A Caribbean Celebration and the Ruins of Chichen Itza, Mexico

[vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column][text_output][dropcap]I[/dropcap]t wasn’t as bad as expected. Only 35 minutes by ferry to make it to the shores of Playa del Carmen from Cozumel. From there, it would take another 2 hours by bus to get to the ruins.

I had been using my seasick patches all week long but had been stressing out slightly over the ferry ride. I had read about the rough waters many people had posted about but all in all, it wasn’t bad. And even if I did get seasick, it would have been a small price to pay for a chance to explore the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza in Mexico. This was the highlight excursion of our Caribbean/Mother’s Day cruise.

[line]

We had planned this trip last Fall and by coincidence, it just happened to land during Mother’s Day celebrations. Though we celebrated the day in formal attire, the rest of the trip was more laid back – less structured, casual and relaxed. The ports of call for this Royal Caribbean cruise aboard the amazing Oasis of the Seas were in Haiti, Jamaica and then Cozumel, Mexico. There were plenty of sea days to relax and definitely no need for alarm clocks. This was a great way to celebrate Mom all week long and, she didn’t have to cook once!

A view of the Oasis of the Seas in Labadee, Haiti

A walk through the beaches of Labadee, Haiti

A view of the port in Jamaica from the Oasis of the Seas

My amazing Mom and me on the beaches of Jamaica

[line]

For another great story of celebrating Mom, be sure to check out NYC Food Editor, Ksenia Skvortsova’s story of her travels to Japan and her candy making experience with her mother.

[line]

I’m a big fan of cruise vacations, but honestly for this one, I wasn’t excited about the ports of call with the exception of Cozumel. I’ve done the stop at Haiti, which in reality is a private “island” for a day at the beach – it’s not really a chance to explore the real Haiti. Jamaica was just a day of wandering around on foot and we eventually took a quick tram tour to see more of the area. I’ve been to Cozumel before and did the ruins at Tulum, but I had heard that Chichen Itza was more impressive and it was one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

The downside was that it was a 10 hour excursion, most of it travel by ferry and bus just to get there. I’m glad we did it though – now I can check that one off the bucket list.

After our 2-hour bus ride, we arrived at the grounds close to noon and the temperatures had risen to around 100°F. We were all prepared, so with sunscreen, sunglasses, wide brim hats and water, we were ready for anything. Some in our group even brought umbrellas for added protection from the pounding sun.

Vendors are everywhere at Chichen Itza

Our tour guide, Louis, led us through the entrance and onto a dirt path towards the open complex. Vendors lined the entire pathway selling everything from wooden masks and sculptures to noise makers that resembled the sound a jaguar would make. I was hoping that the vendors were contained to this pathway – unfortunately, they were allowed to set up their stalls throughout the complex so they were always in line of sight.

First glimpse of the Mayan Pyramids at Chichen Itza, Mexico

We continued on the dirt path and an opening suddenly emerged — there in the center was a giant Mayan pyramid in the distance. Of course, the cameras and smart phones started clicking at a frenzy but our tour guide quickly ushered us under a tree to get us out from the beating sun and shared some historical information. My only disappointment was to learn that no one was allowed to climb the structure once it had been declared one of the New 7 Wonders of the World several years ago. It would have been cool to make the climb!

View of the Mayan Pyramid at Chichen Itza under a cool shade.

We spent about an hour as a group wandering the grounds moving from one structure to the other. Aside from the main pyramid, the highlight of the trip was when we arrived at the Great Ball Court – a sporting arena flanked by two tall walls, which ran the gamut of the area with a vertical stone “hoop” on the side. The arena itself was interesting, but what really caught my eye was a little old woman selling what looked like handkerchiefs.

She was surrounded by tourists trying to get a glimpse and photo of her and see what she was selling. The main reason for her popularity as we were told by our tour guide was that she apparently was a true descendent of the Mayans – and a good representation of what they looked like — extremely short with a rich brown skin. I guess the Mayans weren’t very tall!

An old Mayan woman selling her crafts.

We had over an hour to explore the grounds on our own before reboarding the bus and then sailing back to Cozumel on the 35-minute ferry ride. Unfortunately on the return trip, the ride back wasn’t as smooth as the morning – but lucky for me, my seasick patch did the trick.

If you ever find yourself on a cruise with a stop in Cozumel or are in Mexico for travels, be sure to make some time to check out the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. It’s well worth the trip!

[line]

Travel Tips:

• If you’re going on a cruise and prone to seasickness, get a seasick patch prescription from your doctor. I think they are much better than the OTC pills you can get at the pharmacy. I’ve used the pills on a past cruise and let’s just say that it’s not a pretty sight when you find yourself running out of a filled-to-capacity auditorium during a ship lecture on Alaska wildlife and praying that you can make it in time to a bathroom.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a wide brim hat are a must for tropical adventures. I love my Tilley hat – it breathes, is water repellent, easy to pack and keep clean and looks cool 🙂
• Walking shoes are a must — flip-flops just don’t cut it when you’re walking around on uneven, dirt terrain. Your ankles will thank you.
• Stay hydrated!

In front of the Mayan Pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico

[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][gap size=”1.313em”][author title=”About the Author”][/vc_column][/vc_row]