Cenote's and Caves

After fulfilling a lifelong dream of seeing the 8th wonder of the world – Chizen Itza; I sought out other unusual and interesting sights within the Yucatan Peninsula. Did you know that this south eastern area of Mexico has no surface rivers and yet the land is lush and jungle like. Unlike the other areas of Mexico we typically see on movies, it is green and smells rich and fertile. This beautiful area is made up of underground limestone caverns and rivers. Because of the nature of the geology, the water creates long caverns and sinkholes. The Mexicans call them ‘cenotes’ and it is worth coming here JUST to see them. I was blown away not just by the beauty but by the incredible perfection of them. An important one I visited ‘Ik kil’ was 60 metres across and 200 feet deep. The entrance is through a long tunnel like staircase built by the Mayans centuries ago.

The water is crystal clear and ‘refreshing’ – you had to jump in from a ledge at least 1.5 metres from the surface and climb back up a fairly wobbly ladder. There were many black looking fish which touched you as you swam. I HAD to join all those that jumped. The water was so unbelievably clean and just awesome. There was a storm that day and whilst I swam it rained down the large opening high above, the thunder clapped. It was almost scary but took my breath away. It was very exhilarating! I have never seen anything like it in all my travels. I was told the peninsula has some 3000 of these in different sizes. The locals depend on them for water and of course a divine recreation for swimming. For the ancient Mayans, they were places of sacrifice and worship. In the one at Chizen Itza archeologists scoured the bottom after rediscovering the area and found ceramics, jade, jewelry, shells, gold, many relics and of course bones! The waterfalls cascaded down the stones and rock walls and long roots stretched 26 metres down from the surface for water. It was like a place Hollywood would create for a magical movie.

After the cenotes my next stop nearby was the Balankanche Caves. I have seen many caves throughout my lifetime but once again, NEVER caves like this. A small city could live down there. They are wide and high with stalagmites hanging heavily and decorating the ceiling and walls. The actual trek through continued for over half a kilometer. Towards the end you see the edge of a smaller cenote connected to an underground river; you can see it, black and dark like a long snake disappearing into the distance. So far down into the earth the trek meandered and finally opened up into a HUGE cavern with a ‘tree like’ rock formation in the middle. Around this centre piece were a score of Mayan ceramics from over 1000 years ago. Being so far down they were preserved and in perfect condition. They brought their sacrifices down in them placing them strategically to honor the gods. I stood rooted to the spot, such ancient history placed before me to share was an incredible experience. The walk is long and you have to return on the same path; the toughest part was the lack of oxygen. Being so far into the earth I struggled to breath. At first I thought how terribly unfit I was and then realised the guide was also heaving. He said it was like being high in the mountains. No air! I don’t recommend this walk for anyone who suffers from claustrophobia or has breathing issues. Aside that it is a place NOT to be missed.

The Mexicans down here are the warmest and friendliest people I have ever met. Considering the poverty and standard of living they are happy with the simple offerings of life. I was surprised at the high standard of the autobuses, we should be so lucky to have such luxury coaches to travel around in. No graffiti, no stains, (and no chickens and baskets!!) just pure comfort with movies that work perfectly! The hotel was the same. I stayed for 4 nights at a hacienda type hotel near the ruins. The standard was exemplary, spotlessly clean, the rooms set around a courtyard setting of palms and a large swimming pool. Very quaint with delightful rooms containing archways and Mexican stucco. I ate Mexican food and tried new dishes I have never heard of. I tried and ate a ‘cactus' salad with a white sheep’s cheese and drank a delicious milky looking beverage called ‘ocheta’ – made from a Mexican root. The food was delicious all round and very fresh!

I will add the photos in the next post!!