09/02/2022 - ചാക്കോബെൻ / മെക്സിക്കോ

Today we arrived at the port of Costa Maya by ship. This is a small tourist region in the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. We were picked up by tour guide Alvaro and then our 1-hour bus ride to Chaccoben began. Alvaro was very motivated and excitedly told us about their world until we arrived at the Mayan ruins site. We were the first visitors of the day and had plenty of space for exploration and empty photos. After the decline of the Mayan civilization, the site was forgotten and was only rediscovered during helicopter flights in 1972. Since 1994, the site has been excavated, measured, and restored. Some buildings are uncovered and can be viewed from all sides. Others are completely overgrown or are surrounded by greenery, and we can only speculate about what was already there around 200 BC. The visible temple pyramids today date back to the classic Mayan period around 700 AD. The largest of the three pyramids stands somewhat isolated. After inspecting it, we walked through the jungle and climbed the overgrown Gran Plaza with a steep staircase up to the last pyramid. We circled around it and discovered playful spider monkeys in the trees behind it. We watched their climbing games fascinated for a while, and then we descended the high stairs again. One last time, we admired the abandoned Mayan world and drove back towards the sea. At the end of our excursion, we took a short break for rest and food at Uchbenkah Lagoon on the lake of the same name. In the cruise terminal, we watched a few flamingos and then work called again.