January 22nd 2013, 3 Years of Marriage

Rick and i celebrated our third year of marriage here in the ‘pueblo magico’ of San Cristobal de Las Casas. As always, a fantastic day together capped-off by a home-cooked wine and steak dinner… another year has passed by.

As we look back and reflect on these 3 years together, i count us both lucky that out of all the people in the world we found each other. Like-minded and with the same outlook in life, we have come so far, growing, learning, experiencing. Of course there have been our ups and downs as we adjust and learn more about each other and ourselves but it has been the best 3 years of my life.

It may not be perfect, but we are happy, and that’s what matters most.

Happiness… has it really been 3 years?

Cañón del Sumidero.

After over 10 days in San Cristobal de Las Casas, without doing much, besides wandering through the streets and enjoying great home-cooked food, we decided that we needed to explore more of the country surrounding this beautiful town. We had taken in some of the natural beauty of the highlands on the bus ride into the town, but had yet to set foot outside, as we found something new to discover each day we spent there. On top of that, i was still on antibiotics and Rick had some work projects to complete. Excuses, excuses!

Anyway, sometimes it is nice to take a break from ‘traveling’, to sit quietly and actually enjoy being in one place for a while, especially when you have been moving around for a long period of time. You get to know the people and the place in-depth, allowing relationships to grow beyond the superficial.

We had toyed around with visiting the Sumidero Canyon for many days. The question was: ‘Whether to take a tour or do it by ourselves?’ So when a French couple that we had met while staying at our hostel, Marie and Alexander, said that they would be driving back to Tuxtla Gutierrez to return their rental car and would be passing by Chiapa de Corzo (where you get the boat to visit the Canyon) we took it as a sign. We started our journey at around 10.30am and took the winding local roads to Chiapa de Corzo. We had to stop to buy petrol at a roadside shop, just like how it’s done in rural Malaysia and Indonesia, where there are no big stations to fill up. We also got stopped and searched by the military at a checkpoint, which was a bit nerve-wracking, since Rick and I had stupidly left our passports in our hostel.

Eventually we reached the jetty and after ignoring all the touts along the way, got our tickets and jumped into the boat.

The view of the Sumidero Canyon as represented on the Chiapas state seal.

The boat was comfortable, with proper seats for everyone, the majority of whom were Mexicans on holiday. The journey along the Grijalva river took us over 42 kilometers through the Sumidero Canyon´s narrow walls, sometimes turning up to ninety degrees in a different direction. The canyon is the second most popular tourist attraction in the state of Chiapas behind Palenque and its vertical walls that rise up to a kilometer high are represented on the Chiapas state seal. The Sumidero Canyon was formed by a crack in the earth´s crust and erosion by the Grijalva river about the same time as the Grand Canyon in the United States.

Through the narrow vertical walls of the Sumidero Canyon.

Looking back at the Sumidero Canyon from the Chicoasén Dam.

A seahorse stalactite in a cave on one of the canyon walls. You can also see a face with the  right eye open and the left closed.

A shrine inside the Cueva de Colores, named after the pink markings on the cave walls formed by minerals.

A ‘Christmas Tree’ formation, formed over millions of years by a waterfall.

Our boat driver stopped at a few interesting spots along the way to see wildlife, caves and strange formations along the walls of the canyon. The first thing that struck us was the abundance of birds along the river. Flocks and flocks of diving ducks flew alongside the boat seemingly at the same pace. We saw several species of storks as well as scavengers that looked like vultures. The crocodiles we saw were massive (it was Ricks first time to see a crocodile in the wild) and we also saw a troop of endangered Spider Monkeys.

The flocks of birds flying next to us.

A white stork.

Flocks of vulture-like scavengers were on the river bank drying their wings in the sun.

One of the huge crocodiles we saw along the way.

In some areas evidence of pollution was rife. When we visited the Cueva de Colores, the floating rubbish (mainly plastic and plant debris) covered the whole floor of the cave like a carpet of trash. I had earlier read that pollution is a problem in the Grijalva river with 5,000 tonnes of garbage being removed every year. Our journey ended at the  Chicoasen dam, one of four along the Grijalva River, which is important as a source of hydroelectricity as well as functioning as a water storage.

Some of the floating trash in the Cueva de Colores.

The Chicoasén Dam.

Legend has it that in order to avoid being captured and enslaved by the Spanish, over 15 thousand indigenous people – men, women and children, jumped off the highest point of the canyon to their death. The river used to be fast-flowing at that point before the dams were constructed and as we passed by that area i shuddered a bit inside. As with Bacalar, many people had died in the Sumidero Canyon, and you could feel the tragedy of such a beautiful place as you absorbed its tranquility.

