The Beauty of Tulum and Xel-Ha

Wander in fascination through the remarkably preserved ruins of a Maya fort; then grab an authentic Mexican souvenir, at a sprawling, local market. Journey down onto one of the most sublime beaches upon that whole coastline, touching the very tip of a national biosphere nature reserve. Along the way, keep your eyes sharp for any number of international celebrities. This is a favourite place for the rich and famous to see and be seen. Then travel just slightly north, into the best open sea aquarium and water park on the Mexican Caribbean.

Two gems of the Riviera Maya lie close enough together for both to be visited in one day. They are Tulúm and Xel-há.

Tulúm


Tulúm is a pre-Columbian walled fort, built to protect the inhabitants and the local port against invaders from the Caribbean Sea. It stands 12m (39ft) atop a cliff commanding imposing views of the sea. A compact site, it nonetheless contains spectacular buildings, like the Temple of the Frescoes, which is decorated with niched figurines of deities; the Temple of the Diving God, with its eponymous god; the Temple of Paintings, where the paint is still discernable after 1000 years; and, of course, the Castillo. The bay below is breathtaking to survey. Tulúm is located 128km (80m) south of Cancún.

The fort at Tulúm was built around 1200 CE. It recycled some of the materials from local derelict buildings of the time. A stele, or decorated stone slab, dating from 564 CE sits proudly in a precinct created 15th centuries later. The fort was certainly an important trading center by 1518, when it was first noticed by the invading Spanish. However, it wasn't abandoned by the Mayans until the end of the 16th century.

During the interim, it would have exported gold, flint, ceramics and incense from all over the Yucatán peninsula, including copper from the Mexican highlands and exotic feathers from the inland regions. The density of Guatemalan obsidian artefacts discovered at the site provides a clue to one of its major imports, alongside salt and textiles.


As well as defence from the sea, the fort also warned of natural dangers. The Temple of Winds was built in such a way as to emit a loud wail, when the winds grew to a certain strength. This alerted the residents to the onset of a hurricane and allowed them to get to safety in time.

Tulúm overlooks the coralled reef biosphere reserve of Sian Ka'an. For many people, the turquoise shores here are more magnificent even than those in Cancún. Sitting above them, within the ruins, is a sublime experience; while many will instantly wish to hurry down and swim in those enchanting waters, before relaxing on the white sands.

Outside the ruins is a large market, where bargains may be picked up. See our blog, 'How to Haggle for Goods at the Mercado'.

Xel-há


Xel-há means 'where the waters are born' in the native Mayan. A settlement was formed around the waters in the 1st Century, which had become a coastal port by 800 CE. It is likely that it formed just one of a chain of such ports, which includes the neighbouring Tulúm, through which merchants could interchange goods. Trade would also have come via the picturesque Caribbean Sea.

Arguably the most dramatic moment in Xel-há's history came with the arrival of the Spanish in 1527. Conquistador Francisco de Montejo sought to turn Xel-há into the first Spanish settlement on the Yucatán peninsula. He changed its name to Salamanca de Xelhá and stationed his troops there. Unfortunately for his ambition, disease, deprivation and the resistance of the local Mayans soon reduced the number of his men. Montejo resorted to the desperate measure of scuttling his own ships, in order to stop any of the remaining Spanish from leaving.


They managed to stabilize their position in the settlement enough to attempt unsuccessful sorties into neighbouring areas, but over half of Montejo's men were killed in battle with the Mayan near the to the River Ake. Meanwhile, most of the 65 conquistadores, left behind to govern Salamanca de Xelhá were massacred by its residents. The whole expedition was in a sorry state by the time that another of Montejo's ships arrived with supplies from Santo Domingo. Eighteen months after arriving, Conquistador Francisco de Montejo abandoned all hope of subduing the eastern coast of the Yucatán peninsula and so left the port to its Mayan population.

Xel-há continued to be occupied until the 19th century, though most of its buildings date from three centuries before. These days, it is better known for its open sea aquarium, where snorkelling and sea treks allow visitors to get up close and personal with 70 different species of freshwater and seawater fish.


Visitors can jump off cliffs into crystalline waters; lounge on hammocks on white sand beaches; discover the jungle, on foot or on a hired bicycle; or vist the El Dorado cave, with its unique geological formations around a blue-green pool. The list is endless in this natural eco-park. A highlight is surely the chance to swim with the dolphins, though that is charged as extra.



