Cozumel, Mexico

December 4, 2015

________________

We landed in Cozumel, Mexico on Friday, December 4th. We are taking the Coba Mayan Ruins tour through the ship excursions. It is an all day tour that starts in Cozumel taking a ferry boat across to the Mexico mainland. Cozumel is an Island, so to get to the ruins you need to get to mainland Mexico.

Ferry Boat

The boat seating is set up like a very wide bus. There were vendors selling bottled water and different nic-nacs including mexican blankets.

Ferry Boat Seating

About 30 minutes later we arrived in Carmen Del Playa. We walked about 1/4 mile through the city to where we were picked up by a nice bus for our 1 1/2 hour ride to Coba.

Tour Bus

The Tour Guide spent the entire time talking in English giving us background about the Mayan culture and the Coba community. We arrived in Coba and toured the entire site.

Coba Jungle

Coba is an ancient Maya city on the Yucatán Peninsula, located in what is now northeastern Quintana Roo, Mexico. The site is the nexus of the largest network of stone causeways of the ancient Mayan world, and it contains many engraved and sculpted stelae that document ceremonial life and important events of the Late Classic Period (AD 600–900) of Mesoamerican civilization.

Mayan Temple

It was amazing how accessible the ruins were. You could walk up to them but not on them. The one exception was the Ancient Pyramid.

Ruins

Of the three Mayan sites on the mainland this is the only one that you can still climb one of the Pyramids. This will be changing some time in 2016 when it will also be closed.

Ancient Pyramid

So there are 130 steps to the top of the Pyramid. As you can see there is a rope to help climb but it is kind of floppy so with my fear of heights it would not help me. I wanted to say I went up at least a few feet! :)   We went up maybe 10-15 steps. At least I can say I climbed up a little bit on a Mayan Pyramid before you couldn't anymore!

On the Pyramid

Patty was going to try and go up further since she isn't afraid of heights. It didn't work out for her to well either, although she did go further then me!

Patty on the Pyaramid

Here's looking down from on high (OK medium).

On Pyramid

This was the Ball Court. The game was played to a sacrifice. According to our guide the winner would be sacrificed. I think this is a game I would want to lose! LOL

Ball Court

Apparently these stones had something to do with the players, maybe honoring the winners sacrifice.

Winner?

This was also on the ball court so probably had something to do with honoring one of the players.

More Honors

After walking around and seeing all the ruins we were getting ready to head back to our bus. We were asked if we wanted to ride in a Mayan Taxi.

Mayan Taxi

At first we said no, but it was about 1/2 mile uphill and the guide and many others on the tour were taking the rides. This is how many local Mayans make their money so we decided to take a ride for a few dollars.

It was fun and we got more information about the local culture from our "driver". By the way, it was raining off and on the whole day, that is why Patty's hair is wet. :)

Mayan Taxi Ride

That's it for today,

God Bless,

Brian and Patty