Mexico's climate, dazzling colors, and cultural contrasts are ideal for photography whether you have never taken a photograph or are an experienced shutterbug. Notes on suggested film speed for each site have been distributed.

We will climb the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan, swim in an underground cenote, visit caves that held religious significance for the ancient Mayans, climb up inside a pyramid to view the famous jaguar throne, see ancient Mayan ball courts, the wall of skulls, and sound and light shows, and even begin to learn to read ancient Mayan hieroglyphs.

Our journey will include Merida, a town that still echoes its Spanish colonial past, whose charming zocalo (main square) and colorful market are ideal for picture taking. We will see and photograph the famous flamingos at Celestun. We will explore some of Mexico's best known archaeological sites (Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Coba, and Tulum) as well as some of those less frequently visited (Sayil, Kabah, and the Loltun caves). We also will visit a rural school.

Here is an abbreviated itinerary for our project:
SATURDAY, March 8--Arrive in Cancun in morning to be met by bus and driven to Chichen Itza. Lunch en route in Vallodolid and go swimming in a cenote (underground cave). See sound & light show at Chichen Itza ruins, then dine at Hotel Hacienda Chichen, where we are staying.
SUNDAY, March 9--Explore Chichen Itza in morning. Drive to Merida, the capital of Yucatan, in afternoon. Overnight at Hotel Casa del Balam.
MONDAY, March 10--Explore Merida market in morning, see museum.
TUESDAY, March 11--Early morning to Celestun to see flamingos. In afternoon, drive to Uxmal, stopping at Hacienda Yaxcopil. Evening sound & light show at Uxmal. Overnight at Villa Arqueologicas at Uxmal.
WEDNESDAY, March 12--Explore Uxmal in morning. In afternoon visit the ruins at Sayil and Kabah.
THURSDAY, March 13--Visit Loltun caves and a rural school. Drive to Coba, with stop at Punta Laguna to see monkeys. Overnight at Villas Arqueologicas at Coba.
FRIDAY, March 14—See Coba site in the morning, then drive to Tulum. Overnight at Akumal, Hotel Villas Maya.
SATURDAY, March 15--Bus to airport in Cancun for return home.

Faculty leaders for this project are Visual Arts Department Chair Betty Lark Ross, a photographer, and math teacher Judy Kritzberg, who speaks Spanish. Both have taken courses in Mayan studies and traveled extensively and frequently to Mexico, as leaders of student groups and on their own.

Mexico in orange	Uxmal in blue and red