Pit Stop: Chichén Itzá

As we said goodbye to Tulum, we directed our rental car 160+ miles across the Yucatán to capital city, Mérida. This is a predominantly two lane highway with dense jungle on both sides.  Small towns pop up every 30 miles or so, but generally it's a whole lot of sky and trees.  One of the main reasons we rented the car was to stop at Chichén Itzá (about two hours from Tulum and one hour from Mérida).  Recently given the acclaimed "Wonder of the World" status, we were excited to see this ancient Mayan city. 

As you pull off the highway, locals wave big hats at you, reminding you that you are not adapted to the climate and could potentially evaporate without sun protection.  As you pay a few dollars to park, you find yourself at the front of a Disneyland-esque opening gate and it costs 255 pesos a person to enter (about $25 for the two of us).  Once inside, you walk down a long dirt road to reach the heart of the ruins, flanked with wood carvers hocking masks, coloring clothing vendors, and -my favorite- the vendors with the noise makers that sound like a jaguar snarl.  In the heat, it's hard to really know what's happening.  The guided groups had hats and umbrellas, but Jay and I couldn't be bothered.  We forged on. 

The ruins truly are spectacular, especially when you think about how long they've endured.  El Castillo, the focal temple, is crowded with tourists trying to get the perfect angle.  Jay set up his GoPro and we proceeded to jump about 1000 times trying to get the right shot.  We were dripping in sweat and I felt like Honey Boo Boo being badgered by a stage mom, but Jay was relentless. (Considering we've been living on tortillas, cheese, and caramel, I chalked it up to a modified Cross Fit: Chichén Itzá style.)

The massive cenote is blocked for swimming, but the ancient Mayans sent sacrifices of jade, gold, and humans into its depths, so we were content to marvel from above.  Overall, Chichén Itzá echoes with history, but is a bit muted by the tourist herds and haggling vendors. 

See hats and umbrellas in the background.