The Majesty of Mayapán

By Monday, we were down to the last three days of our trip, and feeling a bit melancholy at the thought of going home soon.  The kids were really hoping to explore some more ruins, so we decided to squeeze in one last archeological expedition.  We had heard great things about Mayapán, so decided to give it a try.  At least if there were fewer mosquitos than Edzná, the trip would be a success.

On our way out of Mérida, we passed this sign for a local BBQ joint.  I'll never understand the appeal of a cartoon pig, happily cooking himself for your enjoyment.  Don't those animals ever catch on?

We journeyed south toward Mayapán, and passed through Acancéh for the third time in all our travels.  There is supposedly a large Mayan pyramid right in the middle of the town, which the guidebooks say you can't possibly miss.  But for the life of us, we can't seem to find this elusive pyramid.  So much for guidebooks!

Mayapán is believed to have been founded around 1000A.D., after a powerful dynasty left Chichen Itza to establish a new capital.  The guidebook didn't have very much to say about it, but it pointed out that Mayapán doesn't attract very many visitors, partly because it's not on the traditional Mayan routes.  When we pulled into the lot and saw we were the only car there, we realized the book was accurate in that respect.

In fact, we were absolutely the ONLY people at the site except for a handful of archeologists working at Mayapán.  The entire time.  We had the whole site all to ourselves to explore on our own.  And what a spectacular ruin site it was.

The grounds at Mayapán are immaculately maintained and the structures are under active restoration.  The archeologists on hand were pouring cement and restoring steps, all while we were exploring the ruins.  Thatched roofs now adorn some of the temples, which I would take as further indication of the thorough restoration underway. Plus, there were plenty of intact structures in fantastic condition, including a major pyramid and an observatory.

There truly seemed to be a serene atmosphere at Mayapán, and there were absolutely none of the threatening mosquitos we encountered at Edzná.  Jennifer remarked that it would be the perfect place to shoot a yoga video.  Alas, if we only had more time!  An excellent idea, although I think we'll have to plan a winter visit, since right now it's still too darn hot.

We were surprised by the rows of columns lined up throughout the site, which served as great hiding spots for the kids and a challenge for the adults.  The kids also loved playing hide and seek in the observatory, but it wasn't long before they were hot and thirsty from all the running around.





Perhaps the most memorable moment at Mayapán was when Jennifer decided to explore a thatched hut near the base of the main pyramid.  The hut seemed to be open on each side with a dividing wall in the middle.  As she poked her head inside, she immediately let out a bloodcurdling scream and ran out, then started laughing because she had been startled by a bird that was flying at her.  I started laughing even more so, because little did she know that there were three archeologists on the other side of the wall, probably terrorized by her sudden outburst.  I could just picture them intent on their work enjoying the peace and quiet, when along comes Jenn, screaming into the hut.  They certainly cannot be used to visitors there!

There were lots of details to take notice of at Mayapán, like snake head sculptures, painted frescos, and giant Chaac masks. Some of the most striking and disturbing features were the stucco reliefs at the base of the Castillo de Kukulkán.  There you can see carvings of complete Mayan figures, save for an opening in the stone where the head should be.  On these shelves were found skulls, perhaps of sacrificial victims or the ancient ancestors of the city.

With virtually no one in sight, Jenn and I decided to climb the pyramid while the kids played at the bottom.  That way, we could keep them in sight at all times while checking out the magnificent view, plus add another pyramid to our roster in the process.  You see, ever since she shrank away from the climb at Ek Balaam last year, Jennifer has been making up for opportunities lost.  I'm proud that she got over her fear and seized the chance this time around.

It was just amazing to see this entire settlement sprawled out before us, but this time, with no other tourists around to spoil the view.  It was like having our own private kingdom to leisurely play in and explore, without anyone else to get in the way. And since archeologists believe there are many more structures tucked away in the surrounding jungle, you could look around from this vantage point and just imagine what Mayapán may have looked like in its heyday hundreds of years ago.

