The trip consisted of a group of 12. Dan and I, Dave and Julie Summers (Dan's aunt and uncle), their son Zac who is my age, and then Dan's brother Joe, his wife Tiffany and their 5 children. It was kind of an odd group of people, but we had an absolute blast.
Dan and I, after much deliberation, decided not to take Eddie. The hardest part of the trip was being without him for a week. However, I know that we left him in good hands. I had my motherly worries, but the evidence shows what a great time he had. We left him with our dear friends Ryan and Jeni and their 3 boys who Eddie adores. He was so busy trying to keep up with those boys that he only had time to eat and sleep. Connor, Levi and Parker were telling everyone that their friend Eddie was coming to stay. They said his name is Eddie Cardall, but he's Eddie Walton this week. Their middle boy, Levi, the week prior to us leaving kept asking Jeni when we would be leaving so they could have Eddie. What a cute group of boys!!!
Our goal during the trip was not relaxation or shopping, it was to see as many ruins as possible. We hired a personal LDS tour guide who took us to 4 different sets of ruins on 2 separate days. We piled into a van at 7:45 am and made it back to the resort about 7pm both nights. Although it was very physically taxing, especially with being 6 months pregnant, it was also one of the most spiritual experiences I have had. It was amazing to see possible locations of Book of Mormon events. It really made it all come to life. The signs left on these civilizations prove that Jesus Christ did come to the American continents and that he did teach his people. Knowledge did get lost, and the people did become corrupt, but all things still testified of God.
He are Dan and I in Tulum. It was a city built on the coast with the second largest reef in the world to protect it from enemies approaching by ship. There was only one break in the reef, and that was for a ship to be directly aligned with the temple. On the sea side of the Temple were 2 windows that lights would burn in. If a ship only had one window it sight, it would wreck on the reef. It needed to have both, (representing husband and wife), in order to be guided safely in to the Temple, or the Celestial Kingdom.
In Coba we biked around the city to the different locations because it was so big.
In Coba there is the largest temple in the world reaching 122 steps high. And yes, I climbed to the top!
View from the top...
On one of the days, in order to get a break for the sweltering heat and humidity, we visited a Cenote. Is is an underground water source that people only discovered once they began sinking in. The water level was about 25 feet under the surface, and the water was probably another 25-30 feet deep. It was one of the neatest things I have ever seen, and the kids loved it.
On our day off from ruins, Zac, Dave, Dan and I decided to go snorkeling. After all, when will I ever get this chance again. We snorkeled off the coast at the world's second largest barrier reef. I have to say the experience was a little scarier than I had imagined.
We loaded onto a boat. Put on life jackets, flippers, goggles and a snorkel... then they took us out to what felt like the middle of the ocean and told us to jump out of the boat. I am not a very good swimmer, so water is not my favorite thing. Not to mention every scary movie involving oceans suddenly was flooding my mind as I tread water with the other 40 scared souls at the first snorkel site. Had the water been cold, it may have felt like the set of Titanic.
But after the initial fear, it ended up being a wonderful experience. We were able to relax and just float/swim around seeing the amazing fish. The reef was not a vibrant as what I thought it would be. But after all, coral does die after it is touched and I'm sure people swim these sites at least twice a day, most days of the year. So while the reef was not amazing, the fish definitely were. Too bad my sad little underwater, disposable camera did not do a better job. Can you even get disposable cameras developed anymore? It may be hard to believe but the answer is yes...at least at walmart anyway.
Here are some Mayan people dressed in their sacred robes consisting of a hat, a sash over their shoulder, and an apron covered in flowers and leaves. Hmmmm...
Most people have heard of ChichenItza, where all the planets are supposed to align for the end of the world on December 21, 2012.
On this temple, on March 21, the sun casts a shadow down one side of the Temple that creates a snakes body which then matches the remaining sides that have it carved into stone. Archeologists say this is due to the solstice. However, what they can't explain and choose to ignore is that 16 days later, on April 6, a final segment appears on the snakes body that points to the alter on a nearby temple.
As our guide, Heleman, said time and time again... it is because of the Book of Mormon that we are blessed to have some additional understanding when the world can't make sense of it.
This was in Ek Balam. On this temple, there are 4 statues and each one is making a different sign with it's hands. Can you tell the signs that these 2 are making?
Another temple I just had to climb to the top!
There were so many amazing things that we saw and learned. I only wish I could share them all. I think that everyone should get the experience to travel to the Cancun area and get to see these amazing sites of Book of Mormon history. Now if I can only get the chance to visit the church sites back East one of these days. That will be my next goal on the vacation list.
What an amazing trip that Dan and I had the chance to go on. I learned about enough to write my own book. Well, maybe not write a book, but enough to leave me thinking about the things I saw and learned for quite some time. Thanks again to everyone who made this dream vacation a reality!
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