COBA - getting around inside the archaeological site

After purchasing our entry tickets at the booth we search in vain for a map of the site.  We are told they don't exist but that there are many guides inside who will walk with us and explain things.   MMmmmm... not a good start as we have already discovered that the English speaking guides had already been snapped up and were out with their groups.

Once through the entry gates we are swamped with invitations  to sign up with a guide for half a day.  We politely refuse with our well practiced 'No, gracias' and head toward a large white notice board displaying the basic layout of the area.  It's not very detailed but better than nothing - there are always other tourists to talk with and that will also be helpful



Even this 'map' seems sketchy and lacking detail but we take a photograph anyway.  If we really get lost it might just help us to find the way out!

NOW.......there are three ways to navigate your way around the area......


...the first is by bicycle of which there are hundreds available ...........

.....and can be hired from many locations within the park area for about M$35 per day.....

.....the second is by Pedicar or Tricitaxi  - 2 people and a driver/guide - for M$170 for two hours

 



...certainly this looked the most comfortable option......

 

.......the third is to  just walk - which we did.......

COBA - A little bit of history

Coba, estimated to have been established in 100 AD,  is located nearby two lagoons -  which is a rare sight in the Yucatan - from the information we gleaned it seems the City was never found by the Spanish who spent their time some miles away destroying Chichen Itza. 

Centuries passed and it was lost from sight - consumed by the jungle - relatively little is known about Coba or its inhabitants.

The area  is huge, about 80 square miles but only a fraction of it has been cleared of jungle. It was first re-discovered in the 1890's but excavations did not start until 1970 - there are thought to be approximately 6,500 structures dating back to perhaps 600 AD.
 
The Maya also built a vast network of elevated stone and plaster roads leading from Coba to surrounding cities.   These roads are marvels of engineering, perfectly straight and in places up to 10 meters wide!  Why? when they had no cars, pack animals or wagons - no-one knows.  The longest of the roads is 52 miles long leading to the derelict town of Yazuma.

There's lots on-line you read about Coba and we want to take you on a tour of the ruins with us so here we go.


Even though it was early by the time we arrived - 9am - tour buses were already beginning to stack up on one side of the carpark.  Over 40 busses will come and go during the course of the day each seating 50 persons plus a a carpark with space for 100 cars.  

Dozens of market stalls surround the edge of the parking lot - they have been open since 8am when the first buses began arriving.

At the edge of the car park is a new zip-line attraction which will zoom you off to the other side of the Coba Lagoon.   It's quite a climb up to the top and on the day we were there was a long queue -we planned to return but never did!!

CHICHEN ITZA to COBA - a friendly welcome

A downside of travelling is that you just get settled in - clothes hung up, finally get the shower to give you hot water, win the fight with the air conditioning unit,  get to know the town - and suddenly it's time to pack up and move on again. 

So, today we said a fond farewell to Chichen Itza as we squeezed all our bags into yet another robust but well worn cab for the sixty mile journey going east to the town of Coba.

En route we stop for some bottled water and our driver (Santos) refuels.  We plan to eat our 3-course lunch about halfway : a bag of crisps, 4 hardboiled eggs cooked this morning, a large bar of Snickers chocolate !!

In a confined spaced, opening a pack of crisps sounds like walking over bubble wrap in steel boots.  Alerted by the noise we see Santos's head tilt,  he smiles at us in the rear view mirror, so we include him in our snacky treats - he was really appreciative.

The roads were better than expected as we headed deeper into jungle.  With so much tourist traffic these roads were upgraded to take the large multi-axel coaches and buses that continually come to the ruins, but there was little to see along the way.  We passed through many small villages, some just a few thatched rooves and then they were gone. 

We had been led to believe that, apart from the archaeological site, Coba had nothing to offer.  We found a little town with newly planted palm trees on the central reservation, 2 small restaurants, 2/3 mini grocery stores plus a wonderful welcome from the hotel reception desk which was perched precariously an the edge of the road....



The receptionist was delightful - this is a family run business and soon people were buzzing
around, welcoming us to Coba and taking our bags to the room



First impressions were daunting -where were the rooms? Up the stairway behind the red umbrella  all was revealed as we were led to our room on the second storey of the hotel block.  The hotel grocery store always had a wonderful fresh fruit display outside.  Upstairs was a small restaurant offering a typical Mexican menu



Further down the road the Family had another restaurant where we dined one evening
 

Between the Hotelita Sac-Be and the Chile Picante Restaurante sits this pretty church.  Plain wooden benches and  tiled floor.  There was no glass in the windows -   rain is rare but torrential when it does arrive and the open windows keep everything cool.
 




CHICHEN ITZA - our hotel

Our hotel was like a motel set in the jungle with some good plus points - great staff,  two swimming pools, beautiful gardens and - best of all, a free breakfast!  All for a modest $47 (30 GBP) per night.
 


