Xcaret

We moved locations down farther south to Gran Occidental Xcaret.  The resort itself was so-so.  Nothing was super nice or luxurious for sure.  The food was mediocre and staff okay.  There were some paths that we walked frequently where monkeys were playing around.  We enjoyed that.  The obvious reason for choosing this property is for the proximity to Xcaret, an eco-arechaeological park.

The hotel offered boat rides to the park, but we were never patient enough to ride on one.

There was a lot to see and do in the park.  Our first day, we tried to visit many of the free shows and enjoy the flora and fauna.  I especially enjoyed the butterfly pavilion.  It was such a relaxing place and there were tons of butterflies.

Another fun exhibit was the sea turtle one.  I got in trouble for not removing Brent's hat when I took the picture, but we managed.

And you know Brent's fascination ever since swimming with the stingrays on our honeymoon.

View of one of the cenotes, or underground river.  They were salt water and really neat to swim through.  You went through tunnel and waterfalls.  We took our snorkels and had a lot of fun looking at the fish.  It was our first real experience snorkeling.  There were a lot of fish to look at.

They had greenhouses with orchids and bromeliads.  They propagate and raise them there on site, something the plant geek in me enjoyed.

Voladores, or flying men.

The bearded men

Equestrian Show

Mexico Spectacular

In the evening there is a show, depicting Mexico's rich history.    It begins with the Mayans playing their games (one where they try to bounce a ball off their hips into a hoop and the other similar to hockey but with a ball of fire.)

It moves to the Spanish conquest and their Catholic roots.

On to the revolution.

And then highlighted different regions of Mexico with their traditional costume, music, and dance.  The mariachi never disappoint.  We enjoyed the performance so much that we went two different nights.  It is quite a production involving some 300 cast members, horses, macaws, and pyrotechnics.

The only time we got in the pool was to try out scuba diving.  The first time under we both about freaked out, but then we both calmed down and got our breathing figured out.

The last day, we ventured out into the ocean for more snorkeling.  We swam all around and enjoyed the relaxation for just kicking around and viewing the underwater world.  Brent was in for the surprise of his trip when he got with yards of the biggest sting ray he's ever seen.  Dalanie had given Brent an underwater camera.  It was a total transition to go back to film- boy have cameras evolved over the last 20 years.  Not many of the pictures turned out, but he did get a decent picture of the stingray.  

Chichen Itza and Ek Balam

Laman, of Helaman's Tours, picked us up at Mahekal for a day trip to Chichen Itza and Ek Balam.  We spent the day reading from the scriptures and making connections with what we were seeing and experiencing.  It was an awesome experience.  

The ball court found at both sites.  Players would bounce a rubber ball off of their hips "shooting" it through the stone hoop.  It was believed to be a fun sport, but ruins at Chichen suggest that it turned to be a sacrificial tradition.  There is a gravesite there.

After thousands of years, it amazing to see how straight the walls still stand.  They knew a thing or two about building.

Around the ruins, there was an inner and outer city wall and highways and roads leading to them.

It brings to mind the fortifications and city walls spoken of in the Book of Mormon.  I think I would feel rather safe if I were inside these massive walls.

The Mayans were great astronomers.  Here is the observatory where wise and educated men would spend their days viewing the heavens.  Despite the time these people lived, there cities and structures were quite sophisticated.  Everything was oriented 19 degrees off of true north.  Because of that, millions of people have visited Chichen on the spring solstice to view the shadow serpent slither down the tiers of the temple.  Laman tells us that the best day to view that is actually on April 6th, no coincidence.

Behind you can see the serpents head at the bottom of the stairs.  The shadow from the tiers aligns with the rail going up the stairs to create a diamond pattern that descends.

Also, you can see the stone box.  Think Hill Cumorah and the golden plates.  It was not a new or singular practice.  

This palace was surrounded by lots and lots of pillars, nearly 2000.  Some LDS historians speculate that it was a memorial or representation of the 2,000 stripling warriors.

There were several themes running through their sculptures and engravings.  The serpent and a feathered serpent, respectively representing perhaps mortality the other of good and rising toward the heavens.  There were lots of jaguars and eagles.  Jaguars were honored but their meaning is a bit elusive as the actual animal.  At time it represents darkness and evil, and other times is appears to be an honored and sacred thing.  There is the white-bearded man, Kukulcan (or our Savior, Jesus Christ.)

These washing sites can be found.  Perhaps they served as more than a literal washing place, perhaps a baptistry.

Between sites, we stopped at a cenote (underground river or geological formation from the water table and the limestone) for lunch.  We didn't do any swimming, but I did enjoy wandering around the beautiful grounds.

 Brent preferred a little siesta.

 Ek Balam is a site that has more recently been uncovered.  You can see below how the climate there has promoted a lot of growth over the top of the structures.  It is just a mound of jungle before all the vegetation is removed.

We enjoyed being able to climb the steep stairs and experience the ruin a bit more than at Chichen.  It was best to traverse the steps in a diagonal, zigzag pattern.

There were some amazing carvings that were preserved by the thatching of collapsed roofs.

It was especially interesting to note the hand gestures being made.

The following drawing depicts darker and fairer skinned people.  It reminds me of the hieroglyphs found in the book of Abraham.

It's hard to see the intricate carving on the wall, but among other figures, there is the white-bearded man.

This is the oft repeated Mayan arch.

This tree sounds hollow when it is tapped.  It was a sacred tree to the Mayan people.

McGee Turns Two

Delsie has gotten pretty good at getting out of going to bed.  I usually indulge her and let her crawl into bed with me at night.  She is obsessed with my phone and taking pictures of herself.  We took a few of her making funny faces.  

Ruby and Dalanie went down to Hard Times with me to get the cinnamon rolls.  Dalanie called ahead and had them waiting for us. (She has their number written down in the back of her journal.)

We did a little photo shoot, but she was less than cooperative.  It shows the real McGee though.  Here she is telling us that she is 'two.'

 "Where's your eye?"

 She preferred taking her own selfies with my phone that she thinks is hers.

I made her a cake and she named it her 'happy.'  She was so pleased with it.  "My happy!"

We had cake and ice-cream the night before since Brent and I were leaving on her birthday for our Mexico trip.  Talk about a guilt trip.  She was just the sweetest thing ever, relishing in the birthday attention.

 The girls were right there, opening her gifts.

She got a play sink that will pump water.  It is everyone's favorite at the moment.

We love our McGee.  She is the perfect mix of sweet and silly.  She loves to be the center of attention and get people laughing at her.  She still bites any goggly eyes she sees and insists on being the keeper of my phone.  She makes herself comfy in my bed and loves to give kisses.  I can't imagine life without her.  We love you!