Mayan Yucatan, Winter 2005

The focus of this article is a Christmas trip to the Yucatan Penninsula. Unfortunately the photographs of Valladolid, Ek Balam, Chichen Itza and Cenote Dzitnup were lost when I broke my portable hard drive. What is left is basically from a few days in December, 2005.

After staying in Vallodolid for a few days, we continued on to Tikul, with every intention of visiting a few of the Puuc Route sites. Our little rental car and the state of one road in particular that was being refurbished, made that impossible, and we only got to see ... (more)

Coba, Quintana Roo - Ball Court
This is one side of the Ball Court at Coba. It is remarkably small...

Coba, Quintana Roo - La Iglesia
These are the stairs to the top of the Temple of the Church (La...

Coba, Quintana Roo - Nohoch Mul
The second highest Mayan pyramid (Tikal, I believe, is the highest)....

Coba, Quintana Roo - Unknown Pyramid
Ruins like these are what make Coba truly fascinating. I could find no...

Coba, Quintana Roo - Old Ruin
Another overgrown ruin at Coba. Not much more than a mound, this is a typical...

Coba, Quintana Roo - Xaibe
This unique rounded pyramid is found at the intersection of 3 sacbe's or...

Coba, Quintana Roo - Overgrowing Tree
Trees like these threaten to overrun the entire site, and in fact...

Coba, Quintana Rood - Crossroads Pyramid
This view of the vast jungle surrounding the Coba site shows the Crossroads...

Grand Cenote, Quintana Roo
Sinkholes dot the Yucatan Penninsula. They were the staging points for...

Grand Cenote, Quintana Roo
This view of the Grand Cenote was taken from within one of the...

Grand Cenote, Quintana Roo
The water in the Cenote is crystal clear, though the dissolved...

Grand Cenote, Quintana Roo
Tree roots hang down into the cenote, reaching for the beautiful blue-green...

Islan Mujeres, Quintana Roo
Waves crashing on the western shore of the island.

Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo
Waves crashing on the western shore of the island.

Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo
Wave-eroded rocks on the shore of the island, with large waves in the...

Playa del Carmen Sunrise
Sunrise from Playa del Carmen, with Cozumel faintly in the background.

Ticul, Yucatan - Church
The town of Tikul is a good center from which to venture onto the Puuc trail....

Ticul, Yucatan - Church Stained Glass
This beautiful stained glass window sat atop the entrance to an...

Uxmal, Yucatan - Casa de las Monjas
Uxmal is the largest of the Puuc sites, but because of its location south of...

Uxmal, Yucatan - Nunnery Complex
This is a photograph of the interior walls of the Nunnery Complex with...

Uxmal, Yucatan - Nunnery Complex Masks
Close up of Chaac masks on the corner of one of the buildings of the Nunnery...

Uxmal, Yucatan - Colonnaded Building
Small building of unknown use at Uxmal. I thought the colonaded...

Uxmal, Yucatan - Nunnery Complex
Close up of Chaac masks on the corner of one of the buildings of the Nunnery...

Uxmal, Yucatan - Governor's Palace
The so-called Governor's Palace is built on a large platform with...

Uxmal, Yucatan - Jungle and Ruins
The ruins of Uxmal rise out of the verdant forests of the Yucatan. In the...

Uxmal, Yucatan - Temple IV Carving
Close up of a frieze at the top of Temple IV..

Uxmal, Yucatan - Lizard
Liazrds are everywhere at Uxmal, sunning themselves in the hot afternoon sun.

Uxmal, Yucatan - Pyramid of the Magician
This 117' tall pyramid is actually composed of 5 levels, each a...

article published 02/08/2005

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