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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico 2012


Chichen Itza is archaeological city left after pre-Columbian Maya civilization and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Mexico. Recently, Chichen Itza was selected as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.  And of course if you have never been there you must go  see it. 
Upon arrival to Cancun  Airport, Mexico,  i rented a car and the next morning i went on a road trip to Chichen Itza.  There are few ways to get there: take a toll road to save some time or take a road going through small Mexican towns and jungles. As i wanted to see as much as possible in Mexico i picked the second option.

As soon as you leave Cancun city limit, the real Mexico begins. 

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Auto Service.
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If you see this sign prepare to slow down  immediately  and maybe even stop. This sign indicates a huge speed bump. If  you don't see the bump in time and run it over you can kill your car right there.
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You will see this sign pretty often in the town limits. Because the Mexicans don't follow speed limits on the roads at all, police try to slow people down with these bumps. And it works pretty well.
  
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This sign indicates bump as well but this one is pretty smooth and not that bad to cross.

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Legendary VW Bug. Made in Mexico.

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Local kiosk.
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Hotel.
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Agriculture Control. Nobody even came outside when i passed it. Prior to this post, i was stopped by military guys with machine guns. They didn't speak any English, so they tried to talk to me in Spanish, which was useless, so they looked around the car and let me go. This was a weird and at the same time a little scary feeling, you never know what to expect from the guys with guns on the road.
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I saw many check points (police with machine guns)  on the way. The police stops only locals, if they see you are a tourist they simply let you go.

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Place along the road where all tour buses make a stop for a brake. Here you can buy souvenirs and try local food.

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Road trip from Cancun to Chichen Itza took me about 3.5 hours. At a gate of Chichen Itza you can get a bilingual tour guide or walk on your own. Make sure you have comfortable shoes as the whole tour is walking and takes about 3 hours.   

 On the picture is Kukulcan Pyramid  or El Castillo. It's located in the center  of Chichen Itza.
  
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The Sacred Cenote (limestone sink hole) was holy to the ancient Rain God "Chac".

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Mayans payed game similar to soccer. This is the field where they played.  

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Chichen Itza is the best place to buy souvenirs. The best variety and the cheapest prices i have seen in Cancun and Riviera Maya area.

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Local people make wooden souvenirs right on the spot. And when they see you they try to sell something to you. They had even learned a few "marketing" words in different languages so you will not pass them without being offered to buy a wooden mask or ceramic magnet from them.     

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El Caracol aka The Observatory.
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El Castillo.
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Church.
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Driving back to Cancun. Validolid is a very nice small Mexican town. Good place to stop and walk around.
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Location: Chichen Itza, Tinum, Yucatan, Mexico

12 comments:

  1. Aderson JuniorJune 26, 2012 at 7:02 PM

    great tips! specially about going through those small cities. hope do the same soon! tks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJune 27, 2012 at 1:02 PM

      Thank you, yes that was awesome, you should definitely do it. Also, feel free to check my other posts and share them. Thanks again and Stay Tuned!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJuly 3, 2012 at 4:54 PM

    Eugene - Thanks for the posting the pics! Any info/suggestions on renting cars and driving around in Quintanaroo? I drive my car in Tijuana, I figure it can't be any worse??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJuly 3, 2012 at 5:10 PM

      I rented the car at Cancun Intl Airport. The company was Budget-Ren-A-Car, i got the cheapest deal with them at that moment. But you can try any other rental company at airport, just negotiate with them first. Driving is... it's probably like anywhere in Mexico, no one knows that their car has turn signal and there is a stop signs on the roads. You just have to double think and analyze situation while driving.

      Delete
  3. UnknownJuly 3, 2012 at 5:10 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. NineWagnerJune 21, 2013 at 8:33 PM

    Hi,
    Rent a Car in RivieraMaya is the population of resplendent quetzals, which can be spotted feeding the Aguacate trees and natures. Thank you ......

    ReplyDelete
  5. adventurecarrentalJuly 20, 2013 at 12:34 AM

    Hi,

    Renta de Autos en Playa Del Carmen is very flexible. The details will help you towards a great holiday. You want to enjoy the adventures associated with the place, easily rent a car and can drive or reach any tourist location whenever you wants.

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownAugust 2, 2013 at 12:53 AM

    Hi,

    Rentarun Auto en Cancun rental services are very popular and one of the most convenient modes of transport. This is located at the exits of airports or terminuses.

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownAugust 2, 2013 at 6:38 PM

    Hi,

    Cancun Car Rental is a world famous tourist spot in the south eastern part of Mexico. You can spend quality time in the car. Whether you are alone or with family, cars gives you relaxation. Thank you....

    ReplyDelete
  8. UnknownAugust 2, 2013 at 7:15 PM

    Hi,

    Rentarun Auto en Cancun is a famous tourist spot. This place has some well-known historical architecture and some beautiful landscapes. It gives many services that offer such services. Thank you...........

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownAugust 2, 2013 at 9:09 PM

    Hi,

    Rent a Car in Cancun is very popular. It gives you satisfaction and happiness on the trip. Enjoy every moment of life and relaxed in your life. Thank you........

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownJuly 28, 2015 at 3:24 PM

    Well that was a real image of the rural zones on southern México, I think is great to really travel and know places; maybe there aren't hotels, but surely houses you can look for holiday rentals and make a different experience!

    ReplyDelete

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