Tulum & Xel-Ha All Inclusive
Combine Maya history with natural beauty! Tour the Tulúm ruins, then swim in the Xel Ha natural aquarium.

Xel-Ha All Inclusive
An incredible natural aquatic theme park and Mayan archaelogical ruins.

Mexican Hammocks

The making of hammocks is a proud tradition in the Yucatán. Just about every Maya home has hooks on the wall for hanging their handmade hammock. To mass produce them in a factory would be unthinkable. Every one of these products, exported globally, has been created on a loom, within a family concern. It is often the women who take charge here, though men and children will happily take their turn.

The Maya have been using hammocks since the 1300s. They didn't invent them. The idea was imported from the Taíno people of Ayiti (modern day Haiti), discovered during trading trips. The word 'hammock' means 'fish net' in Arawakan, the language of the Taíno; which gives a huge clue as to what they were making them from. The Maya soon began to stamp their own personality and creativity upon the concept.



Mexican hammocks are not made out of fish nets. They are woven out of up to a mile of pure cotton. A few test runs apparently taught them that lying on knots hinder relaxation, so the Maya hammocks do not contain any. The idea is to dye the cotton strands in advance, then keep going from a single yarn. The end result is probably the most comfortable hammock in the world.

Picture a hammock and you possibly have one for a solitary person, strung between two palm trees. With your head close to one tree, and your feet at the other, it cocoons you. If you're trying this with a Mexican hammock, you're doing it wrong.



These are designed to lie width-ways across it. That opens up the hammock and allows two or more people to relax side by side. It becomes firm, moulding to each body, as it gently sways. Some are huge, holding up to five people before another hammock is required. In Maya homes, they don't only serve as beds, but as chairs too. A common use is as a baby's cradle. They are very safe for this, so the little one can't roll out. In large families, hammocks can be very economical with space!



Hammock weaving accounts for 60% of the industry of the Yucatán Maya. Ever since the Europeans arrived, in the 16th century, Mexico has been exporting brightly colored weaves. Often the colors will tell you something about the artisan who made it.

Young people are encouraged to experiment to find their own designs or the best hues to string together. They are also taught how to construct their own looms. Your own loom means that you're on your way to self-sufficiency; and can make a living in areas that are often mired in poverty.



By adulthood, with centuries of traditional knowledge and an apprenticeship of personal experience behind them, they are ready to launch their choices into the international market. You can imagine the glee, when their creation out-sells everyone elses!

This accounts for the fact that no two Mexican hammocks are exactly the same, though they may appear so from a distance. After all, a winning formula is going to be reproduced! The hand-woven designs might have tassels, elaborate knots on the fringes or anything else that the imagination can throw up. Each person wants to put their all into this. It's a matter of honor, accomplishment, status and pride, so they want to stand out.



The process of creating a Maya hammock is called sprang weaving. This interlocks the weave in a diamond shape, which has a practical function, as well as looking pretty. The crossing of threads is what makes it so durable. A single hammock should last its buyer a life-time, as they don't easily wear out.

(Caution should be taken, if you lie on them with buckles or other sharp objects on your person. Not only is this going to be uncomfortable, but you might snag the thread. That's about the only way you are going to destroy this hammock.)



So next time you're drifting off to sleep, in your Mexican hammock, throw out a quick thought for the individual who made it. Because they'd be thrilled to bits that you choose their hammock - with their design, which they personally wove for you, on a loom that they built themselves. Enjoy!

Two Ancient Artefacts Unearthed in Mexico

This has been a great week in Mexican archaeology, as two important artefacts have been uncovered, in different locations in the country.

The first was in the Maya ruins of Tonina, Chiapas. The 5 foot (1.5 meter) figurines depict cross-legged warriors, with their hand tied behind their backs. They are carved from limestone blocks and date from 695 CE. Fortunately, much of the guesswork about their purpose is removed, as the statues include inscriptions. They show prisoners, who are destined to become offerings to deity, alongside fire and incense, on the field of battle.

These findings have provided intriguing evidence that the city of Copan allied with the Maya tribes of Palenque at this time. It is a fact that has been long suspected by historians, as a lot of circumstantial information exists pointing to such a partnership. The aim of these series of battles was control of the powerful Tonina area. It was a prize that was important enough for human sacrifices to be made.

Tonina today exists as ruins. It has a series of pyramids, rising in terraces above a central plaza. The site includes a ballcourt and 100s of carved monuments. The famous stucco sculptures are here. There are also several mysteries; like why a design of statue exists here, dating from the 9th century CE, which hadn't previously been in evidence since the much earlier Olmec people reigned supreme.

