Advertisement
Published: November 29th 2010
Edit Blog Post
Hola amigos !
After several hours of discussion between me and myself, we, I mean I decided to go to Chichen Itza. Despite being ultra touristic, you can´t miss that when you are in Yucatan. Right, folks ? So to make sure it won´t be a bad experience, I carefully chose my travel agency to avoid the big bus over-crowded of 50+ people. I selected Infotours, 5USD more expensive that other offers, but at least it was a Minivan with 10 people only: 4 polish, 3 germans, 2 chilians and me ! It reminds me the crew of the sailing weeks in Greece....
So, departure at 7.30 for Chichen Itza. For the little story, I thought until last week it was ChicKen Itza. And I didnt understand why people couldnt understand me about it ("But you know, in Yucatan, the most well-know pyramid, ChicKen Itza quoi !").
On the way, no surprise we pass by a workshop with craftmens doing sculptures. It is totally hand-made. For sure, it just reminds me the ones I have seen in Teotihuacan, 1800km away from here. Same shape, same color, same price. Who said there is a trap ??
Anyway, we reached ChicHen
Itza, and that´s true, it is impressive. Especially all the guys selling souvenirs along the path. Looks like a shopping mall. All for 1USD or 10peso (question: knowing the exhange rate of 1USD = 12peso, how should I pay to make a good deal ???). Full of tourists, and our guide, Alvaro, is kind of the little brother of speedy Gonzales. But clear explanations, happy to answer questions and joke with the germans (not that funny, tough). Polish are looking for a bar to drink tequila. Surprising ?
Well, the pictures will tell more than I will, so check them. To sum up, 2 influences there, the Maya and the Toltec style. Wikipedia explains it quite well....
After 2h of visit, a crazy heavy rain started. Good, this was exactly when we were at the restaurant. Because of course in the pacjage is included the famous restaurant-buffet-all-included-except-beverages. With dancers. Not sure it was amayan dance, by the way..
I sound negative but don´t take me wrong, it is very nice. Just that I have done already 4 others sites, and it goes more and more touristic, that´s why. But this is mind-blogging for sure.
After that we went to
the cenote Ik-Kil. This is a big natural swimming pool in the underground. Yucatan is full of cenotes. Now it is obviously used as entertainment, but during Mayas, they used to throw dead body there to honour the gods. No worry, the water is not blooded ! It is pretty nice to swimm here, fresh clear water. ANd our guide made it good, because we arrived just before the crowd (I mean those famous big buses).
To finish the tour, we quickly passed by Valladolid. Like 30 minutes, time to take pictures of the main plaza. Pretty cute place. As soon as you go further down the streets, then you loose the colors and the cleanness. Who said it is made for tourists ?
I wanted to go to Chichen Itza by myself, but too complicated. Anyway the tour was good fun, the germans were nice, the polish scaring, the guide ok. I still advise going there. It is a good break from the beach...
Advertisement
Tot: 0.314s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 11; qc: 50; dbt: 0.0573s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb