January 13, 2018
Day 10: Tikuch to Chichen Itza
We decided to start off early to avoid the heat of the day. That was a decision we made the night before, and one we maybe regretted since the temperatures took a dive and we were shivering all night. Our early wake up also confused us a bit since we had just changed time zone, being now in Yucatan province and no longer in Quintana Roo. So in the frigid dark of morning we reset our clock and shivered a little longer in bed. You can understand that considering that blankets are not commonly found on beds here. All you get is a sheet.
When we set off we were wearing lots of clothes, with the temperature about 8. But we did not have far to go - only 800 metres to the OXXO at the Pemex station, the only commercial development in the vicinity. I have decried OXXO as having nothing of much use, but Dodie felt she made some reasonable choices in rice pudding and canned mango. She rather ridiculed my totally lame, packaged, cinnamon bun and coffee. The coffee came from a machine, with milk and lots of sugar, because I pressed "regular". I always take my coffee black, oh well.....
We were now on 180, the mainline to Valladolid, Chichen Itza/Piste, and ultimately Merida. When we got very near Valladolid our shoulder disappeared and so we backtracked to get on a circular bypass road around the town. No matter, because we will be back for a good look at Valladolid as we later make our way back to Cancun. The bypass is also the way to the large town north of here, Tzimin, but the road had only light traffic. Like every road since 307, there has been a wide and safe shoulder for us.
The road, also like all we have been on lately, tended to have nothing on it - no services, few houses. In fact on the bypass I was able to photo the jungle thinking about encroaching.
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The bypass rejoined 180 and we rollicked along for a bit, finally arriving at a jail, easily recognizable by its watch towers. A little incongruous, and visible in the photo if you look carefully, were the people with ladders thrown up on the outside jail wall. Surely they were not trying to break in! Although, as we were soon to see, it might be a pretty good jail to live in.
On the other side of the jail was a craft store, nothing unusual in that, except that the sign advertised "crafts from the jail". That alone would not have stopped us, but what did were two touring cycles parked in front. We pulled over and were surprised to see full Ortlieb kits on "VSF Fahrradmanufactur" bikes. That is a German make, often sold in Netherlands, I think.
The bikes turned out to belong to Ingeborg and Jelle, from Ghent. They are cycling from Cancun and will swing around Guatemala and Belize before returning. These are absolutely the only touring cyclists we have seen while here. Naturally we had a great time exchanging biographies and invitations to stay with each other. While I was blabbing on, Dodie managed to slip off and negotiated the purchase of a blanket, made in the prison. It's gorgeous, but would never have happened without these unique circumstances.
Ingeborg and Jelle stayed behind, as they were working on the purchase of a mask. But since they too were going to Chichen Itza, we knew they would pass us soon. So they did, and I was amazed at how quickly they went on fully loaded bikes. We hope to see them again, either at the ruins, or in Belgium!
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As we approached the little town of Xcalacoop, we came across a craft shop with a difference. This was set back from the road in a very beautiful building, and was surrounded by large statues carved from semi precious minerals. We rolled up and were greeted warmly, but not by a man intent on selling. Rather we got a genuine, informative, and low pressure tour of the site, which contained the actual workshop where the carvings were made.
The minerals used are drawn from across Mexico, Central and South America and include jade, turquoise, serpentine, obsidian, amber, lapis lazuli, and silver. The quality of the work is super, unbelievable really. The bigger pieces sell for 5000 US dollars or more, but seem a bargain for the materials and labour involved. Our host was Mayan, of course, and had an excellent knowledge of the culture from which the carvings are drawn, plus the materials.
One explanation that stimulated our interest was about the Mayan ball game, which is behind the ball courts so prominent at the ruins sites. In the rules of the game, you can only touch the ball with hips, elbows and shoulders, not hands or feet. In the Mayan era, while the goal was to win, it would be the winner who would get to be sacrificed - with the loss of a hand, the man said.
I asked about whether the game was still played and apparently it is. There is a world championship, in nearby Piste, in November. Teams come from as far away as Italy. Winners do not lose a hand!
Here is just a selection of the art works we looked at. Have a quick scan:
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Our OXXO breakfast was by now not providing much power, though we had also scored a "pan dulce" from a vendor on a bike cart. So in the teeny town of Xcalacoop we stopped at a little stand called Mr Tacos. Whether tacos were indeed available I'm not sure, and two other customers had tortas. But we went for salbutes - bits of chicken, onion, and tomato on a tortilla like base. These were 8 pesos each. Dodie got two, I got three!
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We next came to a famous cave complex, Balankanche. We went on in but were disappointed to learn that access was by guided tour only, and the minimum party was 6. We waited a while for someone else to come, but only scored one other couple. We did see a good summary explanation about all the cenotes and caves of Yucatan:
Very shortly thereafter we came to our hotel, which is 3 km from the Chichen Itza site and 6 km from Piste. It is called the Dolores Alba. The grounds of this hotel are very beautiful, as is our room. The cost will be well under 1500 pesos for two nights, breakfast included.
Directly across the street from this hotel is the hotel and cenote complex of Ik Kil. We walked over onto the stunningly landscaped grounds and paid 80 pesos each for entry to the complex, from which you can access the cenote, restaurants, gift shops, and hotel (cabanas). The whole place is swarming with tourists, and the prices are accordingly high. However you can stay at this resort for just a few hundred pesos more than what we are paying across the street.
The crowds at Ik Kil must be a foreshadowing of what is at Chichen Itza. Though we have said we don't mind people, and though the cenote is beautiful, I had to elbow my way through tourists 5 deep to reach the water and jump in. That was not appreciated.
The cenote is not only beautiful, but rather amazing. You have to descend very far into the hole and then the water is 150 feet deep. You have to either be good at treading water or rent a life jacket, because there is no shore - only a deep deep hole.
Dodie did not end up going in. She was quite reasonably scared off by the compulsory cold shower up at the top, which is followed by a cold descent to water level. And once you would jump in, the only escape is by a fairly slippery ladder. Better to stay ashore and take pictures - that is what most of the 5 deep tourists were doing.
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We walked past what we assumed had to be the overpriced restaurant at the cenote and went to our own restaurant across the street. We now know enough to see how it too was slightly overcharging - like 120 for the poc chuc that "should be " 90-100. That is what I ordered still - it is now my standby and clearly the wiener schnitzel of this place. Dodie went for Brazo de Reina - a corn cake thing with Chaya leaves, pumpkin seeds, hard boiled egg, tomato sauce, and spices. At least that is what the menu said. After the cold cenote swim, I was so hungry I just inhaled the piece Dodie shared without a lot of savoring!
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Tomorrow - Chichen Itza ruins!
Today's ride: 55 km (34 miles)
Total: 432 km (268 miles)
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