Costa Maya, Ancient Mayan Rainforest civilizations

By a fortuitous set of coincidences, Melissa and I ended up last week in the jungles of the Yucatan and walled ancient ruins of Tulum. To arrive, we took a Carnival cruise from Mobile to the Mayan Riviera. It was a beautiful, subtle, symbolic trip. On our cruise ship there was a map on the dining room wall - Pensacola 400 years ago as a Spanish colony and a direct line south through the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatan and Mayan Riviera. We were tracing a route more than 500 years old following Spanish, English, American and French Explorers, Conquistadors and archeologists to encounter both an ancient civilization and yet undiscovered part of my daughter's past.

Once we docked in Cozumel, Melissa and I made our way off ship running down a hurricane swept boardwalk onto a Ferry ride to mainland Mexico. We paid ten dollars (100 pesos) for the ferry (one way) and forty five minutes later after a rocky ride we found ourselves on the Mayan Riviera and small beautiful beach port - Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan Peninsula. Time would be of essence and we would have to be organized but I was confident that with Melissa's Spanish and my previous research we would be able to explore part of Maya's past.

Accosted by a friendly taxi driver, we quickly agreed to terms. Melissa explained to the driver where we wanted to go - the ancient Mayan Coastal City of Tulum. After a bit of haggling (300 pesos each way, and for an extra 100 pesos the cab driver would wait at the side of the road while took our chances in the jungle), we were on our way.

After a 45 ride, we found ourselves on the jungle's edge. For another 250 pesos we were able to secure an English Speaking guide, an old learned Mexican.

As the tour proceeded Melissa and I became enchanted with the old man. His spoken English was excellent and knowledge of the Maya extensive.

Our guide led us down paths and into the jungle pointing out herbal remedies. As the foliage became more dense, we approached a long wall with a narrow entrance which we had to bend to walk through.

This led to the walled open ancient city and remains of the lost ancient coastal temples of Tulum.

Our guide led us through ancient ruins, explained Mayan architectural design construction and fertility rites.

He also showed pictures from his wallet on precise solar alignment and architectural synergies that the Mayans were able to effect between architects, astronomers and mathematicians.

After an amazing tour, with our remaining time, the guide left Melissa and I to ourselves to wander the ruins and up mountain built vertiginous temples and down to cliffside beaches.

The walled ancient city of Tulum was built around high rising vertiginous cliffs of the sea coast and beautiful womb like blue waters.

Winds surrounded us thousands of feet below. Here, human sacrifice was conducted, descending Gods worshipped and a complex ancient society conducted its affairs for more than a thousand years before dissapearing almost completely.

We descended a shaky set of stairs towards the beach, spent a few moments lingering on the sand and blue water, dreaming together of our ancient Ukrainian Honduran American daughter.

What would Maya become and would she ever have the chance to walk these sands? Would we ever have the chance to bring her to this paradisal place.

Now, that we are back in the states and I am renewing my passport, this all seems a dream, Playa del Maya, my beautiful young Mayan treasure.

Will there be more opportunities for us here? What further adventures await us together?

Never in my life had I dreamed that I would be walking with a young wife exploring ancient city Mayan temples, thinking on new Mayan lives, lives past and lives to come.