Chetumal

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Left early this morning heading to Tulum for an over night stay in the parking lot as well as visiting the ruins. Well been there many years before and one more time the tourism has taken over, instead of a hike up a long hot trail for miles to see what they had uncovered and a tour guide to explain everything to you for a small fee , it is now Gringo city, thousands of people, do not get me wrong if you have not seen it its a must. We were gone down the road , took our time took the libre roads , went through the small towns and her we are on the gulf in front row spots, not many people, not much in the way of RV services......... but that is why we RV... the small towns and the great people. Chetumal is the mid point between Mexico and central America where converge the more exoctic of the two geographic regions and cultures. Its name the Maya name for red tree. In Quintanaroo important historical events took place in our modern history, starting with the Spanish conquest and ending with the dissolution of the Maya Empire.Southern Mexico begins in landscape of tropical rain forest on the coast-land of the jaguar,monkey and exotic birds.

The city is young established just over a century ago. At this time it featured many small english style wooden homes due to the british influence of Belize and was very unigue to the region.

Today we viewed some interesting ruins Dzibanche and ancient Maya civilization located in southern Quintana roo, in the Yucatan. It was a major Maya city and investigations in the first decade of the 21st century indicate that it was the early capitol of the Kan Dynasty, which later ruled from the great city of Calakumul. Dzibanche features the earliest known of the Kan dynasty emblum glyph.

Today in the mid morning with the sun shinning above we Traveled to Bacalar, A town on the waters edge of The Cenote Azul and 6 other cenotes attached.Azul 300 meters deep and 600 meters in diameter that is crystal clear. What is a cenote. The Yucatan is a large peninsula made primarily of limestone. The yucatan has thousands of under ground caverns, many running with underground rivers. Occasionally these caves will collapse leaving an opening. If the cavern is running with water , it will create a cenote. Along the shores of cenote Azul you will find the fort on San Felippe Built in 1733 to fight of the pirates.



The large cenote Azul is touted as the widest and deepest on the penninsula. It is along side the lagoon of seven colors, the 30 mile long, 1 mile wide fresh water lagoon just east of Hwy 307 in southern Quinta roo. Azul boasts the deep blue waters and is surrounded by a narrow ring of green jungle. The large circle is cool,dark water sits like a jewel on the ribbon of the turquoise waters and white sand beaches of the lagoon.

Tomorrow we will attempt to cross the Border into Belize. We are hearing numerous varieties of what the Mexicans will want upon return and if the Belizians will make us turn in our FMM cards which we can not do as we are leaving Vehicles registered in Mexico and can not leave without them. So maybe or maybe not we will be crossing very early tomorrow. Watch for our next blog to see what happens.

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