Tonina is the central of a huge archaeological project, seeking to shed more light on this vital period in Maya history. This was the Late Classic, when the last widely marked Long Count of their calendar ended. The date is etched into many of the monuments here.

During this time, the Maya people lived in staunchly independent city states; however, the seeds of political and economic unity, across the Maya world as a whole, had been cast. It was also an era of warfare, as each tribe battled for supremacy in the widening social structure; hence the appearance of the statues of the warrior-prisoner sacrificial victims.

However, experts have cautioned against leaping to the conclusion that Copan tribes were involved in the fight for Tonina. The inscriptions, on the newly discovered figurines reference the inauguration of a new ballcourt in the city. They may turn to have nothing to do with these critical wars after all.

The Tonina complex is open to the public. The nearest modern town is Ocosingo, in the state of Chiapas. As well as the impressive structures, there is also a site museum providing a context to its history. A large selection of artefacts, uncovered in Tonina, are on display here.

This week's second artefact discovery is Aztec in origin. It is a sixty tonne monolith, depicting a currently unidentified rain god, which was dug up further west, in the state of Morelos.

Construction workers were preparing land for a shopping center, beside a main highway leading out of Cuautla City, when their diggers uncovered the stone. Work immediately ceased, as the archaeologists moved in to complete the unearthing; and to take steps to preserve the carved artefact for future study. It has been found in the general vicinity of the historical Aztec site of Xochicalco, so may well have been linked to the people there.

Early speculation is that the deity shown, in carved markings on the stone, is a god of corn and water. Amidst the large number of hieroglyphics, there are a lot of symbols relating to agriculture and rain accompanying His image. The known Aztec god, Tlaloc, accompanies the unidentified god on the stone. Tlaloc has been associated with many things. He is the God of rain, fire, fertility, crops, agricultural, storms, thunder and lightning, leprosy and the south.

Raul Gonzalez, an archaeologist called to the monolith, reports, "These signs on the rock are fundamentally associated with agriculture and water. We think it's highly probable that it was used during rituals to ask for rain and it was placed in a position facing Popocatepetl."

Popocatepetl is one of Mexico's active volcanoes. Standing at 17,802 ft (5,426 m) high, it is clearly visible from Mexico City to the north. The popular tourist town of Puebla nestles just below its eastern slopes. This violent volcano has a long history of major eruptions; 15 of them have occurred during the past 500 years, with the latest at the beginning of last month. In 2000, tens of thousands of people were evacuated from residences within its range, as a huge eruption was signalled.

The third and last time it truly blew its top was in 800 CE. This event would have seen a massive Plinian eruption; resulting in an unstoppable pyroclastic lava flow, which would have filled the basins below for miles around.

It is thought that the creation of the monolith, facing Popocatepetl, happened just a century before. The great-grandchildren, of those carving and raising it, would have witnessed that cataclysmic explosion. It seems fitting that their monument as been uncovered, just as the volcano has been building up its greatest displays in 1,200 years. If it transpires that the unknown deity is an Aztec god of volcano appeasement, then the discovery is also lucky. We might just need Him again!

The gigantic Aztec monolith is currently roped off, in situ, though it is clearly visible from the main highway connecting Cuautla and Xochicalco. It's too soon to be certain what the future holds for its care, though the land developers are naturally still hoping for their shopping center on the site.

If the monolith is moved, then it is likely that will be to the the UNESCO listed World Heritage site of Xochicalco. The same people, after all, almost certainty created both it and the structures there, often during the same period of time. This remarkable place of impressive Aztec history is open to the public.

Whatever happens to the artefact, it is sure to increase our knowledge of the ancient Aztec people, as those hieroglyphics start to be translated in their entirety.

Cenotes

Eden must have looked like this. Little bubbles of paradise glimpsed from the ground. There are no natural lakes on the Yucatan. The porous bedrock can't support them, as it acts like a sieve sucking the water down into the hidden caverns. But there are the cenotes and they are wonderful.


Cenote (pronounced Sen-o-tay) is a Yucatan Mayan word meaning any sinkhole with accessible groundwater. For thousands of years, these cenotes have been the wells, providing water for the villages and towns dotted around them. They are formed because the bedrock here is limestone. Rainwater hitting limestone is a little like trying to hold water in a colander. It seeps through the bottom and drips down below. Eventually it will hit sturdier rock and will be allowed to pool. Hence the lakes, in the Yucatan, all being underground.

