...to boldly go...: ...like watching a movie without audio...

The title of this post is a quote from a guide that we didn't take a tour with. He was talking about us visiting the great ruins of Chichen Itza on our own and without additional information. He was right and wrong at the same time - yes, we probably missed lots of details but wow, how our eyes got the story! So this is how it is going to be for you, too: If you want background info we will gladly be your personal guides of our fantastic first impressions of Mexico and the Mayan Yucatan - but for now it will just be simple fast facts and lots for the eyes.

First stop: Tulum

- the best beaches we have been to on this entire trip
- beautiful Maya ruins in a dramatic cliff-top setting with tons of visitors and even more grand iguanas
- laid back vibe that creates that relaxed cool-long-summer-night holliday feel
- fabulous place for riding bikes along the beach and through lush mangroves
- cristal clear, cool fresh water cenotes (sinkholes) that are connected by the Yucatan's underground rivers invite not only for swimming: our first incredible cave dive at Los Dos Ojos!

The entrance of Los Dos Ojos

Crystal clear waters

The Madonna

Second stop: Valladolid

The beautiful cathedral

- sultanesque with whitewashed buildings, small parks and plazas and a huge old convent
- authentic feel, almost no tourists but soo welcoming
- Tequila tours: learn not only how organic Tequila is produced but also that the Tequila you (might) have been drinking at home is not at all right!
- great Mayan chocolate cafe with games and exotic tastes next to the chocolate museum - yummy

Learning about Tequila...

...and about the Mayan art of chocolate

Third stop: Chichen Itza

The largest ball court in Mesoamerica

Skulls of the enemy

The church

- new wonder of the world for a reason
- smaller than you'd think but still so very impressive
- owns the county fair atmosphere with thousands of vendors that blow their iguana whistles, all the tourgroups that rythmically clap their hands together like in a beer tent and the smell of bean stew in the air that comes from the trees
- Take three hours, then continue to Merida