Mexico: day 4 | tulum, snorkling + bar swings

Tulum was absolutely gorgeous! Equally as awesome as our trip to Chichen Itza several years ago… but Tulum is the only Pre-Columbian Maya ruins situated on the ocean…and it is stunning! Tulum stands for walled city and is situated on a 39 foot tall cliff along coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s one of the last cities inhabited and built by the Mays and between the 13th and 15th centuries managed to survive about 70 years after the spanish began occupying Mexico. Old world diseases brought by the Spanish settlers led to the demise of the populations….and I’m told that it’s one of the best-preserved coast Maya sites.

 

It’s so full of culture and it’s quite humbling to be in a place with so many stories to tell. It’s hard to explain but I got the same feeling when visiting the old castles of Ireland and walking the streets of Pompeii Italy!  I’m so happy Mallory got to experience this!

It’s hard to believe that this village was inhabited by so many people and it was so awesome to learn about their way of life 🙂

Some of the structures are getting a little help by modern technology to help preserve them, you can see by the structure holding up this doorway.

It was such a hot day…the wind near the ocean felt fantastic!!!

How insanely gorgeous is this!?

I could sit here and stare at it all day!

After we spent several hours in the heat at Tulum, we headed down to the caves where we could take a dip and snorkel. It was an amazing experience, Mallory was a pro and the views under the water were AMAZING!! We found a piece of fruit at the bottom and cracked it open to feed the fish. I didn’t take my underwater camera (I know what was I thinking!!??!!) and to have the fish come up to your hand to eat was surreal.

Do I look like Scuba Steve!?! haha!

The water was so refreshing and clear….we stayed until our fingers started to wrinkle! 🙂

This is what it was like to get into the cave…..we have caves around rural PA, but these ones were so much less “commercialized”.

On our way back, we stopped at the cutest little restaurant and ate lunch right on the water.

Do you see my streeky arms. Don’t use spray suntan lotion folks…yes I sprayed AND rubbed it in, but my arms were still streeky…..I’m sticking to lotion from now -convenient or not!

This restaurant was called “La Buena Vida”…I thought it was fitting!!

Mallory’s face is priceless in this shot!

We had an amazing day!! Next up….long walks on the beach!! Stay tuned!