Yet, as the water filters through the rock, it dissolves it, undermines it or erodes it. In some areas, this finally becomes too much and the roof collapses, exposing the pool to the open air. Thus the cenote is formed around crystal clear water, filtered by its slow passage through the rock. For the local human population, it's a source of life, spirituality and entertainment.


There are thousands of cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula. Some are tiny, some are vast; some are self-contained bowls, some are the access points to a sprawling subterranean maze of rivers and caverns; some are shallow, some are deep; some are major tourist attractions, fitted with piers, springboards, rappel lines and all the comfort amenities, and some are hidden away in people's backyards. More are discovered all the time. Building work and landscaping can suddenly uncover a cenote. They are usually a welcome addition to the scenery.

For generations of locals and tourists alike, cenotes are a spectacularly beautiful place to refresh, after a trek through the jungle or a visit to the Maya ruins. Not only is it shaded in a cenote, but the water is deliciously cool. Some, like Ik Kill, near to Chichen Itza, are always full of bathers. They enter with a look of serene relief, then bob about in the water, with smiles on their faces. It's the purity of the water; the beauty of the scenery; and the sense of the sacred, in this hidden world.


Of course, sacred is right, because many of these cenotes meant more than just accessible drinking water and a place to bathe for the Maya people. In many cenotes, votive offerings have been found. The legends and histories also make it clear that, for the ancient Maya, these cenotes acted as holy places. They were the natural cathedrals.

Sometimes, this religious feeling had darker overtones. In the Cenote Sagrado (Sacred Sinkhole), within the grounds of Chichen Itza, there have been found ancient human bones. This was where human sacrifice was offered to the gods of the underworld. Elsewhere on the Yucatan, in Sahcaba, a whole underwater complex of Maya temples were discovered in 2008. It was believed that the Maya viewed this as an access to the land of the dead.



If you are in Mexico, please don't pass up the chance to swim in a cenote. It is a sublime experience that will remain with you for years - a little piece of paradise on Earth.

Chocolate: Quetzalcoátl's Gift to Mexico and the World

With the approach to Easter, many people are out there buying up chocolate eggs or chocolate bunnies. Beyond the religious aspect, Easter means chocolate in homes throughout the world. But have you ever wondered where it came from? The clue is that it was once considered a gift from the god, Quetzalcoátl, and only the Atzec ruling classes and priests were allowed to consume it. It was not a candy for mere mortals. Yes, chocolate comes from Mexico.


A Maya chief refuses chocolate to a commoner
Chocolate is a Spanish rendering of the Atzec word xocolātl, meaning sour (xococ) drink (ātl). An alternative theory is that the word was Mayan. Here it would come from hot (chokol) drink (ātl). As either interpretation highlights, chocolate was always used as a beverage in Mexico. It was only after the Spanish took it into Europe, that it became more commonly seen as a solid block.

The legend goes that, in 1519, Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador, was granted an audience with the Atzec Emperor Moctezuma. This took place in Tenochtitlán, which is the modern day, Mexico City. Cortés and his men entered to find Moctezuma sipping xocolātl from a cup. As honored guests, the group were all served xocolātl. It was reported that the drink had 'a very exciting nature'. Forget the gold! They had just discovered chocolate! Thus Mexico's secret was out and its Fate was sealed.


Chocolate literally does grow on trees in Mexico. At least the cacao beans do, which are then ground up and treated to create chocolate. Cacao trees have been cultivated since around 1400 BCE. The Olmec appear to be the first to have created their sacred bitter drink from its ground beans. The Maya were next, with archealogical evidence showing that they were drinking chocolate from about 400 CE. Cups have been found, with a chocolate residue, dating from this period. Digs, at their historical settlement sites, have shown cacao trees being grown in their backyards.

The Atzec people saw chocolate as a divine drink. It was a gift from the feathered-serpent god, Quetzalcoátl, who had fetched the cacao beans from the Garden of Life.

As such a holy thing, chocolate was initially reserved only for the most ceremonial occasions. It was ritually prepared and drunk only within sacred areas.

