Back when Europe was locked deep in the dark ages, the Mayans were thriving, their culture both sophisticated and diverse. The five Maya nations were originally located in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, and although their cities were abandoned approximately 450 years ago and fell to ruin, they are still thriving as a people. Today they inhabit the Mexican states of Tabasco, Campeche, Chiapas, Yucatan and Quintana Roo.

     I know this is a long way from Baja, but every once in a while you have to get sidetracked. Branch off. We did this. We finally got to take that romantic airplane vacation. We went to visit a friend from Baja who’d moved to Cancún.

     If you make a trip to Cancún, or any of the other resorts nearby on the Yucatan peninsula, you’ll be surrounded by Maya. They still farm the land and live in small villages throughout the Yucatan peninsula—much as they did centuries ago. They own and work in the shops where you’ll buy handicrafts or groceries, the restaurants where you’ll eat and the hotels where you’ll stay. They are a friendly and proud people. If you’re interested, it’s possible they’ll teach you a few words in their language. For sure, you’ll have to try some of their unique cuisine.

     For the Maya, eating has always been an act of spirituality. Their foods are different than those served in northern Mexico, and most Americans and other tourists are unfamiliar with them. Their chile of choice is the habanero, the hottest chile known to mankind. It is revered for its healing powers and supposedly will ward off any number of illnesses. I swear that it gives off the best endorphin rush of any chile.

     The first night of February 2001 we took the “Red Eye” from Los Angeles to Miami. From there we flew into Cancún. Antonio, who used to own the coolest Mexican handcraft shop in the La Bufadora Mall, picked us up at the airport. He delivered us to our hotel in Cancún, after which we did some beach time, caught a few winks and headed out to explore the city.

Next morning, Antonio picked us up early and we headed off to Chichén Itzá to visit the ruins of the incredible Mayan Kululkan temple. En route we stopped at the colonial town of Vallodolid to buy an authentic Yucatecan hand-embroidered blouse.
  Every spring and fall, on the exact date of the solar equinox, people come from all over to the Kululkan Pyramid to witness watch what’s known as the” Equinox Solar Phenomena.” Without fail, on these days, the shadow of a snake ascends or descends the steps of the pyramid—precisely, on time and without fail. That is because the Mayans developed their own accurate calendar, and were able to exactly predict both equinoxes.

    The three of us climbed the pyramid that day. The heat was intense. The stairs were steep, but narrow in width—obviously designed for people with a lot smaller feet than ours. When I reached the top, I was struck with a dizzying case of vertigo. How in the world would I get down those steep, narrow steps? I watched a few timid people like me. T hey were going down like crabs, sitting on one step and then lowering themselves down to the next one on all fours. Looked like it would work for me, so I went down on my butt too. 

     Other structures at Chichén Itzá include the Temple of the Warriors, the Temple of the Jaguars, El Mercado, Caracol, also known as the Observatory and the Ball Court (the largest in Mesoamerica). Looking out over the area, you immediately know what an amazing civilization the Maya were.

After lunch at a roadside café, where I scarfed down the absolute best salsa (habanero) of my life, we went on to visit the Cenote Ik’kil. There is no adequate way to describe a cenote. You have to experience it to believe it.  Beneath the Yucatan peninsula is a network of underground rivers and countless naturally occurring, crystal clear pools of the purest, most refreshing water imaginable. You can snorkel and dive in them. You can picnic next to them. They are not to be missed.

     Cenote Ik’kil is privately owned. Of all the cenotes we visited, it was by far the most spectacular. The grounds were elegantly landscaped and meticulously maintained. Descending down a stone stairway to at least 200 feet below the surface, we reached the cenote. Its steep walls were covered in vines and roots. Sunlight poured in from an opening above, as did a waterfall and dangling greenery. There was a diving platform. There was a restroom and changing area, so we put on our swimsuits, dove in and swam for almost an hour. It was beyond awesome.

     The next day, Antonio dropped us off at the ferry to Isla Mujeres, a tiny island about 25 minutes off the shore of Cancún. A quiet island village, Isla is not to be missed. It reminded us of Mexico from way back, when we were kids. The beaches are pristine and go on for what feels like forever. The shopping is great. The restaurants are great. The people are laid back and will chat with you for as long as you like. There are plenty of bars and restaurants right on the sand where you can relax in a hammock while listening to live music.

