YUCATAN

The yucatecan architecture is enriched by important pre-Hispanic buildings that can be admired at the archaeological sites, or inside the same cities; its aesthetics and greatness reflects the splendor of the Mayan culture.

The regional dress, distinctive of the cultural heritage of our times, is worn at the popular festivities and in the folkloric events, with pride and elegance. The beautiful embellished attire that are displayed by the yucatecan Mestizas at the festivities are called "terno", derived from the huipil that is the attire used on daily basis, and features a jerkin, an huipil and fustian.

The yucatecan gastronomy includes more than 500 dishes, unique in flavors and aromas, with a mixture of indigenous culinary traditions of European and Asian descent, especially Lebanese that make it one of the most important in the country. And what can be better than to accompany your meal with the music of the troubadours and the world famous yucatecan beer.

Most of the traditional dishes have their origins in Spanish-yucatecan recipes, that when prepared in this land obtains new flavors and ingredients, until shaping the wide variety of dishes. One of the most famous dishes is the "poc chuc", made at the coast, with fresh, flat meat, cooked on hot stones, and without oil, and that at a later date began being commonly prepared with pork meat.

Natural protected area.

Ria Lagartos Fauna Refuge. Its importance resides in being one of the few sites that an estimate population of 30 thousand individual pink flamingos nest, breed and rest from March to October. It was decreed a Wild Fauna Refuge area on June 23rd, 1979, and is 47 thousand hectares in size. Its geographical location provides contact features with the endemic flora and fauna systems of scientific and cultural interest. In 1986, the UN placed it on the Wetlands of International Importance list. The slough is about 69 km long and 1 km wide, with an average depth of 1.1m. On its eastern side there is a salty lagoon called Flamencos that was formed when the El Cuyo Bridge was built. Las Coloradas and El Cuyo are also part of this reserve.

Fauna of the area. This area, likewise, is also a refuge area to more than 250 species of migratory and resident birds, as the ruddy quail-dove that gives off one of the most characteristic morning spring sounds of the area; the blue-winged teal, that comes each year for winter time all the way from Canada between September and October, has here its most important concentration in our country, and remains here until January; the northern pintail, the whistling duck, and the muscovy duck, the population which is decreasing in Mexico due to its intense hunting. Near the village of Las Coloradas, there are large mangrove areas inhabited by great egrets and blue herons. At the shore of the slough can be found colonies of pink flamingos near their nests, made with mud of the estuary; nests built during the first months of the year, when they return from their annual migration from the other side of the peninsula, in Celestun.

There are many wild endemic species, as the spider monkey, the tepezcuintle, agouti, white-tailed deer, ocofaisan (a type of pheasant), crocodile and jaguar, among others. Here, you can find 19 classes of ornithofauna of the 27 that there are world wide, and approximately 121 bird varieties. There are reptiles, as the crocodile; coveted mammals due to their meat, as the tepzcuintle, wild rabbit (agouti), raccoon and the grison. At the east end you can watch the ant bear, cacomixle, sabin (type of weasel) and the tyra. At the Flamingo's lagoon there are estuarine areas with fishes as the mullet and bass.

The area is protected by the SEMARNAP, (Mexican Secretariat of Marine, Natural Resources and Fishery) with a permanent debar, for avoiding the capture or hunting of the crocodiles, deer, flamingo, grison, jaguar and marine turtles, and for protecting mainly the hawksbill, irreversibly endangered animal specie. During summer time, arrive at the refuge beaches the leatherback, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles. Visitors are urged not to disturb the turtles' spawning, because the nesting season goes from April until mid September, comprising the complete summer vacation season.

Petenes. At the reserve you can find several types of vegetation, as the sand dunes, with species not found in any other area, as the Chi'it and Kuká palm trees. There is also aquatic and flooding forest vegetation, conformed by mangroves, tule groves and petenes (forested hummocks). These last are ecosystems shaped as islands, in which at the center you can find a cenote or water eye, which nourishes the estuary. It is one of the few sites in the world where these Petenes exist. Most of the plant species found at these sites are enlisted as endangered species, as is the case of the most beautiful orchids in the continent.

