery around you. As well as some alone time from Manolo (and several beers!).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Glenn, Yamna & I were put into a cute Casa with Dunia and Luis. It looked onto a mountain and the place had a cute little patio to gaze at the scenery.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

On our full day in Vinales we did a walking tour of the countryside with Alexis, our local guide. Alexis s**t all over Manolo. He was so full of information and spoke about everything – politics, lifestyle, cigars. One person on our tour had made comments that the tour was too politically focussed, all because we visited the Che memorial a few days ago. I totally disagreed. But even if it were, Cuba is one country built on its political history. Its relations with the US and its socialist system are the reason we are visiting Cuba – to see it before it changes. Alexis spoke about this and what he personally thinks – ie that change is needed but socialism should be the key political structure. This particular person was physically uncomrtable hearing Alexis talk about this. I was very confused why you would come to Cuba and not want to hear locals share their views???

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Back to cigars. Vinales is the heart of Cuba’s tobacco growing region. The tobacco grown in this area is used to make Cohibar, Montecristo, Romeo Y Juliet and so on. We were taken to a tobacco farm and explained the growing process as well as shown how to roll a cigar. A good cigar takes about 2 years to make from planting the tobacco seed to rolling. Did you know that tobacco plants only have one life and once they are harvested (twice) they are ripped from the earth. And did you know that the brands Montecristo and Romeo Y Juliet are named after the books of the same name. After the demo we got a taste testing and purchased some – all hand rolled by granddad.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

After the walking tour, we had lunch at an organic farm with breathtaking views over the valley. All the produce we ate was grown on that farm. It was all yummo and fresh!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In the afternoon, we visited the Mural le Prehistoria. It is basically the side of a mountain which has a massive mural of all things “prehistoric” such as dinosaurs.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

One observation of Vinales is that it should be renamed “City of Rocking Chairs”. You judge for yourself:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

And impromptu group dinner, cocktails and cigars was a nice way spend the last night together on the tour…..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Trinidad & Tobacco

One of the stereotypical images of Cuba before you arrive is Che Guevara – on t’shirts, hats, key rings, you name it. This did not disappoint. He is everywhere and more. Che played a pivotal role in the Cuban revolution and the rise of Castro. Che was an Argentine doctor from a wealthy family. However, he felt strongly about social equality. He met Castro in Mexico and talked about implementing change in Cuba, which was run by the dictator, Batista. Che was instrumental in the demise of Batista after a successful guerrilla attack in Santa Clara in 1958. Without this success, Castro may never have risen to power. For this reason Che is revered in Cuba. Che was assassinated in Bolivia in the 1968 in front of CIA operatives. His remains were found in 1997 and bought back to Cuba. Today, he has a memorial at Santa Clara where his remains lie. There is also a wonderful museum devoted to Che.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

For the next two nights we would be staying in Trinidad- our first night in a real authentic casa!

Prior to this trip I was always getting the city of Trinidad and the country of Trinidad & Tobago confused. Funnily, we actually have an Australian couple on our tour that live in Trinidad & Tobago.

Trinidad is city which once thrived on the local sugar plantations. However, after the embargo, sugar plantations eventually closed as it was cheaper to import sugar than produce in Cuba. What remains is a lovely old cobblestoned town with colourful buildings, live music and friendly people. This evening, we had a walking tour through the old town and then took in the view from the steeple of a former church. Then we had Cuban tapas and Pina Coladas with some of our group.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The next day we decided to do a walk through the national park to Salto del Cabuni, a natural spring, cave and waterfall. The walk was very relaxing as we saw a range of birds, including the national bird of Cuba, Tocororo. The spring itself was gorgeous to swim.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Back in town we strolled around for a few hours before heading out for a picnic on the beach at Playa Ancon. Lunch was a hole in the wall pizza. You see lots of these in Cuba. Locals pay about 40 cents for a pizza. Tourists pay $2 each. Even though we got ripped off, they are very tasty and heaps cheaper than all the restaurants which cater for tourists. It also gave us more fuel for checking out the cobbled stone streets of Trinidad.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The beach dinner was fantastic. It was an idyllic setting on the beach with the sunset and bonfire. There was lots of food and live music. Our bus driver even stripped down to his white singlet and played the bongos with the musicians. It was a great night to bond with our fellow tour group over a few rums…..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Tour Begins

Today we began our 7 day tour with Locally Sourced Tours visiting Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Vinales and Havana. There was 11 people on our tour and Manolo was going to be our guide. The group was slightly larger than I expected but everyone was lovely. Except (and people with kids might want to skip to the next paragraph) there was a 12 year old girl on your tour. Whilst she is very sweet, it definitely changes the dynamics of the tour. Holidays are for being a little naughty but you kinda have to be well behaved with a child around. If anyone from Locally Sourced Tours reads this post, you should let people know in advance…..

