Chichen Itza

Technically I’ve seen Chichen Itza before. I was about 12 years old, and I remember getting on a bus early in the morning from a resort in Cancun and going somewhere intensely hot and where the sky was grey but still so bright it hurt my eyes. I know what the iconic pyramid looks like, but I can’t tell if that’s from a memory I have or just from the pictures I’ve seen since. And that’s really it. But this leaves me with two important takeaways: 1) Going “back” to Chichen Itza for me was really like seeing it for the first time, and 2) it is unlikely my kids will remember our visit to this “New Ancient Wonder of the World” when they are in their 40s. And that’s OK.

We left Valladolid early and grabbed some goodies at a bakery before driving the 45 minutes to the archeological site. We arrived around 8:30, and entering the park was unnecessarily complicated. There were multiple decoy parking lots set up to try to lure you in even though the main parking lot was practically empty this early. Guides scrambled over themselves to get our attention and help us out at each turn in the hopes that we would buy their tours. And as soon as we bought our tickets we were directed to another kiosk where we had to buy our *other* tickets. Apparently, the state and the federal governments charge fees, but they don’t trust each other so you have to pay each fee separately. I assure you that this was very difficult to understand in what little Zach and I remember of our high school Spanish classes.

However, once we finally entered the ancient Mayan city, we realized our great luck. We had some cloud cover (a bit), an occasional refreshing breeze, and best of all, we had the place practically to ourselves!

We had fun exploring the sunny parts of the site first before the extreme heat set in. El Castillo, the giant pyramid, was truly impressive. We also enjoyed the Temple of Warriors with row after row of decorated pillars, and the Platform of Skulls. We enjoyed imagining the Olympic-style games in the Great Ball Court.

Once it got too hot to be in the sun, we explored the shaded sites in the surrounding forests. The path to the Sacred Cenote (no swimming allowed, unfortunately) was lined with vendors selling the same touristy trinkets table after table. We marveled at the shear number of cartoon-y Frida Khalo t-shirts and Predator (from the 80s movie) statues. Melina groaned every time we passed the stalls selling heavy woolen blankets…ugh! She and I kept trying to be the first one to spot more of them so we could say something like, “oh wow, you know what sounds really good right now? A nice, heavy, warm woolen blanket! Ooooohh, I could just drape myself with 5 or 6 of them! I’d roll up like a burrito and be so cozy!!” while the other one of us would writhe and cringe in agony at the thought in the 95 degree heat.

At the edge of the cenote we drank from cold coconuts and watched the flocks of mot mots soar above and below us. We also saw flocks of mot mots nesting in some of the Mayan ruins. Zach and I just can’t get over these birds. They are so incredibly gorgeous, and of all the places they can nest, they choose places teeming with the most natural beauty and cultural significance possible. It is as if they totally know their worth and aren’t about to settle for anything less than the finest digs in Mexico.

We lost count of iguanas, which are always impressive in their prehistorically aloof demeanor.

We capped the visit off by leaving the sites at the perfect time, just before lunch, just before the heat of the day truly set in, and just as all the tour buses were starting to arrive. As we left we ogled the crowds and long lines in what had been a confusing entrance before, but what was now nothing less than complete bedlam. I think being able to pat ourselves on the back for getting there early made the visit even sweeter.

So although the girls may not remember this trip in 30 years, Zach and I sure will. Or worst case scenario, at least we have hundreds of pictures to help us remember!