The highest point of the Sumidero Canyon, over 1,000 meters high and the point from which many Mayans jumped to their death.

A last look at the vertical walls of the Sumidero Canyon, awe-inspiring yet tranquil.

Farewell to a Good Friend

So far in our 13 days in San Cristobal de Las Casas, we have made many new friends. Some that have come and gone over the space of a few days, and others that have made this beautiful town their home. From Cuba to France and Germany to Korea, we have seen people pass through our guesthouse, Hostal de Los Camellos, being taken care of like family by Nora, Fabian and Fernando.

As we made many new friends in this beautiful city, so we also had to say goodbye to a very old friend that has traveled with Rick around the globe over the past 4 1/2 years. His trusted laptop, that died on us in Campeche was taken to pieces and donated to an electronics shop. It was with mixed feelings that we parted with this trusted companion, and now rely solely on my little net book for work and contact.

So after this painful parting, here´s to a slightly lighter backpack for Rick!

Farewell trusted friend! Rick saying a parting prayer.

San Cristobal de Las Casas

The bus ride from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas was 5 hours of hair-raising bends through the highlands of Chiapas. Apart from a short stop in Ocosingo along the way, much of the scenery was greenery. The road wound through the mountains and valleys, with small villages and ranches dotted along the road. As we got higher, the lush jungle gave way to pine forests, signalling that we had almost reached our destination.

View of San Cristobal de Las Casas from Cerro de Guadalupe.

At 2,120m, the colonial town of San Cristobal de Las Casas is clearly the highest that we will visit in Mexico. It is set in a valley and surrounded by pine-covered mountains. We were feeling a bit wobbly after getting off the bus so we took a taxi into the center of town to Hostel Ganesha, a place that had been recommended to us by our friends Jesus and Begonia, who had traveled through this pretty town half a year ago. Unfortunately (or rather fortunately) it was full, but the people there were kind enough to recommend a couple of other places for us to try for availability.

View of San Cristobal de Las Casas from the Cerro de San Cristobal.

We arrived at Hostal de Los Camellos, and immediately fell in love with the place as well as the first room that we saw, which was clearly the best room that we have had so far in Mexico. The hostel had a massive, well-equipped kitchen that also won us over as we were already getting sick of our daily diet of tacos and tortas and wanted to cook some healthy food to help with my recovery.

Our beautiful room in Hostal de Los Camellos.

Common area at Hostal de Los Camellos.

It is easy to see why this beautiful town has been a popular travelers’ destination for years. The old cobbled streets and cordoned-off walkways are a pleasure to explore, and the temperate climate at this altitude was a welcome break from the tropical heat that we have become accustomed to. There are the usual ornate colonial religious buildings such as the Cathedral and the Templo de Santo Domingo as well as well-restored old houses in the center of town. Most of the town is pedestrian-friendly with walkways along the center. San Cristobal de Las Casas is also a ‘Pueblo Magico’, just like Bacalar, but on top of that it is named as the most magical of all the Pueblo Magico’s in Mexico. You can see and feel why. The air here is clear, the light shines differently (especially in the evenings), and there is a different vibe about this place that you can feel in your bones as you wander around the streets.

Pedestrian walkway.

Corner shop in the center of town.

One of the pedestrian walkways in the town centre with the Arco de El Carmen (old gate) in the south of town.

We thought that climbing these stairs to Cerro de Guadalupe would be difficult at this altitude, but it wasn´t that bad.

The Cathedral of San Cristobal de Las Casas.

Even Burger King was housed in a beautiful building.

The city hall that was occupied by the Zapatistas in 1994.

A quiet, green park next to the Amber Museum.

Another beautiful building.

The intricate baroque frontage of the Templo de Santo Domingo.

San Cristobal is also a hub for sympathisers of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN) and one of the most deeply rooted indigenous areas of Mexico. The Zapatistas or EZLN aligns itself with the wider alter-globalization, anti-neoliberal social movement, seeking indigenous control over their local resources, especially land. There are many cinemas showing educational documentaries on the difficulties of the indigenous people here in Chiapas and the struggle of the ELZN. Even in the Museo de la Medicina Maya, there is a plethora of information on how globalisation and how multinationals have destroyed the biodiversity of Mayan lands, which were for all to share. The political situation here in Chiapas is complicated and fragile. You can sense a heavy military presence in San Cristobal as well as on the roads leading to/from here. For those interested, we watched the documentary “A place called Chiapas”, which is over 10 years old, but tells the story of the plight of the indigenous community.

