Visit to Cancun, Mexico [January 15-21, 2010]
7 shaped hotel zone of CancunHyatt Regency Hotel is the second from the left
The trip to Cancun, Mexico was a gift given by our three children for the Helen’s 70th birthday. The trip has been organized through the Expedia.com, which had a package deal to Cancun, Mexico. I have been to Mexico before but that was a work trip, in which I was invited by the Society of Metallurgical Engineering of Mexico to give a plenary lecture at their Hydrometallurgy section held in Hermosillo, Mexico about 10 years ago. The ocean beach about one hour drive to the west coast was very impressive since we saw a clean and quite beach there. The reason we picked Cancun other than one of more quiet places was that someone told us that one should visit Cancun at least once to feel for a nice beach as well as their ancient history.
Cancun is located in the Yukatan Peninsula and was established about 40 years ago in 1970 when there were only three residents at that time. However, it has grown to be a huge tourist town with population of more than a half million. We were told that there were about 150 hotels and 380 restaurants. More than four million people visit the town annually and the airport handles nearly 200 flights daily. We stayed in Hyatt Regency Hotel located in the hotel zone, a narrow corridor shaped like a number 7 with bridges on each end connecting to the main part of Cancun. We arrived in Cancun after 9:00 p.m. in the evening and we found many young people lined up to enter dancing halls. We went out after 10 p.m. to find a place to eat dinner and noted loud speakers everywhere with drum beats and dancing people even outside beer halls. Like any other tourist places, things were expensive and we were stopped every now and then by a group of people accosting us if we needed any information for entertainment or tour.
One very good advantage of visiting Cancun is that it is not very far away of the historically famous place called “Chichen Itza,” where many archeological sites have been excavated. We were told that this place has been recognized as one of the seven wonders of the world along with the Great Wall of China, Tasimahal of India, Greece Coliseum, the statue of Christ in Brazil, Peru Inca, and Jordan Cathedral. In fact, the second day of our visit, we joined a tour group heading for Chichen Itza, about two hours drive from Cancun. The first place we visited in Chichen Itza was Cenote Sogrodo, a sinkhole due to collapse of the ground caused by underground river. It was about 60 m wide and more than 50 m deep. There is a legend saying that if one swims in this sinkhole, one lives 10 years more without sickness.
Chichen Itza meaning “at the mouth of the well of the Itza” is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization. We were impressed by many temples, ancient pyramids, a huge ball court, and many building sites. The tour guide explained to us how smart the Mayan people were especially in their skills and understanding of physics and astronomy. They even knew the earth rotates around the sun at 23 degree angle. They had a calendar consisting 18 months, each with 20 days and another month of five days.
Another interesting place we visited during our visit to Cancun was Xcaret, about 50 miles away from Cancun. It is a theme park of about 250 acres including a vast play area where one can swim, snorkel, horseback ride, and it also provides a archaeological site, a botanical garden, a zoological garden and places for various water sports. We had a boat ride along a underground river of crystal clear water. The buffet dinner at one of many restaurants with palmfrond roofs was another fun and memorable. The high point of the visit was definitely the evening show of more than 300 actors, singers and dancers. The show started with a story telling about the ancient Mayan lives turning into the modern Mexican living. I was very impressed with the show exhibiting how the ancient ball game was played.
We have enjoyed Mexican foods and Helen enjoyed window shopping along many malls there. The clean beach with pure green color of the seashore and fine and soft sands will be remembered for a long time to come.
Cancun is located in the Yukatan Peninsula and was established about 40 years ago in 1970 when there were only three residents at that time. However, it has grown to be a huge tourist town with population of more than a half million. We were told that there were about 150 hotels and 380 restaurants. More than four million people visit the town annually and the airport handles nearly 200 flights daily. We stayed in Hyatt Regency Hotel located in the hotel zone, a narrow corridor shaped like a number 7 with bridges on each end connecting to the main part of Cancun. We arrived in Cancun after 9:00 p.m. in the evening and we found many young people lined up to enter dancing halls. We went out after 10 p.m. to find a place to eat dinner and noted loud speakers everywhere with drum beats and dancing people even outside beer halls. Like any other tourist places, things were expensive and we were stopped every now and then by a group of people accosting us if we needed any information for entertainment or tour.
One very good advantage of visiting Cancun is that it is not very far away of the historically famous place called “Chichen Itza,” where many archeological sites have been excavated. We were told that this place has been recognized as one of the seven wonders of the world along with the Great Wall of China, Tasimahal of India, Greece Coliseum, the statue of Christ in Brazil, Peru Inca, and Jordan Cathedral. In fact, the second day of our visit, we joined a tour group heading for Chichen Itza, about two hours drive from Cancun. The first place we visited in Chichen Itza was Cenote Sogrodo, a sinkhole due to collapse of the ground caused by underground river. It was about 60 m wide and more than 50 m deep. There is a legend saying that if one swims in this sinkhole, one lives 10 years more without sickness.
Chichen Itza meaning “at the mouth of the well of the Itza” is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization. We were impressed by many temples, ancient pyramids, a huge ball court, and many building sites. The tour guide explained to us how smart the Mayan people were especially in their skills and understanding of physics and astronomy. They even knew the earth rotates around the sun at 23 degree angle. They had a calendar consisting 18 months, each with 20 days and another month of five days.
Another interesting place we visited during our visit to Cancun was Xcaret, about 50 miles away from Cancun. It is a theme park of about 250 acres including a vast play area where one can swim, snorkel, horseback ride, and it also provides a archaeological site, a botanical garden, a zoological garden and places for various water sports. We had a boat ride along a underground river of crystal clear water. The buffet dinner at one of many restaurants with palmfrond roofs was another fun and memorable. The high point of the visit was definitely the evening show of more than 300 actors, singers and dancers. The show started with a story telling about the ancient Mayan lives turning into the modern Mexican living. I was very impressed with the show exhibiting how the ancient ball game was played.
We have enjoyed Mexican foods and Helen enjoyed window shopping along many malls there. The clean beach with pure green color of the seashore and fine and soft sands will be remembered for a long time to come.
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