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Ruins of Muyil |
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by: Mari Pintkowski aka Moe Mulrooney
 I explained that these archaeologists believe that Muyil was a maritime-trade center with ceremonial significance like Tulum. The city was surrounded on the outskirts by 1000’s of wood and palapa huts inhabited by the lower class of Mayans. There are still an abundance of trees in the area including: ceiba, zapote negro, ficus, chechen, chit palms, red barked fig trees, flamboyant, corcho as well as the mangroves closer to the lagoon. Our guest was excited by this description and I invited her to explore our grounds where over three hundred different trees and plants, many the same as those to be seen at Muyil, flourish in the gardens and along the paths that wind through La Selva Mariposa, which means The Jungle Butterfly. By evening she had finished the book and was ready to explore the lost world of the Mayans, starting tomorrow with the ruins at Muyil. I told her that I would have a slide show of pictures I had taken to display at breakfast and would give them a preview of what to expect. I explained that the ruins are located on Highway 307 about ½ hour south of Tulum, an easy day-trip from our place. There is a new road sign that announces you have arrived at Muyil and the archaeological site is about 50 meters on the left after the sign. There is plenty of parking under the gorgeous flamboyante tree and proceed toward the ticket booth. If no one is there go on in. Sometimes there is a guide, but this is rare. The signage in the park is clear and easy to follow in Spanish, Mayan and English. Unfortunately some of the directional signs are falling down or missing, but it is easy to find your way to the two main areas. I advised them to first take the beautiful, shaded path to the left leading to the “Pink Palace.” This rectangular building, constructed of rough hewn stones mortared together with lime cement, was once covered with pink stucco and was referred to as “El Centro.” It was the center of civic and religious activities. It is marked with the remains of a low stone wall. There is a tall platform 12 ft. high above a long wide stairway. On top of the platform there is a rectangular building with three small rooms, possibly used for ceremonial purposes. There is an art niche above the original door that once held an image of a Mayan god. An altar lines the back of two of these three chambers. A 3 ft. idol was found inside on one of the altars, but was removed and placed in a museum in Chetumal. There is still evidence of some color (Maya blue, yellow, red, and black) from ancient murals on the walls inside. We never did find the entrance to the secret meeting place that Michel Peissel tells was located ¾ way down the stairs leading to an inner chamber that was used during the Caste War. The author believes this chamber was actually a temple that the current pink palace was built over. There are over a dozen other platforms in the area in front of the Pink Palace, some with altars; others are foundations and remains of buildings constructed with some very large stones. There are no signs available that describe when or why these buildings were constructed. Most of these structures are slowly being covered with clinging vines. There is a path behind the structures that goes for quite a distance, perhaps towards the lagoon.  Today wooden walkways have replaced the raised sac-bes behind the Castillo that lead through the jungle to the Muyil lagoon. Stop to take a look at a large map showing the route of the path. There is a ticket booth at the start of the sendero (path) where you may be asked to give 40 pesos each for the preservation of the path. There at least 10 different wooden signs indicating names of trees, animals and other natural sights of interest. These are numbered in the Mayan numbers consisting of a circle, a dot and or a dash. Since you have been resting for two days you will be ready to go to the top of the wooden tower and delight in the view of the lagoons in the distance. This is definitely a great photo-op.  When you return from your boat adventure, walk along the road back to the ruins where you have parked your car and notice the stone carvings about half-way down on the right. There is a very nice snack bar-restaurant with clean bathrooms located across the street from the ruins if you are ready for some refreshing drinks or food.  After sharing our enthusiasm for the excursion to Muyil, our guests were ready to embark on what would be the first of many adventures into the land of the Maya. I suspected that the wonders of nature that lay ahead for that day would leave memories that would linger long after they were back in the pool at La Selva Mariposa. |
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© Sac-Be International, Inc.
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