Information on the plight of the local indigenous people in the plaza outside the Cathedral.

Recent 4-page article on the Zapatistas/ELZN in the local newspaper.

Basically this means that the earth now belongs to those who can pay for it.

The politicians depicted as the puppets of big corporations.

San Cristobal is also a centre for indigenous handicraft. Intricate embroidery, weaving and bead-work as well as jewelry made from local amber, turquoise and jade are available in abundance. It is a pleasure to browse the markets for trinkets and fresh produce as they are so interesting (unfortunately the locals don’t like people taking photos). We had to keep reminding ourselves that 1) we need to conserve our finances and 2) we were already carrying heavy backpacks and didn’t need to add to it.

Intricate embroidery on a ‘sarong’ worn by local indigenous women.

These hand-made leather sandals had soles made from old tyres. We bought a couple as they were cheap and our toes were getting damaged by our plastic flip flops.

As always, the street art gave us an insight into the minds of the people living here in San Cristobal de Las Casas.

“Don’t let them touch you. Don’t let them shut you up”.

“Breathe, there’s magic in the air”.

Street Art.

Today is our 13th day here and we are still contemplating when to leave and where our next destination will be.

Palenque, a Masterpiece of Mayan City Planning and Architecture.

On the morning of our visit to the popular Palenque ruins, Rick and I were up at the crack of dawn. We packed our backpacks and stored them in lockers before setting off to catch a colectivo up to these world-famous Mayan ruins. In Tulum we had been overwhelmed by the busloads of tourists that came in at the same time as us (we had left late) so this time, we had decided to make it to the ticket booth before it opened at 8am.

When we arrived, we realised that we were not the only ones with the idea of coming early as there was already a queue waiting to buy the tickets. We had a hearty breakfast of tamales at one of the many stalls outside the entrance, then proceeded into the compound. The Palenque ruins are spread over an area of  over 15 square kilometers but only a relatively small area has been excavated and opened to the public. As we had already visited the Mayan ruins of Tulum, Xpuhil and Becan, we were interested to see how Palenque measured up to these and what made it such a special place.

The first structure we saw as we entered the Palenque ruins, the Temple of the Skull.

Palenque is probably the most important burial site in the Americas and the top destination in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Once you are in front of the temples, it is mind-boggling to think how the ancient Mayans constructed these structures without the help of the wheel, metal tools or pack animals. As we entered the site, we were immediately confronted by a massive row of huge temples ‘backdropped’ with green forested hills. It was a spectacular sight. The first interesting temple we encountered was Temple XIII, which you can enter and see the Tomb of the Red Queen to see her sarcophagus. It was the first structure that we could actually enter, and not just climb. The red-lined tomb was found with a woman’s skeleton in it, believed to be the wife of Pakal, the legendary ruler of Palenque, who reigned from 615 to 683AD and lived to a ripe old age of 80 (which was unheard of in those times).

The Tomb of the Red Queen.

Next to this is the Temple of the Inscriptions, named after the many inscriptions found here recounting the history of Palenque and this building. It is the tallest of Palenque’s buildings and it was here that the massive tomb of Pakal was discovered in 1952. His skeleton was covered in jewels including his jade death mask. It used to be possible to climb down to view the actual tomb but it has now been closed to the public to preserve it. An impressive replica can be seen in the site’s museum.

The Temple of the Inscriptions, where the tomb of former ruler Pakal was discovered.

A replica of the elaborately-carved stone tomb of Pakal, the legendary ruler of Palenque.

Diagonally opposite the Temple of the Inscriptions is the Palace, where Palenque’s rulers used to live. It is a maze of courtyards and corridors and was a pleasure to explore. There are still some carvings and stucco work that can be seen which gave us a good impression of how ornate this buildings would have been in its heyday.

One of the courtyards in the palace.

Another building in the immense Palace.

One of the stone carvings still visible in the Palace. You can imagine how this place must have looked when the whole building was covered with images such as these painted in bright colours.

Next we headed to a different section, the Groupo de las Cruces or Group of the Crosses, three spiritual buildings named after the cross carvings, which signify the ceiba tree, which the Mayans believed held up the universe. The largest of these was the Temple of the Cross which was a bit of a hike to climb (especially as we were already tired after climbing up the other structures). However, once we were on top, the views of the whole area were impressive and well worth the burning muscles!

