 Pyramid of the Magician at Uxmal
The Mayan word Uxmal (oosh-MAHL) means "Thrice Built". It is one of the best restored and maintained ruins in the Yucatan. Uxmal thrived from 600 to 900 A.D. Soon after, it was abandoned - for reasons unknown.
|  Nunnery Quadrangle (Uxmal)
The Nunnery Quadrangle, named by the Spanish because it reminded them of a European nunnery, may have actually been a school for training healers, astrologers and priests.
|  Wall detail
With its extensive patterned stone carving, the Nunnery Quadrangle has been hailed as one of the most beautiful complex of buildings in the New World.
|  Restoration in process
A snapshot of the numbering system used to reconstruct the excavated ruins.
|
 Palace of the Governor
The "Puuc" style - named for the nearby Puuc Hills - is the prevailing archtitectural style at Uxmal. Characterized by thick walls covered with numerous thin stones set like mosaics, Puuc archtitecture combines realistic decoration with geometric designs and forms.
|  Grand Pyramid
|  Uxmal detail
Carved serpent swallowing a human head.
|  Distant view of the Pyramid of the Magician
The Pyramid is also sometimes referred to as the House of the Dwarf.
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 Pyramid of the Magician
The Pyramid rises about 127 feet from the Yucatan plain. Its oval shape and massive rounded walls are unusual in Mayan architecture.
|  Map of the State of Yucatan
|  Palace of the Masks at Kabah
The day-long trip through the Puuc Hills first takes you to the site of Kabah. The most famous building here is the Palace of the Masks (the masks of the rain god Chac).
|  Kabah
This entire facade is covered with masks of the Mayan rain god Chac. The masks, like the decorative work at Uxmal, are actually large scale mosaics: each mask, of which there are 250, comprises 30 separate carved stone elements.
|
 Kabah
Close up of a Chac (rain god) grouping.
|  Lizard
|  Iguana
|  Sayil
Sayil (which means "Place of the Ants") is another site along the Puuc route. The site is home to this beautiful palace ruin that at one time contained 90 bedrooms.
|
 Labna
The Labna arch - often called La Puerta - is a typical example of a Mayan arch. Corbeled arches like this one were created by incrementally projecting stone blocks from each side of the arch until the arch came to a peak. Since the walls could not adequately support the weight of the arch, the Mayans would reinforce it with a beam at the top.
|  Labna detail
This ghoulish sculpture of a serpent grabbing a human head between its jaws is one of several ornamenting the walls of the ruins of Labna.
|  The Mirador at Labna
Labna was a major religious center that once supported a population of nearly 3,000.
|  Pool at Villas Arquelogicas
An oasis for the weary ruins climber.
|
 Flamingos
Red flamingos can be seen year-round at the Celestun Biosphere Reserve - directly east of the city of Celestun. For more information check out http://www.mexonline.com/celestun.htm
|  Flamingos close up
There are five species of flamingo on Earth, the largest of these is the 'greater flamingo' which is found near Celestun. It can reach up to 61 inches in height.
|  Flamingos take off
The red flamingo, a sub-species of the greater flamingo, has breeding grounds - like the one found near Celestun - in the Yucatan and the West Indies.
|  Flamingos in flight
Boats can be hired at the park to guide you through the lagoon and into the mangrove forest.
|
 Entrance to the mangrove forest
|  Bird amidst the mangrove forest
|  White-banded wood-rail
Wood-rail glimpsed in the mangrove forest.
|  Termite nest
Termite nest on the branch of a tree in the mangrove forest.
|
 Beach at Celestun
On a narrow spit of land separating the Gulf of Mexico from the Rio Esperanza lies the beach town of Celestun. Local Mexican tourists flock to its fine white sand beaches on weekends and holidays.
|  Eco Paraiso
Just a few miles north of Celestun - but a world apart - lies the eco-resort of Eco Paraiso Xixim. It was opened in 1996 as part of a coconut reforestation project. Unforunately, shortly before we were there, many of the coconut palms had been destroyed in a hurricane.
|  Cabana at Eco Paraiso
There are 15 spacious cabanas at the resort, each with its own terrace and requisite hammock. For more information go to http://www.ecoparaiso.com/
|  View from the observation tower
View overlooking Eco-Paraiso looking towards the town of Celestun. This is truly a "get-away-from-it-all" resort - a place to kick back and just let the world go by.
|
 Observation tower at Eco Paraiso
|  Observation tower at Eco Paraiso
|  View of the Gulf of Mexico
From the observation tower, a view out over the green-blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
|  Beach at Eco Paraiso
|
 Gulf and sky
|  Merida
Merida was founded in 1542 on the site of the Mayan city of T'ho. The Spaniards destroyed the Mayan pyramids and used the stones for the foundation for the Cathedral of San Idelfonso (glimpsed above the treetops in this photo).
|  Confidenciales
This pair of s-shaped love seats - called "confidentiales" - are scattered through the main plaza -Plaza Mayor - in central Merida.
|  Cathedral
Cathedral of San Idelfonso is the oldest mainland cathedral in North America. Built on the site of a Mayan temple, the cathedral was completed in 1598.
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