sunrise, sunset

the sun rise in Tulum

shines through the window of my cabana

later the sunset

down the beach

Tulum ruins

a day trip to the Tulum ruins
ancient Mayan city of stone
located on a cliff right above
the sea.  known as Zamma
(place of the rising sun)
in ancient times, there are
many altars, temples and
shrines associated with dawn.

discovered in 1518, tulum
was a populated city the
size of Seville.  a campaign
to colonize the Yucatan
Peninsula, initiated by the
Spaniards, failed and
Tulum remained only as
a military outpost.

in the mid 1950's, it was re discovered, roads
were built, and now it serves as a tourist
attraction

totems

a late afternoon walk
down the beach

as we rounded
a corner
a surprise group
of totems

and an
"Aztec"
sand goddess

















spiritual meditation
abounds

signs, signs, everywhere a sign

so many signs in and around Tulum

the road to tulum

the first time i ever heard of tulum was
22 years ago on my first cruise.
it was a small cruise line (Commodore, now defunct)
with only about 700 passengers.
we docked out at sea, and took a ferry
to Playa del Carmen.
at that time there was barely a rickety dock
from the ferry to the beach.
children dressed in dirty clothes, begged and
sold chicklets at the pier.
women swaddled in towels swept the
beach of seaweed.
we did not opt for the Tulum tour
and headed in the oposite direction
for the beaches of Cancun.
i remember the bus ride to the beach,
passing high rise hotels in various
states of completion.
i wondered what i had missed on the
Tulum tour, and later heard that it
was a long bus ride, very hot,
somewhat deserted except for the
Mayan ruins.
Tulum (I love the way the name rolls
off my tongue....ta-LOOM)