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After a breakfast served on the terrace, we head off in the car on the Puuc trail named for the abundance of Mayan ruins along its route. Our first stop is at Kabah the main building of which is covered with hundreds of carved stone masks. The scene is made more dramatic by the large iguanas which wander over the partially restored complex.
Next on the agenda is Labna which archaeologists believed supported 3000 people about 1000 years ago. There are no rivers or springs here and the Mayans survived by collecting water during the rainy season and storing it in large underground chambers which they lined with clay to prevent leakage.
We spend the rest of the day, driving through the arid forested countryside ( this is the dry season and most of the trees have lost their leaves) and quiet rural villages. Public transport in these is either a pedal cycle rickshaw or more commonly, a motorbike, very roughly converted to a rickshaw by replacing the front wheel with a two wheeled steel basket with an opening at one side and two planks for seats. A rough canopy provides some shade to driver and passengers who seem very exposed sitting out in front, especially when exiting a junction.
We stop in Ticul for lunch of a local delicacy of Poc Chuc, sliced pork or chicken marinated with lemon or lime juice, grilled and coated with tomato-ish coating...served with chopped lettuce, sliced tomato, rice, avocado, pickled onions sliced and as always tortillas....very Rico...(tasty).
Back in Santa Elena we have a quick visit to the tiny museum which has on display, mummified bodies of 18th century children uncovered during fairly recent renovations to the adjacent Cathedral. We ask if it is possible to go up to the Cathedral roof and an old caretaker shows us the way, warning us off the dodgy stairs. We make our way cautiously up the spiral steps, some of which are suffering from a severe attack from termites. We exit very cautiously on to the roof on hands and knees and get a great view of the surrounding area. We make it down again unscathed but this excursion would definitely not pass a health and safety risk assessment back home.
Santa Elena is devoid of anything to do in the evening so we are glad to be staying in a nice place but the eccentric "innkeeper" tells us about a bizarre ritual, peculiar to this village which is to take place the following evening so we make a point of witnessing for ourselves.
Some of the young men knock together a wooden platform with a bench seat, canopy and carrying poles, a bit like the litters which were used to transport Chinese Emperors. This is decorated with balloons and five young women in local costume sit precariously on the wooden bench holding burning candles.
This is carried through the town at a running place with stops every hundred metres or so during which time, a brass band blasts out some music, firecrackers shoot off randomly and the porters drink beer in preparation for another sprint. No one seems to know the origin or the reason for this procession but most of the village joins in, pedestrians running in front with motor scooters following behind carrying up to 4 people.
Yes... certainly an evening with a difference
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