We docked in Cozumel at 6 am this morning. Several hundred passengers has booked Field Programs to tour the Chichen Itza, Tulum and Coba Maya ruins on the mainland. I was part of the largest group that went to Chichen Itza.

We all gathered in the main lounge at 5:50 am to wait for the ship to clear. When it did, we went ashore to board our private ferry to Playa del Carmen.

After a quick 30 minute ferry ride, we arrived and boarded the motorcoaches. . Three coaches and nearly 150 people were bound for Chichen Itza.

Onboard the bus, we met our Mayan guide, Armando. Along the 3 hour ride to the ruins, he shared his knowledge of Mexican and Mayan history and culture with us. He talked about wildlife, geology, horticulture and how the Maya arrived in the Yucatan peninsula.

Upon arrival at the ruins, Armando became our tour guide, and took us to each of the significant sites and shared fascinating insights on how is ancestors lived and worked. He talked about the Mayan calendar and the contributions the Maya made to astrology and the arts. He told us about and showed pictures of the serpent image that appears on the El Castillo pyramid during the Equinoxes in Spring and Fall and the tradition of sacrificing the captain of the winning team to the gods after matches in the cavernous ball court.


After the tour, we had about 45 minutes to wander the ruins on our own and bargain with the local Maya selling their handicrafts on site. They are a relentless bunch and throughout the day, the cries of "Ten Pesos. $1. Almost Free, Amigo!" filled the air. I couldn't resist picking up a few bargains.



We only had about 3 hours on site, so we didn't get to tour everything, but it was a good overview and I know I'm going to be back in the not too distant future to spend more time here and see it all.


It was a hot and humid afternoon so it was refreshing to reboard the air-conditioned bus for the ride back to Playa del Carmen. When we arrived there, we boarded a public ferry bound for Cozumel, and we arrived just prior to the scheduled departure time of 7 pm. If we had been delayed, though, the ship would have waited for us - it's one of the advantages of booking Field Programs directly through Enrichment Voyages.

Onboard this evening, Food and Beverage Manager Solomon Bacchus and his team prepared a tasty barbecue dinner for us poolside. An Enrichment Session covering pre-port information for Belize and Karaoke Night in the Aventurine lounge rounded out the night.

It was a long and tiring day, but once I was back onboard the MV Explorer, I got to relax and enjoy a great dinner, a few drinks and recharge for our visit to Belize City tomorrow.

I have a Field Program to the Mangrove Tunnels and City Museum booked for the morning. I'm looking forward to sharing the details with you.