HEY CENOTE

This weekend we went to Cuzama, a town famous for its three cenotes. I went with two friends knowing only the street corner in Merida where to catch the bus. Little did I know that the Cuzama bus does not actually make a pronounced stop in Cuzama so it is easy to get carried off to the small neighboring town. I learned that through experience. We asked how to get back to Cuzama and the answer was simple - by taxi. The taxi? A tricycle design with a bench on it. If lucky it was a motorized bike, if not then it was 100% manpower.

From there we were taken to "the cenote" - or a cenote out in the middle of nowhere. Basically, a huge black hole in the ground with bats flying out and back in. Naturally we had to go in to explore and we found clear blue water in a mystical underground land. However, it was as clear as the water that this is not one of the three cenotes of Cuzama that we came to see. We climbed the rope back up to land and caught another taxi.

protection 

This taxi peddled us to Cuzama where he said we needed to get off and get on another taxi to go to the cenotes. The driver peddled the 300+ pounds that we consist of up and down little hills for 5 kilometers until we arrived at the horse that would take us to the cenotes. The horse pulled a wagon that ran on a miniature track. Galloping, it brought us to the three distinctly different cenotes where we descended into the crystal clear water that once quenched the thirst of the maya and continue to serve as brilliant swimming grounds. 

transportation

so there is one track and two directions that horse wagons come from...

CENOTE 1

CENOTE 2

CENOTE 3

So About Valentines Day...

Steph and I went on an awesome date to the Museum of Anthropology. We explored the small, but intense building and the large quantity of Maya artifacts within. After that we had tea at our usual cafe, El Hoyo "the hole", and went on to dinner at Cafe Chocolate. It was delicious! To cap off the night we went to Noche Mexicana at the end of Paseo Montejo, a classic street lined with mansions and trees.

even the birds were enjoying Valentines Day 

UXMAL: "oosh-mahl"

Uxmal is a Maya city in the Yucatan. It is a BEAUTIFUL post-Columbian city placed in the only hills throughout the flat land of the Yucatan. The problem at Uxmal was a lack of water supply so there were some innovative methods to get water and great care for Chac, the god of rain.

Futbol

Today after EZS we went to a shady bar by the bus stop to watch the soccer game between the United States and Mexico. For the first goal that the US scored a guy at the table next to us was so angry he dropped his glass and it hit the floor with a bang as glass shattered everywhere. They weren't too happy about the second goal either...

Fiesta en la Escuela

The other day we went to school an hour earlier for tutoring. After that we had class, but the teachers surprised everyone who has a birthday during the time here with a fiesta! There was cake and music at 9 am, what more could we ask for?

my teacher

Facultad de Anthropologia

Today Stephanie and I had an archaeology student from our University (UADY) take us to the Department of Anthropology of the University. We thought this would be close to the Merida, but it turned out to be a twenty to thirty minute bus ride from our school. We passed the outer suburbs into dry grassy/cactusy fields. 

The school is beautiful. Built about four years ago it is accompanied by a massive social sciences library. Both buildings are designed to resemble Maya temples... so awesome! Just these two giant structures in the middle of nowhere hosting several artifacts from major dig sites throughout the Yucatan and to hundreds of anthropology books.

We received a tour of the facilities and saw boxes of artifacts of bones, rock, and much more covered in dirt. Some of the boxes in the laboratory even said para National Geographic. I am in love!

the bus stop at the school

a peek inside the lab where they organize and photograph artifacts

National Geographic! Enough said. Almost, they had rooms of boxes of human remains and other artifacts from ruins in the Yucatan

the library

On Monday I went running with a friend at this awesome outdoor sports complex Merida has. It has a regular track and stadium, tennis courts, a weight room, racquetball, soccer field, swimming pool, long jump, several basketball courts under a HUGE roof, workout machines minus the machine because they use your own body weight (ingenious on so many levels!), and a huge dirt track (800m +) enclosing it all. This is all free and open to the public - amazing! 

The stadium stands strong in colonial style - pictures to come

Picasso

Today I went to el centro (downtown) where the streets were full of dancers, artisans, and food vendors. I walked through the crowds and strong smell of cinnamon churros to the Olimpio Cultural Center, a massive white building which holds several activities in Merida. Until March it is currently home to a collection of Picasso sketches and lithographs that are open to the public... for free!! His transformation to cubism was incredible to see throughout the sketches. Also, I am in awe of all that Merida offers.

Belize

home sweet home for a night... i finally got to stay in a yellow house!

Last weekend a few people from the group and I took a trip to Belize. It is a five hour bus ride to Chetumal, a Mexican border town. We arrived there at 5 am and took a cab to the border, walked the border, and hopped on a bus that we hoped would take us to the ferry we needed from the Belize town of Corozal. Luckily it did and we boarded the ferry to San Pedro Island, the inspiration of Madonna's song La Isla Bonita ("Last night I dreamt of San Pedro...") All I know is that I am definitely a Caribbean kind of girl.

we arrived to take the ferry at about 6am on a foggy morning where the horizon did not seem to exist

the local beer - Belikin

the next night we went to Caye Caulker, a nearby island that has no cars or paved roads. so, the weather wasn't perfect, it was still so relaxing and worth visiting. it is cheaper than San Pedro, less touristy, and was split in half by a hurricane, leaving a fantastic swimming hole.

Yummy, Messy Mango

I've had mango before, and I really like it. Until yesterday though I had not ever had a mango that was not already cut. Little did I know you had to slice a part off, scoop up the fruit with a spoon; slice another part off and repeat. After that you are left with the center, a hard core. Peel this and then eat around the core. All I know is that it was a mess and my mom here laughed at me, she thought I needed a picture to show my mom at home.

El Caribe: Dia Tres

One member of the group has a guidebook that lists the top 10 things to do in the Yucatan. We have already done several of the things. One that we hadn't done yet was watched the sunrise from Isla Mujeres, so we woke up super early to watch it. It was a beautiful morning, except for the massive clouds tat blocked the sunrise!

However we did find an Indiana Jones truck! Liscense plate Belize, which is next weekend!

driving out of Cancun we went through the backside, the more unseen side where the people who work at all the fancy hotels live

from there we went through Valladolid again and I bought this awesome pair of leather sandals. this is where the cattle are raised and products are made to be sent to touristy spots to be sold for 5x more than what I paid ($10 USD). the soles are made of tires!!

the process of making them is as cool as the sandals

we then went to climb the ruins of Ek'Balam

this is a respected tree of the Maya