Day 7: Chichen Itza

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I’m pretty sure one of the Cardinal rules of traveling with kids is to avoid long bus trips. But when you’re this close to one of the 7 Wonders of the World, you just have to do it.

At 7:30, we loaded into the van, which was really only a shuttle to the bus. And then we started driving…and didn’t get to our first stop until 12. But the boys handled it like champs. Gabe managed to complete an entire coloring book and I have no idea what Josy did, since he was sitting with Pat…

By the time that we actually got to Chichen Itza, the sun was out and it was hot. But the bus gave us umbrellas, which helped a lot! They also caused some drama as Josy wanted to keep opening and closing it; smacking a few people in the back of the legs, and another time Gabe was trying to close it and got Josy in the eye, but we all survived.





Our guide was amazing. The boys didn’t really care about the tour, but they were reasonable quiet while he talked and explained the life of the Mayans. He was also a history professor, so we got a lot of random facts thrown in there that were fascinating.









Can you spot the iguana???















As soon as the tour was over, we had time to walk around, but it was crazy hot and the boys were done and it was 2:45 and we hadn’t eaten lunch yet (so everyone was just barely holding it together…), so we headed back for a family picture and then headed back to the nice cool bus. 









We drove to a nearby restaurant for lunch and Josy was double fisting ice cream, so I think that made good day.



They even entertained us with some Mayan songs and dances.



Then both the boys fell asleep in the bus, which would have been great, except that we only had a half hour busride until we got to our next stop: a cenote.



I did managed to get Gabe to wake up. Josy didn’t, so Pat spent the hour in the bus reading his book, which I don’t think he really minded… Although he might if he’d known how awesome this cenote was.







Gabe didn’t want to leave. He was determined to catch a catfish, which never happened, but he definitely tried.



Finally we got back in the bus and headed back to Playa. That trip was a bit more difficult. In one the minute stretch, Josy dumped half a water bottle on Gabe’s lap and then both boys spilled their glass of sprite in their own laps. Five minutes later Josy’s sorite was all over my lap and I think we should ban him from drinking in buses…



But we made it. And it was an amazing day. Totally worth it.

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