Today we were driving to Cienfuegos via the Bay of Pigs. We were going to have private transportation the entire time. Our driver, whose name escapes me, is a bald fit white Russian who wears reflective aviator sunglasses. He has that “don’t f**k with me” look and if you did he would just shoot you, no hesitation.

The Bay of Pigs is located about 3 hours south of Havana. The Bay of Pigs invasion happened in 1961 when CIA trained Cuban exiles stormed Cuba to assist counter-revolutionaries in toppling Castro. Castro defeated these exiles and the invasion helped him gain a huge amount of anti-USA support. Cubans do not see this as a Cubans-against-Cubans attack. They regard it as a USA-Soviet Union attack as the Soviet Union stepped in to support Cuba when JFK decreed the embargo.

Despite this history, Playa Girdon has a very calm turquoise reef for snorkelling and diving. We stopped for a few hours to snorkel and have lunch. We saw amazing different coloured fish and coral. There was also a cenote with hundreds of crab clutching to the side for dear life.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We arrived in Cienfuegos late in the afternoon and were staying at Casa Nautica, just back from the sea. The roof of the casa had gorgeous views of the sunset. After taking some snaps and having a group drink, we split off to have dinner separately.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Cienfuegos is regarded as the “Pearl of the Caribbean” for its French inspired architecture and wide boulevards. The old part of the city is UNESCO heritage listed and is slowly being restored to its glory days. We wok early to take in the beautiful sunset over the sea and explore the area we were staying in. This area definitely has some money as the houses are large and well maintained. There are also so grand old mansions such which are now restaurants, hotels or clubs.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We did a walking tour through the old part with a local guide. The main street mall was buzzing and had a Liverpool mall feel from the 1990’s based on the telephone booths, types of shops and what they were selling. However, the buildings were all protected. And the main square absolutely gorgeous.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Back on the bus for Trinidad…..

Viva La Habana

Goodbye Mexico and hello Cuba. We flew to Havana this afternoon with Cubana (and survived!).

One thing I will come to say a lot over the next week is “that’s Cuba”. They operate on a “more or less” system – time, directions and costs are “more or less” what they say. My first experience happened as soon as we left the airport. We had a transfer organised through our tour. We had been happily sitting in our taxi watching the scenery of crumbling buildings and socialism posters when we arrive at a house that is definitely not the casa I booked. Glenn and I exchange confused glances and ask the driver whether this is the right casa. He tells us “it’s ok, it’s ok” and three men come out the front door, grab our bags and lead us up 6 flights of steps. It turns out everything was ok. The room in our casa had plumbing issues so we were staying with the co-owner of the tour company in his home, which he is developing into a casa. We think we were his first guests as you could still smell paint in our room. The best bit – we were half a block from the main square in the old town!!!! Plus we got amazing recommendations. One night one we went to a very cool restaurant – nothing like what I was expecting for Cuba. As we sat inside eating our meals, the only clue that we weren’t in Cuba was that there was no Coca Cola on the menu!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The next morning shed a new light on Havana. Havana is a place of old and new. The old town is beautifully restored. It is set up for the tourists flocking to see the country “before the Americans come”. The old ladies and men sit on benches smoking cigars. Street performers on stilts and colourful outfits salsa through the streets. Bands play old Cuban tunes. All of them doing for a buck once you’ve taken your photo.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

But once you step outside the main tourist streets it is crumbling, abandoned and a little sad. Sad in the sense that there are amazing hotels, clubs, bars all empty. Untouched from the day the Cuban Government nationalised all American businesses. You can see what grand, lively places these would have been 60 years ago.Then there are the Chryslers, Buicks, Rolls Royce from the 1950’s and 1960’s cruising along the street and you realise you are in a time warp.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

One thing I was not prepared for was the lack of accessibility to basic supplies like water. We walked for 20 mins to find a shop selling water only to buy it from a touristy restaurant. Now let’s talk about cash. Cuba is a cash economy. This means that no credit cards are accepted and ATM’s basically never work for foreign cards (whether or not they are associated with a US bank).

