Cozumel, Mexico

 My last words in the last post were about how cruises are often known for food along with fun, entertainment, etc.  We got up for our Cozumel morning walk-about and what did we see. At least 50 chefs and sous chefs posing for the ship's photographer.  

There are three restaurants aboard the Viking Star as well as two cafes in case you wonder where you put that many chefs.

We had only heard the name Cozumel before this cruise.  Then again, we had only heard of the Mayans and knew none.  I had been reading of the millions of people living in Central and South America just prior to the Spanish 'discovered' and colonized parts of America.  Back in the Mayan heyday there were not only millions of their clan living in the Yucatan Peninsula, but also a city of eleven (11) million.  Cozumel is a substantial island  (dimensions:  20 miles by 30 miles) off the NE coast of the Yucatan and the Yucatan is the part of Mexico closest to the equator.  

We were wisked from the dock at the ocean famous Cozumel beaches to a bus to take us to Mayan ruins.  Our first site after arriving is this.  We both thought the ruins were on the left with open-aired thatched roof building next to it.  The 'building' on the right is a more intact ruin.  The better specimens are covered to protect from rain and sun.

The organized mounds of rocks we are looking at are temples.  They built and built temples to all their gods.  It is thought they had 140 gods in total.  The most important were the god of sun and the god of rain.  I won't list the others knowing you will imagine several others.  Oh my god, there are so many.

The sidewalk on the left is a modern sidewalk.  The one on the right is a Mayan sidewalk.  Most Mayans walked barefoot.  

We looked and listened for jungle birds and other colorful fauna.  Too many people present to see anything.  But, in the picture above there are a couple of iguanas.  I hope you can see at least one.  If not, maybe it's time to visit the optometrist.  Shari claims iguanas fall on people.  Another interesting 'fact' that makes me smile.