Chichen-Itza
The entire Yucatan Peninsula used to be a sprawling
Maya settlement. Over time, the jungle reclaimed its
territory, but the hundreds of mounds dotting the
Yucatan peninsula show what once was. Each of these
mounds is the ruin of a Maya building, covered with
earth and foliage over many centuries. Many of these
sites still await excavation, but several have been
uncovered and Chichen-Itza is among the most beautiful.
(for tours to Chichen Itza click
here.) The ancient city covers a six square mile
area on the peninsula, about 80 miles east of Merida.
The first major buildings to be built at Chichen-Itza
were begun in roughly 600 A.D. There are numerous
well-restored and fascinating buildings on the site.
Perhaps the most magnificent is El Castillo (the castle),
otherwise known as the Pyramid of Kukulcan. The colossal
pyramid is topped by a square temple, in which ritual
sacrifices were made. Contrary to the popular belief
that the Maya were a peaceful tribe, they were, in
fact, very warlike and conducted many religious sacrifices.
The pyramid also reflects the advanced skills the
Maya had in astronomy. The total number of steps on
the building is 365, and on the vernal and autumnal
equinoxes, the sun casts a shadow on the pyramid which
resembles a huge snake slithering down the front staircase.
The Temple of the Warriors is another interesting
building on the site. The temple closely resembles
the architectural styles of the Toltecs, but researchers
are still debating whether the Maya copied to style
from the Toltecs or the Toltecs copied the style from
the Maya. The latter is more likely, as the Maya had
been established and powerful for many centuries at
the time of the Toltecs’ rise to power. The
Maya were avid sports fans, judging from the 22 ball
courts found on the site. The largest of these, known
simply as the great ball court, is 270 feet long,
has sloping walls, and two small temples, one at each
end. It was not uncommon to offer a human sacrifice
to the gods before a game. The sport was very serious
to the Maya. Often, the captain of one team was sacrificed
at the end of the match, but curiously, due to the
honor the Maya gave those who were sacrificed, historians
are unable to determine whether the winner or loser
was sacrificed. Regardless, the great ball court is
a fascinating location on the site. Carved in relief
on one wall is the image of a player being decapitated.
Another interesting aspect of the court is the temple
at the north end, known as the Temple of the Bearded
Man.
The acoustics of this temple, whether done on purpose
or by accident, allow a person talking in a normal
speaking voice to be heard far down the court. There
are several theories as to why this might be. It could
have served as a "dugout" of sorts for a
team coach to send commands to his players, or it
could have served as a "press booth" from
which a spectator could report the events to the common
masses outside, who were not allowed to watch the
game. These are just a few of many wonders Chichen-Itza
has to offer. Should you want to visit Chichen Itza
click
here.
Tulum
The largest of several coastal Mayan forts. Tulum
is the only walled city that the Maya ever built.
Situated on the coast some 80 miles south of Cancun,
the city was so magnificent that the first Spaniards
to see it claimed it to be grander than Seville. To
visit Tulum click
here. The architecture of Tulum is more utilitarian
and less fancy than at sites such as Uxmal and Chichen-Itza.
The fort was built as a functional city without as
much emphasis on arts. The city was mainly decorated
with plaster sculptures and painted frescoes. The
true beauty of Tulum is in its location. Situated
above pristine white beaches and overlooking the ocean,
the city’s main structure, the "Castle,"
is an impressive building structurally if not artistically.
The solid construction and sturdy walls of this combination
temple/fortress surely must have been an awe-inspiring
sight to the conquistadors. Directly in front of the
Castle, you’ll find the Temple of the Frescoes.
The temple contains authentic wall frescoes that somehow
managed to survive the ravages of time.
Unfortunately, visitors to the sight are not allowed
to climb the ruins anymore due to the large amount
of tourists the site attracts each year. However,
to gaze out over the ocean from such an ancient and
majestic city is a memory you won’t soon forget.
To visit Tulum click
here.
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Cancun
was a place of rest for Mayan Emperors. Today, it
is one of the most modern vacation spots in the world.
For relaxing, admiring the beauty of nature, exploring
archeological wonders, or scuba diving in crystal
clear Caribbean waters, there is not really any other
place like Cancun.
Cancun has over 25,000 hotel rooms, along with some
of the finest restaurants and night clubs in the country.
Prices vary from luxurious beach front accommodations
to frugal, in-town hotels. For a perfect vacation,
Cancun has all you could ever need.
