Category: History

On our drive to the coast we stopped for a few hours to see the ruins at Coba. The site sits between two lakes and is divided up into groupings several kilometers apart. These are much more rustic with less restoration. [photo gallery] One exception was the Ball Court which was very small an intimate compared with the others we’d seen. One tall pyramid had vultures sunning themselves at the top.

As we walked along the path through the jungle we came upon this cute little round pyramid. There were several stelae covered by thatched roofs, but the inscriptions were all but gone. <frown>

We finally reached the Nohoch Mul Pyramid and started to climb. The view from the top was of spectacular! There was a small figure in the center of the temple that I believe is the same diving god found at Tulum.

Our final stop was Tulum on the east coast. [photo gallery] While the buildings may be less elaborate, the setting is certainly spectacular. A thick wall surrounds the site on three sides with the ocean on the fourth. The site has its own small cenote as a source of fresh water. There is a guard house of sorts just above that looks out on the turquoise Caribbean.

Other small buildings spread along the cliffside create dramatic views. It is ironic that the largest temple structure faces inland and is therefore unattractive when viewed from the shoreline. It is completely closed off to the public. <frown> Here’s a panorama (large file).

By far the most interesting building is the small Temple of the Frescos. It has huge humanoid masks (see above) at each corner and badly eroded carvings of the diving god above the doorways. Inside are still visible paintings of various gods. (You can just make out the goddess Ixchel carrying the infant Chaac toward the center of the photograph.)