Uaymitun 2018-Blog Post #6 “Current Events and Ancient Caves!”

Welcome to our Uaymitun 2018 Blog!

One of our ‘bucket list’ items for our winters in Uaymitun was to visit the Loltún Caves, so we planned an overnight trip to do so!

But before we head south to our adventure in the caves, just a few items of interest!

As I mentioned back in Post #2, Val and I had skipped into Mérida to purchase tickets to Programa 1 of this season’s OSY Symphony!  On Sunday, Jan 28th, we attended the concert… thumbs up from all!

The Symphony Orchestra of Yucatan opens its season with a brilliant program of Russian music: The Great Russian Easter, overture created in memory of Mussorgsky and Borodin, who with the composer Nicolai Rimski-Korsakov were part of the Group of 5 nationalist authors. Also, the famous Spanish Capricho , inspired by the composer’s trips to Cádiz will captivate us with the multiple solos of violin, flute, clarinet, cello and harp. Finally, we can enjoy Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 , which describes landscapes and winter dreams.

The lovely Teatro Peón Contreras…
… with its spectacular chandelier!
We had a great time with Doug & Janine…
… and George & Val… pictures courtesy of Raymondo!
We had lunch at La Tratto in Santa Lucia Park… I am ready!

During one of our recent jaunts into Progreso, Elaine and Janine visited the Mercado de Artensanias… while Doug and I had other ideas!

Lunch at Comida China on Calle 80 in Progreso!
And we lived to tell the tale!
We caught up with the girls having Coco Shrimp in Crabster on the Malécon
… and a Cappuccino Maya!
A relaxing bench in the Progreso main plaza!

Usually we have 2-3 times during our stay where the low tides are really low and our off-shore sandbars appear!

Low… Low tide!

Now… on to the Loltún Caves!  Hopefully I won’t overwhelm you with too many photos, but I’ve trimmed my chosen ones from a cast of hundreds!  In any case, the pictures won’t do justice to the beauty of the caves!

Courtesy of the YucatanToday.com website, a description of the caves…

Its name is derived from two Maya words, LOL (flower) and TUN (stone). Located in the hilly Puuc region, 110 km. southeast of Mérida, these are the largest caves on the peninsula. They are also the ones that are the most studied. Evidence has been found here of human contact going back 7,000 years. Mammoth, bison, feline and deer bones have been found in the caves, along with fresco paintings on the walls.

The entrance to the caves is down…
…down…
…down! Our trusty guide was a local Mayan gentleman named Pablo!
A magnificent banyan tree sending roots down!
This photo and the next show some…
… ancient Mayan pictographs on the stone face!
And now into the caves… no more captions as a picture is worth a 1,000 words!

Ok… one caption… look close and you’ll see some friendly bats!
A Toltec statue found in the cave!

The final chamber before climbing back to the surface.

More Mayan pictographs

Doug and Janine capturing the moment!
With our great English speaking guide, Pablo!
The Lion… needs to be seen to be believed! 🙂
The steps up to the surface!
Looking back down the steps!
Back near the entrance and the baños were found some recovered stone pillars (stella)!
Beautiful flowers on the grounds!
One intrepid traveller from BC!

Our trip to the Grutas de Loltún was memorable and very worth the drive!

That’s it for this blog post… we continue our southern trip with Labna, our overnight at the Pickled Onion and then Oxkutzcab on the next blog!

Cheers from Uaymitun, MX!

 

 

4 thoughts on “Uaymitun 2018-Blog Post #6 “Current Events and Ancient Caves!””

  3. Those were some amazing shots in the cave. I know Roger and I would love to go see them when we come down next year. I love adventures like that. You have found some interesting shots to go to this year. Enjoy your sunshine down there.
    We had snow over night but it is all gone again except for a bit on the grass !!!!!!
    Happy Valentines to the both of you !!!! Roger and Sandy

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