Endless Sunshine at the City of Palaces

10/8/2012

Cancun

Cancún is a city in south-eastern Mexico, located on the north-east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It is a world-renowned tourist destination, as well as being the seat of the Benito Juárez municipality. The city is located off of the Caribbean Sea, and is one of the eastern-most points in Mexico.

Cancún is located near/in Mexico's Caribbean coast resort band known as the Riviera Maya.Powdery white sand, transparent turquoise sea, lush surroundings and great food in a five-star hotel and festive malls are the reasons why we've decided to go back to Cancun.

Tulum Zona Arqueologica

Tulum is located in the state of Quintana Roo, approx 80 miles south of Cancun. Its prehistoric name Zama which means "dawn" and given its proximity to the sea and its geographical location, which everyday allows for a full appreciation of the sunrise, it is not difficult to deduce the reason for the city being so named. The name can also mean "enclosure" or "fenced-in area" since it's surrounded by walls on three sides.

Chichen Itza

"At the edge of the well where the water wizards live", is the meaning in Maya of Chichen Itza, the name of one of the most important city-states in pre-Hispanic America. Here among the splendid runs we can still admire differing architectural styles and an urban layout w/c change over the years, reflecting the cultural, social and political evolution of the city's inhabitants

Cenote Sagrado Azul

Ik-Kil is a large, deep cenote on the highway east of the main entrance to the ruins. Getting down the water's edge requires navigating many steps. The view from the top to the bottom is dramatic w/lots of tropical vegetation and curtains of hanging tree roots stretching all the way to the water's surface.

Uxmal

Uxmal is the most spectacular of the Classic Maya cities, which is located at the entrance to the Puuc region. This region is considered as he biggest congregation of Mayan villages in the world. Uxmal is one of the most splendid sites of the Puuc region, which had its peak between 700 and 950 AD, but the best buildings were erected in the last one hundred years of its history.

Uxmal (OOSH-mahl) means "'built three times" in the Mayan language, and though its name is a mystery, its beauty is not. As a World Heritage site, it is one of the best-restored and maintained archaeological sites in the Yucatán, and certainly one of the most magnificent.

Campeche

To understand the beauty of the city of Campeche, it is necessary to observe the great richness of designs and colours in the doors of the houses, which inhabitants diligently care providing a beautiful architectural landscape.

Palenque

This is another one of the grand archaeological sites of Mexico. The ruins of Palenque look out over the jungle from a tall ridge that juts out from the base of the steep, thickly forested mountains. It is a dramatic sight colored by the mysterious feel of the ruins themselves. The temples here are in the classic style w/high pitched roofs crowned w/elaborate combs. Inside are representations in stone and plaster of the rulers and their gods.

Cascadas de Agua Azul

Lots of beautiful and colorful waterfalls and natural pools, both big and small, are located on the downstream of the river Agua Azul. The river gets its blue color from the limestone and the sun’s rays and the depth, and by the green surrounding area. The breeze and the charming sound of the water make this place relaxing and unforgettable.

Oaxaca de Juarez

Chamulans consider San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist) above Christ; his image is the one that take precedence in the church. San Lorenzo Zinacantan offer pine branches and geraniums in their rituals. Photography is forbidden inside their churches and are punishable by jail sentence

Canyon of El Sumidero

The Sumidero Canyon is located between Tuxtla Gutiérrez and Chiapa de Corzo. It is a geological fault that was formed millions of years ago, where the Grijalva River lies, and it is considered as one of the most spectacular places in Mexico. Its walls are over 900 meters high, and beautiful features can be appreciated along them, such as “Cueva de Colores” (cave of colors) and “Cascada Árbol de Navidad” (Christmas tree waterfall). The tour through the canyon down the Grijalva River is one of the most spectacular in Mexico. On its almost vertical walls, there are several colorful caves and waterfalls, such as the so called "Árbol de Navidad" (Christmas tree). Birds and monkeys abound in the area, and you can see crocodiles on the banks of the river.

Tule Tree

El Arbol del Tule, which is actually an Ahuehuete Cypress, is amongst the oldest living trees in the world. The mighty tree in Santa Maria del Tule, has a circumference of over 160 feet at its base, and is between 2000 and 3000 years old, making it one of the oldest living things on earth.

Monte Alban

Inhabited over a period of 1,500 years by a succession of peoples Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs – the terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Albán were literally carved out of the mountain and are the symbols of a sacred topography

Giant Cactus

Tonantzintla & San Francisco Acatepec

Capilla del Rosario, one of the most elaborately decorated Baroque chapels in Mexico. The walls and dome are completely coated with ornate sculpture in gold leaf and plaster, including saints, cherubs, and dancing angels. On the walls, golden vines form the frames of six paintings depicting the mysteries of the rosary.

Exploring Cholula

On the western outskirts of Puebla is the small town of Cholula, which offers a good vantage point for viewing the volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Ixaccihuatl. These volcanoes separate the Valley of Mexico from the Valley of Puebla.

Pyramid of the Sun & the Moon

Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in the world measuring 722 ft. per side at its base and is built on top of a series of sacred caves w/c aren't open to the public. Pyramid of the moon faces a plaza at the northern end of the avenue. The plaza is surrounded by little temples and by the Palace of Quetzal-Mariposa.

Xochimilco (Famed Canals & Floating Gardens)

Xochimilco is noted for its famed canals & floating gardens. The canal which is more than 80km (50 miles) hosts an amazing number of festivals, the most famous of which celebrate the Ninopa, a figure of Christ child that is believed to possess miraculous powers.

Endless sunshine, splendid scenery, and captivating sandy beaches, and the Mexicans astonishingly rich cultural heritage. Mexico's ancient Aztec and Mayan sites and historic colonial cities that many have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ensuring they'll remain unchanged for generations to. It's also a country prosperous in flora and fauna, as it is spread across climate zones that surround everything from arid deserts to luxuriant tropical rainforests.

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