Beach. Fine sands with shell fragments, regular slope and soft surf. The beach is the most visited site, and the people get there in rented boats.

Boat rental at the pier. This service is provided daily. With regards to the natural attractions, the main one, undoubtless, is the ride through the pink flamingo's sanctuary. The ride lasts about 3 to 4 hours and includes a visit to the nesting area of the flamingos, the Chiquilá Balneary and the beach.

Archaeology

Chichen Itza Archaeological Site. Located 2 km away of the village of Piste. Its name means in the Maya language "the mouth of the itzaes well". Its peak time was between the years 1000 and 1250 A.D. It's a site that covers a large territory with monumental architecture. Even though in its peak time it had hundreds of construction sites, today only about thirty can still be visited, because the rest are just knolls of stones, some of them covered by brush.

The House of the Deer. The name was given because on one of its walls a sketch with the shape of a deer was found. It's built on top of a platform with a stairway at its center. Both the facades and crenellations are not ornamented.

The Nunnery. Is one of the most impressive of the massive buildings at Chichen Itza, and the main one of the Maya Classic period: it has two stories, each build at a different period, the first with long halls formed by rooms, and the second with just one room, and can be reached by the only stairway depicting phytomorphous and zoomorphous figures. It's 18 meters high.

The Nunnery Annex. Attached to the base, there are several rooms which the distribution plan has as an L shape. The main facade is decorated with masks of Chac, the God of the Rain, and a sitting human figure, with headdresses and surrounded by feathers. This craving is located on top of the doorway, as well as a series of glyphs that are dated apparently from the year 880 A.D. The west facade has Chac masks and lattice panels.

The Caracol. The name was given because of the snail-like stairway that conveys to the top of the building. The building belongs to a transition stage between the Classic and Post classic periods, because it was built around 900 A.C., but is of a classic Puc Style. This distinctive structure is based on two superimposed platforms. It's important to outline that this type of structure is associated with the God of Wind. Its top floor allows observations, through portholes, the spring equinox (March 21st), as well as the descent of the moon on its way through the horizon, it is because of this that there is no doubt that the astronomic observation was a very important activity among the pre-Hispanic people.

Civil Architecture

House of Montejo (Merida). Located on 63 Street, between 60 and 62 Streets. This house belonged to the Conqueror of Yucatan, Francisco de Montejo "El Adelantado"; it was built between 1543 and 1549 by his son Francisco de Montejo "the Young". It is a jewel of both historic and artistic value, for it represents the most remarkable of the civil architecture in the plateresque style in Mexico. The only intact remains of this building are its two-bodied doorway: The lower side is in plateresque style in the form of an architrave. The building sits on a soubassement or a pinth course. The doorway is flanked by two Corinthian columns and the frame has chiseled tablets in high relief combined with renaissance motifs. The key of the door is formed by a bearded man figure holding on his back the central part of the ledge. In the upper part of the façade there are four portraits (three of them are under the cornice) and it's possible they are of Francisco de Montejo "the Young", his wife and son. On top of the iron balcony stands out the coat of arms of Montejo "El Adelantado". The border has a crowned shield of rampant lions and is topped with the bust of a man, as the main human ornament and animal figures. The upper part of the doorway has Elizabethan gothic characteristics. However, it must be noted that the building has a substantial indigenous influence.

Today, a commercial bank has its offices in this building.

