in a thing<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nLike all good ruins, Uxmal featured a enormous f-ing thing that you have to climb. Well you<\/em> don\u2019t have to, but we always feel compelled to climb whatever is climbable, even though my FOMO (fear of missing out) is regularly outweighed by my FOFO (fear of falling off). Uxmal\u2019s expansive grounds include lots of highly climbable structures, but the highest building, the grand temple, is the Featured Climb. As always, it probably looks like an easy climb in the pictures but it was g-d terrifying to come down. I mean the climb up wasn\u2019t a picnic in 102 degree heat when you are sweating buckets even without moving but I almost panicked to a halt coming down. No I definitely did panic-halt a few times. At the top, we met a really nice English family who were taking a year-long tour around the world. They had a son of about 7 years old and the two of us literally talked each other through the descent. We both went down on our bottoms (as the English say) for a part of it, but I felt better standing and going sideways. Guys it was legit terrifying. It\u2019s so steep that you are basically looking at a sheer drop; the stairs are almost on top of each other and even for my small-ish feet they are TINY. I felt bad leaving my new child friend as he took longer but his parents were waiting for him at the bottom and like, didn\u2019t seem concerned and I had to GET THE F OUTTA THERE before I froze again. Ahhh these descents are scary! I mean I get extra scared because I fell down a similar thing once (okay it was stone stairs at college not at an ancient archaeological site BUT STILL) but it\u2019s definitely not a breeze to do for anyone. (Also not a breeze? The lack of breeze.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
objects in picture are steeper than they appear<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
view from up high <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
me going down super slowly sideways and my new fren sitting to get his courage back god I probably should have stayed with him oops (but like also where are his parents)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAt many of these ancient sites, amid the enormous temples and structures for sacrificial rites and residential buildings and smaller temples and everything, would always be an open field called the ‘ball court’. Some, like at Chichen Itza, are ‘Great Ball Courts’. I honestly saw all these signs for ball courts and thought ‘well it’s nice they also had leisure activities and sports.’ <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWe’ll put a pin in that ball court discussion until we get to the Mayan Museum at the end. REMEMBER! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the ball court. The object of the game is to get the ball through that hoop that you can see on the right! it’s just like basketball! it is not just like basketball. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSurviving the descent of that temple was definitely my favorite part, but my second favorite part offers some stiff competition. Like I said (a lot) (yay complaining), it was hot as the balls they used in the great ball court’s non-basketbally game of basketball. When we exited the grounds back into the ticket\/welcome building with the toilets and a few shops, we saw THE BEST THING EVER:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ICEES!!!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nICY DRINKS! PLEASE AND THANK YOU! We shared a mango one and a coconut one and because it was so sweltering out, they were amazing. Icy drinks have never been better. HUZZAH FOR ICE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
and they were vegan! <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat a great place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After our just-under-two hours at Uxmal, we were definitely ancient-ruinsed out for the day. I mean, all we’d really done so far in Mexico was tour these sites, so continuing further down the Ruta Puuc would have probably made us bitter. Instead, we went across the street from Uxmal to…the Museum of Chocolate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CHOCO-STORY: ECOPARQUE MUSEO DEL CACAO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWe thought the Chocolate Museum, or “Choco-Story” would be a nice little air-conditioned diversion to regroup after our exhausting (but awesome) time at Uxmal, before getting back on the road to find more cenotes. But it turned out to be a HUGE cacao plantation, where they grow and harvest cacao beans and also have an entire museum about the history, growth, use, everything to do with cacao. It was INSANE. We thought it would be like 30 minutes tops and we were there for over 2 hours. But it was SO fun, and so interesting. The museum is spread through the endless grounds in numerous thatched huts, with each hut covering one topic. I fancy myself a chocolate connoisseur and I never imagined there could even be so much information about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BEANS! <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWe learned what healthy beans look like, as well as a lot of (too much) information about all the different kinds of diseases your cocoa beans could catch (omg it was actually very sad). We learned how the very special beans were used as currency in ancient times, and how much they’d be worth. We learned how the Maya would use cocoa beans in their sacrifices to the gods. And we learned about the cocoa gods the Maya people would pray too, like this fine one below who is appropriately but oof sadly covered in cocoa bean…lesions? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
you should get those checked out <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
god this again.
