REQUIRED
READING
Coe, Michael D. The Maya (Ancient
Peoples and Places). 6th ed. Thames & Hudson,
1999.
ISBN 0500280665
Freidel, David, Linda Schele & Joy Parker.
Maya
Cosmos: Three Thousand Years on the
Shaman's
Path. Quill, 1995. ISBN 0688140696
INTERNET
RESOURCES
DZITNUP: Natural
well
CHICH'EN ITZA: Ruins
site
UXMAL: Ruins
site
PALENQUE: Project
Update
BONAMPAK': Murals
KALAK'MUL: Photo
and background info, Site
description
MISC. MAYA LINKS: Maya
links, Maya
Peoples links, Mesoweb,
Rabbit
in the
Moon
links, Yax
Te' Foundation Maya publications,
Zapatista
Army of National
Liberation,
Photos
from N.E.H. Summer Institute 2000
ITINERARY
(Dec.
27, 2000 - Jan. 13, 2001)
Dec. 27 (W):
Flew from Miami to Cancún. Drove to the town of Pisté,
Yucatán.
Dec. 28 (H):
Made an early morning site visit to the Chich’en Itza ruins. After
lunch in Pisté, we swam in Cenote Azul at Ik Kil Ecoarcheological
Park and then descended into the Balank’anche ceremonial cave. Saw Chich’en
Itza light show at ruins in evening.
Dec. 29 (F):
We departed in the early morning towards the Mayan marketing center
of Oxkutzcab. Stopped to visit at two remote cenotes and had a brief lesson
in medicinal and edible plants with a Yukatek farmer. Visited the site
of Fray Diego Landa's Inquisitional fire at Maní. Made ceremonial
offerings for good fortune with a Mayan shaman at his home in Oxkutzcab.
Dec. 30 (S):
Did morning food shopping in the Mayan market in Oxkutzcab. Explored
the prehistoric archeological site in the Loltún Caverns. Lunched
at the ruins site of Labná and then spent the afternoon at site
of Uxmal. Drove to spend the night in Mérida at the Hotel Trinidad
Galería.
Dec. 31 (S):
Attended Sunday mass at the Mérida Cathedral. Drove to the
Yukatek Mayan village of Oxcum and visited in the home of Eusebio Canché
Can & family. Helped prepare and ate a traditional Mayan meal, hiked
to a small cenote and then listened to Don Eusebio's stories. Celebrated
New Year’s Eve festivities in Mérida.
Jan. 1 (M):
We departed early for Palenque and stopped for lunch in the city
of Campeche. Arrived in Palenque at Pan Chan.
Jan. 2 (T):
Visited Palenque archeological site and swam at the Queen's Bath
in the Río Otolúm.
Jan. 3 (W):
Hiked on a muddy trail through the rain forest to Chol Mayan village
of López Mateos. Visited with the Arcos Peñate family and
hiked over the Chacamax River to the Tzeltal Mayan town of El Naranjo.
Jan. 4 (H):
Took early morning return hike to Palenque and spent the day drying
out at Pan Chan.
Jan. 5 (F):
We drove in the early morning to Corozal and then took a boat trip
down the Usumacinta River to the Yaxchilán archeological site. Drove
to the Bonampak ruins and visited with members of the Lacandon Maya community
of Lacanjá Chansayab. Returned late to Palenque
Jan. 6 (S):
Drove to Misoljá falls (Chol Mayan ejido) and then to the
Tzeltal Mayan town of Agua Azul with its famous cascades. Took evening
sweat bath at Pan Chan.
Jan. 7 (S):
Drove to Calakmul ruins (Kalak’mul) in Campeche. Camped in the tropical
forest surrounding the ruins site. Took a moonlight stroll through the
ruins.
Jan. 8 (M):
Spent the early morning at Calakmul and interacted with howler monkeys.
Visited Río Bec sites of Chicanná, and Xpujil. Spent night
in Yukatek Maya village of 20 de Noviembre with Eudaldo Ku Chan family.
Jan. 9 (T):
Took a morning hike in the tropical forest to a small ruins site
with Don Lupe. Traveled to Laguna Bacalar in the afternoon and swam
in the lagoon. Then we swam at the nearby Cenote Azul.
Jan 10 (W):
Traveled to Tixkakal Guardia, home of the Cruzob Maya “government,”
and attended a religious ceremony with the "guards" of the church. Traveled
to Tulum.
Jan 11 (H):
Drove south to Caphe Ha in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere.
Jan. 12 (F):
Visited some small ruins in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and
explored the barrier reef snorkeling.
Jan 13 (S):
Visited Xelhá National Park for snorkeling in the lagoon.
Drove to Cancún airport and returned to Miami & home.