Travels by Bus
See the world on bus, ON foot & on my own.
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01/2007 + 09/2010
Yu-ca-tán, Messy-Co(untry)!
Of playa, Mayan influence and pyramids
As Bill called it.
The messiness was not felt when I touched ground in Cancun International Airport but after clearing immigration and customs, when I was approached by transport-transfer touts and just outside the airport when I waited for my mini-van:
Many mini-vans left from where I was standing but none of them for my destination - Puerto Juárez - the port for the ferry to Isla Mujeres (Island of Women). That didn't help when all drivers only spoke Spanish. After an hour wait, finally the group is big enough for a mini-van to take us to Puerto Juárez.
Cost of transfer from airport to Puerto Juárez: 120 p (US$12), ~45 min
Cost of ferry to Isla Mujeres: 70 p (US$7), return, ~20 min
My first stop is Isla Mujeres then Piste (for Chichen Itza) then Playa del Carmen where I went to Tulum on a day trip. And on a separate trip, I visited Teotihuacan near Mexico City.
This photo here is Tulum, the Mayan ruin by the beautiful Carribean sea.
Isla Mujeres
I was in New York and San Francisco right before coming to Mexico. 6 hours later, I am in hot and humid Yucatán Peninsula with temperature of about 35 C! The Yucatán Peninsula is said to offer natural attraction such as turquoise water, powdery sand and vibrant fishes and coral of the Carribean sea. And deep cultural heritage with direct descendans of the great empire builders - the Mayas. The Mayas were inventors, astronomers and mathematicians, sophisticated artists, writers, philosophers and of course architects as early as 900 BC (in Guatemala).
The Isla Mujeres means Island of Women. A female colleague recommended it instead of the touristy Cancun. Funny enough, when I took the mini-van to Puerto Juárez, all the passengers were women who are from USA on an "expedition" to help render medical attention to the locals. Being in the company of women made me safer for sure.
The island is said to get its name because Spanish buccaneers kept their lovers there while they plundered galleons and pillaged ports; or maybe after the find of Maya goddesses in the stone temple; or that the island was a stopover for the Maya en route to worship their goddess of fertility, Ixchel, on the island of Cozumel.
I had booked a bed at the Pocna Hostel which, being on the beach, was described as a "Club Med" for backpackers. It was after I booked online that I came across negative reviews about the place. It was evening when I arrived so I was only glad when the receptionist found a bed for me although I had a printed confirmation from the online booking. It was a mixed dorm and the toilet and shower were pretty disgusting. The worse thing was the pillow. I do not understand why travellers have to be so disgusting. Cost per night: 100 p (US$10).
Good thing was, I met 2 girls in my dorm: Simone (UK) and Kristy (USA). They met at a summer camp years ago but had kept in touch, and decided to come to Mexico as their 30th birthday treat. It's nice to meet women who look younger than their real age :) They invited me out that night but I was so tired from New Year's eve night out and the early flight that I went to bed early.
The next day I joined them on a buggy-tour of the island i.e. drive a golf-buggy. Car rental here is exhorbitant as the whole tourism is catered to (stupid) rich Americans who will pay any price. Anyway, the golf-buggy is the ideal way to tour an island because it is only 8 km long and about 300 - 800 m wide. 24-hr rental of buggy: 550 p (US$55).
We drove all the way to Punta Sur, the southernmost point of the Mexican territory; consequently, it gets the first rays of sunshine every morning. It is the highest point on the island, where, in some parts, the cliffs reach 66 feet above sea, and from where you can see the most stunning sunrises and views of Cancun, the bay of Isla Mujeres, and the Caribbean Sea. We had lunch here to enjoy a distant view of Cancun and the ruins of a Maya temple dedicated to Ixchel. The 1988 Hurricane Gilbert nearly completely destroyed the ruins so there is little left to see. The view is spectacular, and more so at the top of the light house.
The coast, however, were mostly not suitable for swimming as it was rocky and choppy. We were, however, happy to swim at the northern end where our hostel were anyway. We managed to sneak into the comfort of a 5-star seaside resort with comfortable cushioned sun-deck chairs put out for us with towels and drinks served to us. We could live in such luxury everyday.
The visit was a short-lived one because I want to go and see Chichén Itzá.
Chichén Itzá
The bus from Cancun took about 6 hours, costing 94 p (US$9.40) one way and the one I took only stop at Pisté because it was already night fall. I had to take a cab to the Posada Olalde (pension) where I was going to stay for the night. The cab driver, Fernandéz, spoke very good English and was a friendly although "business" man. He recommended me the light show at Chichén Itzá as the ticket could get me 50% discount of the ticket to Chichén Itzá the next day. He would also take me to the light show and back for 65 p so I checked in to my room and went back to his cab after checking with the Posada owner if what I was told was true.
Besides, the town is pretty dead. I did not see any tourists at all. Most tourists come on day trips or they stay at the 5-star hotels. The plus-side for me is, I can have a head start early the next day, and have pictures almost void of tourists.
Chichén Itzá is the most famous and best restored of the Yucatán Peninsula's Maya sites.
The main structure is El Castillo (or the Pyramid of Kukulcán), which was pretty amazing even in the dark. Unfortunately, I did not have my passport with me so I could not rent the audio guide to the show and I could not understand what was being "displayed".
The Light and Sound show attempts to show the vernal (March 20 - 21) and autumnal (Sep 21 - 22) equinoxes where the morning and afternoon sun produces a light-and-shadow illusion of the serpent ascending or descending the side of El Castillo's staircase. The serpents were the cult of Quetzalcóatl (Kukulcán, in Maya). This was built along with the present day 25 m high structure by the Toltec over the original El Castilllo which was built around AD 800.
