Sunday, June 1, 2014

Belize Mayan Ruins

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

More on our Belize vacation

Thanks to Bryan at our  Sleeping Giant Belize on our second day in Belize hubby and I took a tour to the Mayan Ruins.. The tour was with  Caves Branch  to the Mayan Ruins called Xunantunich and Cahal Pech. 


Above are some shots of the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins. At 130 feet high these ruins are the second tallest in Belize and located above the Mopan River . The name Xunantunich means stone woman. This site served as a civic ceremonial center. At the time 200,000 people lived in Belize.


Another view of the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins



A closeup of  the top of  the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins.


A Spider Monkey was seen hanging in one of the trees at the ruins.


The Cahal Pech Mayan Ruins sits above the banks of the Macal River and is located near the town of San Ignacio.  The meaning of the name  Cahal Pech is the Place of the Ticks. It was a hilltop home of an elite Mayan family.  Also included with the ruins photos are the Iguana,  Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher lifer and a Golden-fronted Woodpecker lifer.


To reach the Mayan ruins our tour took us on this ferry ride across the river.



The ferry ride gave me ample time to snap off a few pic's of this Green Kingfisher..

Some critters from around the ruins..the Spider Monkey, a Brown Jay lifer, Green Kingfisher, Swallows, ferry ride. Our tour guide also made a stop at a local restaurant in town for lunch..I had a yummy burrito.




In the far left are some local crafts tents set up for shopping located near the ferry to cross the river. It was a nice tour and we had a great guide and driver.. I would highly recommend Caves Branch Adventure Co for a tour in Belize. 


Thanks for stopping by and for the comments.

Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos please visit  Mosaic Monday and more
 from  Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to our host: Mary our host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week ahead!


67 comments:

  1. The ruins are fascinating. I would love to visit one day.

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  2. such neat ruins! i bet those horses are very used to the ferry. :)

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  3. ooohhhh Eileen, such an amazing trip, really....I have so enjoyed the images!! Neat furry ride, very cool and a lil scary!!

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  4. Stunning photos - love the new birds - what spectacular views. I'm glad you made this trip - what excitement to see the ruins.

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  5. Eileen beautiful collages.
    What a beautiful setting there, I see that you had a memorable time there.
    Greetings Irma

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  6. I would have liked to see those ruins, the spider monkey is cute. Looks like you had a great time away. Fabulous images!

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  7. What a cool place! I've always heard a lot about the ruins. It would be awesome to visit! I've heard a lot about spider monkeys, too. LOL

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  8. These are incredible captures. Wow, what a place to see and explore. I would love to be able to visit myself and take my camera with me.

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  9. What a fabulous trip! So many cool sights and new experiences. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. A beautiful time in Belize, the pictures are the best, but I love the monkey, fabulous.

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  11. Hello Eileen!!
    Such an amazing trip you had!!I would love to visit one day the ruins!I have read about them!Wonderful pictures!Have a happy June and a great Summer!Hugs!
    Dimi...

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  12. It must have been a fascinating experience to visit ruins this old. I'm glad you had a good tour guide. Your photos are wonderful.

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  13. Oh how amazing to see those ancient Mayan ruins! Thanks for sharing your photos.

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  14. Nice series of photos, Eileen. So neat to see the ruins! Love that Kingfisher!

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  15. I too would enjoy visiting the Mayan Ruins . . . Amazing what was accomplished years ago and with NON of the tools/supplies we have at our fingertips today.
    Wonderful pictures Eileen . . .

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  16. What a fascinating place, I'm sure it was a learning experience.

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  17. This was spectacular to just be there, Eileen!!! ...:)JP

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  18. A really interesting post, Eileen. Congratulations on the lifers, and for sharing a bit about Belize which is not a country we hear anything about in Australia.

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  19. Looks like you're having a grand adventure. Ruins are so fascinating and interesting. My daughter is in Peru right now and had a wonderful time exploring the Inca ruins.
    Great photos.
    Cindy

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  20. I'm amazed at the different birds and bees I haven't seen! We were at an interment Sat. and missed your linky!

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  21. Very exotic! Fun to see these pictures, thanks!

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  22. You got some great shots! The Mayan ruins are just amazing. Nice fences in previous post, and sights from the tower.

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  23. I love that shot of the monkey. It looks like a great place to visit. One day soon ... I hope.

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  24. Hi Eileen
    This is a trip down memory lane as I was in Belize in 1991 it is great because your photos are helpful in refreshing my dimming memories, I do remember the people being wonderfuland the ruins being amazing. The Ferry ride over doesn't look to have changed much in 20+ years !
    Wren x

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  25. Hi Eileen! How fascinating to see those remnants of an ancient culture. What did happen here and how did people live? All questions which arise in my mind when I see these almost alien images. Very interesting! Thank you.
    Wil

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  26. Such magnificent place... how I really enjoyed "to travel through your lens" to this historical (mayan ruins) tour in this morning... Do you know? documenting on history is one of my favourite activities when I'm travelling :) lovely and amazing with all those critters, too!! Have a great week ahead!

