Comments on: Life Lessons at Coba http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm Online magazine about living, working and traveling in Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:05:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Bethan http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm/comment-page-1#comment-101017 Bethan Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:07:04 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm#comment-101017 In addition, although the local guides usually don't speak a ton of English- if you speak enough Spanish- the older men who work there are the ones who did the original archaeology on the ruins. In addition, although the local guides usually don’t speak a ton of English- if you speak enough Spanish- the older men who work there are the ones who did the original archaeology on the ruins.

]]> By: Bethan http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm/comment-page-1#comment-101016 Bethan Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:05:16 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm#comment-101016 You aren't giving Coba enough credit- I currently live in Merida but while I was a student, visited Coba twice- for a month each. Take a walk around the village- the majority of the roads are ancient sacbe's and the piles of stones that you see are actually ruins. If you venture past the ruins, to the south side of the lake you will find three beautiful cenotes and a cultural center. The culture center will soon be featuring exhibits of photographs by anthropologist, Dr. Ellen Kintz- almost 40 years of recorded history of the village. The cenotes are cheap- you can buy a package to see all 3 for mere pesos and there is a zipline along the way. If you look carefully, you are sure to see several spider monkeys. For backpackers, bikers, and those who want a real sense of what pueblitos in the peninsula are like, I recommend staying in Coba for the night. The Club Med is nice- but you can find equally comfortable accomodations at Hotel SacBe- on the north side of the lake, on the left as you enter. A room there is about 150p a night and Guillermo, the cook, and Modesto the owner are very accomondating . Moral of the story, travel around these small villages- ask the locals what there is to see and where to stop- you will be surprised! You aren’t giving Coba enough credit- I currently live in Merida but while I was a student, visited Coba twice- for a month each. Take a walk around the village- the majority of the roads are ancient sacbe’s and the piles of stones that you see are actually ruins. If you venture past the ruins, to the south side of the lake you will find three beautiful cenotes and a cultural center. The culture center will soon be featuring exhibits of photographs by anthropologist, Dr. Ellen Kintz- almost 40 years of recorded history of the village. The cenotes are cheap- you can buy a package to see all 3 for mere pesos and there is a zipline along the way. If you look carefully, you are sure to see several spider monkeys.

For backpackers, bikers, and those who want a real sense of what pueblitos in the peninsula are like, I recommend staying in Coba for the night. The Club Med is nice- but you can find equally comfortable accomodations at Hotel SacBe- on the north side of the lake, on the left as you enter. A room there is about 150p a night and Guillermo, the cook, and Modesto the owner are very accomondating .

Moral of the story, travel around these small villages- ask the locals what there is to see and where to stop- you will be surprised!

]]> By: Working Gringos http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm/comment-page-1#comment-40883 Working Gringos Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:40:13 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm#comment-40883 Actually, Tim, we've all been to Ek Balaam a few times so we wanted to go somewhere new to us. It is a glorious place, and all the more glorious because one can often be alone there. We don't like to rate the zones... we think of them more like Pokemon cards. You know.... collect 'em all! Actually, Tim, we’ve all been to Ek Balaam a few times so we wanted to go somewhere new to us. It is a glorious place, and all the more glorious because one can often be alone there. We don’t like to rate the zones… we think of them more like Pokemon cards. You know…. collect ‘em all!

]]> By: Tim http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm/comment-page-1#comment-38477 Tim Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:41:35 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm#comment-38477 While Cobá is OK, I'm surprised you didn't go to Ek Balaam since it's closer (near Valladolid), far more interesting, and involves a lot less hiking. The carvings and murals at Ek Balaam are fascinating and extremely well preserved. I found Ek Balaam to be superior to Cobá for several reasons. When we visited Cobá, we needed an English-speaking guide for my parents. He just went through the motions, barely, and relied heavily on a notebook (I don't need to look at a picture of something in a notebook when I'm standing in front of it), and his English was less than stellar. The guide at Ek Balaam was really excited about the finds there, and it showed in his delivery. In addition, his first language was Maya, not Spanish, and he took the time to explain the language to us. From the top of the pyramid, you can see Chichen Itzá in one direction and Cobá in the other, as the sites were supposed to be one day's journey one from the other by sacbé. While Cobá is OK, I’m surprised you didn’t go to Ek Balaam since it’s closer (near Valladolid), far more interesting, and involves a lot less hiking. The carvings and murals at Ek Balaam are fascinating and extremely well preserved. I found Ek Balaam to be superior to Cobá for several reasons.

When we visited Cobá, we needed an English-speaking guide for my parents. He just went through the motions, barely, and relied heavily on a notebook (I don’t need to look at a picture of something in a notebook when I’m standing in front of it), and his English was less than stellar.

The guide at Ek Balaam was really excited about the finds there, and it showed in his delivery. In addition, his first language was Maya, not Spanish, and he took the time to explain the language to us. From the top of the pyramid, you can see Chichen Itzá in one direction and Cobá in the other, as the sites were supposed to be one day’s journey one from the other by sacbé.

]]> By: Kim G. http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm/comment-page-1#comment-38434 Kim G. Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:26:40 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/destinations/life-lessons-at-coba.htm#comment-38434 Mexican pyramids are so steep because they were designed for human sacrifice. Once the victim had been sacrificed, the victim was allowed to roll down to the bottom, where he was eaten by the waiting crowds. Cortez saw one of his men sacrificed thusly. Apparently in pre-Colombian Mexico, meat was very scarce, and so humans were sacrificed not only to propitiate the gods. If you don't believe this, do some research. It's the ghastly truth. Regards, Kim G Boston, MA Mexican pyramids are so steep because they were designed for human sacrifice. Once the victim had been sacrificed, the victim was allowed to roll down to the bottom, where he was eaten by the waiting crowds. Cortez saw one of his men sacrificed thusly. Apparently in pre-Colombian Mexico, meat was very scarce, and so humans were sacrificed not only to propitiate the gods.

If you don’t believe this, do some research. It’s the ghastly truth.

Regards,

Kim G
Boston, MA

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