26-27/08 - Routa Maya

After a student party on Friday, Charlotte, Marfise, Julie (three exchange students from France) and I set off on the Maya Route early in the morning with Mexplorando (a youth travel organization here in Mérida). Getting up was hard, but it was definitely worth it!

First stop:

Chichén Itzá

Chichén Itzá is one of the most famous Maya ruins and is also one of the seven new wonders of the world. Consequently, the site is very touristy. Nevertheless, the temple pyramid is definitely worth a visit and a must for anyone who lives in Mérida for five months. Although I have to be honest and say that the Maya ruins in Palenque left a much more impressive impression on me.

After two hours of Maya culture in the blazing sun, it was time for lunch and, above all, a cool-down in the...

Cenote San Lorenzo Oxman

With many different rock ledges, from which we could jump into the cool water, and a long 'liana' with which we could swing across the cenote, we had pure fun in the water and time flew by.

And then it was time to go to our accommodation for the night. The Routa Maya led us to Valladolid for that.

Valladolid - Pueblo Mágico

Valladolid is a small charming town between Mérida and Cancun. There we checked into our hostel, enjoyed the peaceful evening atmosphere, had a delicious dinner and then actually wanted to go to the Mexplorando party. Buuut the four of us were still feeling the effects of Friday night's party and after dinner, fatigue hit all four of us so much that we actually decided to skip the party.

Instead, we were fit and well-rested the next morning when the alarm clock rang, so we could take some time to explore Valladolid at our leisure while the others needed time to recover from their hangovers ;-), before the journey continued.

Morning atmosphere in Valladolid

High above the treetops in Ek Balam