We left Chichen Itza for Merida in mid-afternoon. We purchased our bus tickets inside the large souvenir shop at the visitor center. There was a special counter for this purpose. This time, we took a first class bus, which again stopped right outside the entrance. Using the large toll highway, the bus got us there in no more than 1 1/2 hours. I have never made the trip back to Cancun, so for information on that you will have to consult other sources listed on my Yucatan Tips page. |
Uncovering the Yucatan's Past |
It seems that a couple of weeks before, the city's army had taken prisoner the ruler of another power to the south. Today, in honor of the rise of the morning star, he was to be sacrificed by the Ahau at the main temple and have his heart plucked from his body. To further commemorate the event, a ball game was to be played at the central court. What a spectacle it would be, if only I could arrange to get a seat in the stands. Such are the thoughts that might course through the head of a curious modern visitor when standing among the majestic and awe-inspiring ruins that dot the landscape of the Yucatan. Yet, today they are but silent reminders of the glory days of Mayan civilization, when a vast network of centers controlled MesoAmerica from the northern Yucatan south to Honduras. A visit to the Yucatan peninsula is not complete without experiencing at least one of these archaeological sites. |
As I entered the great city, I was surrounded by colossal stone edifices painted in a variety of brilliant tones. Everyone seemed in a hurry. A trading party had just arrived from Central Mexico, and the local merchants were bartering at a fevered pitch. Some objects were set aside for the ruler (or Ahau) of the city. The crowd, larger than I had seen in any European capital I had visited, displayed an extra sense of excitement that day. |
While scholars continue to debate the origins and the "fall" of Mayan civilization, travelers interested in history continue to flock to the Yucatan to see some of the greatness that this culture produced. The Yucatan Peninsula is without a doubt the land of the Maya. The key word here is "is." All the great Mayan cities were left unoccupied long long ago, but millions of Maya still occupy the region. Take a drive through the small villages of the Yucatan, and you will encounter a multitude of grass-covered huts very similar to those that used to house their ancestors around the temples and palaces at places like Chichen Itza, Uxmal, and Tikal. Several of the most important Mayan archaeological sites anywhere are located conveniently close to the coastal resorts. For me, visiting these magical places was the highlight of the trip. I plan to return someday to see the numerous smaller sites in the area and spend more time at the larger ones. |
Chichen Itza was hot. My wife and I definitely discovered a love for Fresca that day, as we chugged can after can in record time to alleviate our constant thirst. Another thing I discovered that day was a complete fascination and yes "love" for these ancient ruins. Judging from the countless books on the Maya that line the shelves of libraries and bookstores, I am not alone. Chichen Itza gathers in a huge percentage of those visitors to the Mayan Riviera who bother to venture outside the resorts. It is arguably one of the five most important Mayan sites available to visitors today (along with Uxmal and Palenque in Mexico, Tikal in Guatemala, and Copan in Honduras) and is conveniently 2 1/2 hours from Cancun and 1 1/2 hours from Merida. |
Daytrippers have no trouble getting there and back. The choice is in how to do it. From Cancun, the ruins can be reached either via an expensive toll highway or bumpy back roads that pass through numerous villages, whose presence is announced by massive speed bumps that could prove a major hazard to anyone making this journey after dark. You can take a car or bus. First-class buses offer better air conditioning and travel by the faster toll highway. Along some routes, you will be among mostly American and European tourists, and on others you may be the only non-Mexican onboard. We chose to take a second-class bus, not for the price difference, but because the earliest first-class buses left too late in the morning for me. I wanted to beat some of the heat and some of the crowds. Plus, mid-day sun is not very flattering for photography. |