Birds-eye view of the ruins from the top of the Temple of the Cross. Here you can see the palace and the Temple of the Inscriptions.

Another view from the Temple of the Cross of some of the ‘Groupo de Las Cruces’ structures.

Me standing in front of the Temple of the Sun.

There were a couple of other groups of buildings that we visited on the site after these, which were of lesser importance, plus a ball court where the juego de Pelota was played. We also passed some structures that served as residential houses for nobility. Here, we started to hear the sound of water, and the beautiful Bano de Reina (it is said that the Queen used to bathe in this beautiful setting) greeted us. A waterfall followed by a series of pools of crystal clear water led us down to the site museum.

These were the last structures at the site, and served as houses for nobility. The Mayans used to bury their dead ancestors beneath their houses.

The waterfall at the Queen’s Bath, a beautiful area, even today.

Rick with one of the many huge trees dotted around the site, similar to those in Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

The museum was the best that we had visited so far, mainly as it housed many of the artifacts found on site, including a massive replica of Pakal’s jade death mask and a replica of his tomb, complete with a full explanation of its elaborate carvings. There were also things that we had not seen before such as the elaborate incense burners and jade jewelry.

A replica of Pakal’s death mask. When it was found, the cloth backing that held the pieces of jade together had disintegrated, and scientists painstakingly put them back together to form this image.

A jade death mask of the Red Queen. Nobility were buried with many valuables, including jade masks such as this.

One of the many elaborate incense burners found in Palenque.

Some images of Mayan faces carved in stone. Their concept of beauty was very different from ours. Teeth ground to form a ‘T shape’, slanted or cone-shaped skulls and crossed eyes were all symbols of beauty.

Another stone face. Here you can just about make out the crossed eyes!

After wandering around the museum, we decided to walk the couple of kilometers back to El Panchan, since it was downhill. We picked up our backpacks, then proceeded on to Palenque town where we found a basic Posada (Inn) for the night. I was exhausted from the day’s activities, and the following day i woke up with a high fever and body aches, probably due in part to over-exertion, and in part to not having fully recovered from my bout of typhoid. I started on my second round of antibiotics and we ended up taking it easy for a few days until my fever had gone down and i had recovered enough strength to get back on my feet and move on to our next destination, San Christobal de Las Casas in the highlands of Chiapas.

El Panchan

The night bus to Palenque in the neighbouring state of Chiapas was pretty uneventful and for the first time on a bus ride, Rick actually managed to get more sleep than me. We arrived at around 7am and straight away took a colectivo to El Panchan, a small compound nestled in between some small streams in the jungle. We had earlier agreed that we had had enough of staying in roadside towns so El Panchan was an easy choice for us, especially as it was closer to the Palenque ruins.

As soon as we arrived in El Panchan, we knew we would have difficulty finding accommodation as most places were full. The place is well-known as a favourite with hippies and traveler-types. We had to wait until some people had checked out before we really knew our options. As we waited, it started to pour down, rain drenching us and our bags.

We eventually decided on a cabana in a budget option called Jungle Palace. Very basic with shared bathrooms but at least there was hot water and electricity. We were exhausted from the previous night’s trip, so we decided to take it easy, and just hung out in El Panchan for the day enjoying the greenery and sounds of the jungle. As night descended, what we thought would be a quiet night under the trees, started to get rowdy. There were a couple of makeshift bars that started blasting their music – reggae competing with dance, and a movie also thrown in just to complete the din. We had heard that this noise would continue till 4am and as El Panchan was small, all the rooms in the whole area could hear the mix of music.

The cabanas at Jungle Palace.

We then decided that we would only spend one night in El Panchan as we were not really looking for a party place to stay. So the next morning, before setting off to the ruins, we packed up our backpacks and left them in a locker, with the idea of heading back into town when we were done exploring.

A Day of Culture in Campeche.

We had earlier purchased our bus tickets leaving at midnight to Palenque, our next destination in the neighbouring state of Chiapas. The tickets were expensive at 300 pesos each, so we decided to take the night bus to save on accommodation for one night. After packing and storing our backpacks in lockers for the day, we set off to enjoy our final day in Campeche!

We decided to venture further away from the Historical Downtown that we had enjoyed so much the previous days. Not only was the historical town fortified by a wall, the Spanish also built two forts for further protection against pirate attacks; to the east, the Fort of San Miguel and to the west, the Fort of San Jose el Alto.

Entering the Fort of San Miguel, with the rain clouds fast approaching.