Over the years, this was relaxed so that the higher echelons of society could imbibe it. However, it never lost its association with deity; so much so that, it was later at the center of a Christian scandal. The Catholic Church was brought into Mexico by the Spanish. It eventually become strong enough to start to eradicate the items and practices of the religions it had usurped. One bone of contention was that converts would bring chocolate drinks into Mass. The congregation were using it to honor the Catholic God, not Quetzalcoátl, but it made no odds. It was deemed as breaking the fast, in a Pagan way, and so the Church hierarchy banned chocolate outright.


Cacao tree with pods full of beans
This did not go down well. As each Catholic priest prohibited chocolate, then the congregation would up and leave, moving onto more lenient institutions. It was a battle of wills that eventually resulted in the Bishop of Chiapas threatening excommunication to anyone drinking chocolate. (He was killed, shortly afterwards, after he drank a cup of poisoned chocolate. It was handed to him by the same group of noble women, who he had just banned from drinking the very same.)

Finally, in 1662, Pope Alexander VII had to personally intervene. He ruled, "Liquidum non frangit jejunum!" (For those with rusty Latin, that basically says that liquids do not constitute breaking the fast.) In short, the Mexicans could drink all of the hot chocolate that they wished and still be regarded as fasting. The church's chocolate ban was lifted!

Of course, now the Catholic Church is firmly on the side of chocolate. In Mexico City's Metropolitan Cathedral, there is a 16th century sculpture of Jesus Christ. It is called El Señor del Cacao (The Lord of Cacao).


El Señor del Cacao
The error has now been firmly corrected. It was not Quetzalcoátl who gave chocolate to the world, via Mexico; it was Christ Himself.

Chocolate became popular, on a global scale, after a group of Mexican nuns thought to add vanilla and sugar to the chocolate mix. Overnight, it stopped being a sour drink and started becoming very sweet instead.

It is also a major ingredient in the Mexican national dish: Mole Poblano; as well as a stable of drinks, such as champurrado, and dips, to be used with churros.

Chocolate is still widely produced in Mexico, with cacao plantations stretching for miles. The World Cocoa Foundation estimates that 50 million jobs, internationally, rely upon cacao trees and the chocolate industry. Forget Willy Wonka. The real chocolate factories are scattered all over Mexico. Nestlé, Hersheys and Barry Callebaut are amongst the companies that create their confectionery here, before exporting them into shops near you. Chocolate is also created, straight from the tree, in many Mexican homes.

Tulum: Top Five in TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice for 2011

Tulum has a beach that looks like some other Eden, all watched over by the remains of a Maya temple and port. It used to be the place where day-trippers, coming down from Cancún, would spend a few hours before moving on. But that taste of paradise just wasn't enough and increasingly vacationers headed straight to Tulum, bypassing the hustle, bustle and party atmosphere of northern Cancún. Tulum is just that good; a fact not at all lost on the Hollywood elite, who have been visiting the Riveria Maya resort in their droves.

Now, the respected, consumer-led travel site, TripAdvisor, has announced its 2011 Travelers’ Choice Beaches Awards. Mexico's Tulum has made the top five, from a selection which spanned the globe. This accomplishment is all the more wonderful, when it is factored in that only vacationers, who had actually been there, could vote. The awards are informed by the comments, recommendations and polling of ordinary tourists; not professional travel writers.



"It’s that time of year when travelers are dreaming of getaways to warm beach destinations. To provide inspiration on where to go, we’ve named some amazing hot spots around the world, based on millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travelers," said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. "In addition to the outstanding beaches, these destinations also feature top-rated options for hotels, vacation rentals, attractions, and restaurants."

The comments left by holiday-makers can be read on TripAdvisor. Here are a few picks from those consumer reviews:

Unlike many other beach resorts, Tulum restricts the size and height of their hotels. So you won't find 10 story mega hotels with thousands of guests spilling out onto the beaches in Tulum. Just small quaint grass roofed resorts with 10-12 rooms to suit everyone from the backpacker to the rich and famous. Even if you visit during the high season you'll still feel like you have the place to yourselves. You could walk down the beach a quarter mile before passing anyone.
Tulum, Mexico: World Class Beaches

The reef is actually about 400-500 meters out. Just swim straight off shore and you can't miss it. No dangerous currents, the waves will always take you back to shore if you get tired and just float. The mild currents can take you a little bit north or south, but they will never suck you out into the deep sea.
Tulum Forum: Swimming out to reef for snorkling - Safe?

