Signing off for now...

For the past 18th months I have travelled from the Buenos Aires, Argentina, up through South America and into Mexico, visiting 18 countries in all. I have visited the Galapagos, trekked in the Andes, swam with sharks, climbed to nearly 20,000ft, rented a private island, worked as a cowboy, and volunteered with jaguars in the jungle. I have been immensely lucky to have had the good fortune to meet interesting, caring, and kind locals in every country as well as other travellers to share these experiences with. The food has been fantastic at times ($4 lobster dinners) and lacklustre (plates of rice, beans, and potatoes) but the adventures never ceased. And now sadly, the trip has come to close, for now...thank you for reading.

Ode to Mexican Food

The food really is as good as it looks...

Sopes & Tostadas

Horchata & Mole Enchiladas

Paletas (Popsicles)

A close-up of a Sope

The blog with be on a month long hiatus during an upcoming trip to a certain caribbean island nation that the US has less than friendly diplomatic relations with. Hasta luego.

Tulum & Cenotes

On the caribbean cost of the Yucatan lies Tulum, a seaside Mayan site. Tulum is relatively barren, there are no towering pyramids or expansive ball courts, but Tulum has the sea. Built above the strikingly blue waters of the caribbean, Tulum must have the best view of any ruins. It was used a fortress and has a number of buildings which the first explorers would have seen as they viewed Tulum from a distance, unable to anchor nearby due to the mesoamerican reef, which spans from Mexico to Belize, making the second largest reef system in the world. Today the site if one of the most popular in Mexico due to its proximity to Cancun and Playa Del Carmen.

There are about 3,000 cenotes in Mexico, which are limestone sinkholes filled with water. The cenotes are largely connected by underground waterways, they are filled with cool fresh water and are a chilly relief to the heat of the Yucatan. The cenotes have amazing visibility, easily 100m. We have visited three cenotes so far, two near Valladolid known as Dzitnup, and one 3km from Tulum pueblo.

The third cenote, "Gran Cenote", near Tulum is open to snorkelling and diving. We decided to try scuba diving in the fresh water cenote which was a really good dive. The natural light at Gran Cenote illuminated the cavern at times. At other times a flashlight was needed to see more than a few inches in front of you.

Chichen Itza

Anointed in 2007 as a member of the "7 Wonders of the Modern World", Chichen Itza is one of the most famous and significant Mayan sites. Chichen Itza is located in the center of the Yucutan Penninsula and is famous for its large central pyramid known as the Castle which is actually a giant Mayan calendar. Today thousands of tourists visit each day due to its historic significance and proximity to Cancun.

The Castle was built so every facet of the building has some significance, most of which relate to the days, years, and cycle of the Mayan calendar. The serpent at the base of the Castle takes center stage twice a year, when on the equinox, a shadow comes into the view that forms the snakes body up the steps of the temple.

The main attraction, The Castle

A serpent at the base of the main steps

Chichen Itza's main ball court is the largest in Mesoamerica, nearly 170m long by 35m across. The game was played here around 5 times a year, with only royalty, people of prestige and power, and the familys of participants in attendance. The game was played 7 on 7, and ended after the first team scored a goal. Then winning team captain would then be decapitated by the king in hopes of a good harvest.

The enormous ball field

One of the goals in the ball field

Below is the Templo de los Guerreros. The top of the building in the center of the photo is a Mayan sacrificial stone where a freshly harvest heart was offered as a sacrifice. The heart was harvested at a nearby table where Mayan soldiers would hold a prisoner down and remove the heart using an obsidian knife.

The Yucatan

The Yucatan Penninsula is a hot and arid place. The towns stay sleepy and quiet during the day because it is just too hot to move. At night, a cooler breeze moves in and the citizens come out of hiding. In Campeche, the seaside capital of the province, night time means outdoors concerts in the plaza and bingo two nights a week.

A small church inside the courtyard of a larger church

Sunday night bingo

The bingo boards use pictures in addition to numbers