Saturday, February 6, 2010

Am I Ruined For Ruins?

Located on the Mayan Riviera, the ruins of Tulum offer spectacular insights into ancient Mayan culture. The trip was greatly enhanced by the passion of our guide, Lily, whose knowledge and love of the Mayan people was clearly conveyed.

Make no mistake, the Mayans were well ahead of the pack, figuring out that the earth revolved around the sun five hundred years before Galileo. They built an empire that stretched from Chile to Mexico, no small feat.

Perhaps the magnificence of Angkor Wat has spoiled me, but the ruins of Tulum do not compare with the temples around Siem Reap, Cambodia. Perhaps I should cut the Mayans some slack as Tulum is about seven hundred years older than Angkor Wat and company. A lot can happen in seven centuries.

Having said that, Tulum is a very magical place, but the surrounding area of Playa del Carmen is not. The surrounding area is little more than a vacuous hodgepodge of pointless resorts, big box retail, souvenir hawkers; a mismanaged blight upon the landscape.

The beaches are gorgeous and the ruins are awesome, but the rest of it is as visually bankrupt as any other North American suburb. By all means go, but do yourself and get out as soon as possible.

More photos of Tulum are here.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com