Mayan Ruins: Tulum, Mexico

Tulum sits at the top of coastal cliffs and served as a major land and sea trade hub distributing to nearby Coba and then to cities further inland. The City was once named Zama meaning the City of the Dawn as it faces the sunrise. All commodities on the Yucatan landed in Tulum and went straight to Coba where they were taxed and distributed. For the same reason, some of the richest Families lived at the well fortified site.

Salt and textiles were the main imports as well as Obsidian mined in the Guatemala Highlands. Exports included copper items from inland sources and feathers. Transporters traveled South to river systems taking them inland like the Rio Motagua and the Rio Usumacincta/Pasion. Metals, Stones and Minerals were mined in the highlands of Guatemala and Southern Mexico and transported back to the Atlantic Ocean eventually landing in Tulum.

Obsidian (volcanic ash) is one of several stones and minerals used for sacrifice and bloodletting rituals, everyday objects and alter decorations. Chert (flint), Jadeite, Iron Pyrite, Cinnabar, Hematite were also traded through Tutum and distributed through Coba. Each mining City of origin had work centers to prep raw materials into ambiguous shapes. Each city had work centers to transform raw materials into weapons, household items, decor and whatever else they needed for everyday life with their regional and personal art.

There are three major pyramid structures on the site. The Pyramid El Castille was used for worship and guiding canoes to the port City. There are two small lookout windows facing the water Mayans used for security. The Temple of the Frescoes was used as an observatory tracking the movements of the sun and the Temple of the Descending Gods was used for ceremony and ritual sacrifice. The site also features a community alter temple in the center of what was once a residential neighborhood inhabited by the rich noble lords.

It was the first Mayan site where I could really see what life may have been like for these ancient people. Looking at the housing structures, one can imagine a living room, sleeping quarters and cooking spaces. The community temple would have been adorned with offerings from residents and visitors moving goods through the City.

There is a small cenotes at the northern end of the City which would have supplied water to everyone living here and a security wall extending from the coastal cliff and surrounding part of the houses. The wall is 9 - 16 ft in height and 26 ft thick and runs 400 meters. This wall, the Ocean and the use of watchtowers at each inland corner made Tulum one of the most fortified Mayan Cities in ancient Mesoamerica.  Tulum experienced the height of its civilization in the Post Classic Period around AD 1200 and remained occupied until the Spaniards arrived in the 16th Century. The site was completely abandoned at the end of the 16th Century.

I booked the excursion through Barcelo Grand Maya Resort. It is a 1/2 day excursion and does not include lunch, though there are several restaurants at the entrance to the archeological site next to an outdoor air market. Here, vendors offer tourists commemorative souvenirs, local art, clothing and more. Vendors negotiate the price of each item, so it is good to have money on hand from both countries to get the best deal.

There is a lot of walking in Tulum, so be prepared with comfortable shoes. There is a tram from the parking lot to the park entrance making rounds throughout the day. If You have someone in Your party unable to walk long distances, it is the best option. The tram only takes Mexico's currency. The beach is spectacular and open daily for swimming, so swim gear if You plan on enjoying ocean activities. There are stairs leading down to a small public beach. Caribbean crystal blue waters meet sand and cliff for a perfect swimming experience. Tulum is very windy so, My sun hat was a nuisance. Stay tuned for reviews of the Barcelo Grand Maya Resort! 

ATM Caves, Belize: Portal to the Underworld

Actun Tunichil Muknal, or the cave of the Crystal Sepulchre, is located just outside of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. The Maya archaeological site contains many artifacts and skeletons including ceramic and stoneware. The most notable skeleton, located in the main chamber is that of an 18 year old girl who is assumed to have been sacrificed. She is known as the 'Crystal Maiden' because her bones have been calcified and appear to sparkle, Most of the artifacts have calcified and remain attached to the inside of the caves.

The main cave system is approximately 3 miles long and has a river running through 2 miles of the main cave. Mayans carved animals and set up alters in the caves for rituals believed to have been dedicated to the rain God, Shac and other underworld deities. They believed the cave to be the dwelling place of the Mayan death gods and the subterranean court of the "Lords of Xibalba" and many of the ceramic bowls are marked with 'kill holes' indicating these items were used in sacrificial ceremonies. 

I hired Danielia's Shuttle Service to take Me to the cave site early before tour buses started showing up. I would recommend hiring a personal driver over joining a tour as there is less traffic and the caves are not as crowded. Being a UNESCO World Heritage site makes the caves tours extremely popular as an excursion for anyone in the area. I highly recommend bringing Your own river shoes, but note the shoes have to be close toed. They do not allow open toed shoes on the tour. If You do not have shoes, they do have shoes to rent for a minimal fee. 