Off to meet our tour group…..

The Invasion has Hit!

Apologies for the absence. All blog posts are written a day behind and by the time I was ready to post this and the upcoming posts, I was in Cuba which has almost no internet. Rest assured that all posts were written real time and reflect my observations and feelings at that time. Enjoy reading….

Where do the LA brat pack crowd go in Mexico? Tulum. When we were researching beaches to visit in Mexico near Cancun, we thought Tulum was going to be chilled and peaceful – you know, a long stretch of sand with no more than a dozen resorts scattered along and lots of beach bars selling tacos for a few bucks. Wrong. We had the long stretch of sand but there was at least 40 resorts and we struggled to find more than a few bars (beach or not) that weren’t charging hotel prices. The crowd was also very upper class trying to pretend to be beach hippies. But I can’t really complain. We did after all, choose a resort right on the main strip and look at the awesome bungalow we had – we could hear the waves crashing as we dozed in and out of sleep.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Our first morning in Tulum was spent lazily relaxing on our beach bed on the beach. The seaweed invasion was in full bloom in Tulum. Because of this, I stuck to shallow bathing whilst Glenn surfed the waves with the seaweed. But not even seaweed could dampen our moods – the sun was shining, the beers cold and the breeze refreshing.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We had lunch in Tulum town which is not on the beach but sits on the main highway. Prices are much lower here and the food more authentic. After lunch we drove to Coba. Coba is another archaeological site dating back to 800AD. At it’s peak, the area was 50 sq km but now it is only about 2 sq km. What sets Coba apart from other ruins is that it is set in the jungle so it has an Indiana Jones thing going on. You can also climb the main pyramid which is 45 metres tall with only one low handrail and no barriers at the top. We climbed the pyramid and it was SCARY. I was so scared I think I climbed it in about 1 minute just to get it over with. The view was worth it – you get to overlook the surrounding jungle. Although I was slightly paralysed with fear so I took very limited pics. I also had to bum crawl my way down as Glenn gracefully skipped down.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Back on safe soil, we got convinced by the parking attendant at Coba to visit a local Cenote, Tam-cach-Ha. Remember a cenote is a sinkhole with fresh clean water. At this one, you arrive and are told to shower as they do not want any chemicals entering the water. Then you head down a wooden staircase leading into darkness. Once you have walked down several flight of stairs you see a magnificent cave with crystal clear water. The water is very deep in the middle – 10 plus meters. But it is amazing swimming in it. It was a wow moment for us.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Day two in Tulum was almost the reverse to yesterday. This morning we headed over to the Tulum ruins before the crowds arrived. Yes, we are doing lots of ruins but these were again different as they are set on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean. If there had been no seaweed invasion you could have gone down to the beach and swam and taken amazing photos of the ruins from the sea. Oh well. Nonetheless, they afforded us amazing views.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It was now really really hot so we decided to go to another cenote, the Gran Cenote. This cenote was completely different to yesterday in that it was open air. You could snorkel and swim between different caves. And if you were brave enough to dive, you would be able to go between 10 different cenotes by diving through the underground caves. There was even a turtle habitation in the cenote which was roped off. However, they sometimes swim with the humans and Glenn told me one was chasing me!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The hot weather bought an afternoon storm. Perfect for sitting on our balcony and having a few drinks…..

Oosh – Mahl

Tulum. That was our final destination for this Mexican road trip. But not without another day of exploring and getting lost.

Before we started the bulk of the driving (4 hours), we would see a few more Mayan ruins that are located in the Santa Elena area.