     We took the ferry back to Cancún the next morning … way too soon for us. A visit to Isla Mujeres should last at least a week. Antonio picked us up at the dock and took us to Gran Cenote, where we snorkeled with neon tetra fish and swam among tropical greenery and underwater limestone formations. Through our dive masks we watched a pair of divers descend into underwater caves, and kept watching until their lights dimmed and then disappeared into the darkness.

  From there it was onto Tulúm, another Mayan city right on the Caribbean. A walled city, it was home to the Mayan priests and other elite up until about 400 years ago. It’s another magical place....  Then, we visited the X’Cacel (pronounced EESH-kah-sell) reef. Antonio and I snorkeled along the coral reef, swimming with an array of tropical fish and even a sea turtle.

     Our next stop was our longest. After four days of dashing about, visiting incredible places, we were ready for some serious rest, relaxation and beach time. We’d booked four nights in a little palapa on the edge of the Caribbean at a place called the Blue Parrot Inn in Playa del Carmen. Playa, as everyone down there calls it, is the hot spot on the Riviera Maya these days. A mere 40 minute ride from the Cancún airport, it’s easily accessible, but not crowded or crazy. It’s one of the most welcoming, friendly places either of us has ever been. We loved it—every single moment of it. We checked into our room, unpacked and headed off down the beach, flip-flops in hand. We followed the music to a beachside bar where a reggae band was playing. The sun had just set and the light was fading from the still-opalescent sky. I said, “I think we’ve just arrived in adult summer camp!”

     For four days, we got up, put on our bathing suits (and for me, a pareo—sarong), and headed out to find a new restaurant for breakfast. Our only rule in Playa was that we wouldn’t eat at the same restaurant twice. There were way too many to choose from to duplicate. All the restaurants were indoor/outdoor. All were gorgeous. All served delicious food … and at night … many of them had live (no cover charge anytime) music!

     We ate authentic Mayan food. We ate scrumptious seafood (well, Terry did), elegant flambéed steak and casual but delicious street tacos (of course). Every meal we ate was at least as good as the meal before—and it wasn’t expensive.

     And the music! Ah, the music! How great is the music in Playa? Well, Playa is very small. Its main street, Avenida Quinta (or Fifth Avenue) becomes, at night, a veritable “street scene.” People on foot cruise up and down the street. The sounds of live music pour from at least every other restaurant. People are dining al fresco or shopping in one of the many colorful shops selling Mexican arts, crafts and clothing.

     We cruised, we dined, and we searched for music. We always found it. We heard a great blues band with a lady sax player. We danced to authentic Cuban music, played by real Cubans. We heard reggae bands, rock’n roll, calypso, plenty of Mariachi music and the haunting tunes of the Andes.

     One day we rented bikes and toured the area, from Coco Beach to the north to Playa Car with its upscale golf course and fancy five-star hotels to the south. We made friends. We swam. We lazed. We enjoyed. Our four days were up way, way too soon. So we will be back, for sure. We want to spend a month or two, visit every cenote we can and seep ourselves in the culture and ambience of the Riviera Maya. And everywhere else in Mexico I haven’t been yet....

Postscript:
 Because this is one of my favorite recipes, and I created it after this trip, Mayan Salsa Habanera is not in my cookbook. It’s hot, but not overwhelmingly so. Don’t be a wimp. Habanero chiles are good for you. To make a quick and easy nacho dish that will tantalize your taste buds, spread a bunch of tortilla chips on a plate. Top with grated cheese. Microwave for about a minute, then top with this salsa. Hint: Preparation time for the salsa is about 30 minutes and the recipe makes about a pint.

Mayan Salsa Habanera
1 large red onion, finely diced
6 large tomatoes, finely diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 habanero chiles, minced
juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp Controy (Cointreau or Triple Sec can be substituted)
1 tbsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in bowl. Cover and refrigerate for up to three days. Use with chips, on tacos or as a condiment to any Mexican dish.

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This story appears in Ann's new book, Agave Sunsets.
© 2002 Ann Hazard. No part of this story may be reprinted without author's permission.

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