Upon arrival, each person is assigned a tube, helmet with attached head lamp and life jacket. Once everyone is ready, there is a short walk through the jungle to get to the beginning of the caves. The jungle is a magical place where all of the plants and animals work symbiotically as a part of the greater whole. Everything has its purpose and place in the eco system. The termites eat the fallen tree parts on the ground while the tree provides a nesting spot for the termites. The vines add nutrients to the trees and vice versa. The flora and fauna is so green and alive. I always feel lucky to be able to spend time here. 

Once at the mouth of the main cave, the guide ties all of the floats together and pulls them into the water. The guide swims along side the floats pulling them into the flow of the river keeping everyone away from the rocks along the shore. Once our party was inside the cave, the guide had us look back at the entrance where the Mayans had carved the rocks to look like an animal guarding the area. We stopped on the shore inside the cave and got off the rafts to explore the dry areas where I found a sleeping bat. There is a large population of bats in the caves along with spiders, though I didn't see any of the spiders.

In this dry area, We were able to see the cave's stalagmites and stalactites. Due to calcification, the formations sparkled magically in our headlamp lights. I brought an additional flashlight, which I highly recommend, to get pictures of the inside of the cave which is why I was able to get a clear shot of a sleeping bat. 

Once back at the shore, our party got back on the rafts and pushed off the banks to the center of the cave. The ceilings were incredible. I could see why the Mayans believed they came from the caves and returned to the underworld here. The ceiling looked a lot like the night sky or the terrain of a different planet. At one point, everyone turned off their headlamps to see just how dark the cave was without artificial lights. It was a bit spooky.

This is where they sacrificed their citizens to the Gods for a myriad of reasons. Knowing that made me wonder what was in the water beneath us besides the fish, crabs and other water creatures who called this cave river home. We made our way slowly through the cave system, the guide pointing out features used by the Mayans including a standing water pool and high ledges used for pushing sacrifices to their deaths. 

After about 45 minutes in the cave, the river pushed us back out into the open jungle. The guide told us about all of the plants and trees on the shores of the river. I was surprised to learn about the Allspice tree. Up until this point, I believed all spice to be a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves. Our guide told us about the allspice tree and when I was surprised, swam to the shore to collect a few leaves. Sure enough, the leaves smelled and tasted just like all spice.

We floated on the open river for another hour before reaching the end of the tour where our tubes were untied to be carried along the trail back to where we started. A lunch of grilled chicken, beans and rice and coleslaw was served to everyone taking the tour. Most excursions include lunch, but if you hired a private driver and didn't bring lunch, you can purchase a meal for around $7USD. 

I love ancient Mayan sites and always try to consider what life must have been like for them over 1,000 years ago. Mayans were extremely superstitious and yet very brave people. These caves seem intimidating to someone used to artificial light and modern accommodations. To the Mayans, these caves were comfortable spaces meant to connect them to their underworld Gods. They were frequented by whole communities and individuals looking for quiet spaces to build alters for communicating with the afterlife.

This is a must do when traveling to Belize as spending time in these spaces changes the way one sees their seemingly complicated modern life. Check the weather before scheduling a tour as they close the caves when it rains enough to flood parts of the caves cutting off exits. Several excursion companies offer tours in the area as well as private drivers.

Danielia's Shuttle Service is reliable and extremely knowledgeable about the area.  I truly enjoyed My time with her as our guide.  Her vehicles are clean and well maintained,  her prices reasonable for such personable service.

Look for more on Belize Mayan sites and reviews of My stay in San Ignacio and San Pedro on Cape Caulker in future posts.

Snorkeling at Catalina Island, Dominican Republic

Catalina Island or Isla Catalina is a tropical island located 1.5 miles from the mainland on the south-east corner of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Sea. The island is formed out of coral stone and sits on three overlapping plateaus resting 60 feet above sea level. The Island is a popular destination for divers and snorkelers, the Wall and the Aquarium being two sites just off the island shores.

The rich coral ecosystems and diverse fish life provide wonder and discovery for swimmers of all skill level. The water is crystal clear allowing for optimal site distance. Divers interested in shipwrecks will enjoy the site of the 1699 Quedagh Merchane, an Armenian ship commissioned by the French to transport goods and was shipwrecked, considered lost at sea. 

I took a snorkeling tour booked through the Resort in Punta Cana Bavarro Beach leaving at 7:30am and returning at 6pm. The bus was comfortable, cruising through vast sugarcane fields, natives on mopeds and in trucks full of field workers with their materials passed the bus with ease. I had a lovely chat with a Young German couple who had just married and were backpacking through the World before settling their lives back in Germany. One of the things I love about travel is hearing the stories of fellow jet setters and globetrotters. 

We arrived at a passenger landing station where we were given safety instructions and shuffled onto boats headed to the Island. There were equal numbers of divers and snorkelers. This is the perfect excursion if you happen to be traveling in mixed company. While the divers swim to deeper waters, snorkelers are left to explore the shallow reefs. 

