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July 26-27, 2021: Days 35 & 36

We fell back into our normal pattern of work until the rain starts, then nap, then head out to look around and grab something for dinner.  

Except for Tuesday, when it was time for us to go get our Covid re-entry test.  This was about a half hour's walk or so and we knew we'd need to go back two hours after the test to pick up the results, and we also knew that there was an in-town cenote just a couple blocks from the laboratory, so we stacked that all together and went to get our test, then to the Cenote Zací, then to the (very expensive!) restaurant at the Cenote Zací under their giant tiki roof and then back to the laboratory to collect our test results that would permit us to re-enter the USA.  All in all, it was quite a memorable day.

Cenote Zací. You can make out the man-made "enhancements".

The previous two cenotes we visited were really out in the country.   There was an entry fee to visit them, but I'm not sure what the fee was because it was covered by our tour guide as part of his fee.  This cenote as $30MX each (plus $5 to use the bathroom to change into our swim trunks).  This cenote was also different in that it was quite built up.  The stairs were masonry and the walls on the walkways were also built up.  There were three different stair cases to enter to enter the water and two different platforms (which seem to have become jumping-in platforms, although I'm not sure if that was their original intent).

Cenote Zací. You can make out the man-made "enhancements".

This now, my third visit to a cenote, I floated watching the people.  Cenote's are weird things.  They're part geological wonders, with their part-cave, part open, and flowing sources of water.  They're also part religious experience as many of them were used for religious observations by the Maya.  The Maya saw several of them as being gateways to the underworld and may have factored into their burial rites for centuries.  They're also part public swimming pool, with kids splashing and swimming about, jumping from ever-higher heights and scaling the walls.  Then, there are the fish that nibble at you while you swim.  Catfish that landed in the pool by way of eggs undigested by the birds who deposited them there.

Dinner on day thirty-five was at a majestic hotel on the main square. It is a place that was referred to me by my friend and mentor Terre Balof:  Meson del Marques.  Had we not needed the extra space to work, we would have stayed there as well.  The dinner was quite good.  Terre had recommended the cochinita pibil, but we were a little pibil'ed out and I'd never had Lomitos de Valladolid, so I tried that (I had been waiting to be in Valladolid to try it!) and it was wonderful.

And so end days thirty-five and thirty six.

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Location: Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico

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