Religious Architecture

San Ildefonso's Cathedral (Merida). Located at 60 Street by 61 Street is considered the oldest cathedral in Mexico and the second oldest of the continent, after the Santo Domingo cathedral in Dominican Republic. Its construction began in 1562 under Bishop Fray Diego Toral and was finished in 1598 under architect Juan Miguel de Agüero. It is one of the most sober examples of the plateresque style in Mexico. Its façade has two three-bodied towers, a choir window and three accesses of round arches; the main one is larger and has fluted shaft pilasters and niches with sculptures. Above the choir window are the carvings of an eagle surrounding a cactus, with a crown on top and supported by a lamb. The cathedral reflects on its towers and square floor a Moorish reminiscence, while the central body and the doorways are of notable Renaissance influence.

The interior, both sober and impressive, has an enormous nave with Tuscan columns; the vaults are made of bricks. The interior decoration of the main vault and the junction vaults are a curious and singular two-way beam forming a Latin cross. A very attractive feature is the organ of tubular design found at the choir, as well as the oil painting of the Virgin Mary dated in the XVIII century, and two neoclassic style altar pieces with niches harboring religious images. We should mention that at this temple, as in most of the cathedrals, all bishops and the most important people during the Colony were buried here.

Handicrafts

Mundo Marino (Progreso). Small retail store of beautiful handicrafts: mother-of-pearl and snail conch necklaces, earrings and pendants; shark jaws, multicolored and exotic sea shells, gaudy dissected fish, as sea urchin, globe fish and others; casserole or bayonet crabs (endangered living fossils); starfish, large conch snails and sponges, among others.

Chun-Yaax-Che (Muna). Workshop located in Muna, specialized in Maya art replicas, especially polychromatic pottery and sculpture. There is an art collection exhibit, harmoniously distributed under palm tree huts; in the middle of the garden trails are pieces for sale. They take work orders.

Bathing area

Bathing area ISSSTEY (Yucalpeten). It has a beach of about 200 meters long, of fine sands with shell fragments, as well as a slight gulfweed contamination; its slope is regular, and the surf has few waves. Other additional services found here are green areas, a children´s playground, palapas, a softball field, dressing rooms, showers, paddling pool, pier and dance floor. It also has fried fish and sodas for sale. The admittance cost to the balneary is very cheap. Available are waterskiing, fishing, scuba diving, sailing, etc., which may rent the equipment at the marinas located in the harbor. With regards to the fishing, you can catch groupers and snappers, although there is a quite large variety of other fish as well.

Cultural Center

"Jose Peon Contreras" Theater (Merida). This enclosure has turned into the maximum stage of the cultural events in Merida. In its lobby, temporary painting and photography exhibits, among others, are put together.

The show "Yucatan and its Roots" is presented at this site it is presented by a folkloric group of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY, for its Spanish acronym). It is an event that combines music, dance and color in a majestic play depicting the cultural heritage of Mexico, over 90 people perform on the stage.

Amusement Park

Parque Del Centenario (Merida). It was built during the government of Don Enrique Muñoz Aristegui to celebrate, in 1910 the centenary of the National Independence. At the southern entrance of the park is placed a stone frame once part of the old doorway of a slaughterhouse that used to be located on this site, 66 street. Please, note the Centenary Tree which was planted there as symbol of the establishment of this park.

Among the facilities and services of the park are: an outdoor theater; an artificial lake with rowing boats rental; a cable car, horse rental; the troubadours' kiosk; the house of mirrors; rides, a small skating rink, two trains that travel around the perimeter, and facilities for children amusement.

Its main attraction is the zoo, although it does not have large enough spaces, it is still important because it has a few good animal species; some of them are endangered, as the African lion, leopard, Bengali tiger, which is the largest living feline; the panther, red lynx; fallow-deer, a relative to the deer distinguished for bleating, whistling and meowing to express itself; hippopotamus, hamadryas baboons, nilgai antelope, chimpanzees and peafowls; all of them native to the old world.

There is also a black bear, that until the last century was abundant in the north of Mexico, the ruminant llama, of the camel order; crocodile, spider monkey, and green monkey, wild boar, white-tailed deer, ocelot, puma and agouti; and birds as the toucan, several pheasants, Inca doves, certain varieties of hawks and flamingoes. In addition, it has an aquarium and a herpetarium.