First up was Uxmal (pronounced oosh-mahl). Ok guys. Chichen Itza may not have wowed me but Uxmal sure did! Maybe it was because I wasn’t expecting anything or the fact that there was so few tourists who venture here but Uxmal was great! Uxmal dates back to 600AD and has a collection of well preserved sights. Highlights include the pyramid and the palace which sits on a hill that overlooks the pyramid and the convent. The view was breathtaking and these photos don’t capture their beauty. Uxmal is also home to heaps of iguana. They are in all shapes and sizes. There are so many that we started playing “iguatto” – the iguana equivalent to spotto!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

After Uxmal we headed onto the Ruta Puuc. This is a road littered with Mayan ruins and seldom visited. Most tourists do day trips to Uxmal only. We stopped at two of the 4 ruins – Xlapak and Labna. Whilst these ruins are much smaller in size, they are still beautiful. And the best thing, you get them to yourself. At Xlapak we were the only visitors and at Labna there was only 6 other people. Oh, the serenity (and heat!).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Next stop was Tulum. But of course, one must get a little lost first. It’s always worrying when you get lost right at the beginning in the first city. You wonder whether the entire trip will be delayed with wrong turns and asking for directions. Fortunately we were fine once we left that first city and even had a lovely stop in a town called Tihosuco which has a cute roofless church that still holds mass. We also had a bunch of little girls follow us around and singing me a song so we shouted them all a lollipop.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We arrived in Tulum around 6:30pm. It’s been a long drive so off for a much needed margarita ….

Oh Pedro!

Today was all about ruined palaces (haciendas) & pink flamingos. We left Merida after breakfast and headed west for the other side of the Yucatan peninsula, to a sleepy town called Celestun. Celestun sits on the Gulf of Mexico and is famous for its wildlife sanctuary, with pink flamingos its star attraction.

The boats are located off a bridge just before you enter the town. The boats seat up to 8 people and are therefore not cheap, approximately $100 for 1 hour. Fortunately, a Swiss couple agreed to come with us reducing the cost and giving us some company. The boat takes you out onto a large waterway calm as a lake. You see many type of birds along the way – Pelicans, egrets, ducks (which run on water as the boat approaches rather than flying away).

But the real star are the flamingos. We were lucky to see about 70 today. Whilst I was hoping to see hundreds, I was not disappointed as the other risk was seeing none. Plus, they are just stunning creatures. Absolutely regal.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

After the flamingos – did I mention we saw an alligator on the way – the captain of our dingy speed up real fast…. we were crashing hard against the water…. he was going so fast we thought he was going to crash into the jungle but then then took a very hard sudden left and we were in quiet mangrove tunnel. It was very exhilarating! From here he took us to this amazing freshwater spring where we swam in crystal blue water. Again, amazing.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

After the boat trip we headed into Celestun town for lunch. We took a stroll along the beach and saw the largest shells I have ever seen as well as not-so-attractive sharks head. (The Mexicans eat shark). We decided on a little shack restaurant on the beach and had crab and fish.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

After lunch we were headed to Santa Elena about 150kms south-east of Celestun taking the Ruined Hacienda Route. The Ruined Hacienda Route lasts about 30km and every 5kms there is a grand old Hacienda in differing states of despair. This is where the rope I mentioned in Merida were made. Whilst the factories where located here, the owners also had regal homes. They didn’t actually live in them – they were just for show. Today these haciendas are falling apart. The towns the haciendas were in were also very authentic.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The first hacienda is in a town called Chunchucmil. On every holiday there is some experience that makes you giggle and we had that today. We got out of the car at Chunchucmil and a 12 year old kid, let’s call him Pedro, was at our car huffing and puffing. I think Pedro ran about a kilometre when he saw foreigners coming. Once Pedro established we were visiting the hacienda he became our tour guide for the next 20 minutes. What is the giggle factor? Pedro spoke no English. We spoke no Spanish. Very very funny! And all for a tip!!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We made it to Santa Elena after 5pm and checked into our hut at The Pickled Onion, a charming hotel about 1km from the town.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We wondered through the town after freshening up. There was a very quaint church and town square. Interestingly, we visited the small museum at the back of the church oblivious to what the subject matter was. Well it was about burial customs and they even had bodies of little babies and children. Very morbid, yet still intriguing!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tomorrow, we will meet you at Tulum.

