11/08 - Cenote Zazil Tunich

Our landlady told us at the beginning of the week that she had booked a guide for Cenote Zazil Tunich, which had recently opened to visitors, because she wanted to go there with her granddaughter's family. Unfortunately, something came up with her granddaughter, so they couldn't go and Doña Anita wanted to give us the tickets. There was only one problem: we needed a car or a driver.

Our buddies didn't have time, so our mission for the welcome party on Thursday was to find a driver for Friday. The mission was actually fulfilled after half an hour, so Simon, Melli, and I set off to Zazil Tunich on Friday together with Ernesto and Lázaro.

We all didn't really know what to expect and whether the three-hour journey for an afternoon was worth it, but for Mexicans it's practically just around the corner, so we decided to be surprised. And we were not disappointed!

After our guide gave us an insight into the history of the land where the cenote is located and where the Maya lived for a long time, and presented his project (he is reviving the Maya culture on the very important land and introducing it to interested people, in order to prevent it from disappearing completely), we were able to start our descent into the underworld.

On the way down, our guide told us a lot about the stories and legends of the Maya, but to be honest, we were already quite distracted and fascinated by the sight of the cenote.

He also told us a lot about the formation and significance of the truly impressive stalagmites and stalactites.

But even though all of that was really interesting and exciting, the absolute highlight for us was cooling off in the wonderfully cool and clear water when we reached the bottom.

However, it should be noted that only Simon, Melli, and I found the water wonderfully refreshing. Ernesto and Lázaro thought it was much, much, much too cold and were almost a bit horrified that we wanted to bathe in it for 20 minutes. But well, here in Yucatán, Mexicans cool off in the sea with bathtub temperature...that's why Melli and I almost froze to death on the way back in the car's air conditioning.

But apart from the different temperature perceptions, it was a successful trip all around. The cenote and what we learned about the Maya culture were simply impressive! And we also got along very well with Ernesto and Lázaro right from the start, so it definitely won't be our last trip together.