At the end of the main access road to the beach road, you can turn left or right. If you turn right and head south, this road leads to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and at the very end of the road you'll find the fishing village of Punta Allen... The sheer beauty of this regions makes it worth the 2 - 3 hour trip! Great scenic views along the way to stop at!
Tulum: Neighborhoods

Tulum & Xel-Ha All Inclusive
Combine Maya history with natural beauty! Tour the Tulúm ruins, then swim in the Xel Ha natural aquarium.

Spring Equinox at Mexico's Ancient Monuments

It is nearly dawn on the Spring Equinox and the crowds gather at the foot of El Castillo. They are about witness the descent of the God on Earth, as He passes down the steps and into the ground beneath. It is guaranteed. It is seen in Chichén Itzá every year and it is about to happen right now. An expectant murmur passes through, then a pause and suddenly an almighty roar of exaltation.


Spring Equinox at Chichén Itzá
It is only at the equinox that a stunning piece of Maya architectural genius becomes apparent. The side of the steps were fashioned in such a manner that, when the sun shines on them in a certain way, the feathered serpent God, Kukulkan, can be clearly seen. He is picked out in light and shade, with his snake-like back undulating down the steps. This can only be seen at dawn on the equinox.

Thousands traditionally congregate at the base of El Castillo (aka the Temple of Kukulkan) to witness this. Many will have been there all night, in a vigil, waiting. They are not all Mexicans. In fact, the vast majority are spiritual tourists, who have come to join their Mexican brothers and sisters, in this awe-inspiring event.

Kukulkan arrives to raptuous cheers; though many stand in silent meditation. All are allowing the calm, positive energy of the moment to penetrate their spirits. Traditional dancing and music soon turns the religious into a fiesta, as such things often do in Mexico.

Meanwhile, NTD TV have reported upon the events in Teotihuacan, near Mexico City: 'Thousands Flock to Mexico's "Pyramid of the Sun" to Welcome Spring Equinox'.



The Spring (or Vernal) Equinox occurs when day and night are exactly equal in length; there are twelve hours between sunset and dawn. The Earth, as it orbits around the sun, also rocks back and forth on its pole. (Imagine a spinning top, swaying as it spins.) During Winter Solstice (mid December) our side of the planet is tipped away from the sun (less light/heat = winter); during Summer Solstice (mid June) the hemisphere is tipped towards the sun (more light/heat = summer). During the equinoxes, we are at the mid-point between the two (equal light/heat = spring and autumn).

Spring Equinox was important to the ancient tribes of Mexico. It was the time when they planted their crops, safe in the knowledge that winter was finally over. Autumn Equinox was the signal that everything should be harvested, before it was ruined. This is why so much of the architecture incorporates features that tell onlookers when the equinoxes are occurring.

An estimated 460,000 visitors arrived at twelve of Mexico's ancient monuments, at dawn on March 21st, 2011. The actual equinox had occurred late the night before, but it was the dawn sun that would provide the first visible sign of it, without the aid of hi-tech equipment.


Spring Equinox at Teotihuacan
This is obviously an annual event, so everyone was ready for it. Representatives from the emergency services and National Anthropology and History Institute (INAH) meet months in advance, in order to co-ordinate their roles, so that the crowds can be safely managed. For example, so many people arrived at Teotihuacan, this year, that each had to queue for three hours, in order to spend just ten minutes at the summit of the Pyramid of the Sun. This had been anticipated and the human resources were on hand to ensure that this happened in good cheer.

However, there is concern that so many visitors are placing an unusual strain upon the monuments themselves. This year, for the first time, INAH issued rules, such as the prohibition of food, alcohol, barbecues, backpacks, chairs, umbrellas or pet in the vicinity of the ruins.

Meanwhile, local Pagan groups privately agreed not to climb upon those pyramids, which are open to the public. Antonio Vazquez, a Brujo Mayor (High Priest/Chief Witch), released a statement that his coven would be performing their ceremony near to the Pyramid of the Sun, rather than on it.


Spring Equinox at Tulum
The Spring Equinox celebrations are huge in Mexico. Many of those participating will either wear tradition costumes, based around Aztec or Maya historical designs, or else will don white outfits. The belief is that white absorbs the sun's enriching energies during this ethereal, beautiful time. It certainly feels very special to participate in such a gathering.


Chichén Itzá
Various tours, to suit every wallet or time-frame, to the most famous of all the Maya ruins.

Tulum & Xel-Ha All Inclusive
Combine Maya history with natural beauty! Tour the Tulúm ruins, then swim in the Xel Ha natural aquarium.

