Exploring Abroad: We're "Ruined!"

The second destination after Mérida on our Mexico “Magical Mystery Tour” was Tulum. Since the route between the cities passes by two important Mayan archaeological sites, we decided to hire a professional guide to provide transportation and help us make the most of our journey.

The first stop, Izamal, is located just an hour’s drive from Mérida. Overlooking this small town is one of the oldest monasteries in the Americas, San Antonio de Padua. The convent’s prominent position is due to the fact that it was built right on top of a Mayan temple.

In addition to the town’s religious fame, almost every building in Izamal is painted bright yellow. There are various reasons explaining this odd characteristic, and the locals seem to enjoy telling their own version of the story.

Right in the middle of town sit the ruins of a HUGE pyramid called Kinich Kakmó!

And when we say huge, we mean HUGE! See those two dots at the bottom? That’s us.

Here’s what the photos cannot convey and will be impossible for you to comprehend. That pyramid we’re standing in front of is in the center of the second level. The massive base of the structure is a square that’s 600 feet (2 football fields) on each side.

While a completely yellow town with a Mayan ruin in the center was very interesting to us, we were the only tourists there.

Not so at our next stop, Chichén Itzá. This Mayan ruin was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World not because it’s the largest or most architecturally beautiful.

Due to incredibly precise construction, on the late afternoon of the spring and autumn equinox, a "serpent (revered by the Maya) of light" descends from the Temple of Kukulkán. Unbelievable!!

We highly recommend hiring a professional guide as we did when touring important archaeological sites. Pepe added so much enrichment to our visits to Izamal and Chichén Itzá with his deep knowledge of Mayan history and culture.

After a long day of exploration and travel we arrived in Tulum to begin finding out what it’s like to actually live somewhere most people go for a vacation.

Stay tuned!