90% of what we learned in the Yucatan was about human sacrifices. I mean I’m all about respecting other cultures BUT DAYUM<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWe ALSO learned – too late – that it wasn’t just a cocoa plantation, but also a sort of animal sanctuary. When I first came upon the cages, I was like OH SHIT OH SHIT IS THIS SOME SORT OF F-ING ZOO? But there are signs all over the animal areas saying WE ARE NOT A ZOO! and explaining that the animals living here have been rescued from abuse, and wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild. Now I’m no wildlife expert, and I’m sure there’s a strong argument that we still shouldn’t interfere with wild animals even if they face certain death remaining on their own. But there’s not much I personally am mad about if this place is giving these animals a nice life that otherwise would have been over long ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
there’s no way for visitors to get too close to the animals, which is a point in the right column<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAnother thing I thought this place did well was reinforce the respect that cacao farming deserves, and how we should treat chocolate as something special and not something we are entitled to. And of course, we have to be careful where we buy from and what kinds of practices we support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
so many beans down to SO little edible chocolate! <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nMy favorite part was that one hut was for learning how to make traditional Maya hot cacao drinks, complete with making and enjoying your own cup! The cocoa on its own is extremely bitter, so there is a bowl of sugar for making it palatable, plus the traditional spice additions of cinnamon, annatto, allspice, and hot pepper. I added everything! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
this bitch loves chocolate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nI also really enjoyed the sign on Chocolate & Health. We had a pretty good laugh at how ridic this was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“If you are overweight, first lose weight” lol that ain’t it chief! <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIt was pretty cool but kind of awkward when we were ushered deeper into the forest (it’s like in a forest, it’s nuts) for a traditional Maya cocoa ceremony. Awkward just because we were uncomfortable with these guys performing for us white tourists and we were just like eeeek thank you I really appreciate this but eeeek, but it was interesting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
traditional cocoa ritual <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nObviously, my favorite part of the Chocolate Museum was truly the gift shop. IT WAS ALL CHOCOLATE! and like, things for making chocolate? and soaps and shampoos made from chocolate? The flavors of their bars sounded incredible, but it was so hot and they would all immediately melt before we made it back to London (in like, another week? no chance!). We limited ourselves to two awesome flavors, both with some sort of pepper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
OH NO! HOLD THAT THOUGHT. My actual favorite part was the additional information inside the main building, near the gift shop. There was a “Chocolate Timeline”, and it included such shade, such absolute, gorgeous, sensational shade, thrown at the king of fuckery, Mr Christopher Columbus. Behold the glory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SHADE GLORIOUS SHAAAADE, HOT SAUSAGE AND MUSTARD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nI CANNOT handle how excruciatingly perfect this is. In so few words it’s basically announcing what a f-ing asshole Columbus was but without saying anything objectionable. SO GOOD. WHAT AN ASSHOLE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Choco-story was a really fun surprise! It took over two hours to tour, and the toilets are only outside the ticket area (had to do a few reentries), but I’m glad we went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
this was the ticket area? it’s so fance!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAfter the chocolate, you know what it’s time for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CENOTES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother day in the Yucatan, another swim in a cenote! We followed our GPS as best we could towards the middle of nowhere for X’Batun Cenote, which eventually led us down a dirt road. We were like, is this right? Where TF are we? We drove through this amazing, quaint little villages with a single small church and like a cow on the side of the road, wondering if we were going in the right direction. Eventually, we saw a small sign up on a big porch, with a few guys sitting in chairs. They were selling tickets and giving directions! They also had toilets! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
the drive finding the cenotes was actually gorgeous<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
the cutest little village church<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe men sold us a joint ticket for two cenotes located across the road from each other, X’Batun and Dzonbacal. It’s 80 pesos for both. Unfortunately, X’Batun was closed because of heavy rains earlier that week – the rains made the water too dirty to swim in. We had a peek at it though, and it was very similar to Dzonbacal, where we still could swim, so it’s fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We still have to get there though! This ticket porch is still miles away from the actual cenote! They directed us to drive to the end of this road, turn right past a certain tree, and then drive 3 kilometers down a random suuuuper dirt\/off-roady road till there’s a split in the road, indicating the two cenotes. We peeked at the one and then drove to the other, where the parking area had toilets (!) and a shower stall. The toilet was the foulest one I’ve seen yet in the country, and still no hooks were to be found (Mexico like doesn’t do hooks in toilet stalls), so changing in it without letting any of my stuff touch the gross floor was A CHALLENGE. We rinsed off with the shower stall\/bucket as you should do (really as you should do not just with natural swimming wonders of the world but in public pools omg the gross men at my London pool don’t shower beforehand even though it’s IN THE RULES and they all reek of cologne HOW MANY EMAILS DO I HAVE TO SEND BEFORE THEY ENFORCE THE RULES) and then we enjoyed this cenote! It was beautiful, like half in a cave half outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
