Author Archives: David

Mexico Day 3 – To Campeche

A long morning drive up the edge of the Bay of Mexico to Campeche.

The first Fort Santa Francisco was closed :-), so it was on to San Miguel

Fortress had an interesting Mayan collection, including the Mayan equivalent of Rosetta stone – but no photo – so here’s a seat that’s a bit similar, and a skull showing the skull deformation the practiced in the name of beauty

Campeche is an interesting Colonial walled town, most of the buildings survive. Late afternoon stroll round the town.

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A look inside some of the government buildings with Moorish decor

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and then the usual Cathedral and dancers !

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Mexico Day 2 – Jungle exploring at Calakmul

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A quick look round in daylight at the hotel ‘ecovillage’ site and take a picture of our lodge, and then breakfast.

Its an early 8am start as we head of into the jungle. Half an hour on the main road and then 40 mins down a one way road to find a Museum introducing the Bisophere that is the Calakmul protected area.

Then a further hour drive on tracks deep into the jungle to get to the main Calakmul site.

Calakmul was the main Mayan city in the classical period 600 – 1000AD. It boasts a 50m high stepped pyramid thats the highest in Mexico, and from the top gives views all around.

Theres a lot of other buildings and temples on the site including the ‘fight to the death’ ball court. All still pretty much undisturbed, and very much in the jungle.

A long retun journey to get lunch at 4pm. Beer for tea then 🙂

Mexico Day 1 – Tulum and beyond

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Early start from the luxury of the Gran Bahia Principa hotel. The biggest buffet Ive ever seen, but then the resort is probably be biggest of its type Ive been to. Tour guide and driver there to meet us at 8am, and its just us. Short trip to Tulum

A late Mayan site from1200 -1500, a spectacular cliff top position overlooking the Caribbean sea. Notable main temple to the Descending God and a temple of the wind (quite apt), as well as a protected turtle beach

Then a long drive, including a 1 hr detour because of striking teachers, in the rain to Bacalar.

The Azure Cenotes was supposed to be a perfect blue lake, but with the weather, was a grey uninviting lagoon in which I didn’t swim. Then to a restaurant for a 3pm Fahitas lunch over looking a very full lagoon.

Finally a quick look round a very wet San Felipe fortress before a drive to the Ecovillage Hotel. Not bad – purpose built for the tourists as ‘jungle lodges’ but very nice all the same.

Hoping for a good hols !

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Off soon to Mexico to see the Mayan sites…

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and hopefully, a dive or two in the Cenotes

Cenotes are huge underground river and cavern systems that are accessible to all certified divers. The Yucatan Peninsula is famous for these systems that allow us to dive amongst amazing formations of Stalactites, Stalagmites and Limestone Columns.