Monday, March 17, 2008

Coba & Tulum Market festivity

This morning I caught the 7:30 bus for Merida, which stops at Coba. I was wrong about Mexico chicken bus don't cramming people, they do! I and many other people were standing in the aisle. Luckily the AC was working well and ride was 35 minutes. I met Stuart from London, who is also staying at Weary Traveler Hostel in Tulum. He just bought a flat (50% owner ship) and decided to take time off to travel after saving 6 year and without vacation.

As for the Coba site itself, this classic-era city was situated in the tropical jungle. It is more linked with Tikal than Tulum or Chichen Itza. At its peak some 55,000 lived here (between AD 800-1100). The Mayan name Coba mean 'ruffled waters' - likely refers to the reedy croc-filled lakes in the area. It is estimated to have 6500 structures, but only few have been excavated. After many Mayan ruins I was not too impress with the site. When we arrived there was only hand full of tourists, but half way through, bus load of tourists started to show up. We finished the site around 11 and so we have 2.5 hours before the first bus go back to Tulum. We had lunch and chat a little more and just hang out in the shade (very hot in the sun h- upper 80s).

After get back in town I took a shower and start my wondering around the town, looking at shops, bought some leather bookmarks, had an ice cream, visited internet. Later I went to check out the town's market and happen on a 'rodeo' show. Pretty much just some bulls that get let on into a ring one at time with few men holding blanket to have the bull charge at them. There was a big crowd. After the rodeo (it was dark), I stayed around to check out the night time market. Almost all locals, with people selling daily stuff, games, food - a real night market. I felt this is the first time in my trip where a night out does not risk your life and involves things other than visiting a bar. There is a concert I was told at 10:30 tonight.

After the internet I went back to the hostel, and met our new dormmate, couple girls from Spain. One spoke good English. They were ready to goto bed, but once they knew about the concert, they are ready to go - Spanish know how to party. We hang around the concert area for a while waiting for the band to resume their play and we visited a Mayan church. After 1.5 hours or so we call it a night and head back to goto sleep.

Anyway I am heading to Valladolid tomorrow morning and get ready to visit Chichen Itza.

BTW, You guys must be day light saving time, because I just noticed that I am now two hours behind you.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Johnathan!

It's good to catch up with you again on your blog. Yes, we sprung forward one hour this past weekend. Everyone here is doing well. Some people in our group went on a ski trip. No broken bones, but very tired people! BTW, when are you going to learn how to swim? I smiled when you wrote that you walked along side the water (the shallow end).

Ann

Jonathan said...

I thought it was very warm in DC area recently 50s and 60s. Tired? they should try to walk 120km in 4 days in the jungle condition.

I tried to learn swimming many time, still no confident in deep water, and in shallow, I can do the backstroke.