Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Last year, I shared a post about a trip theTravelsketcher and I took in the late 1980s to the Yucatan Peninsula with a group of friends; a trip we still refer to as “the trip from hell”. Click here to read that post. We made the best of it though, and we did see some amazing locations. Since then, I have found the old snapshots from that trip which I’ll share today. I do apologize for the quality of these decades-old snapshots, I tried several different scanning apps, but none are very good.

The Yucatan Peninsula is a wonderful place to visit filled with ancient Mayan cities, tropical jungles, soft, sandy beaches, snorkeling and scuba diving, just to name a few of the activities to be enjoyed there. No wonder it draws millions of tourists each year. Our trip in 1989 included time in Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Chichen Itza, one of the largest Mayan cities still standing.

Chichen Itza was once a thriving city of approximately 35,000 inhabitants. It was a major site for trade, cultural exchange, political and religious activities during the height of its existence. It was built probably around the 5th century AD by the Itza people who were drawn to the area due to its numerous natural wells and sinkholes which provided a good source of water. The name, Chichen Itza actually means, “at the mouth of the well of Itza”. We saw one of the sinkholes that our guide pointed out was also used as a place to sacrifice virgins.

It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. There are quite a few interesting structures on this 740 acre (299.4 hectares) site including, The Great Ball Court, North Temple, Steam Baths, Temple of the Warriors and of course, the iconic Temple of Kukulcan, aka, El Castillo. These impressive structures showcase the Mayans advanced knowledge of astronomy, architecture and engineering.

The Temple of Kukulcan is an impressive 79 feet (24 meters) tall, the four sides each have 91 stairs to the top.

The place was pretty much empty when we arrived, and we were quickly approached by a guide whom we hired to give us a tour. At that time, it was still permissible to climb to the top of the pyramid, which we all did. The steps, however, were steep and narrow, so it was a bit nerve-wracking, but the views from the top were amazing.

At the side of the pyramid, near the bottom, is a door that leads to a set of stairs in a very narrow, dark, damp passageway (think Indiana Jones). It leads to a room with a statue of a jaguar with jade eyes. We saw the jaguar up close which I’m sure is not allowed today either. It is thought that this room may have been used for ceremonial purposes.

The Temple of the Warriors was used as a ceremonial location.

The Great Ball Court was where the game “tlachyli” was played. The losing team was decapitated, so the stakes were high!

We enjoyed wandering through the site and climbing around on all the structures.

We feel very fortunate to have visited when it was still allowed to climb on the structures; particularly given that it is no longer permissible to do so. It truly was an amazing experience.

We took a ferry to Isla Mujeres one day to enjoy the beaches and some snorkeling.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef located off the coast of Cozumel in the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park is the second largest coral reef in the world and is a wonderful place to scuba or snorkel.

The aftermath of Hurricane Gilbert was still visible on Cozumel.

And of course, I was always ready with my camera.

When we returned home, we talked about visiting again, on our own, without the terrible traveling partners. However, we never returned. I image it has changed drastically since then which might be a disappointment.

Have you been to any of these locations in the Yucatan? If so, I would love to hear about your time there. As always, I would love to hear from you, so leave a message if you’d like.

Wishing you grande adventures and pleasant traveling companions,

Tricia