Desde Chichen Itza a Cenote y Valladolid

Hey people, I am very sorry i have been really lazy during the last time! But to be honest I had also some stuff to do. University life here is quite different to Austria. We have a lot of homework to do and the University takes a lot of time, as well because the connections via bus are not on the top! Since the University is like 30 minutes away from my place I really rely on the bus. Mondays I am even back at the commercial high school when getting up at 5:45 a.m. and starting classes at 7 a.m.! But it’s ok, since I have every Friday off I have a lot of long weekends :-) So far I have a very good time in Merida! I am just a little bit wondering about how I should write my Bachelor Thesis during this semester! That’s gonna be very tough :-D haha

So but I actually don’t want waste your time with academic stuff, this is not what this blog is supposed to be ;-) Andres, a Mexican friend of us offered me/us, whenever we feel like making a trip at the weekend we just have to let him know and he will join us. I guess he didn’t expect that call so early :-D He probably told me that on a party during the week and I think I called him like two days later (I am not quite sure actually, that’s what happens when you don’t handle your blog appropriate :-P). So we called him for a trip to Chichen Itza one of “The New 7 Wonders of the World” and he just agreed to drive us! Chichen Itza is about one and a half hour away from Mérida. We made the trip on a Saturday, so we wanted to start quite early. On the one hand because of the heat and at the other hand because of the tourists.

When we arrived there I just bought a pretty cool new hat because it was really quite hot and I didn’t want to get a headache caused by the sun! So when you got paid for the entrance you realize that this is a really, really touristic place! Everywhere are Mexicans who provide you their knowledge of a guide (we didn’t take one, we had Andres who could tell us lots of stuff!). As well there were all the ways little stalls (in German: Verkaufsstand) on the left and right side. You even feel that this isn’t a “holy place” anymore. I think you can compare it somehow with a skyline of a big city. Honestly I really expected something more! I did know that it’s a touristic place, but these were no buildings which take your breath away. They were pretty amazing of course and I enjoyed it a lot, but I think the tourism destroyed part of the ancient point of view.

One of the never ending stall "avenue".

Me, my pretty hat, Heideline (the bunny - thanks to Clauida :-*) and BurnKörnGuy (the playmobil toy- thanks to Nik :-*)

Awesome Chichen Itza

Another ruin

The mayans had a thing with snakes, they were like everywhere :-)

The weather changed a little bit, so now Chichen Itza glowed a little bit yellow. And as you can see, many tourists!

Another snakehead, next to their playground.

Afterwards we went to a Cenote close to the Chichen Itza. Travelling there wasn’t that exciting as with the horse-train, but at least it was more comfortable to go by car :-D I expected the Cenote to be a really touristic place too, because it was situated so close to Chichen Itza. And I was right! But it didn’t disturb me as much as at the Chichen Itza, maybe it was caused by not being very ancient and the possibility of having more of them all over the peninsula Yucatan (I know there are more Pyramids as well, but whatever)!

When we left the Cenote we just got into a little performance shown by a few Mexicans. They seemed not very motivated, but I took some pictures anyway :-) For dinner we went to Valladolid, a city about 20 minutes from the Cenote. We had a quite good time at the restaurant and enjoyed the late afternoon with talking about our impressions of the hours which just passed.

Cenote

Maybe some people recognize a smiliar picture from "Places to see before you die" on Facebook!

Stunned view from the Cenote! It was really awesome!

Birdguy

A church in Valladolid

Nice balcony, I had to take a picture :-)

Busy Mexican making his bill.

Stunned buildings and quite interesting cloudchanges!

I just realize that this was a quite long day, because it is not even close to take an end :-D There was the official Welcome Party from the University hosted by a “Hermano Mayab” (the guys who help us out, when we need anything regarding the University or Mérida). And I tell you, the Mexicans here are crazy – since this is a University for (usually) very wealthy students or students with wealthy parents, they have houses which are f****** awesome! Just have an impression by the pictures, I guess I don’t have to tell how a party takes place :-)

They had like everything, DJ's, chefs, bartender and students in a good mood! Oh yeah, an drinks ;-)

Bunch of cool people! ;-)

Another bunch of cool people! :-)

So I am finished with writing for today I guess. It was quite a lot and I have maybe some homework to do – I have to ask someone :-D You can look forward for a trip to Tulum and another ruin! But before writing the blog I have to collect all the picture from my friends! I accidently pushed the on-button at the start of our ride to Tulum and when I wanted to take the first picture I realized that the battery is low :-D haha, I know I am kind of a “Tollpatsch” :-D

And just because i found them right now: Sunset pictures the day after - the view with the clouds were quite pretty caused by the hurricane season and rain of this day!