Kíimak 'oolal!
That is the Mayan phrase for "welcome!"
I took a day off of work today (which I can do because I work for myself!) and Johnny and I woke up bright and early to go to Uxmal (pronounced oosh-mahl), an ancient Maya city likely founded around 500 CE. Founded upon an earlier civilization, Uxmal became a powerful city with an estimated 25,000 citizens at its height, but building ceased around 1100 CE and the site was abandoned, likely due to a drought (interestingly, there are few water sources in the area and the ancient inhabitants here were extremely clever at collecting and conserving water for its citizens and crops, until overpopulation and overuse of natural resources led to the area's downfall). Uxmal is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an absolutely fascinating and extremely engaging destination to explore.
The drive was only about an hour, and 20 minutes of that was getting out of the city of Merida, where my husband and I are living. Since we still have our car that we drove down here from Arizona, we drove ourselves to Uxmal. There are many super affordable buses and tours available for visitors without a car, though most travel sites advise renting a car to tour Uxmal and the surrounding ruins.
We wanted to explore Uxmal after our trip to Chichen Itza several months ago. While we loved Chichen Itza and we learned a lot from taking a private tour (booked through the Nomadas Hostel), the ruins there are all for looking only and we heard great reviews about Uxmal and were excited to explore a more accessible site.
We wanted to explore Uxmal after our trip to Chichen Itza several months ago. While we loved Chichen Itza and we learned a lot from taking a private tour (booked through the Nomadas Hostel), the ruins there are all for looking only and we heard great reviews about Uxmal and were excited to explore a more accessible site.
After an easy drive (I wasn't driving but Johnny seemed pretty ok with it) through beautiful jungles and on a well-maintained highway, we paid M$30 ($1.53 USD) to park and M$223 (about $11.00 USD) per person for admission. The admission is a bit confusing, there is a ticket window for the first ticket and another for the second ticket. We arrived at around 9:00 am and it was absolutely worth getting there early. The weather was still fresh, warm but with a nice breeze. There was only one small family at the site who came in just after us. The site opens at 8:00 am and I think we were the first ones there!
When we visited Chichen Itza a few months ago, we went with a small tour group and arrived around noon. It was very hot and crowded (there is little shade at Chichen Itza), though still immensely enjoyable. Experiencing this site without the heat or crowds made a huge difference and we will always be there as they open the gates from now on.
When we visited Chichen Itza a few months ago, we went with a small tour group and arrived around noon. It was very hot and crowded (there is little shade at Chichen Itza), though still immensely enjoyable. Experiencing this site without the heat or crowds made a huge difference and we will always be there as they open the gates from now on.
After entering the site and heading up the path, the first ruin rises up like its been expecting you. The "Adivino" (or "The Pyramid of the Magician") appears and you just go whoosh and are transported through time while also feeling a bit like Lara Croft.
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| Me in front of the Pyramid of the Magician! |
At about 115 feet in height, this stepped pyramid is the tallest structure within Uxmal. The pyramid is believed to be a ceremonial site. I found some interesting information on the site here, but unfortunately, the history and meaning of non-European archaeological sites are still largely unknown.
The Pyramid of the Magician is roped off, so visitors cannot climb on it. We took pictures and marveled at human ingenuity and felt the beautiful invisible force an ancient and sacred site exused and then we continued to the right of the pyramid along a little path.
The Pyramid of the Magician is roped off, so visitors cannot climb on it. We took pictures and marveled at human ingenuity and felt the beautiful invisible force an ancient and sacred site exused and then we continued to the right of the pyramid along a little path.
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| Photograph of the Pyramid of the Magician from 1913 via Wikipedia |
The layout of the site is clear. All informational signs near the structures are in Spanish, Mayan, and English. There is a nice path to walk along, but you can also walk on the nicely trimmed grass. Coming from the US, the flow of the site was not as clear as we were used to but we did not find this to be an issue, as we were happy to take our time and wander around.
