Uxmal is an ancient Maya city of the classical period located in present-day Mexico. It is considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Maya culture, along with Palenque, Chichen Itza and Calakmul in Mexico, Caracol and Xunantunich in Belize, and Tikal in Guatemala.
Uxmal is about one and a half hours drive from Merida. Today, cool and cloudy, was the perfect day for a visit.
I found Uxmal to be much less touristy than Chichen Itza, it’s also much smaller. Be prepared for walking and climbing some fairly challenging steps.
Uxmal is a beautiful place and a great uncomplicated way to spend a morning in the Yucatán. Thank you for reading our blog. Please reach out to us with any questions at boltraveling@gmail.com
A storied stadium in Mexico hosted its first-ever women’s softball game and BOLT was very excited to attend!
Around 15,000 spectators gathered at the Kukulcán stadium in Mérida, Yucatán, for an exhibition game between the Natividad de Sucilá team and the Amazonas de Yaxunah, made up of Indigenous women who play barefoot.
Natividad won 14-12. What they’re saying: “We’re not really rivals — we are all women looking to prove we can do this, too,” said María Domínguez, a member of the Natividad team.
The event was lots of fun and filled with family activities.
Pok-Ta–Pok is an ancient Mayan ball game, that was played thousands of years ago as part of a sacred, sacrificial ceremony, pitting good against evil. The general belief is that the ball, five pounds of solid rubber, could only be hit with forearms and thighs. The goal of the game was to maneuver the ball through a stone hoop extending from a wall. It is said that the winner of the game was sacrificed, supposedly a high honor.
Pok-Ta-Pok ball courts can still be found at Mayan archeological sites, such as Chichen Itza, and Uxmal.
You can now experience this ancient game right here in Merida.
The show is held Wednesdays at 8 p.m, in front of the Merida Cathedral in Centro.
Entrance is free but assigned seating is limited. We had a great, safe time!
While Covid infections are on the rise here in Merida it is important to find outdoor, socially distanced and masked events to attend. We’d love to hear your suggestions.
Having fun and finding beauty, even during a pandemic, is easy and affordable to do in and around Merida. Here are five suggestions.
1. Take a Walk Merida is a great city for walking especially in the Centro or Paseo Montejo áreas.
2. Explore Mayan History and Culture Chichen Itza is just one of many ancient Mayan heritage sites in the area. Get a good guide and learn more about this beautiful culture.
3. Visit a Cenote If you do nothing else, visit at least one of these magical and sacred natural water filled sink holes.
4. Go Looking for Iguanas These dragon like creatures are all over the city, especially in parks. I love trying to spot them as they are shy and blend in well with their surroundings.
5. Cool Off with a Day at the Beach or a Pool! Merida is 🔥 HOT! There are lovely beaches less than 30 minutes away and many local hotels allow you to come swim, better yet…get an apartment with a pool!
I have come to love iguanas! On my daily walks I’m always on the lookout for them. They are very shy and you can’t get too close. They also blend in very well with the topography. Have fun trying to spot the iguanas in these pictures from my recent walk.
Words and pictures can not fully express the magic I experienced on our recent trip to the little town of Homun and the Cenote Santa Barbara.
A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater. The regional term is specifically associated with the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, where we are currently living.
The Maya believed cenotes to be a gateway to Xibalba, the underworld, and the god of rain, Chaac, was believed to live at the bottom of these sacred wells. The Maya performed rituals and ceremonies at sacred cenotes to ask for rain and good crops.
Cenote Santa Barbara has three really beautiful and accessable cenotes. We were able to explore and swim in all three. The stairs down to the cenotes were well designed and very stable they all had hand rails. This was not true for the cenote we visited in Valladolid and I chose not to risk going down.
To get to the first cenote you could ride a bike or the horse drawn cart. It’s a fun less than 10 minute ride, whichever you choose.
Our friends and we swam in all 3 cenotes. The water was cool but not cold. For me it was a relaxing and healing experience.
We ended our day at the restaurant on the premises. We were able to choose from many delicious options of Yuccatecan style food. Admission to the cenote, including lunch was 290 pesos, less than $15 USD!
Just a short 3o minutes away from Mérida, Mexico is the city of Chelem. This sleepy little pueblo is home to the perfect spot for a getaway.
Playa Bonita Beach Club is the perfect spot for a day trip. For only 100 pesos (about $5 usd) you can spend all day on a comfortable beach lounge.
There is a lovely little pool, changing rooms and very clean restrooms.
I was especially delighted by how good, I mean really good the food and drinks were. There is a full, moderately priced menu. The waiters were attentive and friendly. You can have your food brought to your oceanside lounge or table.
I enjoyed a lovely walk along the beach and several people were actually enjoying time in the waves. All in all I spent a perfect day at Playa Bonita Beach Club. I can’t wait to go back!
If you have a special getaway spot in the Yucatan or wherever you are, we’d love to hear about it. Comment here or write us at BOLTraveling@gmail.com
BOLT: Black Old Lesbians Traveling 