Days 22–31: Already half way through.

BEFORE YOU SCROLL DOWN.

that's me right there in the background picture in the water------->-------->--------->--------->

at least that is where its at on my computer. Thought you ought to know.

Anywho. great week.

I had an essay and presentation due last Tuesday so I basically stayed up most of the night to do all of that.  The essay was 5 pages of Spanish about the Mayans but I got an A- on it!  I just had to write another 5 page essay for another class about the Spanish conquests of Latin america.  We'll see.  The presentation didn't go so well . . . better luck next time, eh?  I also only have 2 weeks left of class here and I'm beginning to realize I have  A LOT to do before then, including reading a novel.  Dang it.

Friday we went to Chichén Itzá. I know its one of the seven wonders of the world, but I actually liked visiting the other Mayan ruins more.  This place was super touristy (I know . . . I'm a tourist, too) and it was hot and miserable outside.  We also weren't allowed to climb any of the temples.  I like to think of myself as a traveler, non tourist now haha because I like going to the Mayan ruins where no one else goes and we get to explore by ourselves. Nevertheless, legit temple builders those Mayans.

Those Mayans are control freaks.  This temple had exactly 270 steps because that's how many days they had in their sacred calendar.  (Their agricultural calendar had the standard 365 days).

Friday night, we went back to Mambocafé.  Different band, but just as wonderful as last time.  I love going there to Salsa dance!  The atmosphere is so fun.

With Rita and Laurita.
(Kaitlin and Laura)

Brad

Conny                                                        and Jahaziel

                                                  

Saturday, we went to the Tres Cenotes of Cuzamá.  BEST EXCURSION EVER.  This is where its at.  So cenotes are sink holes that expose the groundwater underneath, so your basically swimming in underground caves.  So awesome.

Our ride to the cenotes.

Ladder down into the cenote.

Seriously, these things were so awesome.  Vines to climb, rock walls to scale.  In one of the cenotes, I found a hole in the rock that took us inside and behind the rock walls and brought us out at a higher point of the cenote.

That's me coming out through the top.

I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to—hence the barbed wire—but some of us brave and stupid people jumped from ground level down into the cenote 55 feet below.  It was like base jumping into a hole in the ground.  This picture doesn't depict how scary and high it really was.  I was the first girl in our group to do it:)

Some more random pics:

Flautas! Probably one of my favorite dishes here.

Temple Trip! I was so happy to be in the temple here in Mérida.  The spirit was very strong and it was cool to experience the temple in Spanish.

Ice skating.

That's all for now folks.  There are a TON of pics up on "face" (what they call facebook here) Check it out.