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  27. I love seeing the ruins. Beautiful scenes.

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  28. This looks so awesome! I have always dreamed of visiting the Mayan Ruins. It would feel so incredible to go up those steps. And I love the spider monkey picture :)

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  29. The ruin is fascinating to see, and the information is interesting. Just think so much hard work and labor back then to build such a majestic site.

    Beautiful photos, Eileen!

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  30. Such a terrific place to tote a camera.

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  31. How exciting! Belize is the only Central American country I have not visited. Almost got there when it was British Honduras but the itinerary of my Tropical Medicine study tour had to be changed when our airplane lost an engine and we put down in Nicaragua, which was not a planned stop.

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  32. How fabulous Eileen. I love your shots mixing the Mayan ruins with the birds and animals which live there - The animals survived, the Mayans didn't. Have a great week ahead.

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  33. Thanks for the tour...amazing to think of being there! :)

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  34. Oh Eileen! How jealous I am!!!! :-) Would love to go there someday. LOVE your amazing photos of the ruins, but also of the monkey and the different exotic birds. That brown jay is interesting. Fantastic post! I know you had an unforgettable time.

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  35. What gorgeous photos .. Fantastic place ... Regards..

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  36. Wow, amazing trip! The ruins are so fascinating. Really like the collages :)

    Irene

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  37. What an amazing trip you had. The ancient ruins and wildlife are all fantastic. Love your shots!

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  38. What a wonderfully exciting visit!! Great shot of the Kingfisher and loving the iguana!!
    AND - the ferry!! Most kids today have no idea what a real ferry is like!! We have lots of roads around here that you would have to cross the river using a ferry: Power's Ferry Rd., Johnson Ferry Rd., Sope Creak Ferry Rd., and the list goes on!!

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  39. Those ruins are incredible and such wonderful wildlife.What a great trip.

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  40. Such a fantastic trip and such a beautiful place! Your captures are superb as always, Eileen!! After I retired, I lived in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for a year and got to travel to some wonderful, ancient places! Your photos brought back lots of great memories!! Thanks, as always for sharing! Have a great week!!

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  41. an amazing place to visit Eileen; I really enjoyed seeing your photos

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  42. Oh how fortunate to visit the Mayan place and get such fantastic photography ~ Beautiful xoxo

    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  43. A really wonderful place and a capture more to think about a journey to Belize; just wonderful.

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  44. Great photos of a very interesting place and so good to see so many new birds.

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  45. Great shots! The spider monkey is so cute.

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  46. what a fun tour this way. a lot of things to see and enjoy.

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  47. What a fascinating place. Great shots.

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  48. Fantastic shots of the ruins. I've always found the Mayan civilization fascinating.

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  49. Lovely photos of such an interesting place. That burrito would go down nicely at the moment.

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  50. The Mayan Ruins in whatever country they're in has always been a dream, however it is very costly for us. I am so envious, so thanks for the tour and the wonderful pics. I can see you enjoyed it, of course maybe because there are always interesting birds!

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  51. So beautiful! Lovely photography. Would like to visit some day!

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  52. Beautiful photos and excellent written words aboute the place

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  53. We went to those ruins. Doesn't it just stop your heart for a minute (and I don't mean literally, although all those steps ....) . But it just gives me the shivers the idea of that whole civilization and the way each generation (or King or whatever) built their part over the top of the last one... and then what happened to them ... and why? Thanks for te lovely memories and the great pictures.

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  54. Wonderful place with so much to see.

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  55. Those ruins are fascinating!

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  56. you have beautiful shots of one fascinating historical place, and love the green kingfisher.

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  57. What an amazing trip you had! Wonderful photos!

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  58. Looks like you are having great tours in Belize. great shots of the monkey and the kingfisher.

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  59. Thanks for the look. Beautiful shots. I hope to go there someday.

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  60. This looks like a truly amazing trip. Love the little ferry across the river

    mollyxxx

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  61. Ohhhhhhhh ........ have you been to the Mayan ruins!!! How wonderful!
    I always kijm on NGC to this archaeological find cities and this also amteloos interesting. great that you were Eileen! here!

    And I did not know there was a green kingfisher. What is beautiful and what great to be able to shoot it :-) Thank you for sharing. All this beauty

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  62. such a wonderful experience, eileen.
    so neat to see the ruins!

    xoxo

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  63. OMG!!! What a GORGEOUS trip and pictures, Eileen♡♡♡
    Ruins and animals, all fascinating; I love the way Spider Monkey (never seen monkey that kind) looking at you cautiously p;)

    Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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  64. beautiful shots. I would love to see that green kingfisher in person ...of course along with the ruins. thanks for sharing with us.

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  65. Wonderful place and amazing photos !

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