We were the only non-Spanish speakers on a bus that contained almost all locals. It was common for the bus driver to have a small shrine to the Virgin Mary onboard. Music played on loudspeakers constantly; mostly it was Mexican, but sometimes it was a Spanish version of a long-forgotten American pop song. Our bus constantly stopped to pick people up and would halt in the middle of the jungle, or at least it seemed, to let people off at some small trail leading to I didn't know where. Riding through the villages was fascinating because it offered a real glimpse of rural life in the Yucatan. This place is very rocky, and most yards consisted of an enclosed area of dirt and huge white limestone boulders. Inside the yards, it was common to see chickens or other farm animals roaming around the grass-covered buildings. We could see hammocks through the open front doors of many residences. I cannot say how much of these conditions is due to poverty and how much is due to tradition. The bus made a stop of about 15 minutes at Valladolid, a mid-sized colonial city about halfway between Cancun and Merida. As we passed the city's large 16th century church of San Gervacio, I thought this would be a nice place to visit for a day or two, away from most of the other travelers. We had enough time to get refreshments, use the restrooms (there were none on any of the buses we road), and stretch our legs. When we arrived at Chichen Itza, we were pleasantly surprised to be dropped off at the front gate because I had read in more than one travel guide that you had to make your way there from the nearby town of Piste. |
In the 9th century, Chichen Itza was founded as a great capital either by the Itzas (a Putun Maya group from the Gulf Coast of Mexico) or the Toltecs (a warrior group from Central Mexico). Scholars disagree on who founded it, but th architecture exhibits a definite Toltec influence. |
Chichen Itza is one of the best restored of all Mayan sites. Although this is a fairly large site, most of the ruins are grouped in two main areas. Centering the northern group is the Pyramid of Kukulcan, more popularly called El Castillo (the Castle). These large temples were exceedingly important in the lives of Mayan city dwellers. The Maya were quite knowledgeable about astronomy and developed a very accurate calendar. El Castillo is essentially the Mayan calendar in stone, as its number of steps, terraces, and panels, correspond to various time periods. The tops of these Mayan pyramids offer fantastic opportunities to view and photograph the surrounding jungle and ruins. El Castillo puts you about 75 feet off the ground. On top of the large platform sits a temple, whose doorways are supported by serpent columns. Large serpent heads also form the lower part of the exterior stairway on the north side. On the days of the autumnal and vernal equinoxes, shadows form up this stairway creating the effect of a crawling snake. The climbing itself is quite an experience. The pyramids are very steep, but there are steel ropes to assist in making the ascent. Actually descending is a lot scarier than going up because you are looking down. Carrying camera equipment and bending to hold the chain can make your legs pretty tired by the time you reach the ground again. |
Chichen Itza |
El Castillo greets you as you enter Chichen Itza, and it makes a good first stop to get a view of the site layout. The current temple overlies an older and smaller one. You can see part of the inner temple by climbing an interior stairway that begins on the north side of the pyramid. It is only open at certain times of the day. Because of this, the narrow and hot stairwell gets crowded, and climbing it was not all that pleasant. We were accompanied by a large group of American teenagers. At the top, there are two small rooms. One room holds a small jaguar throne, and the other houses a chacmool, which is a reclining figure holding a plate-like object over its stomach. Chacmools are thought to have held the hearts of ritual sacrifice victims. |
Other notable structures in the northern group include the Great Ball Court, the Tzompantli, the Temple of the Warriors, and the Group of the Thousand Columns. More ball courts have been discovered at Chichen Itza (13) than at any other Mayan site. The Great Ball Court sits at center court so to speak, a few hundred yards from El Castillo. The Mayan ball game consisted of two teams of players attempting to bat a solid rubber ball through a hoop set high up on a wall. The players could use their elbows, hips, and wrists, but not their hands. And we think World Cup soccer is low-scoring. It appears that on occasion the losers lost their heads as victims of sacrificial ceremonies. |
The Tzompantli (or skull rack) is a low platform decorated with rows of skulls skewered on stakes. These platforms were used to support racks containing actual human heads. The Temple of Warriors is a large stepped platform upon which sits a chacmool and feathered serpent columns. I have read that this temple is open to climbers at certain times of day, and I have seen many nice photos taken from its summit with the chacmool or columns as a foreground for El Castillo. However, I never saw it open. A vast number of colonnaded hallways flank the temple on two sides (called the Group of the Thousand Columns). Take a close look at the columns, many of which contain low relief carvings of Toltec officers. |