Tulúm: The New Hollywood Hang-Out

It was once a fortress that protected from the pirates of the Caribbean; a great port, which served merchant sailors traveling as far afield as the Philippines. But these days, its ancient walls and sublime beaches are attracting visitors of another kind. Amongst the tourists flocking to Tulúm are the celebrities, who appear to be making it the season's most fashionable holiday destination.

In the Sixties, the Hollywood stampede was towards Puerto Vallarta, lured there by the Gringo Gulch love-nest of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (Puerto Vallarta and Hollywood Royalty). While some big names still hang out there, notably John Travolta, many others appear to have swopped coastlines, from the Pacific to the Caribbean. They are all in Tulúm.

Spotted in Tulúm, over the last couple of months, have been a host of famous faces. Amongst them were: Australia's Natalie Imbruglia; Britain's Jade Jagger, Jude Law, James Penfold, Jaime Winstone and Mel Blatt; America's Drew Barrymore, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard, Ryan Phillippe, Amanda Seyfried, Sienna Miller, Savanna, Bridget Marquardt, Amanda Hearst, Serena Merriman and Brooke Geahan; Sweden's Mathias Bergh; and Argentina's supermodel photographer extraordinaire, Paola Kudacki.


Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, on the beach at Tulúm
Even the world's press appear enamoured by the Tulúm clamour. Last month, Vogue Italia declared 'Tulum is the new Goa'; while, just yesterday, the UK's 'Telegraph' ran a travel report from the area: 'Yukatán Peninsula: the best reason for visiting Mexico'. It led on the charms of Tulúm.

So what is all the fuss about? Tulúm is 128km (80m) south of Cancún. It is busy enough to be vibrant, but, without the Cancún crowds to swarm it, it still retains that air of seclusion. It is a town built up around an 800 year old Maya fort.


The ruins themselves are impressive, with its features, like Temple of the Frescoes and the Temple of the Diving God. There is a stele, in the precinct, that was carved a thousand years ago. There are aspects of it, which can be viewed as almost mystical in their practicality. The Temple of Winds was constructed in such a fashion as to emit a loud wailing noise, when the wind, blowing through its corridors, gets too strong. No hurricane ever took the people of Tulúm by surprise.

Outside the gates of the fort is a huge mercado (market). Tourists and locals alike haggle for goods and gifts. There can be some great bargains picked up, as well as authentic souvenirs, unlike those found in more commercialized spots.

But the real jewel, for those who like to see and be seen, are the beaches. Tulúm sits on the edge of the Sian Ka'an biosphere. This is an area of coastline, protected by the government, for its biodiversity, endangered species and magnificent flora and fauna. Sea turtles nest here. There is a coral reef out at sea, as well as submerged art, which acts as a beautiful artifical reef. The sands are white and the seas are distinctly turquoise. For many, this is the true Caribbean - a tropical island, which just happens to be attached to the mainland.

Tulum & Xel-Ha All Inclusive
Combine Maya history with natural beauty! Tour the Tulúm ruins, then swim in the Xel Ha natural aquarium.

The Virtual Chichén Itzá

For many people, Chichén Itzá is Mexico. The ancient Maya pyramid frequently illustrates those books, blogs and editorial, which tell the discerning tourist 100 places they should visit in their lives. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and was recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.



It has been on the vacation trail since 1843 and, on any given day, thousands flock to the area to gaze at these famous ruins. That figure is about to leap into the millions, but the visitors will be virtual (and maybe even intergalactic).

Saturday saw the launch of a brand new initiative between Google Earth and Mexico's National Anthropology and History Institute (INAH). The launch event, at Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City, highlighted an unprecedented collaboration between the two institutions. Mexico is opening up 180 museums and sites of historical importance to Google's cameras. Amongst them is the legendary Chichén Itzá.

Filming is yet to take place, but when it does, individuals will be able to sit at their home computers and still visit these sites. The Google Earth application allows web-users to navigate their own pathway through many of the world's streets and wilderness terrain. When this extra feature is installed, they will be able to walk through the Maya ruins and browse the exhibitions in Mexico's national museums. No substitute for the real thing, but as close as we can get in the electronic world.


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Currently, the above map is as close as Google users have been able to zoom into the Maya ruins. The new application will eventually see them right in its heart. Google's executivess are naturally ecstatic at their cool new feature. Google Latin America's marketing manager, Miguel Angel Alva, viewed it as 'a unique effort in the Latin American region and its first such project at an international level.'

