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Cancun for History Buffs
 by Sal Partinola
http://www.amcancun.com

Think, "Cancun." Images of beaches and sun-baked revelers
likely come to mind. That's understandable, because most
of us have experienced, or know someone who has
experienced, Cancun in that fashion.

While most people can tell you that Cancun is a happening
place to be today, few really know how much history can be
found there. Although history sounds really dull to many
people, there~s no better way to bring history alive than
to see it with your own eyes. People can experience that
and more at Cancun.

Chichen Itza, built during the Classic period of the
Mayan culture, is located three hours from Cancun. Stroll
through the ruins of what once were temples, palaces,
and markets to get a glimpse of the past glories of the
Mayan and Toltec cultures. Check out the amazing
accoustics; you can hear a whisper from five-hundred feet
away!

Tulum, which means the "Place of Dawning," is located on
the Caribbean coastline two hours from Cancun. Combine
an exploration of the stone temples with a beach outing!

Cancun visitors can also treat themselves to seeing the
sacbes, or ~white roads~ around Coba, which is thought
to be the largest city the Mayan culture ever built.
Although these ruins are in poor condition when compared
to other ruins, it is still considered a special place.
In its day, it was a great Caribbean trade center. Its
great pyramid, Nohoch Mul, is the Yucatan Peninsula~s
highest.

Are you up for something a little different than pyramids
and such? Visit the Sacred Cenote. The water of this
subterranian aquifer is accessed by way of a fifty-foot
descent in a long, narrow shaft carved in the limestone
above. Legend has it that ancient Mayan's performed human
sacrifices here during droughts. The discovery of over
50 child and adult female skeletons by archaeologist
Edward Thompson at the turn of the 20th Century gives
evidence that legend, in this case, is likely based in
fact.

We both know that you can't go to Cancun without partaking
of some of the beach life and night life. Adding one or
more of these locations to your visit will add a great
deal of "spice" to your Mexican visit!

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