Safe to Learn
  • About
    • Why Safe to Learn? >
      • Page 2 - Why School Safety?
      • Inspiring Quotes
      • Thank You...
    • Leading Safety >
      • Select one action item to support the Safe to Learn Community Project
      • Incorporate Safe to Learn
    • Safe to Learn
    • Safe to Learn Community >
      • Mission & Values
      • Background: Safe to Learn Pilot Project
      • How Are the Children?
      • Reflections: Education & Safety
      • Educators Q&A: "Why be part of Safe to Learn?
      • Saving School Safety
      • Let's Be Safe
    • Quick Views >
      • Principals Quick Views
      • Teachers Quick Views
      • Directory Quick Views
    • Advisory Council >
      • Chate Asvanonda
      • Dr. Nancy Degnan >
        • Uncommon Sense, Uncommon Courage
      • Renee Domingo >
        • School Safety Standards
      • Kim Colella >
        • A Musical Journey to Africa
        • Kim Travles to Africa
        • Kim's Photos from Africa
      • Dr. Tom Horton >
        • 1923 Cleveland School Fire was Catalyst for School Fire Drills
      • Kay Karr >
        • Why Plan?
        • Lessons Learned from Hurricane Ike
      • Avagene Moore >
        • My Dream of “A Nation Prepared”
      • Sgt. Tracy Moore
      • Captain Jim Olsen >
        • School Shootings - What Have We Learned
        • Let's Listen - School Shootings
      • Barbara Thurman
    • Safe to Learn Teams >
      • Our Team & Contributors >
        • Dee Beaugez, Founder >
          • Interview Q&A
          • About Safe to Learn >
            • Preparedness Experience
          • Real Images
        • Donald J. Beaugez >
          • Technology Expereince
        • Diana Savage
        • Jessika Savage
        • Elizabeth Hall
        • Patti Lowry-Parrish
        • Kanun Andrade
        • Jorge J Martinez >
          • A Gateway to Freedom
      • Pilot Project Team - LCISD >
        • About the Safe to Learn Pilot Project
        • Thank You - Lamar CISD Principals & Assistant Principals
        • Balancing School Safety and Academic Goals
        • Irma Nurre
        • Sonya Sanzo
      • Safe to Learn Authors
    • Authors
    • Authors In the News >
      • Phillip Martin - In the News >
        • The Mural Man - Liberia
        • Help African Teachers Expand School and Clinic
        • Mural Man - Moldova >
          • #1 TV Interview
          • #2 TV Interview
          • #3 TV Interview
          • #4 TV Interview
          • #5 TV Interviews
        • The Mural Man Series Begins
        • A Taste of My World Cookbook
      • Rick Tobin - In the News >
        • Ten Tips for Safer Schools Series
      • Authors Press Releases
    • Media & Press Releases >
      • TEPSA Conference 2016
      • Three Questions June 2016
      • Authors Press Releases
      • Advisory Council Press Releases
      • About Safe to Learn
    • eBook Submission Guidelines >
      • eBook Submission Requirements
  • Blogs
    • Wander My World With Me by Phillip Martin >
      • 2018 - 2016 Directory Wander My World With Me
      • Introduction - I Draw
      • Faces in the Crowd Logo
      • Help African Teachers Expand School and Clinic
      • Wander My World - Liberia -eBook Helps Fund School
      • About Murals for U.S. Embassy Ebola Survivors Project in Liberia
    • Safe to Learn by Advisory Team and Authors >
      • Dream of A Nation Prepared
      • About the Masai Warriors
    • Golden Navigator by Sage West
    • Ask Tiffanie - Seasonal Foods and More >
      • Tiffanie's Invitation
      • About Tiffanie Boldizsar
    • Nurse Stitches
    • Authors Blogs >
      • Authors Blog Directory
    • Honoring Mourning and Remembrance
    • Preparedness Perspectives >
      • Preparedness Directory
      • Flooding in Texas
    • What Have We Learned? >
      • Directory 2016 - What Have We Learned?
      • Let's Listen - School Shootings
    • Inspiration for Life
  • Let's Guide Safety
    • School District COOP
    • Principles for Principals >
      • Leading the Way to School Safety
      • Reflections >
        • The Day After 9/11
        • Observations
        • Be Prepared and Be a Leader
        • Communication is Key
        • New Safety Checklist
        • Practice, Practice, Practice
        • Note to Ada
      • Author Ada Rosario Dolch
      • It Takes Time & Practice
    • Keeping It Real >
      • Building School Response Teams >
        • Lucien Canton, CEM