Fauna

Fauna Refuge of La Ria de Celestun (Celestun). Established by presidential decree on July 19th, 1979; it's 59,130 hectares, 25 thousand of which belong to the State of Yucatan, and encompass the estuary of the same name in the surrounding marshlands. It's a refuge for wild fauna, such as the pink flamingo.

There are boats that cruise around the estuary including all the sites where the pink flamingos are found. The best season for watching the flamingos is from March until August, time where they leave their nesting areas in Rio Lagartos, and arrive to this plankton rich area, to be fed. In addition, in different islets, you can admire colonies of double crested cormorants, different types of wild ducks, robins, egrets, cardinals and others with local names, as chichito and sascal; additionally, there are fishes, mollusks, turtles, crocodiles, iguanas, and a great variety of species, unique to the area.

In this refuge, it's been detected the presence of numerous species of migratory birds, that year after year come to spend the winter season, as the pared grebe, blue-winged teal, plovers, oystercatchers, blue herons, American widgeons, gadwalls, American pelicans, cormorants, whistling ducks, lesser scaups, black-throated bobwhite or bech', Pol nuxi', northern shovelers, ospreys, yellow-billed cuckoos, lineated woodpecker, ruddy turnstones (small birds that in large groups enjoy resting on top of the rocks that come out of the sea, where they catch, with their beaks, small crustaceans), catopsemipalmatus (grey-feathered birds that change the color of their feathers when in rut to white), and many more. There is a total prohibition to hunting.

The predominant vegetation is the mangrove; in its thickness, at the west side of the estuary, there is a watering hole with a crystal clear spring, which is appropriate for swimming, this place is known as the water eye.

In its petenes, or islands of rich vegetation, are: red mangrove, thorny brush, tropical savannah, annual low forest, tule groves and hydrophilic vegetation, which harbor the different fauna species that are found here.

In the vicinity of the estuary can be visited the springs or water eyes of Valdiosera and Venecia, of transparent waters and limestone, where it is permitted to swim and scuba dive.

Turtle arrival. Led by an unknown instinct, these turtles arrive to these beaches from April until August. Their hatching period last approximately sixty days, and they come onto land between July and October. They are mainly hawksbills, and from time to time loggerhead and green turtles.

Staff of the Ecology Secretariat of the state government carry on a protection program for the marine turtle, which includes night trails around the beaches for detecting their arrival, wait for their spawning, wipe out the tracks and avoid depredation.

In Mexico was issued since 1991 a total prohibition for catching and trading all turtles and their products.

Recently an ecological tunnel was built where you can watch monkeys, as well as a variety of birds and plant species.

Folklore

Folklore at the portals (Merida). At the portals (doorways) of the City Hall in Merida, at the main square, Mondays at 9 pm, the folkloric ballet represent the typical "vaquerias", the regional dance, where the rhythm known as "Jarana" stands out, which has its origins in the 18th Century Haciendas, and the dexterity of the dancers performers. These celebrations are so named because at its beginnings, the female dancers used to wear cowboy hats; now a days, they wear the beautiful regional dress called "terno", (typical of the yucatecan women) and the men the classical attire of the Philippine, or a white linen guayabera, white trousers and the native espadrilles or "chillonas". The couples dance the jarana, which consists in a kind of tap dance with no fixed steps, which are limited to the lower extremities, for the upper part of the body remains straight, to be able to dance with an object on their heads without letting it fall down; this is called galas or lots., where they use liqueur bottles or even trays with glasses filled with beer. The orchestra, called charanga, is a small band with some wind instruments; some times, during the performance, the music stops and the famous "bombas" are recited, which are joyful and hilarious quatrain verses. The origin of the vaqueria is Spaniard. As closure of these dances, are performed the sones de jaleo (sounds of uproar).