part of the road to the cenotes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
yay we weren’t going the wrong way! <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
X’Batun all closed off<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The half bat cave not closed off! Yay swimming! (sorry random lady in our picture!)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
THAT WATERRRRR<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSuch a great cenote. There are decent signs advertising X’Batun, so you shouldn’t have a hard time finding it (or at least finding the right village) if you include it with your trip to Uxmal, which you should do. Hopefully for you X’Batun won’t be too dirty to swim in! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since we were already in wet bathing suits when we got back to our hotel, we enjoyed our hotel pool after our cenote time. Double swimming days are the best. But more on that in the next post!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aside from our beach day in Progreso, we have one more sight to share from our time in Merida, and one of the most important: The Mayan World Museum of Merida, or the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GRAN MUSEO DEL MUNDO MAYA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Mayan Museum is the big thing to do actually in the city of Merida. It’s off one of the main expressways of the city leading north out of it (so it makes sense to visit the museum first and then continue north to Progreso for a beachy day trip, if you are planning things for yourself). It’s a huge, modern, shiny building with a gigantic, new, shiny, modern parking garage underground. It costs 80 pesos to park in it, which is $4, and worth it to keep your car out of that sun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you get to the huge shiny lobby of the museum, you’ll be (I was) happy to see water dispensers for refilling your enormous water bottles! Honestly my favorite part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
picture from the car that I did not crop sorries<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIt’s 150 pesos per ticket, about $7.50 which is not bad considering how much this museum has. The exhibits are great, but there isn’t very good signage, at least in English, which was a little disappointing. Still, you can learn a lot from what what signs there are and from just looking at the displays with a modicum of critical thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThere’s tons of information about indigenous cultures, their ways of life, and what they were like in ancient times, in every aspect. There’s tons of archaeological finds, including ancient statues and all kinds of pottery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
we so excited<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nBut you\u2019re here to finally learn what the big ball courts in all the ruins sites are about. All over Mesoamerica, these ancient cities have these huge ball courts, and like I said before, it\u2019s not just for old-fashioned forms of basketball. Archaeologists believe that the game was played by hitting the ball with one\u2019s forearm, or a bat-like device, to try to pass it through those rings we saw above, in Uxmal, on the side walls of the playing field. Hitting it with your forearm sounds like it would hurt, because the balls were HEAVY. Yikes! That\u2019s probably as bad as it gets, right? Pain-wise? Noooope. Scenes carved on walls of the spectator benches show players wearing protective gear as well as carrying tools that could be used for striking the ball, so who knows what the right way to play is. It shouldn\u2019t concern us too much, though, because REGARDLESS can we just ALL AGREE as a society NOT to play this game? Okay so after you play and try to get the ball through the hoop, there would be a winner and a loser, as there are. Seven players on each side would parade toward the center of the field, and the captain of the defeated team would kneel. Then the captain of the winning team would DECAPITATE THE LOSER. The winning captain\/murderer would hold his knife and the severed head of his friend up before the probably cheering crowd. This, like almost everything else in these ancient cities, existed as a way to offer human sacrifices to the gods but in a more communal and fun way, I GUESS. And I thought football sucked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I won’t leave you with ‘horrible sports gone wrong’, though. Elsewhere in the museum, there was an interactive screen display that, if you entered some personal information about yourself, would tell you sort of your Mayan fortune – what your personality is like and what jobs you’re equipped for. I’m sure it’s a way for the government to collect private details about its guests but we really wanted to know what it would say so we did it anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAs you can see, my color is black and my direction is west, so I’m kind of like a Kardashian in Mexico. I’m like IN AWE of how accurate this is. I DO live between day and night (like most people…because they just mean like…daytime, right?). I am GENEROUS with my ADVICE (\/extremely judgmental and bossy). I TAKE TO THE ROAD IN BOTH HAPPINESS AND SORROW! this is amazing. Although apparently I should be a road guide or a…a marriage spokesman?? what job is that and how do I get it? LOVES IT! WORTH THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT HAVING MY EMAIL ADDRESS!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So that’s it for Part 2 of our trip through the Yucatan, but there’s much more to come. Like, the hotel (and its pool) and all the vegan food, plus a beach that I did…not…love. So fun! Stay tuned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
see this is like the road guiding you out of this post! i should be a road guide<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome back to Mexico Central (not to be confused with Central Mexico), at least for the next few weeks! After our wonderful but brief trip through […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10831,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-d1"],"yoast_head":"\n
It's Yucatanfastic: Merida, Uxmal, Mexican Chocolate, & More Cenotes - Laughfrodisiac<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n