Under Mayan Skies – Where will we go?

This brief overview will whet your palate for a wonderful journey. As the trip approaches, the travelers will all receive special packets of detailed information about each site. Then, while we are actually in Mexico, guides and staff will give orientations to the next day’s activities in evening chats or tertulias. Finally, the travelers will be provided with extra reading materials and resources along the way so that everyone has the opportunity to become completely immersed in astronomy and Mexican culture.

Colonial Cities of Yucatán:

• Mérida: We will stay in this bustling, cosmopolitan, Colonial town for two nights with ample time to tour the city, see the Casa de Montejo (residence of Mérida’s founder), the Cathedral de San Ildefonso, the Museum of Archaeology in its beautiful mansion, and the marketplace with its excellent shops and vendors. Each night, the city hosts a different event, such as a concert, dance, or art fair, for free in a different neighborhood of the city.
• Izamal is considered one of the prettiest of the small Colonial cities in Mexico. The 16th Century monastery of St. Anthony de Padua was built on and from the remains of a Maya pyramid devoted to the god of the heavens.
• Valladolid was originally a Mayan ceremonial center that the Spanish conquered and renamed to honor the city where Ferdinand and Isabella were married. It is quiet and unblemished by large crowds of tourists and the food is excellent.

Mayan Archaeological Sites:

• Chichén Itzá, the centerpiece of this tropical adventure, is a large and important mercantile and ceremonial city that flourished during the Classic Period (300-900 A.D.). For those travelers who have dreamed of seeing the famed serpent descend the Castle of Kukulcan, this may be one of your last chances! Chichén Itzá was a fairly large city with outlying settlements many kilometers away from what we now know as the city’s center. The northern settlements have never been open to the public. But, in 2009, the Mexican government will close the city’s center and the Castle of Kukulcan to preserve it from further wear and tear. They will then open the other area for the first time.
  
  Chichén Itzá was abandoned by the Maya and re-inhabited by the Toltecs around 1,000 A.D. While the central area features a pure Maya architectural style, the vivid decorations near the ball court exhibit a combination of Maya-Toltec styles. We will visit the Observatory, El Caracol (The Snail), Temple of the Warriors, the Sacred Ball Court, and, of course, the Castle of Kukulcan. The castle served as a ceremonial calendar that marks each spring and fall equinox with the shadow of a giant serpent descending the pyramid and disappearing at sunset in the direction of the sacred cenote. On our visit to this incredibly complex and ancient city, we will learn many of the castle’s secrets, experience new ways of thinking about death, and watch the night sky.
• Ek Balam (Black Jaguar) was a vigorous Maya city for over 1,000 years beginning in the Pre-Classic Period (about 100 BC). In its day, the city was larger than Chichén Itzá, and, in fact, its main pyramid is slightly taller than the castle of Kukulcan. Those who are eager to climb a pyramid will have that opportunity at Ek Balam, though not at Chichén Itzá. Spectators are not allowed to climb the castle during the equinox so that a good view is ensured for everyone. Though the city of Ek Balam was very large, fewer of its buildings have been uncovered than at Chichén Itzá. When we visit, some of the buildings may be undergoing active excavation and restoration, bringing to light beautiful wall paintings and elegant plaster sculptures. The pyramid, the tomb of the ruler of Ek Balam, is completely restored and is the only building in the Mayan world to have pure white plaster sculptures. The contents of the tomb have been transported to the Museum of Archaeology in Mérida and we will see them there.
• Cobá is a city built around four lakes that mostly dates back to the Classic Period (600-900 A.D.). The Nohoch Mul Pyramid has 120 steps and is considered the tallest pyramid in Mexico. Conjunto Macanxoc houses magnificent examples of stelae, large stone slabs with carved figures. Many of the stelae from Chichén Itzá have been moved for safe keeping to the Museum of Archaeology in Mérida.

The Puuc Route –

• The Uxmal Maya site is the largest site in the Puuc Highlands and the finest example of Classic architecture (600-1,000 AD). We will visit the Temple of the Magician, the Palace of the Governor, and the Quadrangle of the Nunnery.
• Kabah – The Codz-Poop (Palace of the Masks) features an intricate stone facade of 250 Chac (Rain God) Masks. The monumental Kabah Arch marks the processional route entrance to the ceremonial center of Uxmal.
• Sayil has a Great Palace with more than 100 rooms occupied during the Terminal Classic Period (900-1,000 AD).
• Labna features a monumental corbelled arch, the largest and most ornate archway built by the Maya.
• Mayapan was the last great stronghold of the Maya against the Spanish invaders.

Natural Wonders:

• Río Lagartos National Park is a national park that shelters sea turtles and is Mexico’s largest nesting ground for Pink Flamingos. On our boat tour of the park, we will see numerous other exotic birds and animals and have the opportunity to bathe in the park’s precious white and pink muds. The mud from Río Lagartos is exported all over the world for beauty products, but we will enjoy it in its natural environment.
• Cenote Ik Kil – The Yucatán Peninsula is supported by a coral reef, and in certain places pieces of the reef have disappeared into the sea. These places are called cenotes and many of them are beautiful, tropical, underground gardens. We will descend to this sacred cenote, hailed by many as the most beautiful on the peninsula, by a rock staircase and enjoy a refreshing swim in its clear freshwater.
• Balankanche Caves are the Sacred Caves of the Maya, the entrance to the Maya underworld, and the site of secret rituals.

Hotels:

All of these hotels are very clean and well appointed and their staffs are courteous, effective, and understanding.

• Mérida – Hotel Casa del Balam (The House of the Jaguar) is in the center of town (near the historical Santa Lucia Square) with antique furnishings and a lush and relaxing tropical courtyard.
• Valladolid – Hotel El Mesón del Marqués is nearly 200 years old and a gem of colonial architecture that has a wonderful pool and center courtyard. The restaurant serves excellent regional specialties.
• Chichén Itzá – Hotel Mayaland is a 100-acre botanical garden with three pools and palapas, traditional cottages roofed with palm fronds, for guests. There are also three restaurants serving Yucatecan specialties. In the largest of the restaurants, Las Palapas, a company of Mexican folkloric dancers perform at mealtimes. The homemade tortillas and the view of the observatory at Chichén Itzá make this hotel a necessary part of Under Mayan Skies.
• Cancun – Villas Tacul Boutique Hotel is a secluded tropical paradise on the beach. Rooms are set in 23 villas nestled among 12 acres of lush gardens. Enjoy a relaxing swim in the Caribbean Sea or jump into the resort’s free form freshwater swimming pool. Water sports are available as are two restaurants on the property.