Mayapán proved to be such a great site to visit that it practically begs to have more visitors recognize its importance, but in ways, we almost hope it stays off the tourist radar and retains its quiet, dignified charm.  It's truly like a hidden gem, one we hope to return to some day.



We climbed down tentatively and rejoined the kids (getting down is always more unnerving than climbing up!) then gathered our things to leave the ruins.  On our way out, we found a platform where tribal dancers likely entertained the ruling elite long ago.


We couldn't miss this chance for Emma to showcase her signature dance moves in all their expressive glory on this ancient stage (see the video clip below).

Speaking of Emma, she became known as the butterfly whisperer of Mayapán, because with the hundreds of tiny butterflies fluttering about the ruins, she somehow managed to catch a dozen or more in her hands (not all at once of course!).  She had great fun charming them like a garden fairy.

By the time we left the ruins it was midday and we were in need of hydration, so we stopped at a little tienda on the way back to pick up some agua and juice for the kids. After some pleasant conversation with the shopkeeper, we hit the road again in search of a cenote for an afternoon swim.  And that's when we happened upon one of the most surprising sights of our trip.

There we were driving down the highway, when we noticed a man's body lying in the shoulder on the side of the road.  As we saw this up ahead of us, Jenn slowed the car down just enough for us to realize (with relief) that this wasn't a dead body; it was a guy SLEEPING in the road, with his head propped up on a bundle of clothes.  Just snoozing away, taking a nap in the unlikeliest of places.  A distracted driver could swerve just a bit too far to the right and Señor Siesta would be having one MAJOR headache.

We just couldn't believe our eyes as we passed the sleepy Mexican, so we turned the car around and got the camera ready for a picture.  As Jennifer slowly inched the car up to the perfect spot, I aimed the camera out the window and snapped a picture.  But as soon as the camera clicked, the body twitched, the head turned, and Mr. Mexican was looking right at us, giving us the shock of our lives.  We gasped and Jenn sped away, both of us laughing about the incident.  If only I had had the nerve to snap another picture of the man staring right at us, it certainly would have made for an interesting photo sequence!

We made our way north once again to Acancéh...and guess what?  There's the elusive pyramid right before our eyes!  Not very elusive at all since we must have driven right past the structure several times already without ever seeing it. I can only guess that our eyes have been drawn to the big yellow church across the street every other time we've passed by.

Anyway, from Acancéh we traveled east, past Cuzamá (I still shudder at the name) to Homún, where we finally found Cenote Tza Ujun Kat.  Once there, a group of kids tried to talk us into a tour of some nearby caves, but we politely refused since we just wanted to check out the cenote.  We got some refreshments and snacks at the restaurant next door, changed into swim gear in their bathrooms, then climbed down the long stairway to the water below.

The underground cavern was huge, with a large opening above where sunlight could stream in.  The cenote was pretty busy with lots of locals, but there was still plenty of room for swimming and playing.  The water was nice and clear, so the kids had a great time exploring and looking for fish. I of course tried to take a few pictures, and was rewarded with a nice flop of bird poop on my hand.  But I guess after a month of this nature stuff, what are you gonna do?  I washed it off in the cenote and carried on.

After about an hour of swimming underground, we emerged from the cenote to find thick clouds and a quickly darkening sky.  By the time we left Homún, the skies had opened up, so we had to contend with rain for most of our trip back to Mérida.  Lukas had no trouble sleeping through it, though.

Strangely, by the time we made it back to our place, I was definitely   not feeling well.  Achy joints, chills, and a fever, which had me curling up in bed early for the night.  What was up with that?  The whole day had been so nice, with lots of fun at Mayapán and the cenote afterwards.  The night was spent trying to stay warm under covers, hoping to feel better by morning.  I did NOT want to spend the last two days of our trip sick in bed!