The thatched roof of the restaurant behind one of the pools.

The pink terraced exteriors of the rooms stretch into the edge of the jungle

The rooms were better than they looked from the outside!
 

This is the other pool which was immediately
 outside our room at the far end of the long garden - so, a refreshing swim to cool off.....

                      




....and think important thoughts!

 

 

 



CHICHEN ITZA - light show

Last evening we went to see the Light Show, recently commissioned by the Tourist Office and costing 30 million dollars, which uses the great Pyramid of Kukulcan as its back drop, over 24 meters high with a central staircase on each face, ascending at 45 degrees.

We found ourselves in a huge queue, behind hundreds of tourists who had arrived by coach from the coast, so by the time we got into the site, all of the 500 seats had been taken leaving at least half of us  to sit cross legged on the grass.

Then the Show started, lighting up the face of the Pyramid.  I think, like us, many felt it would be just something on the lines of lasers and search lights lighting up the sky. But when the haunting music of the pan pipes started and giant snakes began crawling up the steps and the pyramid began sprouting tree, we knew we were in for a magical experience.



The show started off very simply with basic colours splashed onto the face of the Pyramid. 



Then the show began - it was almost as if we were wearing 3-D spectacles as creatures zoomed into life. 

These images of embroidered panels are typical of those that adorn Mayan ladies' dresses throughout the area.  Not just for special occasions but for everyday wear.


 

 

CHICHEN ITZA -The blue Cenote at Ik-Kil Archaeological Park

Today we discovered the reason why the Yucatan has virtually no rivers or lakes!

We have spent the day at the nearby Archaeological Park, where we learned that the whole peninsula sits on a porous limestone shelf, so all rainwater promptly disappears and runs around in underground streams and rivers.

Over the centuries, this water has gouged-out limestone caverns and sinkholes and today there are over two thousand of these water-filled natural pools or "Cenotes" and they are the major source of freshwater in the Yucatan.

The 'Ik Kil Cenote' is right here at the Park - it's been featured in several Hollywood movies.

 


The breathtaking view from the top of the 195ft wide Cenote, looking at the swimmers 90ft below. William is one of the swimmers enjoying a cool dip in the heat of the day.
 

Descending to the bottom is via this slippery stairway - it's easy to trip, the steps are steeper than expected and the only handhold is a chain loosely draped through poles at either side.



Halfway down there is a viewing balcony before another turn continues down to the water's edge.  The long tendrils are roots from plants at the surface reaching down into the water. A popular place for a swim!  

 

One of the bungalows you can rent for an overnight stay at the Park - they are so pretty inside and out..
The Archaeological Park is a major tourist attraction with well manicured pathways, trees and flowers and is complete with a gift shop, snack bar and restaurant. 

 

CHICHEN ITZA - a little bit of history and a day at the ruins

With only a few days here and much to see, we've been reading about the history of the area.

The Mayans had an advanced civilization and founded the City of Chichen Itza in around 700 AD and by the 5th Century AD, had established scores of other cities and settlements  throughout southern Mexico and Central America.

They had a written language, a knowledge of astronomy, an accurate calendar and were skilled  engineers, so when the Spanish Conquistadores arrived here in the 16th Century, they found a society that was in many ways more advanced beyond that of Europe - and also a civilization that worshipped multiple gods, with an insatiable desire for blood.

These human sacrifices revolted the Spaniards and as the Pope had given them carte blanche in any lands they discovered, as long as they "taught the heathens the word of the Christian God", they had all they needed to destroy the Mayan libraries and obliterate their culture, forcing them to adopt the Roman Catholic Church.


      Apart from the Mayans' massive structures, we only have bas-reliefs on walls
and inscriptions on stone to provide a glimpse of their civilization.

So, today we are off to the Ruins, with our knapsacks, bottles of water, cameras, hats and dark glasses! Coaches, buses and taxis have been passing our hotel nonstop since 8.30 am so we're joining hundreds of other tourists who have swarmed in here for the Chichen Itza experience.

In the centre of the Grand Plaza stands the Temple of Kukulkan, constructed to pay homage to the Mayan snake deity Kukulcan, the plumed serpent. The Pyramid was designed so that on the annual Spring Equinox, the afternoon sun causes a shadow play making it seem that a huge serpent is coming down the steps.



The Temple of Kukulkan.,
The pyramid has nine level faces with 52 panels (equal to our modern year with 52 weeks) and 365 steps each denoting a day of the year.



 Temple of the Warriors
There are 200 of these  pillars that once supported the roof of a massive building



 The Great Ball Court
 Using only shoulders, chest or hips, players had to launch a leather ball so it passed though rings set high up on the walls.  
Both walls are carved with scenes of ball players with one showing a headless player with blood shooting from his neck.
After the game either the winning or losing captain was beheaded by the High Priest as an offering to the Gods.   
It is unclear from the wall carvings which one had that honour!