The southern group of buildings is more typical of the Puuc Maya, who inhabited sites in the western part of the Yucatan. One feature is the presence of ornately carved upper facades. Particularly nice examples of this style can be found in the group of buildings around the Nunnery (Las Monjas). One of the more striking carved figures appearing on Mayan buildings is that of Chac, the God of Rain. Chac masks are in abundance on La Iglesia, a small building near the Nunnery. Take a look at the upper corners of the building in particular, where you can get a good look at his long, curled nose. This section offers good opportunities for detail photos. |
I was not particularly pleased with my own photos at this section, as the lighting was a little too harsh. You are likely to get the best detailed shots of carvings on an overcast day when the light is soft and even or with low side or front lighting, which tends to bring out textures in objects. The most interesting of all the buildings in the southern section, and one any visitor must see, is the Caracol. This building is located just north of the Nunnery Group. The scholar, J. Eric Thompson, aptly described this structure "as a two-decker wedding cake on the square carton in which it came." On top of the Caracol's platform sits a small round enclosure. Inside is a spiral staircase. Openings in this building align with important astronomical events, leading to the conclusion that the Caracol served at least partly as an observatory. Not only is the Caracol itself quite photogenic, but from atop the platform you can capture El Castillo rising above the jungle. |
The best way to see and photograph Chichen Itza |
Chichen Itza is quite large. We were able to see all of the northern and southern sections at the archaeological site in 5 to 6 hours. This included time for food breaks and photography. No less than 2 to 3 hours would be required for even a brief tour. The best way to see Chichen Itza, especially if you are very serious about photographing the structures at their best, is to stay overnight. |
There are pricey hotels near the ruins and less expensive ones a half-mile away in Piste. Here is one suggested itinerary: Day 1: arrive in the evening and get checked in. Day 2: head out early, while the light is warm and the people few, to visit the northern section. Have lunch in the restaurant at the visitor center, where you will also find restrooms and souvenir shops. In the afternoon, take a guided tour of the site, and head back to the hotel. You may wish to return for the evening sound and light show. Day 3: Explore the southern section and so-called "Old Chichen Itza," an outer group of ruins that is much less visited. |
Good things to take along for the day include a camera or two with lots of film (at least two rolls even for those who are not photography enthusiasts), a backpack, a bottle of water per person, a hat, sunscreen, a map of the site, a flashlight for interiors, and insect repellent. When climbing El Castillo, secure your camera in a backpack or camera bag that fits tightly to your body. This will make it easier to prevent your equipment from banging into the steep stairway and leave your hands free to prevent your body from plummeting to the ground. You have to pay a fee to use video cameras at the sites and must obtain permission to use tripods. |
Leaving Chichen Itza |
We left Chichen Itza for Merida in mid-afternoon. We purchased our bus tickets inside the large souvenir shop at the visitor center. There was a special counter for this purpose. This time, we took a first class bus, which again stopped right outside the entrance. Using the large toll highway, the bus got us there in no more than 1 1/2 hours. I have never made the trip back to Cancun, so for information on that you will have to consult other sources listed on my Yucatan Tips page. |
Uxmal |
Merida is in close proximity to a wealth of Puuc Mayan ruins. To visit smaller sites, such as Labna and Sayil, it is best to either rent a car or take a tour. However, to reach the largest and most magnificent Puuc site, Uxmal, you can simply take a First Class bus at the Merida bus station. In not much over an hour, you will be dropped off at the front gate. We left our hotel with little time to spare in order to catch the first bus heading to the archaeological site. Along the way, we stopped in mid-run just long enough for me to ask a passing local for the exact location of the station. I was really proud that I could complete this transaction in Spanish, which was no mean feat considering that I had studied it very little since a couple of courses in junior high and high school many moons ago. Thanks to the short distance to the ruins, we were able to arrive early enough to have a couple of hours of good light for photos. |