We continued on the Nun's Quadrangle (named by the Spanish who thought it looked similar to their convents). This area was not a convent, but perhaps and administrative building (so said the information plaque at the site) or a military complex or a royal school (so says my Lonely Planet guidebook).
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| Vultures (I think) hanging out at the top of The Pyramid of the Magician |
We continued on the Nun's Quadrangle (named by the Spanish who thought it looked similar to their convents). This area was not a convent, but perhaps and administrative building (so said the information plaque at the site) or a military complex or a royal school (so says my Lonely Planet guidebook).
There were tons of little birds swooping around the open courtyard and into the small rooms (74 total) of the sprawling structure.
At this point we had lost the little family and were completely alone. Coming from Arizona where it is extremely rare to be allowed to walk on/into ruins (except for the amazing Wutpaki National Monument) it felt wrong, but it was totally allowed at almost all of the site! We were able to peek into the rooms, climb on the raised walkways around the structures, and even climb up a pyramid at the end (more on that below...)! Do I feel bad knowing that human interaction with any archaeological site leads to a faster physical degradation of the site which is being enjoyed? You bed I did. Did I still do it? You bet I did.
At the Nun's Quadrangle, Johnny and I first experienced a taste of the steps that would play a big role in our lives (maybe just mine) in just another hour. These stairs are STEEP and NARROW and TERRIFYING. We climbed up just a few that were here and took in the gorgeous views.
Leaving the Nun's Quadrangle, we came upon a small building called The House of the Turtles. There were a bunch of little carved turtles along the side of the structure. The plaque explained this was probably the site of an aquatic cult! In Mayan culture, turtles were associated with the rain god, Chaac (a feathered serpent, his image is found in sculptures throughout Uxmal). Mayans believed that during a drought, both people and turtles suffered, and so both would pray to the rain god.
We continued along, passing a large group of German tourists and then were alone again. We walked through the ball court. As we learned from our tour of Chichen Itza which also has a ball court, the losing team and the captain of the winning team would be sacrificed, the winner allegedly happily so as he would ascend to greater things in the next life, the losers just died, I guess.
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| Exploring the Nun's Quadrangle which is a quadrangle, but is not just for nuns |
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| Explorin', explorin', explorin' |
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| Pretending to be Lara Croft |
Leaving the Nun's Quadrangle, we came upon a small building called The House of the Turtles. There were a bunch of little carved turtles along the side of the structure. The plaque explained this was probably the site of an aquatic cult! In Mayan culture, turtles were associated with the rain god, Chaac (a feathered serpent, his image is found in sculptures throughout Uxmal). Mayans believed that during a drought, both people and turtles suffered, and so both would pray to the rain god.
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| Pray for rain, little turtles! |
The next ruin is renowned for its preservation and decoration. At the Governor's Palace, I stared at the 100 meter long facade which featured (according to the plaque) some of the best examples of decoration at the site. This may have been an astronomical observatory but again, no one is really sure what's going on. A lot of sculptures of Chaac here. People really wanted their rain. I get it. I'm from Arizona.
Speaking of rain, we had been here about an hour and the weather by this time was extremely hot and humid, with the breeze only offering slight relief. We made sure to stay hydrated (we brought 4 bottles of water), pace ourselves, and to occasionally stop in some shade to apply sunscreen.
We hung out a bit, the only ones around. We saw maybe 2 or 3 other small groups off in the distance. We looked at the absolutely gorgeous view. Felt proud for climbing up all the way. Then bolstered our energy to head down.
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| Johnny at the Governor's House |
We got more experience climbing narrow, scary, steep Mayan stairs and went on to one of the scariest moments of my life.
The Great Pyramid.
The Great Pyramid is huge, I don't know how huge but it looks huge. Originally it was 9 levels tall, and then they added a few more levels on later. Construction was halted for some reason at some point, and the temple at the top - adorned with carvings of Chaac, birds, and flowers - was never completed.
