"...of the gladest moments in human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey to unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of Habit, the leaden weight of Routine, the cloak of many Cares, and the slavery of Home, man [and woman!] feels once more happy. The blood flows with the fast circulation of childhood... afresh dawns the morn of life."

----Sir Richard Burton, Journal 2 December 1856

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 and the wall of skulls, view sound and light shows at Uxmal and Chichen Itza, and even begin to learn to read ancient Mayan hieroglyphs.

This year we will be able to view the shadow of the snake descending the great staircase at Chichen Itza. Our journey will include Merida, a town that still echoes its Spanish colonial past. Merida's sites and colors are ideal for picture taking, particularly its charming zocalo (main square) and colorful market. We will travel by boat to photograph Mexico's famous flamingos. We will see some of Mexico's best-known archaeological sites (Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Coba, and Tulum) as well as some of those less frequently visited (Sayil, Loltun cave, and Kabah).

Imagine photographing these great pyramids at both sunrise and sunset! We will stay in a variety of small, charming hotels, with swimming pools, and explore a variety of regional cuisine. We will hike through jungles, visit old colonial churches and museums, and meet artisans in their shops.

Saturday, 3/12/05
After taking two hours to get through immigration, we finally arrived in Mexico. We drove an hour and a half by bus from Cancun to Tulum. The ocean was breathtaking; we were all amazed by the beauty of the beach. We took many photographs of the Mayan ruins and temples there.

Then we drove another hour to our hotel in Coba at a lake that has several crocodiles. We had a great candlelit dinner, and shot some pool that night. Later, we went to the town square and played basketball with the locals while a band played under the stars.

Adiós,

JR