Uxmal (pronounced Oosh-mal), a city that reached its high point just before the end of the First Millennium is considered a true masterpiece of pure Mayan architecture. It is a large site but much more compact than Chichen Itza. To me it was much more fun to tour Uxmal. There were a lot fewer people at this place. In fact, we were alone most of the time. Uxmal does get its share of tourists, but its great distance from the coastal resorts really cuts down on the numbers. The main buildings are closer together too. This saved some walking and made it easier to include multiple structures in my photographs. Chichen Itza was very flat, but there were many higher points in Uxmal from which to take wide angle and telephoto shots of groups of ruins. We really enjoyed scrambling up the hills. The visitor center was the only place to get refreshments, so we were parched from all the climbing. To my eye, Uxmal is also more "beautiful" than Chichen Itza. Its flamboyantly constructed and well-restored Puuc structures are quite striking. |
The most prominent structure at Uxmal is the House of the Magician. This semi-rounded temple pyramid soars to 100 feet above the ground and is even more of a challenge for the vertically disinclined than El Castillo. One guidebook had told of Queen Elizabeth making the climb in the rain as an assistant shielded her with an umbrella. So, how hard could it be, right? I bet she wasn't carrying camera equipment. Plus, I had to keep my new Merida-bought Panama hat from blowing off on the way up. The hat proved very beneficial in the blazing sun, though. The side toward the Nunnery Quadrangle is even steeper. From the top of the pyramid, you can get spectacular views of the surrounding structures. You look right down into the Nunnery Quadrangle. A 28mm lens is enough to take it all in, but I would have loved to have had a 20 or 24mm. |
The most magical experience at Uxmal was standing in the midst of the Nunnery Quadrangle, practically alone, with the only sound coming from the hundreds of soaring swallows that make their nests within its ancient walls. The emptiness of these long-abandoned abodes brought forth a mixed feeling of solitude, mystery, excitement, and awe. The Nunnery Quadrangle is composed of four separate but closely set buildings surrounding a large courtyard. The façades on these structures are very ornately carved, including unusual phallic representations. |
The large group of ruins to the south of the Nunnery Quadrangle and House of the Magician provided nice overlooks from which to view and photograph the rest of the site. We walked up onto the Dove-Cotes Building, which is thought to be the remains of a structure similar to the Nunnery Quadrangle. We sat awhile in one of the many openings that lie beneath its stepped roof combs, contemplating our surroundings and eavesdropping on a couple of fellow Southerners who happened to be sitting right next door. Two superb viewpoints were found by climbing to the tops of the South Temple and the Great Pyramid, both of which lie next to the Dove-Coats building. The South Temple is now only a little rubble on top of a large mound, but the front of the Great Pyramid is well-restored and contains interesting carvings of birds and Chac masks. We could have climbed up the steps, but instead we scrambled up the earthen mound that surrounds the restored part. It was steep but not hard to do at all. |
On the opposite side of the Great Pyramid from the South Temple lie two of Uxmal's finest edifices, the Governor's Palace and the House of the Turtles. At over 300 feet long, the Governor's Palace is very impressive. It is often called the best example of Puuc architecture in existence. This finely restored building is comprised of one large central structure, separated from two smaller end units by sharply pointed arches. The Governor's Palace sits upon a mound, in front of which sit two small platforms. One of these supports a two-headed jaguar sculpture, which makes a great foreground subject for photographs of the palace. The Governor's Palace contains a large amount of exquisite detail work. We reached it in the early afternoon, when the lighting was not right to capture it as well as I would have liked. It is worth the effort to reach the palace in the early morning when the sun would cast a nice warm glow on the front and bring out the details. Just around the corner is the House of the Turtles, a very plain but well-restored structure named for the turtle carvings that line its molding. The area around these two buildings affords more great views of the other ruins. |
The Best Way to See and Photograph Uxmal |
When we went to Uxmal, our stay was partly determined by the bus schedule and partly by the desire to spend some more time in Merida before returning to Cancun. We spent probably 5 to 6 hours touring the ruins and managed to see all the major ones. A whole day should give you plenty of time to add in the lesser-restored outlying ruins that we skipped. Ideally, for any site as large as this, the best thing to do is stay overnight near the site (there are good hotels near Uxmal) or make a second trip. This will offer you more time to examine the details of the Mayan architecture and photograph them all in good light. Like Chichen Itza, Uxmal has a sound and light show after dark. Take some water along, as the visitor center is the only place to get refreshments. |