We took a bus to the Fort of San Miguel, which now houses the Archeological Museum of Mayan Culture, roughly 7kms from the center of town. It seemed as if we were being chased by the rain as we climbed the hill to the fort. The fort was beautifully preserved and provided views of both the Gulf of Mexico and Campeche. It was surrounded by a moat and had a drawbridge as its entrance. The military architecture was impressive and we were transported back to an era where pirates posed a real threat to the Spanish community living in the wealthy port of Campeche.

The drawbridge, and entrance.

The moat surrounding the fort. you can just about see Campeche in the distance, behind the trees.

The cannons on all sides of the wall.

Facing the Gulf of Mexico.

After taking in the views and watching the rain clouds advance, we headed to the Archeological Museum of Mayan Culture housed within the fort. We were interested to come to this particular museum as it housed many artifacts from Becan, one of the ruins that we had visited in the southern part of Campeche state. There were many examples of weapons, jewelry, pottery and other utensils used by the ancient Mayans. The highlight of the artifacts showcased here was representation of an actual burial from Calakmul (another important Mayan site in Campeche state) and some jade death masks, which were exquisite.

Weapons used by the ancient Mayans made from obsidian.

More Mayan weapons made from obsidian.

Kitchen utensils.

A well-preserved plate from Becan.

Mayan musical instruments.

Mayan jewelry.

A full burial scene as found in Calakmul.

The lighting was not very good for this shot, but you can just about make out the jade death/burial mask.

After an interesting day at the fort, we headed back to our hostel to shower, have some dinner and take advantage of the wifi to upload some photos of our journey so far. Next stop Palenque, a masterpiece of Mayan city planning and architecture.

Graffiti and Artwork on Buildings

Since we have been in Mexico, we have seen so many works of art on the sides of buildings. From pirates and anarchist messages to cultural depictions and environmental messages. Even the shops have their facades painted on with the logos of products rather than using signboards. I suppose graffiti gives us a bit of an insight into the minds of the people living in a particular place, in particular, the mind of the country’s youth.

Cancun.

Tulum.

In Bacalar, the graffiti and murals we saw were centered around social and environmental consciousness.

Bacalar.

In Campeche, however, there were beautiful huge pieces of art on some of the buildings that really caught our eyes. Here are a selection of my favourites. It reflected the artistic vibe that this beautiful city exuded.

Campeche.

Campeche.

Campeche.

Campeche.

Our First Colonial City in Mexico, Campeche.

Our original plan was to hitch hike from Xpujil to Escarcega, then continue on to Campeche, the capital city of Campeche state. After trying to catch a ride for over an hour, we decided to give up and just catch a bus as we reasoned that the 5 hour ride would be difficult to hitch. Again, we were the only foreigners on the local bus that took us through many small villages and towns along the way.

We arrived in Campeche in the evening and made it to the old colonial town just before a heavy downpour. Designated a world heritage site in 1999, the Historical Downtown of Campeche is a classic example of Spanish colonial architecture. The buildings are beautifully preserved and painted in a variety of pretty pastel colours.

The coat of arms of Campeche.

Campeche Municipal Government’s logo.

The colourful streets of the old colonial town.

The impressive cathedral of Campeche.

Immediately we noticed a big difference in the way we were greeted and treated by the locals. Friendly, polite and eager to help, we felt welcomed immediately by the Campechanos. We found a room at Hostel Pirata, in one of the 17th century buildings, which was immaculately maintained.

Hostal Pirata, our home in Campeche.

Campeche grew to be the most important and largest port in the Yucatan peninsula, prospering from the precious woods that were traded in the region. This wealth attracted the attention of pirates such as Francis Drake and Henry Morgan. To protect Campeche from pirate attacks, the Spanish built a fortress surrounding the city with eight bastions. Now, only a few parts of the wall remain intact, although the city council is currently doing extensive restoration work on some of it. On either side of the old city, there are two main gates; Puerta del Mar (facing the sea) and Puerta de Tierra (facing inland).

A model of the old colonial town within its walls.

Puerta de Tierra.

Outside the walls, looking in.

El Aguador, or the man who sells rainwater. It was said that frijoles tasted better if made with rainwater.

We took our time to explore as i was still feeling weak from my attack of typhoid fever and couldn’t walk much without feeling faint. All in all we spent 3 nights exploring this beautiful city and enjoying the delicious gastronomical delights available here, which happened to be the best Mexican food (and the healthiest) we have tasted so far in Mexico.

The town hall of Campeche.

Templo de San Jose.

