2017 - 2018:  Punta Mita Mexico to Quetzaltenango Guatemala

Dec 23, 2017.  Hotel Plaza Mirador, Merída 

• Early drive to Chichén Itzá, got there a few minutes after opening time, but it was already crowded: 15 minutes to park the car, another half hour to get my ticket.  I can’t imagine what it must be like when the tour buses start arriving.  The crowds and the incredible number of locals selling junk along the walk ways took a lot away from an otherwise very good (but not the best) pre-Hispanic ruin I’ve seen.  Some very good bas reliefs, and El Castillo was pretty fine.  The Gran Juego de Pelota was huge and in great shape.  But all the tour guides (and there were many, many tour guides) insisted on their groups clapping and shouting to hear how the buildings echoed.  Whee.  Also, it was disappointing to learn that most of the real cool stuff is inside the various structures, and not visitable.

• I liked Dzibilchaltún better - lots fewer people,  the amazingly long Estructura-44, a very fine museum with lots of well-preserved sculptures (my favorite: a guy with two cactus spines in his weenie), and the Cenote Xlakah nearby, with hordes of weekend tourists having a swim.

• Returned the car: 5 days, $3,000 pesos.  And booked a morning bus to Valladolid.  

• Mondongo for dinner.  Tripe?  

• Bus ticket to Valladolid: $171