Temple of Kukulcan (courtesy Hannah and Joe Dubuc)

Today is going to be a sizzling hot day; so, in an attempt to beat or at least cope with the heat, we donned our sunglasses and hats and left for our tour of the Chichen-Itza ruins early in the morning. Our tour group was split up and two guides led us through this famous archaeological site.

Our guide was very good as he explained there are no palaces at this site; all the buildings here are temples and all were used for ceremonial purposes, none were lived in. He told us the first major settlements here were Maya, possibly from Guatemala. The fabulous city was then abandoned about the 9th century and some believe the people were contaminating their own drinking water supply as a result of the human sacrifices carried out in the adjoining cenotes (wells). The site was re-settled later and the Toltecs came along. Toltec culture was mingled with that of Maya incorporating the cult of Kukulcan, the plumed serpent.
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The ruins at Palenque are beautifully set in lush green tropical jungle - complete with the cries of howler monkeys, colourful butterflies and other jungle creatures. The site is very compact and the various temples are easily visible from each other. A personal favourite is the El Palacio temple and those included in the Groupo de La Cruz. Unlike some of the other ruins found around the Yucatan, Palenque is a real playground for exploration. You can climb on top of many of the temples and explore inside many of the tunnels and caves that can be found on the site.
 
A particular impressive feature of the site are the amazing carvings and inscriptions that can be viewed at each of the temples. They really help to tell the stories of the Mayan people and paint a picture of the grandeur the city would have possessed in its peak around 600 AD. You can easily spend 4 hours walking around the ruins before finishing up with an hour in the excellent on-site museum. The layout, descriptions, illustrations and artifacts are all excellent. A great way to finish the experience.

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