Coba |
Standing on top of the great ruined pyramid of Nohoc Mul, there was nothing but thick jungle as far as the eye could see. In one spot, the dense plant growth was pierced by another lower pyramid reaching toward the sky. In the distance, we caught a glimpse of rare surface lakes over the low trees. Coba is perhaps the largest archaeological site on the peninsula, and one claim to fame is its long period of habitation, dating from at least the 7th to the 14th or 15th century. In its heyday, the city controlled a sizeable number of other centers, joined by sacbeob, or raised roads up to 70 miles in length. Modern visitors can still take a walk along these causeways. |
It is not nearly as difficult to visit Coba on your own as some would have you believe. Of course, it is easy with a car, and the salespeople in Cancun are anxious to tell you this is far and away the easiest method. Several people told us that buses back from Coba were infrequent and might be full by the time they reached the ruins on their way to the coast. This was in keeping with what I had read in the travel guides. There is another way to get to Coba - a taxi - and thanks to a suggestion in Lonely Planet's Yucatan guide, we took this approach. In about two hours, our bus took us to the Tulum Ruinas station, located under a small open shelter on the main highway. If you take this route, make sure to get off at this stop across from the Tulum ruins and not stay on to the station in the town of Tulum. There happened to be a taxi waiting in the parking lot, so we inquired about a ride to Coba. No problema! For about $35, we could get a round trip, plus two hours to explore. The archaeological site at Coba is only about 25 miles inland from Tulum, and our taxi got us there in no time at all. The driver kept the car in the middle of the mostly deserted and unmarked highway except when he met other traffic. Along the way, the monotony of the jungle was only occasionally broken by a small group of huts. If you kept your eyes open along these roads, however, you could occasionally see a few interesting birds. |
A visit to Coba is very different than one to Uxmal or Chichen Itza. Its buildings are still quite ruined, though largely cleared, and touring Coba requires a lot of walking through well-trod jungle paths. The structures are quite far apart, and most are well away from the visitor center. We were able to see the majority of the site in our two hours, but we should have asked for three. We had to constantly watch the time. We encountered a couple of locals along the paths - a Mayan woman and child. The child carried a bundle of wood in the traditional method, using a strap placed over the head for support. He asked visitors for handouts as they passed. A sign at the entrance advised against contributing to this behavior; instead of giving the children money, it said, tell them to go to school. We didn't give any money or tell him to go to school (I don't think I would have known how anyway). I did take a photo of the child, but I kind of felt guilty about that afterwards. Was I exploiting his poverty in someway? It just didn't feel right. I still have the photo, but I chose not to include it here. |
The most impressive building at the site is the temple pyramid of Nohoch Mul. There are several pyramidal structures at Coba, but this was the only one open to climbers during our visit. I would expect you could get wonderful photos of Nohoch Mul from some of these other high vantagepoints. Nohoch Mul is the largest Mayan structure in the northeastern Yucatan. Together, the pyramidal base and its added-on temple reach just over 100 feet into the heavens. The area around the main stairway was well cleared, but on other sides, plant growth reached the uppermost sections of the base. I didn't find Nohoch Mul to be nearly as intimidating to climb. It just didn't seem as steep as El Castillo or the House of the Magician. However, its steps were very uneven, so we had to be careful. Once on top, the view was more than worth the effort. We were not alone, as three young climbers had preceded us. One guy just sat on the edge looking out at the jungle, apparently trying to absorb as much of the whole experience as possible for future recollection. We didn't encounter many other souls at Coba. In fact, there were so few people that when you did encounter others, you felt compelled to carry on a conversation as if you had run into unexpected fellow human beings in some far off uninhabited land. We did engage a couple of honeymooners who were staying at a luxury hotel near Coba. I guess not all honeymooners stick to the beaches. |
