Escarcega to Bacalar

Tues 6th September

We left Escarcega this morning and headed east on highway 186. It is probably the best bit of road that we have travelled since entering Mexico and there were no tolls.

It is so straight it could have been built by the Romans and the scenery was pretty boring too, just nondescript green vegetation on both sides, however, the road surface was the best we’ve been on and there were only a few topes as nearly all the villages have had foot bridges constructed over the highway. Nirvana!

There was still a lot of water about.

Mexican des res - just loved the colours!!

Spotted two road signs today that we haven't seen before, anywhere, so thought we would share them with you:

Didn't spot any bats, just batty Bob

Left Terry thinking about this one. Anyone know the answer?

We made such good time that we decided to take a short detour to visit Kohunich, the site of some Mayan ruins. Bob decided to give his aching body a rest and fiddle with his bike rather than walk around.

The site was settled by about 200 BC but most of the structures were built between 250 & 600 AD. The city, surrounded by sub tropical rainforest, appeared to have been a regional centre along the trade routes between cities in Belize, Guatemala and others on the Yucatan Peninsula.

This is proper jungle and as soon as we were under the canopy of the trees we may as well have jumped in a swimming pool with our clothes on as we wouldn’t have got any wetter.

The site is best known for its Temple of the Masks, an early classic pyramid whose central staircase is flanked by large humanoid stucco masks. Unfortunately the temple itself is covered with a straw roof to protect the masks, which ruins (no pun intended) the look somewhat.

The customary group shot, at the entrance.

Leaving the site through the jungle and heading for Bacalar.

We crossed the Yucatan Peninsula today are now settled in our hotel on the lagoon edge just north of Chetumal.

Our view from the hotel.

With only 150 miles to go to get to Playa del Carmen, three scruffy, dirty and smelly old gits should be there to meet Carol, Diane and Keith tomorrow afternoon. Lucky Carol!!