CHAPTER 18. CENTRAL AMERICA & YUCATAN CONT.

The bus takes us right to the Hacienda Hotel at Chichenitza. It is a beautiful place with duplex cabins widely scattered in the gardens around a central building with office, bar, and dining room. Our room is large with tile floors and a wide covered verandah with table and chairs in front. The windows are screened and shuttered, but have no glass. After a good lunch of pork chops, Yucatan style (cooked in a tomato barbecue sauce), we walk up to the Mayan ruins for a couple of hours. There are army troops everywhere - we hear some important government people are coming to visit. Dinner in the dining room is a delicious peppery fish dish.

After a good breakfast of hot cakes and bacon we walk up to the ruins and climb the warriors temple, not as high as the pyramid, but high enough for us! It is very steep coming down with a hand on steps above our feet. We stroll back to the Hacienda for lunch and a nap then return to see an older area of the ruins south of the highway. There are many interesting facades, some with masks of the rain god with a hook shaped nose. Back to the hotel for beer and rest before another excellent supper.

We are up at 8 am after awakening to heavy rain; it threatens all day but there are only a few showers. Glenn walks up to the ruins and waits until the bus comes in to buy tickets on the 3 pm bus back to Merida. There is no trouble canceling our third night at the hotel; it is a great place with very nice people! After lunch we finish packing and follow a white clad boy with our luggage on a hand cart up to the bus station. After a fast trip we are back in the Caribe Hotel. There are a lot of firecrackers; it must finally be mardi gras.