    • Response to Violence >
      • The Best Response to Violence in Your School Is the Response which Never Has to Happen >
        • Dr. Cathy Anthofer
        • Links and Resources
    • Ten Tips for Teachers for Safer Schools >
      • Elementary Schools
      • Middle & Junior High Schools
      • High Schools
      • A Great Starting Point
      • Rick Tobin
    • Color Me Safe Series >
      • Patti Parrish >
        • Pet Safe - All Seasons
        • Keep Pets Disaster Safe
        • Lucky Dog's Message
        • Lucky Dog Rap
      • Denise Langston
    • Forever Hope >
      • Fulfilling a Dream >
        • About Vickee Greer
    • 2016 Authors Inspiring Safety & Awareness
    • 2016-2017 Authors Inspiring History & Leadership
  • Safety Series
    • Invest 1 Hour a Month to be Safe to Learn
    • Principles for Principals by Ada Rosario Dolch
    • #1 - Safety First
    • #2 - Calendar >
      • Safe to Learn 2016-17 Calendar
    • # 3 - Fire Drills >
      • 1923 Cleveland School Fire was Catalyst for School Fire Drills
      • Fire Drills Prepare Students for Real-Life Incidents
      • Outstanding Safe to Learn Pilot Project for 2014-2015
    • #4 - Building & Campus Safety
    • #5 - School Response Teams
    • #6 - Tips for Teachers
    • Why Plan? Documentary >
      • Why Plan? For Sale
    • Future Safety Series
  • Teachers Tools
    • About Health Equity Project >
      • Waiting for Health Equity
      • Start a Conversation about Health Equity
    • The Door - A Must for the School Year >
      • More About - The Door
    • Tsunami K-6 Curriculum
  • Let's Read
    • STORE
    • Wander My World - Liberia -eBook Helps Fund School
    • Let's Read Authors
    • Contact Safe to Learn About Volume Orders
    • Let's Read - Books >
      • What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada & Illustrated by Mae Besom >
        • Resource: Examples of Lessons Plans Based Around "What You Do with An Idea"
      • The Mitten by Jan Brett >
        • Sheir Loy Reads "The Mitten" to Help with Safety
      • Sleep Ponies by Gudrun Ongman
      • Garbage Bag Suitcase
      • A Long Walk to Water >
        • Links - Linda Sue Parks
      • What Color is Your Parachute for Teens
      • Helping Traumatized Children
      • Let's Be Prepared Resources
    • Let's Read Educators
  • Let's Talk
    • Start a "Let's Talk" Round Table Discussion >
      • Let's Brew a Cappuccino
      • Every Child Needs a Champion
      • Foster Care & Garbage Bag Suitcase >
        • More about Garbage Bag Suitcase
      • "Why Plan?" Documentary
      • 9/11 Webinar 9/13/2016 >
        • New York 9/11/2015 >
          • Let's Talk 9/11/2015 - Stand with Me Today
          • New York 2015 - 9/11 Images
          • Remember 9/11 by Phillip Martin
      • Documentary Films >
        • Let's Talk - Most Likely to Succeed
        • Let's Talk - Beyond Measure
        • Let's Talk - Paper Tigers >
          • Educational Versions
          • ACEs/toxic stress color wheel
        • Let's Talk - The Cats of Mirikitani >
          • The Cat Who Chose to Dream
          • Asian American History
      • Distracted Driving Awarenes
      • Discovery Education MS 88 Brooklyn NY
      • Bullying Though the Eyes of a Child
      • Kindess Matters Campaign
      • Let's Listen - School Violence
      • Let's Talk - Safe to Learn >
        • How Are the Children?
        • Reflections about Safe to Learn
        • Why Safe to Learn?
      • Let's Talk - Safety >
        • Active Shooter
        • Make A Difference
        • Emergency Preparedness for School
        • Incarceration >
          • Incarceration - Links and Resources
        • Natural Disaster - Lessons Learned
        • Teaching 9/11
        • Violence in Schools
        • Violence Prevention Resouces
        • Cure Violence
      • Let's Talk - Social Issues >
        • Homeless Students >
          • Homeless Youth Resources
        • Helping Hunger
        • Human Trafficking in Schools
    • Health Equity Issues
    • Share Your Ideas
  • Free
    • Free Graphics for Teachers
    • Presentations for Teachers
    • Free Art Lesson Plans
    • Free Coloring Books
    • Websites for Teaching and Learning
    • Original Stories
    • Safe to Learn Calendars
    • Safe to Learn Drawing
    • FREE Seasonal Recipes >
      • ​Cumin-Jalapeno Black Bean Soup
      • Pies by Barbara
      • Healthy "Ice Cream" Treats
  • Links