Cancun has an extensive bus system that can take you
anywhere in town. The cost of a ticket in the hotel
zone is 6 pesos, about 60 cents), and 4 pesos in the
downtown and urban areas. The busses pass by about
every 5 min. but will only stop in designated bus
stops
There are over 3,000 taxis in Cancun and there are
really no set rates in the hotel zone, nor do they
have meters so be sure to negotiate your price before
embarking. The normal rate for a taxi in the downtown
and urban areas is 14 to 20 pesos. The rate in the
hotel zone is higher.
There are several large supermarkets downtown that
have everything from food to clothing. There is also
a Wal Mart and a Sam's Club and Costco and your membership
is valid world wide.
Uxmal
Pronounced "oosh-mawl," Uxmal was one of
the greatest Maya cities. The city was built sometime
during the 5th or 6th centuries A.D., but archaeological
evidence suggests that the area had been inhabited
as a farming center since as far back as 800 B.C.
The city shows no architectural styles other than
the purely Maya "Puuc" style. This is odd
considering the widespread influence of other cultures
in the region. The grandest structure of the site
is the Pyramid of the Magician. Though not a true
pyramid (it is elliptical, not square), the pyramid
is a marvel, standing 38 meters tall with a staircase
at a 60 degree angle, the pyramid is tall and steep.
The view from the top, if you can handle the climb,
is marvelous.To the west, you’ll see the Nunnery
Quadrangle. Named by the Spanish historian Fray Diego
Lopez de Cogullado because it resembled a European
monastery, the Nunnery is thought to have been an
academy of some sort, either for the military or the
children of the elite classes. Southwest of the pyramid,
you will see the Governor’s Palace, the largest
and fanciest structure on the premises. The intricate
stonework and the 320 foot long mosaic facade of the
palace make the building the gem of Uxmal.The Governor’s
palace is offset from the main grid that the rest
of the city lies on. This reflects the astronomical
skills of the Maya, as the Palace’s main door
was placed in perfect alignment with Venus. Another
large structure on the site is the Great Pyramid.
At 30 meters tall, this nine-level pyramid is a dominant
structure of Uxmal. It is decorated with ornate carvings
of masks, birds, and flowers. Like many of the other
ruins in Mexico, Uxmal has a restored ball court.
However, the court is much simpler than other courts
in other ancient cities. Also of note is the huge
cisterns which supplied the city with water. Uxmal
was built in an arid portion of the Yucatan peninsula,
far away from any springs, rivers, or wells. To collect
precious water, the city built huge cisterns to capture
rain. Consequently, the rain god, Chaac, was the most
worshipped deity in Uxmal. Other archaeological sites
unearthed near Uxmal are Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak, and
Labna, all of which were under the territorial influence
of Uxmal.
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Some
helpful phone numbers:
AIRPORT
and Other phone numbers in Cancun
Customs Airport 886-00-71, 886-0073
Migration 886-00-92
Marine customs 886-00-51, 886-00-73
Ambulances of the Caribbean 883-10-10
Green Angles 887-17-06
Blood Bank 887-26-95
Naval Base 883-35-79
Firemen 884-12-02
Port Captain 880-13-62
Emergency Commission 884-02-87, 887-40-87
Red Cross 884-16-16, 887-32-21
Forest fires 883-0601, 883-04-74
Police 884-19-13
Federal Highway Police 884-11-07, 884-15-42
Judicial State police 884-11-71
Federal Judicial police 888-72-91
Municipal traffic 887-56-56
TOURIST
INFORMATION
Center of Tourist Information 881-9000
Municipal Tourism 887-33-11 Ext. 114, 115
Guides of Tourism (SINALTUR) 884-36-94
Offices of Tourism 884-32-38
Immigration services 884-14-04, 884-16-58
Delegation of the Police of the Hotel Area 885-22-77
Consumer Protection 884-27-01, 887-28-77
Secretary of Health 884-18-92
Click
here to go to the main page |
Some
helpful phone numbers:
PUBLIC
FACILITIES
Postal service 884-14-18
Telegraphs 884-15-29
HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS
Doctor 884-04-60
Veterinarians 884-43-15
I center Doctor 887-43-33
Medical clinic Cancun 884-87-33, 884-17-02
Clinical Cobá 884-26-29
Clinical Victoria 884-24-07
Red Cross 884-16-16
American hospital 884-61-33
General hospital 884-26-66
IMSS 884-18-20, 884-19-19, 884-18-18, 884-19-63
Surgical doctor 884-88-99
Doctor 884-79-99
Total Assist 884-10-58, 884-80-82
Click image to enlarge
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