After a beautiful 30 minute boat ride, the boat stopped in the shallow waters just off the Island and attached to an underwater anchor station. The two groups split up and after watching the divers make their way to their spot, I jumped off the boat. The sun makes the colors of the reef more vibrant. Fan coral appears to be waving delicately in the under currant and small sea animals crawl in and out of the tube coral. The water is just so clear, visibility is incredible and  always the perfect temperature at 75 degrees. I spent an hour or so floating above the reef watching colorful fish dart this way and that.

Soon after, the divers were back and the boats head to shore to drop off the snorkelers. The divers go back out for a deeper dive where snorkeling is not safe. Snorkelers continue their adventures from the beach. 

The Island has a restaurant and a bar serving all inclusive fruity rum drinks. After procuring one such fruity rum drink, I went down to the water and sat in the shallows. There are no big waves on the beach here because of the way the reef is positioned, so the floating in the beach area is like sitting in a natural hot tub. I loved lazing along with my fruity rum drink watching the privately owned boats make anchor close to shore, jumping off to snorkel around the reef. After an hour or so, the divers were back and a lunch of chicken, rice and vegetable dishes was served buffet style in the restaurant. There are vendors on the beach in a separate area, so bring both local and US currency if you plan to take home a souvenir.  

After lunch, everyone enjoyed more fruity rum drinks, shopping and lounging on the beach for a couple of hours before heading back to the boat for the return trip. It was late afternoon at this point, a storm was approaching so the ride back was quite choppy. If you are prone to seasickness, bring medicine just in case. Many people got sick on the way back. The sugar cane plants glistened in the rain on the way back to the resort. Still, It was the perfect day. 

Look for future posts on the Dominican Republic including a review on Barcelo Resorts in the near future. 

Hanging with the Howler Monkeys, Travel Belize

The Community Baboon Sanctuary located in the Bermudian Landing in rural Belize was established in 1985 by Dr. Robert Horwich, an American primatologist working with local landowners and conservation groups to designate jungle for the purpose of conservation. 12 landowners in Bermudian Landing established a cooperative agreement to preserve the jungle for the howler monkey, many species of birds and fauna. The sanctuary spans 30 miles along the river basin and is home to thousands of howler monkeys, known to the locals as baboons. 

Community Baboon Sanctuary

Found in South American rain forests in Belize, Brazil, Paraguay, Eastern Bolivia and Northern Argentina, howler monkeys are the loudest of any land animal. Each has an enlarged hyoid bone, allowing for the noises they make which is fundamental to communication. Every day at dusk and dawn, group male monkeys call out to other males in area who then call back. This call allows all of the Monkeys to figure out where to gather food that day based on where each monkey tribe is feeding and where each group settles for the night. When two tribes cross paths in the trees, conflict arises between the lead monkeys in the form of howling, leaping and fighting. These fights are infrequent, but vicious and can result in severe injury. 

When I arrived in Belize, I had the great pleasure of hiring Daniellia's Shuttle Service who recommended stopping at the site on the way to the hotel. It was an absolute pleasure as this was my first up close experience interacting with these magnificent creatures. I arrived mid afternoon and was given a private tour with a guide. With the guide, I took a short hike down a jungle path. It wasn't long before we could hear rustling in the trees above us and the first monkeys appeared. The guide called to them and signaled he had banana treats for them to enjoy. 

Howler Monkeys are herbivores eating a diet mainly comprised of leaves and tree vines, flowers and tropical fruit found in the trees. The guide told me the bananas are like candy to the monkeys, not being a part of their normal diet. The Father Monkey was completely in control of his clan at all times. The Babies would not come down to eat the banana until given permission by their Father with a nod of the head and hand gesture. As the young monkeys climbed down to enjoy the tasty treat being offered by the guide, the Father remained above with a watchful eye. 

We didn't see any female monkeys out and about. Howler monkeys are one of the few primates whose females have a blonde coat, so they would have stood out. 

There is a place on site to buy souvenirs, a visitors center and museum. I picked up a couple of hand carved bowls and a magnet of a howler monkey carved out of wood. The museum had lots of information on the history of the monkey as well as plants and birds who call the sanctuary home. I loved seeing how every plant, insect and animal have a specific role to play in the jungle. The vines live symbiotically with the trees, the insects fertilize and aerate the soil and so on. The jungle is an amazing place. 

Bring a sturdy pair of shoes for this trip and bug spray. It is the jungle after all. If you are staying at a local hotel or planning a trip, Danielia's Shuttle Service is available for excursions as well as rides to and from the airport. Danielia's drivers are well informed about the area, their vehicles are clean and air conditioned. Danielia also offers transportation to other attractions in the area including Mayan Ruins and Cave Tours. Look for more posts on Traveling Belize in the future. 

Happy Travels!