According to the guide book, the pyramid is actually the Maya calendar formed in stone. Each of El Castillo's nine levels is divided in two by a staircase, making 18 separate terraces that commemorate the 18 x 20-day months of the Vague Year. The 4 stairways have 91 steps each; add the top platform and the total is 365, the number of days in the year. On each facade of the pyramid are 52 flat planels, which are reminders of the 52 years in the Calendar Round.
Contrary to my guide book, after many accidents and the high cost of maintenance, El Castillo is no longer accessible for a climb up to the top. I could only zoom to the top with my camera for a peep in which is no use really.
I also missed the tour of the passage up to the throne which is said to be a "red jaguar throne with inlaid eyes and spots of jade, which holds the Maya rain god, Chac-Mool figure inside the present day El Castillo."
It was an extremely important emblematic center of religious power for the inhabitants of the city in ancient time. The temple has a facade made of a plain panel and a freize, whose central strip is divided by two intertwined serpents. On each side is a procession of jaguars walking in opposite directions, with war shields on the upper part.
In the comice there is a strip of serrated bars that leave inverted triangles simulating intertwined serpents. Inside the vestibule is a Chac-Moool, with bone inlays representing eyes, teeth and nails. In the sanctuary there is a jaguar throne painted red. The spots on the skin are represented by jade discs. The fangs are carved out of shell and the eyes are repesented by two large round jade stones.
Throughout the ground, you see many bloody ritual carvings, among the images of Chac-Mool, the Maya rain god and Quetzalcóatl, the plumed serpent. These were the result of the Toltecs, which invaded this place in the late 10th century, who were pretty obsessed with human sacrifice. The Toltecs came from the central highlands north of Mexico City. They brought with them the Toltec culture and fused that of the Maya, incorporating the cult of Quetzalcóatl (Kukulcán, in Maya).
The Platform of Eagles and Jaguars
(Plataforma de Las Águilas y Los Jaguares)
This platform is said to date back to between 900 and 1200 AD. It is build in Maya-Toltec style with 4 small staircases, one on each side with representing ascending plumed serpents. There are carvings showing eagles tearing open the chests of men to eat their hearts. This platform is thought to be part of a temple dedicated to the military legions responsible for capturing sacrificial victims.
Gran Juego de Pelota
is the great ball court, the largest and most impressive in Mexico, with 8 courts, indicating the importance of games held here. The court is flanked by temples at either end and bounded by towering parallel walls with stone rings cemented up high.
There is evidence that the ball game may have changed over the years.
Some carving show players with padding on their elbows and knees which is a soccer-like game with hard rubbber ball.
Other carvings show players wielding bats.
During the Toltec period, the captain of the losing team might have been sacrificed, as carved on the walls with players being decapitated.
The Platform of Venus
is a square shaped platform with steps on all 4 sides, with each corner glyphs associated with the planet Venus. It is closely related to the Castle and again, most probably used for ceremonial purposes.
Group of the Thousand Columns
Grupo de las Mil Columnas comprises of the Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors) and the Templo de Chac-Mool (Sweat House or Steam Bath).
After Chichén Itzá, I was happy to be back on the beach again. This time I went to Playa del Carmen. It is very touristy with a lot of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. I stayed at a hostel behind the beach. I was in an all-girls room and it was much cleaner than the one before.
I made friends with 3 other backpackers who were very nice girls. We all share the same "problem" of finding the right friend to travel with us. That was when I came up with an idea where I have a platform for women only and "membership" is only possible via friends' recommendation to verify the true gender of the person behind the internet. It would be nice even to have someone to have a meal with at the end of the day if we are unable to agree with another person on the kind of attractions we would like to see.
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After a few days of just doing nothing at Playa del Carmen, I finally found the energy to get on a mini-van to take me to Tulum to see the ruins by the sea.
It is set on a 45-foot cliffside facing the Caribbean and is according to Wikipedia, it is the site of a Pre-Columbian Maya walled city serving as a major port for Cobá.
Tulum was one of the last cities inhabited and built by the Mayas between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico, and Old World diseases brought by the Spanish settlers appear to have been the cause of its demise.
One of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites, Tulum is today a popular site for tourists.
I wish I had not procrastinated and put off the visit to the last because Tulum is really very pretty and it has white sandy beaches. I could have easily spent a day or two here and even visit the "natural aquarium of Xel Ha" and Coba.
The Inkas Sacred Valley in Urubamba
When I read in the guide about the flying musicians/performers, I didn't think that I would get the chance to see them because I do not know when and where they perform but from where the mini-van dropped us for Tulum, these men set them their acts. It was very interesting to watch.
Teotihuacan
On a separate trip in 2010 when we were returning from Peru, our flight allowed a stopover in Mexico City. We took the chance to visit Teotihuacan which is also known as the City of the Gods, an archeological site 40 km northeast of Mexico City.
Teotihuacan is home to some of the largest ancient pyramids in the world. Legend has it that here was where the gods gathered to plan the creation of man.
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Pyramid of the Sun.
Not sure if you can see it in the picture but the stairs are very narrow and very steep. It was not an easy walk uphill. We were lucky we went there relatively early before tour buses arrived or perhaps it is off-peak period, it wasn't a mad rush.
Our flight in was very early in the morning. Taxi will be very expensive so are private tours. Group tours can only be booked in Mexico City so I decided to go on the public transportation which meant a subway from the airport to Mexico City and change at Terminal Autobuses to Teotihuacan. It was quite easy to manage on the way there but on the way, we had no idea which bus was going to take us to the airport. Luckily we were not too rushed for time.
The subway trains and buses were comfortable. I read a lot of warnings on petty crime but once again, it was advantageous that Sam has a bodyguard built. No one even came close to us.
