Ruta Puuc and the Convent Route: The Ruta Puuc is located to the south of Merida and consists of the Mayan ruin sites called Mayapan, Uxmal, Xlapak, Sayil, Kabah and Labnah. The name Ruta Puuc means hilly route. Also along this route is the henequen hacienda called Yaxcopoil and Loltun caves. The Puuc style is known for its elaborately ornamented building facades. We travelled the Ruta Puuc during the summer of 2004, June of 2005, April of 2006 and January of 2007. Chuck and I have gone alone, with our daughters Danielle and Angela, with our good friends Tim and Nikki, [View Full Entry]

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Yucatan Journeys: The first time we went to Yucatan was the summer of 2004 with Chuck and my daughter Danielle. I was working on my history major at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls and had been accepted into the McNair Scholar program. As a McNair scholar I travelled to the Yucatan to research the importance of corn to the Mayans. This was my first trip to Mexico. I had taken one semester of Spanish and thought I was ready. As soon as I stepped off the plane I knew I was not. The only Spanish I could remember was cerveza, [View Full Entry]

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Quintana Roo ~ the Mayan Riviera We visited various places in the state of Quintana Roo in June and December of 2005, January and April of 2006, January of 2007, and again June of 2008. Many people who have been to the Mexican state of Quintana Roo went to and stayed in the tourist area of Cancun and the Mayan Riviera. I suppose this is to be expected since the area was developed by the Mexican government as a tourist destination. The name Mayan Riviera is actually accurate. The area was home primarily to people of Mayan descent. Before the 197 [View Full Entry]

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Founding Chichen: Chichen Itza “the mouth of the well of the Itza” owes its name to the original settlers, the Itza, who founded the city near the cenote (sinkhole or well) of Xtoloc. Chichen Viejo (old Chichen) was occupied by ancestors of the Yucatec Maya who migrated from the south and west during the 400s CE (Common Era or AD, the time after the birth of Christ). The newer part of Chichen, that which is centered around the pyramid of Kukulkan, was settled again during the 900s CE by another group of migrants who came from the west. Because Chic [View Full Entry]

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During the month of January 2008 I traveled the state of Arizona. I was in the process of researching my History Master Thesis titled “Migrations, Exchanges, Connections and Legacy: Reconsidering Hopi and Maya History”. I had already spent significant time in the Yucatan, home of the Yucatec Maya. For this trip I spent time in the homeland of the Hopi and their ancestors, known as the Sinagua, Anasazi and Hohokam. My trip began by driving from Phoenix south to Tucson, north to the Hopi Mesas, and concluded by driving back south to Phoenix. Some people describe the [View Full Entry]

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Labor Day weekend of 2008 we drove down south, to the family farm in Southern Illinois for the Albert family reunion. It was a wonderful trip! Friday night some of us went to the Edgewood Opry where Uncle Jim got up on stage to sing a song. Saturday morning we met at the farm and went walking to the family cemetery, the old yellow house which is no longer yellow, and up to John and Donna Kay's. Although we only wanted to stop by to say hi, before long we were all gathered around Donna's table for iced tea and dinner [View Full Entry]

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During the summer of 2004 we began travelling to Mexico. We have visited Chiapas, Yucatan, Quintana Roo and Campeche. From our first night in Merida to our most recent morning in Playa del Carmen we have loved everything Mexico has to offer; food, sights, history, culture, people and places. If you take any advice concerning travel in Mexico; always travel the road less traveled! [View Full Entry]

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