The  El Caracol Observatory 
This building sits on a huge platform and gave the Mayans an unobstructed view of the sky above the jungle vegetation and trees

 

PROGRESO to CHICHEN ITZA

We left Progreso this morning feeling a little sad, as we have really enjoyed this odd seaside town, we load ourselves and bags into a rather small taxi for the 110 mile drive to the ancient Mayan capital of  Chichen Itza, now classed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

The road was surprisingly good and we arrived at our hotel inside three hours.  There was little to see en-route, as the road was just a ribbon through the flat jungle.

Apart from the Archaeological site and 3 hotels, there's also nothing at Chichen Itza, just the nearby small town of Piste, which looked rather unloved, but does have a grocery store, some craft shops, cafes, and a family of vultures living at Basurero Municipal (Town dump)!




Vultures have some unsocial eating habits but they do a useful clean-up job.



PROGRESO - our hotel

                                                                  Hotel Playa Linda
A clean, modern hotel on the beach facing the Gulf of Mexico.  The room was complete with fridge, microwave and coffee machine, excellent value @ $50 per night

 

PROGRESO - on the beach and around town

It's been an interesting stop in Progreso which offers beautiful beaches and a laid back atmosphere for visiting tourists.   It's also a paradise for many Canadians and Americans who have second homes here to escape the chills of north America during winter.   

Having never sailed here we did check out the services to see what we might have missed and  took a cab to the Yucalpeten Marina which is a few miles out of town.  We found a helpful harbournaster running a safe, modern marina with floating docks and good protection in a blow but very few facilities very isolated and not a sailboat in sight - no hotels, no restaurants, no bars, no anything within walking distance of the marina. 

Progreso seems happy with its tourist trade and the locals are very friendly and welcoming.  We have enjoyed our stay and leave you with a few pics from around town.

 





Fishing boats - all shapes and sizes - are dragged high up on the beach when the fishermen return with their morning catch
 

 

On our pre-breakfast walk we find a fisherman just in with his haul. William and the pelicans wait patiently to have bits and pieces tossed to them

 

 William likes to keep fit - so, a couple of short videos to let you know how he does it..........press the full screen option at bottom right of this little video and then watch the speck in the distance. Close full screen to continue to next video.  Regret clarity as filmed on cell phone!

 

 

 

 

This one is quite energetic despite the casual no-effort look - unfortunately William got a splinter in his finger from the pole

  

  The lighthouse in Progreso, built in 1893, is 120ft high and sits at the edge of downtown but sealed off behind high metal gates it did not offer the opportunity to visit.  

 

 

 

 The Malecon, a  traffic free, walkway ran just outside the hotel doors and was the beginning of most of our morning walks during our stay

 

 

As the sun set it was lovely just to sit close to the beach and enjoy the warm evening breezes

 

 

PROGRESO - A major port with a four mile long pier

By Mexican standards Progreso is quite a small town - only about 104 square miles and a population of 47,000 - but it is ranked the 6th  major port for bulk carriers whose cargos of just about everything come into the port and are distributed throughout the country.

This once sleepy fishing village  is also growing with its new found fame as a major Caribbean cruise port and Mayan port of call for many major cruise ship lines.   At present the cruise ship schedule is Tuesday and Thursday, on which days the entire beach front area, plus all the walkable roads off the main area come alive.  Shops that you thought were closed and derelict open up to reveal their stock - lots of handmade goods, clothing, hats, shoes, trinkets of all types - good fun for the tourist on a short stay.

Progreso sits on a limestone shelf which goes out to sea in a gradual decline and means that the waters close to shore are very shallow and to accommodate these large ships and their deep drafts  the world's longest pier was completed in 1985. It  juts out  four miles into the Gulf of Mexico over the  limestone shelf.  At the end of this pier are the docks - even so the water there is only about 30 feet deep. Buses to and from the cruise ships run every 20 minutes all day - it's big business and Progreso loves it!

 

I know, it doesn't look four miles long but it is.  The white blob in the far distance is a large building.

Carnival Elation alongside the Progreso dock - It's just soooooo big - stats from their website state : 2052 passengers and 920 crew, 855 feet long - I make that nearly 21 Alexias !
 

TOWN OF PROGRESO - on the Gulf Coast .. Annual Triathlon

The distance from Merida to Progreso is about 50Km and rather than go by bus we decided a cab would be easier, especially with the number of bags we were accumulating.   