The architectural style of Coba has much in common with that of the central lowlands, or Peten (the Yucatan is in the northern lowlands), which stretch into Guatemala. One feature of note is the number of stelae found at this location. A stela is a large, cylindrical or flat rock set on end before temples. Very often, these were carved with representations of rulers or important events and contained hieroglyphs. Over thirty stelae were found at Coba, more than anywhere else in the northern Yucatan. Quite a few remained for us to examine. |
My biggest adventure at Coba involved leaving an expensive lens behind at one of the structural groups. We had walked several hundred yards up the path toward another group when I came to this frightening realization. The only person I had seen anywhere near was an apparent employee of the site. I just hoped no one beat me to it, or if someone did it would be an honest person. I wasn't taking chances. As Gina walked back up the trail, I ran almost the entire distance. Occasionally, the heat would cause me to slow, but thoughts of "man, I just bought that lens" and "I don't want to have to spend the rest of the trip without it" incessantly pushed me forward. Success! My lens was right where I had left it, but I was completely drenched in sweat. By now, we did not have time to see more of the site and headed back to the taxi. We found the driver asleep at the wheel and had to knock on the glass to get his attention. The other cabbies got a laugh out of it. On the road again and headed toward Tulum. |
Tulum |
Aaaaah, Tulum. It would be harder to find a more photogenic location in the Yucatan. The site is very small. The main temple is a dwarf compared to those at other famous Yucatan sites, and it is closed off. One building houses the remains of paintings, but you can barely discern them in the dark roped off interior. The structures exhibit relatively shoddy construction. Yet, tourists absolutely flock to this place. Sure, part of the reason lies in its proximity to the resorts - two hours from Cancun and one hour from Playa del Carmen. I have a feeling, though, that if Tulum was twice as far out, the people would still come. The reason is the setting. The main temple (El Castillo) is spectacularly perched on a cliff overlooking the gorgeous turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Just to the north of El Castillo, a small but wonderful beach breaks the line of cliffs. On the cliff bordering the other side of the beach, a much smaller edifice provides a great view of the beach and ruins. |
It is thought that Tulum was an important coastal trading center after its occupation in the 13th century. Apparently, it was occupied up to the time of the Spanish Conquest. What a terrific and frightening sight it must have been to the first European sailors who spotted it. |
We arrived back at Tulum Ruinas bus station by mid-afternoon on our return from Coba. The ruins are almost directly across the highway, but they are set back several hundred yards from the road. Because of its heavy tourist traffic, Tulum has a large visitor center with many adjoining shops. We must have walked 15 minutes just to reach this point. From here we took the little tourist tram to the entrance. The archaeological site itself sits on a virtually treeless, flat piece of ground, surrounded on three sides by the city's original walls. There is not much cover from the sun, so a hat is a handy thing to have. Most of the ruins of any real interest are clustered opposite El Castillo. I found the Temple of the Frescoes to be the best photo subject of this group. Several of the facades at Tulum feature "diving gods," which are actually thought to respresent a bee-like deity. To me they looked like someone striking a particularly difficult yoga position. As I said, this place gets loads of tourists, many of whom come in tour groups. It wasn't too bad when we visited, as it was toward the end of the day. You will definitely want to go either early or late to get mostly peopleless photos. |
If you want to see iguanas, go to Tulum. The place was absolutely crawling with them. I was able to get pretty close to several. The iguanas were somewhat wary of humans but did not appear too concerned. After witnessing a bloody battle of little Godzilla wanabes at Xel-Ha, I gave a little extra respect to the larger ones. |
After an hour or so of exploring the ruins (1-2 hours at most will do you here), we relaxed on the beach for a while before returning to Cancun. It was a very pleasant spot, with boulders and cliffs providing a small amount of shade. |
If you want to visit one Mayan site while on vacation, Tulum is not the place. Whatever it takes, go to Chichen Itza!! But it is hard to beat that view. |
The One-eyed Traveler |
This page was last updated on: September 8,
2002
Text and photos copyright 1984-2002 Dan Woodlief |