Mardi gras of Merida (Merida). The Mardi gras celebration is an ingrained event in this city. During a week, and from the Paseo de Montejo till the Main Square, there are daily parades of allegorical cars and comparsas (dance groups). These celebrations begin with the reading of the Mardi gras proclamation (ban) that admonishes all the subjects of King Momo to have fun. It goes on with the burn of the "burning of the bad mood" represented by a doll that is incinerated. After reading the ban, there are fireworks, with the performance of the flying dancers. In this welcoming act the authorities participate, the elected sovereigns, the infantile king and queen, the comparsas that enliven the night with their colorful costumes and flamboyant dances. During five consecutive days uproar and happiness and the participation of the community prevail, enjoying the parades of the ornamented cars, the costumes and the concentration of the participants, grouped in comparsas, dancing to the rhythm of the music of the streets. The people call these days as: Band Thursday, Parade Friday, Fantasy and Masks Saturday, Mardi gras Sunday, Regional Monday and Flowers Battle Tuesday. On Ashes Wednesday the action finishes with the burning of "Juan Carnaval". The visitor also has the option to attend to the dances organized at the different service clubs.

Merida on Sunday. This program is held every Sunday at the Main Square and at the Hidalgo, de la Madre, Santa Lucia and de las Americas Parks. It's great acceptance among both the citizens of Merida and visitors; is one of the most ingrained cultural and recreative events, for these are its main attractions. Performing are the Folkloric Ballet of the City Council, marimbas, local musical groups and interpreters, clowns, etc. There are also small stalls selling books, antiques, handicrafts and arts crafts and snacks.

Caverns

Balankanche Cave. Located on 180 Highway, just 6Km. Away from the archeological site of Chichen Itza. Just 200 meters away from the entrance, stands the Balam Throne, a type of altar where the ancient Mayas celebrated some kind of unknown ceremony. Is after this throne that the Cave is named for. At the center of the same room, rises a large pillar formed by the fusion of a stalactite and a stalagmite, resembling a large ceiba tree, called the sacred ceiba that grows inside the earth. In the next room is a semi dry lake where several Maya offerings, as seashells and pieces of jade, where found. In addition, inside the cave were found incensories, metates (ka'), miniature plates, jewelry and pottery offerings, figurines of the god Tlaloc, jade jaguars and hand impressions on the walls. Outside the cave is a cafeteria, a botanical garden and a handicrafts store, where you can find fabrics, postcards, leather, silversmiths, books, etc.

Museum

Regional Museum of Anthropology and History (Merida). Since 1977 is located at the Canton Palace, on Paseo de Montejo avenue. This museum includes 14 rooms where several collections of the Maya culture are displayed. The exhibit is one of the most complete on the primitive men that lived in this area several centuries ago, additional to pieces found in recent excavations and Maya sites, as Oxkintok. Among the most noticeable collections is the one showing some prehistoric relics found at the Loltun Caverns. Others describe the social evolution of the Maya people, their means, techniques and progress, as the astronomy, codex, pottery, etc. It contains valuable stone sculptures, among which a Chac-Mol from Chichen Itza stands out. On the walls of the first room, can be admired the lithographs of the English explorer Frederick Catherwood. The museum has a library specialized in Anthropology.

Landscape

Noc-Ac Cenote. Just 1 Km away from the small village of Noc-Ac, following a paved trail, is located the narrow mouth (only 5 meter diameter) of this cenote, which extension, however, expands in a gallery of some 40 meters long by 20 meters wide, occupied by water till 3 meters from the entrance. The transparency of the water is remarkable, and is very refreshing; swimming here has no risk at all, for there are no water current or harmful fauna. Here you may observe some blind bearded fish of a whitish-pink color, native to the peninsula. The access road is not in good condition, but the transit is allowed to any kind of vehicle.

