Cenote SamulaThe Yucatan is unique in that almost all of the rivers flow underground. Settlements were made where the people could get access to this fresh water through sinkholes called cenotes. Now, you can visit many and swim in the extra cold water.
We stayed our last night touring in the town of Valladolid at the beautiful Meson del Marques hotel on the main plaza.
The church was rather plain inside except for the statues for the Palm Sunday/Easter parades.
We wandered into a little market building while looking for a place to eat lunch. There were about 5 little lunch places. 4 of the places had a fellow calling to passer-byers to come and eat, one place couldn't spare the tout because they were so busy with customers. We chose to eat there, and the food was phenomenal and incredibly inexpensive. Raul got his usual Cochinita Pibil. I had had CP before in Mexico City and had raved about it, but Raul had never had this Yucatecan speciality of slow cooked, marinated, extra tender and juicy pork. At my recommendation, he tried it our first night, and he ordered it and sopa de lima every day from then on. We'll be perfecting this recipe ourselves soon.
Maundy Thursday, my family and the entire population of France visited Chichén Itzá.
There was a vast number of French people in Mexico this week. It was odd to here someone speak Spanish with a French accent. But even weirder was to hear the various small, brown vendors of Mayan heritage which line the paths at Chichén Itzá hawking their goods in French. The cool thing about the Yucatan, is that the Maya people are still around and their culture is still strong (despite the fact that many people think they were wiped out by the conquistadors). In fact, most people speak Mayan first and Spanish second. We spotted this sign at an Oxxo -- a common Mexican convenience store. No idea what it means because I don't speak Mayan.
Back in Mérida, we saw this dashing dude, and I think he's smiling like that because he knows he has such great hair. That jaunty curl -- swoon worthy.
And then we flew home.
We stayed our last night touring in the town of Valladolid at the beautiful Meson del Marques hotel on the main plaza.The church was rather plain inside except for the statues for the Palm Sunday/Easter parades.
We wandered into a little market building while looking for a place to eat lunch. There were about 5 little lunch places. 4 of the places had a fellow calling to passer-byers to come and eat, one place couldn't spare the tout because they were so busy with customers. We chose to eat there, and the food was phenomenal and incredibly inexpensive. Raul got his usual Cochinita Pibil. I had had CP before in Mexico City and had raved about it, but Raul had never had this Yucatecan speciality of slow cooked, marinated, extra tender and juicy pork. At my recommendation, he tried it our first night, and he ordered it and sopa de lima every day from then on. We'll be perfecting this recipe ourselves soon.
Maundy Thursday, my family and the entire population of France visited Chichén Itzá.
There was a vast number of French people in Mexico this week. It was odd to here someone speak Spanish with a French accent. But even weirder was to hear the various small, brown vendors of Mayan heritage which line the paths at Chichén Itzá hawking their goods in French. The cool thing about the Yucatan, is that the Maya people are still around and their culture is still strong (despite the fact that many people think they were wiped out by the conquistadors). In fact, most people speak Mayan first and Spanish second. We spotted this sign at an Oxxo -- a common Mexican convenience store. No idea what it means because I don't speak Mayan.
Back in Mérida, we saw this dashing dude, and I think he's smiling like that because he knows he has such great hair. That jaunty curl -- swoon worthy.
And then we flew home.
