Ruins at Tulum (Cozumel, Mexico)

Our final Port of Call was Cozumel, Mexico--a small island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. We then took a "tender" to the mainland (through POURING rain) and then in Playa del Carmen we boarded a bus for a two-hour ride to the Mayan ruins at Tulum (tu-loom, accent on second syllable). When we arrived, we left the bus in the parking lot and took a tram about 2 miles further, to the ruins. Kathy & Randy were on a different tram car and met two young LDS boys named Lehi and Abinadi, who told them a few things about the temples at Tulum. For instance, on April 6, there is a direct beam of light through opposite windows in one of the buildings.



This thatch-covered building marks the entrance to the ruins--and then we ducked under a stone arch (very old! and in very good shape!) and there we were: Mayan Ruins 101.

This is the main Mayan Temple at Tulum.

Look carefully at the entire building, not trying to concentrate on any specific carving. It forms a face--side view, with the lowest projection (pokes out between levels) forming a mustache of sorts between the beaked nose and the chin.

Here's Jeff in front of the main Temple. Hell is a small town in Cayman Islands with lots of room for plays on words. Jeff's T-shirt says: Heaven is full and Hell doesn't want me!

A view of some "out buildings" with the Caribbean in the background.

A modern structure built to access the water from the steep cliff at the edge of the city.

Randy, Kathy, Gwen and Jeff, with the Caribbean as a backdrop.

One final look at the entire plaza--the village complex.

Outside the ruins a man offered to take our photograph holding his HUGE iguana (for a $5 fee, mind you--no freebies here!) What a riot it was. A tremendous learning experience. Pull out a map, find Cozumel and look for the ruins of Tulum a "short distance" away. Chichen Itza is a little further west.

Back to the Cruise--TOWEL ANIMALS

On the phone with Janyse the other day, I mentioned that I had scrapbooked some photos from our cruise in October. I realized my family & friends might like to see some more, and I'd like to document things in more than one way. Each evening when we returned to our cabin, the steward had left us an animal made of towels, sitting on our bed. This one was my absolute favorite, complete with Jeff's sunglasses! I've tried to put headings centered underneath each picture, but I keep having the words positioned elsewhere. So here are SUN BUNNY, HEART, ELEPHANT, STINGRAY, and MONKEY


Each night's offering also included a chocolate for our bedtime enjoyment!

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