In search of ruins and underwater caves...

I am glad we got up early! After climbing to the top of one of the impressing pyramids of Uxmal, it feels magic to just lay down, stare at the sky and imagine how it was to live here about 1000 years ago. Guess they had some good parties right here we are now...

In search of the Uxmal ruins...

When I arrived to the state of Yucatán, I stayed 4 days in Merida. I barely saw the city though, as it is so easy to head out of town for adventurous day trips. The first day I met Sid from England, and he invited me to join him for a day trip to a smaller village, Chochola, and even though you may think that this town is famous for its sweets, it is one of the many natural wonders of Yucatán that was our objective for the day - a Cenote.

The San Ignacio cenote

The streets of Chochola

Sid eating dinner....I had to try the locale chocolate milk in Chochola:)

One of few pictures from Merida...

In the Yucatán state there are over 3000 cenotes, or sink holes, some of them more famous and therefore more visited than others. Cenotes are magical, enigmatic and unique in the world and were once the only resource for fresh, sweet water in the local Yucatecan jungle. They were the sacred places of the Maya for that reason, but also because they represented the entrance to the underworld.The good thing with the one in Chochola, is that it is rather small and infamous, which means that there is a good chance that you can enjoy it alone.
Regarding the number of people around me, the next day at the Chichen Itza ruins is a rather different story. Being voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it is not only adventurous backpackers that head this way. Brett, from Australia just called it a "marketplace with some ruins in it".

The ruins of Chichen Itza

In front of the Cenote Sagrado (Sacrifice)

Touristic or not, Chichen Itza is kind of a "must see" if you are near since it is one of the largest pre-Columbian archaeological sites built by the Maya civilization. For me it is now a "been there, done that" and ironically, the picture I am most happy with from that day is this one which give you a feeling about the vibe there....

(It would be even better with sound, as this rather big sized American woman breathed and panted so much that I thought it was a animal coming my way. I guess she was less disappointed than me by the fact that it is not allowed to walk on the ruins).

Too many in one taxi...on our way to the bus station to head for Uxmal!!!

The fact that you can climb to the top of some of the ruins of Uxmal, is one of the reasons for why I easily could go back there. If you get up early, like we did, you can pretty much have the site for yourself.
UXMAL:






The trip to Mexico is almost over, and before I am heading back to the winter in Norway, it is time to for some real chillin'.....

La Isla de Mujeres - HERE I COME!!!!

PS: If you ever need a hostel in Merida I reccomend Nomadas Hostel

Relaxing by the pool at Nomadas Hostel :)