Majestic Merida

If you only have one day and it’s 35 degrees at breakfast, how do you get to see it all? That’s right, the tourist sightseeing bus. I’m not normally a fan of this type of sightseeing but Merida is big and hot. We tried to avoid this method of sightseeing by joining a free 1.5hr walking tour but sneaked out after 15 mins due to a case of tour guide Spanglish. And glad we were for the decision. The sightseeing bus was not your typical double decked but an old rickety open 1970’s Cuban bus. The tour guide spoke fantastic English and we were going to cover all the main areas of Merida.

Merida is a very colonial city that was inhabited by the Spaniards during their rule. The town reflects the Spaniard architecture. The main square is centred around another majestic cathedral with museums and the city hall surrounding it.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Further North is Paseo de Montejo which is a wide boulevard (based on Champs Élysées) that had the homes of all the wealthy henequen (rope) producers. Rope production was the key industry in the 19th and early 20th centuries but with the invention of synthetic ropes, most of these people went bust. Whilst some of the mansions have been beautifully restored, many are abandoned. Some of the abandoned ones have jungles growing inside them as they are designed around a courtyard in the middle of the home.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The afternoon saw us stroll through the main market where they sell anything and everything – fruit, veggies, tools, clothes, flowers and pinatas!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

For dinner we had the best burritos and enchiladas at a local restaurant – we were the only non-Mexicans there. And the margaritas were only $1.8 each!!!! We were lucky after dinner to catch a performance of local Yucatan dancers. The evening ended with a drink at a Cantina.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Merida was a very cool and cultural city. It has funky bars and restaurants but retains its history with its architecture and colourful buildings. Thanks for a great time Merida.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Btw – best breakfasts EVER served at Casa Del Maya. Day one was a mango frittata and day two was french toast with bacon all served with love and fresh homemade cinnamon scrolls.

Yellow Chichens

I ticked another box today. I have seen another of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza. Only Christ the Redeemer and Machu Pichu to go!

We departed Maria’s and then headed further west to the site of Chichen Itza, located in the town of Piste. Chichen Itza was built and settled by the Mayans between 750AD and 1200AD. It is most famous for the Temple of Kukulkan, also known as El Castillo. We left early as the crowds (and heat) can be unbearable. (I don’t think I’ve mentioned that it is incredibly hot here – both day and night). Also, yesterday was the equinox whereby the morning and afternoon sun produces an illusion of a serpent on the staircase of El Castillo. It also gathered 100,000 people compared to the usual 6,000. The equinox can extend to the day before and after so we wanted to avoid the thousands of people flocking to see this shadow.

Well lucky we were. When we arrived, it was relatively quiet and none of the large tour buses had arrived. We could get magnificent photos of El Castillo and the other sites at Chichen Itza. The area itself is 47 hectares and contains a dozen or more significant ruins. Chichen Itza was far bigger than what I thought it was going to be.

But…….. what I am going to say next may cause some uproar. If you were to ask me what my overall opinion of Chichen Itza was, I would only answer impressive not amazing. My 2012 trip to the Middle East has set the bar very high for the wow factor. Having visited Abu Simbel in Egypt and Petra in Jordan, it takes A LOT to wow me. Most of these structures have been around since before Christ and stand today fully intact. Nonetheless, I am very glad to have seen and experienced Chichen Itza and it was one of my highlights to date on this trip.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Next stop was Izamal on our way to Merida. Izamal is a beautiful city regarded as the oldest in the Yucatan. It is a very religious and was privileged to receive Pope John Paul II as a visitor in 1993. (70% of Mexicans are Roman Catholic). But the highlight of the city is its beautiful yellow colour. The old part of the city – convent, cathedral, gates, homes and shops – are painted a sun-kissed yellow. Chuck in a few ruins and you have a majestic place, which we experienced on a horse cart ride (daggy I know, but when in 35 degree heat……).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Last stop of the day, Merida. Glenn and I were both very nervous entering Merida. We had just come from a small town of 50,000 people to the largest city in the Yucatan. And it sure felt like it as we were driving through surburbia. We found our casa and it felt miles from the action. We were clouded with doubt: “have we done the right thing?”, “this bloody casa is miles from town”, “this town is ugly”. Oh we were wrong – phew. Casa Del Maya is the casa gem of Merida – superb rooms, service, and recommendations. And the walk to the main square a measly 10 mins. But you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see Merida as we are off to explore.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.