Pepe introduced us to some woodworkers who were brothers. They carved ancient calendars and animal figurines, tinting them with natural colors. We showed interest in a carved jaguar, who was very dark with an aggressive and menacing posture. The brothers bargained with us until we settled on a price. Unfortunately, the foot of the jaguar broke off on the flight home, but we were able to repair it.

After visiting, we drove a half hour to the Cenote Saamal and the Hacienda Selva Maya.  outside Valladolid.  We dined in the hacienda restaurant, an enormous stone building with large doors on all four sides.  The taco soup was a real crowd pleaser.  After lunch we walked to the enormous “cenote” or limestone sinkhole.  It was more than 100 feet across.  A small waterfall dropped from the edge of the opening into the water below. 

Yucatán has more than 6,000 cenotes.  Chichén Itzá means “at the mouth of the well of the Itza.”  Zhi-Ning and Lilah, Zhi Ren and Jenn, Paul and Hayley, and Carl and Corey all went for a swim.  They could see black fish around their legs.  Afterwards we returned to the bus for the drive back to the Alltra and dinner at the open-air restaurant, “Sunset.”  Corey was beginning to feel under the weather.  We wanted to take it easy the next day, which we spent in the Loft above the Alltra’s México Café.