Sacred Cenote (Chichen-Itza ). It's considered one of the main cenotes for rituals and offering among the Mayas. From this place interesting archaeological pieces have been rescued, some of them from Piedras Negras and Palenque, including figurines, jade beadings, gold and copper disks, turquoise plates; seashell pieces, and the bones of men, women and children. In total, the remains of some 40 people have been recovered. Since the cenote was an offering center for over nine centuries, if these remains correspond to sacrifices, we can concur the sacrifices were not very frequent. The Sacred Cenote is connected to the main square of the maya-tolteca age, by a wide sacbe (ancient road) of some 300 meters long.

Beach

Santa Clara Beach. Its sands are of medium size grain, light in color, few waves and moderate slope. Located at the open sea, it is approximately 500 meters long by 8 meters wide. The beaches are fishing boat wharfs. Still visible are the damages caused by hurricane "Gilbert". From the coastal highway you can take the road that accesses the beach. The fishing is rich in species such as grouper, dogfish, porgy and mackerel.

Historical Site

Park of the Heroes (Valladolid). In this plaza, on June 25th, 1910, Colonel Maximiliano R. Bonilla, Captain Atilano Albertos and Lieutenant Jose E. Kantun main leaders of the so called first sparkle of the Mexican Revolution were shot. Still preserved is the wall of which was once the San Roque Temple, where you can observe the bullet impacts. At the back side of the park, on the same wall, are the headstones of the gravesites. In 1958 the park was inaugurated as a tribute to the memory of these martyrs, with an obelisk placed in the center, in their honor.

Site for navigation

Progreso. Is the first deep sea port and the most important port of the yucatecan coast. Its climate is dry and hot, with rains from June to September. It was founded where the old ranch of El Progreso was located, on July 1st, 1811, by Juan Miguel Castro, in whose memory there is a monument at the entrance of the sea wall walkway. During the first half of this century, it was one of the main ways of communication of the Peninsula with the rest of the country and the United States; it also played a key role in the import of the sisal (henequen), during its boom age.

Sites for sports and/or recreational fishing

Pier of the Celestun Estuary Celestun). At the pier of the Celestun estuary an excursion to the entrance of the ocean is organized. It is at this location where small, clean, solitary beaches and several fish species, especially corvine, sea bass, mackerel, grouper, mullet and mojarra may be found.

On the return to estuary, you will visit a place of mysterious beauty: the petrified forest of Tampeten, which is a rare place where groups of stems stand calcinated within a circular area, with their roots submerged in the water. Last, you can visit the "Real de Salinas" ruins (an industry from the beginning of the century), from where the salt was exported. You can still recognize the drying patios, the main house, the chapel, the warehouse, etc. Other interesting sites are: Isla Arenas, of exceptional beauty; Ninum is a place propitious for catching shrimps and inhabited by crocodiles, and Dzinintun, which harbors several varieties of herons.

A coastal line of 135 Km, from Celestun to the Chuburna Harbor, including the swamp and mangrove areas, is currently considered as the 7th most important wetland of the 20 that exist in Mexico, where every year thousands of migratory birds take a rest on their long journey from Canada to the Patagonia, in the south cone of America.

Zoo

Regional Fauna of the Mayab Ecological Reserve (Cholul B-3). Exhibition of 95 animal species, representative of the south and southeast of the Mexican Republic, captive inside large spaces with natural floor, and in an induced environment of the high forest, with ceiba and jabin (fish poison wood) trees, palm trees and malangas. The main objective of this zoo is to preserve and reproduce, for their preservation, samples of species, some of which are endangered.

While taking a nice walk you can observe the six most important felines of the country, all of them native to the America: the cougar, fast runner and tree climber, the jaguar, of beautiful fur, the ocelot, of very appreciated skin, the red lynx, tiger cat, and jaguarondi, this last distinguished for being the first domesticated feline by the pre-Hispanic cultures. You can also find wild boars, which supplied meat to the ancient Mayas, the spider monkey, Grisons, sables, raccoons and tapirs.

Among the birds you can watch are the toucan, th'o birds, owls, king vultures and macaws; and reptiles as the colorful snakes of the rain forest.

There are green areas for picnics.