Johnny said "We are climbing it."
I said "No, we are not."
"We are here. We have to. I'm going to."
"I don't think I can."
"What would Susan Orlean do?" (he knows how to use my strong, female role models as inspiration)
"Climb it."
"What would Cheryl Strayed do?"
"Climb it. Ok I get it. I'll climb it."
And then we drank some water, tightened our backpacks, and started up.
Rule one: Don't look down.
Rule two: Go slow.
Rule three: Don't climb up a huge, steep pyramid if you are afraid of heights.
We made it to the top, I didn't look down, I went slow, and then I had a panic attack because I'm afraid of heights. I've had them long enough to know how to both fake that I'm fine while simultaneously distracting myself to avoid the attack becoming full-blown.
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| At the top of the Great Pyramid. Please note I am at 30% panic attack. |
It was so steep you could not even see a slope when you looked down.
My heart was pounding and not from exertion. I felt the familiar panic creep up. I began to feel wide-eyed and the closest thing I can describe it to is that I felt like a frightened horse in a thunderstorm, but as a human lady sitting on top of an ancient pyramid during nice weather.
Because I grew up in the extreme heat of Phoenix, I knew to pace myself and drink plenty of water throughout the earlier hour or so of trekking around the ruins. I was able to recognize I was having a panic attack and wasn't just physically tired. I breathed slowly and tried to come to a place of stillness. I closed my eyes and repeated "it's just stairs. It's just stairs. It's just stairs." And then I felt a trust in myself well up and I felt still. Then I opened my eyes and said JOHNNY LETS GO.
We headed down. I worked a rhythm out. I looked only at the next step below me. I stepped down, put my hands on the stairs behind me, and then I sat down. Then I moved my feet to the next stairs down, put my hands on the stairs behind me, and scooted to sit down on the next stairs. I did this the whole time, with Johnny going slow (but walking like an actual human and not a weird spider person) and making little jokes to distract me and saying nice things to encourage me.
We made it down alive and I am very proud of myself! Also happy there was no one around to see me creepin down the stairs like a weirdo (I just asked Johnny why he wasn't scared to go down and he said "because I know how to walk down a set of stairs"). We sat in the shade and drank water and reapplied sunscreen and sweated so much that it looked like we had both jumped in a pool with our clothes on.
Then we went to the Chocolate museum called Choco-Story and fed spider monkeys and little deer and learned about chocolate and drank hot, bitter chocolate made of pure cocoa paste and hot water and a little bit of chili powder and it was 100% a ton of fun.
Johnny and I would love to go back to Uxmal with a guide to get even more information! Can't wait for friends and family to visit so we can go with them (looking at you Sarah and Bry!)
Now to drink some Coronas from a can and watch movies with my super cute husband!
VISITING UXMAL
- Go early! Gates open at 8:00 am, I highly recommend getting there that early. The weather is beautiful (well it's not terrible) and there is NO ONE there! We went on a Friday, so going on a weekday would also be great and largely crowd-free
- Pack a lot of water and a snack. Probably need a small backpack
- Pack a change of clothes if you want to go anywhere after as your clothes will probably be soaked
- Pack a change of clothes if you want to go anywhere after as your clothes will probably be soaked
- Get a guide! Even when we were there early on a weekday there were guides at the entrance waiting to be hired
- Bring a guidebook! I wished I had more information about the site to enhance my experience
- Wear light clothes (doesn't matter what, a lot of blogs seem to think shorts make you stand out in Mexico but at these tourist sites literally no one cares, just be comfortable) and be prepared to sweat
- Wear actual shoes, not sandals. I was very happy I had my nice hiking shoes on as they helped me climb the steep stairs at the ruins
- Don't be scared of iguanas. They are everywhere and they camouflage really well so you can get spooked by them easily but they are very skittish and run away if you get too close
- Bring an umbrella! There is a lot more shade there than at Chichen Itza, but an umbrella would have been nice around noon when the sun got really strong
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