We need an alarm clock again, as we don’t wake up at 5 anymore. It’s 6:30 when we wake up, and we wanted to leave at 6:15 for a pyramide tour. We change our plans, finish another hand laundry, and leave at 7:45 instead, to visit Dzibilchaltun, 15 minutes from our apartment.
It had just been renovated, and a major brand new parking and entrance hall welcome us. We are the first visitors. When we enter the site, an ocellated turkey hunts us, and especially Cleo. We hide behind the fence and the turkey leaves us alone.
We stroll around the ruines, one long tribune-like structure, and some temples. The main temple lies at the end of a 1 km path, the Temple of Seven Dolls, because seven statutes were found inside. It is also the first temple we see that has windows. When we arrive after the kilometer walk through the burning sun, a hummingbird awaits us.
We can climb all the structures, except for the Temple of Seven Dolls. The turkey does not hunt us again when we leave the site. The museum is still closed for renovation.
We drive 15 minutes to the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya. Sadly, it’s also closed for unknown reasons but two temporary exhibitions are open free of charge. Here, we see some modern Mayan art on display. We also wanted to visit the site of Mayapan today, but that site has been closed due to protests of the local villagers: They want a bigger share of the turnover from the tourist visits.
So we go back to our car to visit the old town of Merida instead. We buy a head band for Cleo at one of the many shopping stalls on the Gran Plaza, and have some lunch at a food stall. We keep our fingers crossed that our stomach can process it. We take a taco and a tortas (toasted bread).
We also visit two colonial palaces at the square that feel very European inside. As it’s Sunday there is a service in the main cathedral of the city and also in a nearby church. We admire the colorful houses as we walk back to our parking.
It’s a first for this holiday as we finish our program before 13.00 and head to the apartment for a relaxing afternoon of swimming, reading and playing games.