But what's in it for Mexico? Hopefully, a huge boost to the economy. The endeavour is advertizing. It's marketing. It's showcasing all that Mexico has to offer and doing so on a grand scale. Google Earth has been downloaded 400 million times, so its users are likely to be double or triple that number. It's been translated into 37 languages. All of those people will now have the opportunity to explore Mexico's treasures in cyberspace. How many of them will then wish that they were doing it for real?

Alfonso de Maria y Campos, the director of INAH, explained, "Cultural tourism brings in twice the cash that sun, sea and sand tourism does, which tells us that this tourist segment travels more, has a better image of the country and above all leaves more money in non-traditional places."

Meanwhile, another Google subsidary, You Tube, has been abuzz this week with yet another aerial sighting over Chichén Itzá. Uploaded on January 24th, 2011, and filmed sometime in the preceding weeks, a tourist filmed a purported UFO over the Maya pyramid. Aliens, Google Earth starting its imaging or a weather balloon. You decide!





Chichén Itzá
Various tours, to suit every wallet or time-frame, to the most famous of all the Maya ruins.

Uxmal (Maya Ruins)

Site: Uxmal

Average time to see the whole site: 2-4 hours

Opening times: 8am - 5pm; then 7.30pm for light show.

Guides: 500 to 900 pesos to hire, speaking a variety of languages.

Wildlife: Iguanas.

Entrance fee: $10

Uxmal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located 78km south of Mérida. A lot of restoration work has taken place on the ruins, but little in the way of archaeology. Therefore, while the ruins look impressive, not much is known about them.



What has been established by archaeologists is that Uxmal was built between 700 and 1100 CE and housed an estimated population of 25,000. However, The Mayan Chronicles state that it was founded two centuries earlier, in 500 CE, by the Xiu dynasty. After the Xiu aligned themselves with the Spanish Conquistadors, they relocated to Mani. Thus Uxmal went into decline, until the jungle reclaimed it.

There is a pyramid with unusual architecture here, known as the Adivino, or the Pyramid of the Magician, or the Pyramid of the Dwarf. The sides are more oval in shape than the usual rectanglar design. Moreover, there is a legend connected to its building. In Mayan folklore, el enano del Uxmal (the dwarf of Uxmal) was set a series of challenges in competition with the local Mayan king, all of which were orchestrated by the dwarf's mother, a bruja (witch). Part of the challenges was to build a pyramid. The dwarf built the adivino overnight, after the king told him that he couldn't. The dwarf won the competition. The House of the Old Woman, on the site, is said to have belonged to his mother.



Other significant buildings include the Governor's Palace, which has the longest platform facade in MesoAmerica; Nunnery Quadrangle, which is a Spanish name given to the largest quadrangle government palace; a beautifully preserved ballcourt; the North Long Building; House of the Birds; House of the Turtles; Grand Pyramid; House of the Doves; and South Temple.

Several statues and reliefs, each depicting phallic elements, were removed from the site in 1863, ahead of the visit of Empress Carlota of Mexico. The site had its revenge upon another monarch 113 years later, when Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain arrived for the launch of a light and sound show. Despite the event taking place during a prolonged dry spell, as the show progressed into a prayer to Chaac, the Rain God, torrential rain arrived from a previously cloudless sky and drenched the watching dignitaries.

Visitors can climb on some of the structures, looking out over jungle through which unexplored structures poke out. But these are increasingly becoming roped off. As this sprawling expanse of Maya ruins is not prominently on the main tourist trails, they tend to be less crowded than the more famous sites. However, visitors will find more than adequate amenities, including a gift shop, bookstore, hotel and restaurant. There is no mercado, nor lone vendors, inside the grounds.

Please note that it can get very, very hot at Uxmal, so take measures to keep yourself cool in the Mexican heat.

Getting there:

* It takes around 4-5 hours to drive from Cancún. Therefore leaving the ruins at noon is necessary, if you wish to drive in daylight.

* The ATS bus line has a daily bus leaving the 2nd class bus station in Mérida at 8:00 a.m. The bus does a circuit of five archaeological sites (known as the Puuc Route). It waits for 30 minutes at the minor ruins, and then waits 2 hours at Uxmal before returning to Mérida. It does briefly stop at Uxmal before going onto the circuit. The bus returns to Mérida at 2:30 p.m.

* Book into the Villas Arqueologicas Uxmal hotel, which has gates which open directly into the ruins.