Porticos (arches), more Spanish colonial architecture.

Instituto Campeche.

In the evenings we took a walk along the Malecon, a walkway right next to the sea (Gulf of Mexico), which gave us some spectacular sunsets. Summed up, Campeche was a breath of fresh air..

Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, viewed from the Malecon.

The Lesser-Visited Mayan Ruins, Xpuhil and Becan in the Rio Bec Area.

Coming from Chetumal, we chose to stay in the dusty roadside town of Xpuhil (straddling Highway 186), named after the famous Mayan Ruins located just 1km away from the urban area, as opposed to a quieter village further away. We were so tired after having had very little sleep the previous night that we thought we wouldn’t have any trouble sleeping despite the sound of vehicles passing by. We were not wrong.

Well-rested and excited to see the Mayan Ruins of Xpuhil and Becan, we set off on foot the following morning. Xpuhil was only a 1km-walk down the highway and means “cats tail” with reference to the type of vegetation found in the area. It was first settled in 400BC until 1100AD, then rediscovered by archaeologists in the 1930s. As we entered and paid the 42 peso entry fee,we noticed that the whole area was very well maintained. The signages were well articulated in Spanish, Mayan and English and the pathway was clear and easy to follow. The first ruin we saw was not very well preserved, but then we got to the 3 towers, which were unique to Xpuhil and we were in awe. Not much of the original stucco could be seen, but nevertheless, the towers were imposing and impressive.

The first structure we saw in Xpuhil.

One of the stone carvings in Xpuhil.

A beautiful butterfly who posed for me. We saw many butterflies while we were at Xpuhil.

The three towers at Xpuhil.

Next we decided to head to Becan, which used to be the capital city for the Mayans in this area. It was first occupied 550BC and for hundreds of years after until its decline in 1200AD. It was first documented (which i suppose means discovered by modern-day archaeologists) only in 1934. We had read that it was unique in that the main complex was surrounded by a trench/moat, indicating its militaristic nature. We started walking but since it was 9kms away, and the traffic along the highway was pretty fast-moving, we decided it would be best to try to hitch a ride. It took a while. Many cars flashed their lights at us, but sped on by. Then it started to rain, so we continued walking a few more kilometers. Eventually a car stopped for us and dropped us at the junction leading to Becan.We walked another 800 meters through a small village to get to the entrance of the ruins.

Hitching a ride to Becan.

Finally we arrive at the site.

As with Xpuhil, we had the place almost exclusively to ourselves, the complete opposite to the hoards of tourists in Tulum. Becan was huge. After crossing the moat, we arrived at a few large structures that surrounded a huge plaza. I climbed the first one with Rick, but had a bit of vertigo and sat out the next one, which was the tallest one in the complex. From the top of the ruins, we were supposed to be able to see the middle tower of Xpuhil, but the rainy weather made for poor visibility. However, we got the idea, and could imagine these ruins being connected during their heyday. Now, they proudly stood in a sea of green trees.

The first huge structure we saw at Becan.

The tallest structure that was too high for me to climb after getting vertigo from the first one we scaled.

View of one of the structures from the top of another surrounding a huge plaza.

Becan was a large city, and it comes complete with old walkways, some covered.The complex reminded us of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, although these ruins were older and in poorer condition. It is amazing that the Mayans had the technological know-how to build such huge structures that were so special in many ways. Like Xpuhil, Becan was constructed in the Rio Bec style, familiar to the area. Here, you could see more detail though. The stuccoes were clear in some parts and in some structures you could also see benches that were used for sleeping and altars used for sacrifice.

One of the walkways at Becan. It was raining when we arrived, and for much of the time we spent at the site.

Huge structure with a temple on the top!

Picture of the ball game that the Mayans used to play.

The court where the Mayan ball game was played.

One of the old stone carvings protected by glass.

This checkerboard style is common to the Rio Bec style.

A circular altar in one of the plazas.

Me with some of the better preserved parts of the ruins.

More interesting stone carvings.

After 2 hours exploring the whole complex (or at least the part that was open to the public), we headed back through the village and while walking we were stopped in our tracks when we saw a spider monkey running towards us on two legs! What a sight! The children in the village told us that this particular monkey was a regular visitor so we stopped for a while and watched for a while as it jumped from tree to tree and ran right by us again.

The spider monkey who ran right by us in the village.

We tried hitching a ride back but in the end just caught a colectivo (a van that picks up people along a particular route) that was passing by. In the end, we were too tired for anything else and badly in need of a warm shower.