Above Uxmal

We rise early again to go rent a car nearby. There's much to do just outside the city--and Mom and I figure it'll be nice to do it at our own pace in a rental, then to depend on scheduled tours. We return to the hotel with shiny Volkswagen Jetta. I've never rented such a nice car before. I think we're both pleased that we'll be comfortable in it for the next four days. A quick breakfast of eggs, fruit and yogurt, pan and fresh squeezed juice--the standard fare at our hotel. We gather our things and head out.



The Magician's Pyramid

Today's destination? The Mayan city of Uxmal (pronounced Ooosh-mahl). Uxmal is part of a series of mayan archeological sites on the Ruta Puuc (Puuc Route). It is theoretically about an hour-and-a-half from Mérida. We, of course, get a bit lost as we pass the first town coming out of Mérida (Uman). And because it is the first (but not the last) time we get lost, Mom secretly curses Uman under her breath. When we pass through it later, she keeps muttering, "Damn you, Uman, damn you." Mérida and its environs are actually really well organized. Unlike the signage I've seen in Oaxaca, or west of Mexico City, the Yúcatan is organized and well-marked. And yet, in some of the smaller towns, they still have failed to indicate when you approach a fork in the road, which way is a continuation of the highway you were on, and which diverts to somewhere else. I suppose they all think, "Well, every knows the right fork just heads to a backwoods trail, while the left fork is highway 181. Everyone knows that." But for us it wasn't always clear. So we travel a good 10 minutes out of our way, and then backtrack. I think our first lesson in driving here is--ask people. My friend Victoria warned, "When you ask directions here everyone says 'Todo derecho, todo derecho (straight, straight).'" So I know when I hear that same familiar phrase from everyone I encounter, that I need to probe a little further. Have no fear, though--we find Uxmal.The Governor's Palace

It is an amazing site. Our intention was to arrive early to avoid the hottest part of the day. But we find ourselves climbing the stone steps of this impressive Mayan stronghold around 1. That does not divert us, however. We spend 3 hours trekking, climbing, reading in our guidebook about the intricate shapes patterned on every wall and surface, the rain god Chac. This site is so much more ornate and detailed than Oaxaca's Monte Alban. It's similar in scale--but unlike the pyramids in my home state, these ones are surrounded by trees and brush--giving you a sense of what it must have looked like centuries ago.

That's me up top the Great Pyramid, what a view!
And someone left their water--or maybe died from the climb...
Below is a shot of the House of Doves, from a bird's eye view, ha!

Another fun element to climbing pyramids is that you hardly ever get a chance to get above the horizon. The Yúcatan is flat flat, Chicago flat. There are no large highway structures, of hills that afford you the opportunity to see beyond your immediate surroundings. Thus, when I climb to the top of the Gran Pirámide, and turn to face outward, it takes my breath away. You can see for miles, which of course, was the point oh-so-long ago. From that vantage, the Mayans at Uxmal could protect themselves from secret attack.

House of Doves, named for how the arches resembles the nests that doves and pigeons make

Uxmal also happens to be peppered with iguanas. They're all over the place. When Mom and I see the first one scurry out into the courtyard of the Nunnery Quadrangle we a bit taken aback. As it edges towards us, unafraid of humans, Mom whispers to me, "Do you think we can convince it to back off?" But throughout our trek around the site we become so accustomed the the presence of these little dragons, that when one later suddenly appears, camouflaged in the grass--we hardly break our stride. We ask, "Do you think the Mayans ate these poor guys?"

We exit out the main gate and head for a nearby palapa-roofed restaurant called Lodge de Uxmal. No iguana on the menu. I order a pitcher of naranjada so we can cool off. Mom and I share an avocado-stuffed shrimp salad, panuchos (small hand-made tortillas with black beans cooked into the masa, topped with shredded chicken, lettuce, onion and raddishes), and a small mixed green salad.

Sated and cooled, we head for nearby Kabah, another Mayan site, only 20 minutes down the road. We meant to hit a few sites along the Ruta Puuc--but the sun is descending, and time is running out. So we take a quick walk around Kabah, which was connected to Uxmal years ago by the famous white Mayan roads, called sacbe. Aaron, Sarah and I walked along one of these still in tact on the island of Cozumel.

On our way back to Mérida, Mom and I attempt to make a detour into Ticul, a small village on the Convent Route that is known for shoe making. I'm eager to get myself a pair of leather huaraches. Unfortunately, Ticul is very confusing. Our guide book warned us about narrow, criss-crossing streets. But we can't seem to easily find the center of shops. Plus, it's a bit after 5, so things are closing down, and we're tired from a day of hoisting ourselves into the seat of Mayans. We call it a bust, and circle out of town--or at least, we try to circle out of town. Getting on the right track is a bit challenging. But eventually we get some reliable directions to Muna and then on to Mérida.

A wall of Chac faces. The Mayans sculpted their rain god with this giant elephant nose.

We pull into town and park our car at our hotel--thank goodness for the hotel parking garage! We're located so close into town center that it would have been a real pain to circle each night looking for a spot. As becomes our custom from here on out in Mérida, mom and I shower and rest after a morning and afternoon outside the city, and then head out on the town around 8 or 9 to enjoy the music and events the city has to offer. Tonight, however, we content ourselves to just walk to Alberto's Continental Patio, a favorite of our friend Rick Bayless. The building itself is a historical monument. Originally it was a Mayan mound; the original owners used the stones from the Mayan site to build some of the columns of the building, that still stand today. Then it became the home of the Familia Ruz y Ruz, whom constructed th first secondary school in Mérida. Later the Familia Salum acquired the house, turning it into a restaurant. As I mentioned before, foreigners have a long history of colonizing in Mérida, including Lebanese families. I can only guess that the Salum's were one of those families, as Alberto's in known for its Lebanese fare. Mom opts for something Yucatecan, while I order the shish kabobs and humus; I'm excited for different food. We have the patio almost entirely to ourselves. The waiter nicely brings me some bug spray when he notices my constant fidgeting under the table. He jokes that Mom and I have selected the most romantic corner of the restaurant--since our table is located a bit in the shadows. I try to rebut with something about how by the end of the night we'll find ourselves married, mother and daughter. Incest humor doesn't go over very well here, FYI.

I sit on your head, Chac! ha ha!

Our cooling cocktails and delicious fare fill our bellies. We stroll back home to our hotel, full in every sense of the word. Sleep comes easily.