Our cabbie, Sylvestre, collected us on time from the hotel  but immediately began apologizing profusely for something that  he called 'his wind'.....William raised an eyebrow and I knew I had something in the first aid kit that would help him but soon it became clear - it was his airconditioning system that had broken down.     It was the breeziest ride ever - all windows wound fully down, the noise @ 60 miles an hour defied conversation and  trucks and cars overtaking us kicked up dust and gravel - most of it landing on us as Sylvestre remained shielded behind his windscreen.

The main road from Merida to Progreso is a real highway - not many in Mexico -  and  45 minutes after departing we were entering the outer limits of the town which was brimming with activity - there seemed to be thousands of people everywhere, mobile food stands were creating a muddle of wonderful smells from sweet pancakes, fresh popped corn to barbecues.  

Several roads had been cordoned off,  making access to our hotel complicated,  Police were in abundance blowing whistles, demonstrative hand signals stopping traffic then waving it on as many of the traffic lights appeared to be not working.  It turned out that our arrival had coincided perfectly with the annual Triathlon from Progreso to Merida which was to take place next day!

We settled into our room and from the balcony had a fine view of the preparations for tomorrow – music was being played at full volume, commentators were rehearsing their wording,  upward of 1500 racing bikes were lined up along the barriers, bikers were adjusting saddles and greasing their bikes working parts - a real party was in swing

With the demise of my camera this video taken using William's Android -  production is not great but gives you an idea of what was happening.  Try full screen if you can and make sure your sound is on.

 

The picture below is the next day - Sunday 1st Feb 2015 - and you can see at the top of the picture the athelets starting to form a queue on the beach for the first part of the triathlon....the half mile swim.

. 

Groups of 50 people at a time were allowed into the water by the stewards  - there were several safety boats and coastguard vessels lying about 100 yards offshore to ensure safety in case of swimmers getting into difficulties.   Once they had completed  the swim there was a 300 yards run along the beach back to their bicycles and away.(sorry about blurry look to this shot - I really must replace my camera)

 

City of MERIDA - Capital of Yucatan State

It's 165 km from Vallodolid to Merida  and the ADO bus service runs at regular intervals so no need to prebook

At the midtown departure terminal our cases disappeared into the luggage compartment and  we settled down for the three hour run to Merida.  There was not much to see enroute just endless expanses of more jungle.  An occasional dirt road would go off at right angles from the highway and disappear into the greenery but  there was little sign of life until we reached the outskirts of town.

The final 500 yards of travel in the City had our bus doing hairpin turns into ever smaller,  narrowing roads before reaching its terminal - these drivers know their stuff.

Merida is easily navigated as the streets have numbers only and (apparently!)  it is easier to memorise numbers than it is to recall  sometimes unpronounceable names like Avenida Dzibilchaltun or Calle Yaxcopoil. -  you can always stop and unwind with a wonderful lunch if  things get too confusing!




This section of mid-town Merida streets shows the  'boxed' layout  - the odd number roads run east/west and the even number run north/south - still, we do get lost!  Give me Alexia's GPS system any time....

Now I'm not quite sure how to describe the city - there are the run down streets and derelict housing areas  and some very poor people begging in the streets alongside historic mansions with wonderful architecture, modern roads, restaurants, theatres, museums, an opera house, farmers markets, supermarkets a wild range of hotels and hostelries, and tourists who seem to spend money like water.

It has a population bordering on a million people with a history that goes back to the early 1600's but if you include the Mayan aspect then it takes you to about 2500 BC.

I'm no history scholar and Wikipedia has helped a lot here - all I can say is that we have fallen in love with the City and have tried to absorb as much as possible in the short time we have been here.

A few views from around town:

There are many ways to tour the town to get a good overview of how it is set out and to see some of the historic monuments but nothing beats a slow ride to the soft clip-clop of hooves on these lovely carriage rides.

The emporium on the upper level advertises its products by hanging them over the balcony

Cathedral on the main square in Merida

One of many restored old buildings in the City

OUR HOTEL IN MERIDA - The Dolores Alba

Our room was large and airy and the balcony overlooked the pool - all this for only $510 Pesos/night (about 22 GBP) AND free hot/cold breakfast each morning from a self service buffet. 

:

Booking hotels online is always a risk - photographs sometimes don't match reality!  However, turned out we had found a gem with the Dolores Alba Hotel  on Calle 63 - just off the main central square of the city, so really close to anything we might want.



At first sight the entrance to the hotel had us wondering if we had made the right choice - a simple wooden door fronting the street with just 'Hotel' in large red letters to one side.   However, once inside we found a welcoming  inner courtyard with trees, flowers, a large pool surrounded by  tables, chairs, recliners and very helpful staff.



There were tiled floors throughout the hotel - this is the walk way through to a second interior courtyard where the breakfast buffet was served each day - it was so quiet you'd hardly know there was a City outside.



Our Room was on the second floor behind the trees.