Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula The Yucatan is a land of time, an amalgam of modern eras.  A simple bus ride can take you from one age to the next.

Start with the Mayan ruins, some built more than a millenium ago.  Site such as Uxmal, Chichen Itza and others are easily accessible and partially restored to their original condition.  Imagine the Maya living among the pyramids and columns, worshiping the serpent and planning their crops around the movements of sun and stars.  For a more primitive and solitary experience, visit Coba, with the second tallest Mayan structure in the Yucatan.  These ruins are overgrown with trees and vines, as the Europeans found them, with no clear explanation of what caused the fall of the Mayan Empire.

Step forward in time and go to Merida.  A Spanish colonial town built in the 1500s, Merida is now a thriving center of regional commerce and tourism.

Much of Merida's original architecture still stands downtown, ornate, arched buildings centered with open courtyards.  Go to Plaza Mayor, the main plaza downtown, for Domingo en Merida (Sunday in Merida) to enjoy live
music, dancing, and arts & crafts exhibits.  Across the street from Plaza Mayor, grab a beverage at Jugos California and some mouth-watering pastries at Pan Montejo next door.  

Take one more step through time to Cozumel.  A laid-back haven for divers, the island of Cozumel is far superior to crass Cancun.  The mainland and Playa del Carmen are easily accessible with a 45-minute ferry ride.  In the meantime, have a walk along the oceanfront at sunset.   When you're ready for a hearty
seafood dinner, grab a taxi and ask the driver to take you to the Lobster House.  Wrap up the evening sipping coffee in an open-air cafe, thinking about the periods of time, the histories of Mexico, you have traveled through. A few images and impressions from my 2000 trip to the Yucatan
Cathedral in Merida
The Great Pyramid at Coba, at 42m tall the tallest Mayan structure on the Yucatan Peninsula.
(Note the climber near the top)
An example of the detailed architecture at Uxmal
Two images of Chichen Itza.  On the left is the Observatory.  On the right, part of the Group of a Thousand Columns.
Two images of the Great Pyramid at Chichen Itza
Interior courtyard of the Hotel Colonial in Merida, highly recommended.
Sunset in Cozumel
One of several dogs living at Chichen Itza, apparently with no owner.  The dogs seemed friendly enough but generally would not approach people unless food was involved.
Climbing the Great Pyramid.  The author is taking a siesta about halfway up on the right.
The beautiful waters surrounding Cozumel
Part of Merida’s main cathedral, built in the 1500s.
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