    • Suggest a Link
    • Animals and Children >
      • Pasado's Safe Haven
      • The Gentle Barn
      • Red Rover Readers
      • Travel the World & Learn Kindness to Animals
      • Animal Stories & Books
    • Children, Education & Safety Resouces >
      • Linda Lantieri
      • Resilience Resources
    • Let's Talk - Preparedness >
      • Emergency Plans
      • Incident Command System
      • FEMA Trainings
      • Earthquake and Tsunami Resources >
        • The Really Big One
      • Distracted Driving Awareness
      • School Bus Safety Resources
      • Fire Drills
      • School Safety Resouces
    • Homeless Youth
  • Leadership
    • Inspiring Leaders >
      • Every Child Needs a Champion
    • In Memoriam >
      • Principal Susan Jordan
  • Amazing Educators
    • Every Child Needs a Champion
    • Sheri Loy's Innovative Lockdown Solution
    • Miss Julie Inspires Safety >
      • Julie Kennedy, Teacher/Educator
      • Outstanding Safe to Learn Pilot Project for 2014-2015
    • Let's Sing >
      • Nancy Stewart, Founder of Sing With Our Kids >
        • Sing With Our Kids - Nancy's Pilot Project and Free Resources Website
        • Nancy Stewart Free Website Resources
        • Why Sing? The 5 Practices of Early Literacy
        • Safe to Learn - Let's Sing Excellence in Education Award Winner 2015
    • Let's Sign (ASL) >
      • Nancy Hanauer, Founder Hop to Signaroo ® >
        • Babies Can Communicate
        • Signing for Social and Learning Skills
    • Educators in the News >
      • Abigail's Plan
      • 10 Minutes of Compliments >
        • Special Books Project
      • Inspiring Student with Music & Songs
  • Let's Explore
    • Phillip Martin - The Mural Man >
      • Directory of Murals
      • Let's Explore Mural Man Series
      • Murals #43 and #44
      • Mural #14 - Don't Let Drugs Take You for a Ride!
      • Murals #6, #7 & #35
      • Food Pantry - Ohio, USA
      • Mural Man' Phillip Martin
      • Artist Phillip Martin
    • Wander My World With Me Blog Directory 2016
    • Water >
      • Water Center - Earth Institute | Columbia University
  • Let's Taste
    • A Taste of My World Cookbooks by Phillip Martin >
      • Let's Brew a Cappuccino
      • A Taste of My World, Vol. 1
      • A Taste of My World, Vol. 2
    • The Very Exciting, Great And Nutritious (VEGAN) Cookbook >
      • Kanun Andrade
    • Flavorful Food Adventures >
      • Tiffanie Boldizsar
  • Communities
    • Principals Resources >
      • "Why Plan?" - School-Center Emergency Management
      • Lessons Learned from Hurricane Ike
      • THE DOOR - Health -Safety
      • "Principles for Principals" A Gift From Ada Rosario Dolch
    • Leadership & Safety Series Downloads >
      • Leadership and Safety Series HS
    • Lamar CISD Community
    • Inner Resilience Program
  • Store
  • TEPSA 2016
  • Training Site
  • About Health Equity Project

Climbing Coba

11/13/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture

With the mural completed, it was time for the one item on my tourist "to do" list.  Tours in and around Playa del Carmen were priced about what you might expect in a tourist destination.  In case there is any doubt, they were very expensive.   Everything was around one hundred dollars.  Okay, the tour to Tulum and Coba was eighty-five dollars.  I was fairly sure I could do the trip for a fraction of that cost.  Of course, with a guide, you get a lot more information and, if you are lucky, some personal attention.  I decided that I could go to Coba on my own, research all I needed to know, save a bundle of pesos and have a Mexican experience.

Coba is one of the many Maya archaeological sites in the Yucatán Peninsula.  It doesn't have the fame or name of Chichen Itza and it didn't make international news like Tulum where Justin Bieber decided he could hike where nobody (no matter how entitled) should go.  Coba is somewhere between these two locations, and a little less visited.

Archaeological evidence indicates that Coba was first inhabited between 50 BC and 100 AD.  At its peak of civilization, there were about 50,000 inhabitants.  Between 200 to 600 AD, Coba was one of the dominant forces in the northern Yucatán with control of agricultural regions, roadway systems and water resources.  And then, Chichen Itza came to power.

My bus took me to the town of Coba, not the archaeological site.  But, it was not hard to figure out what to do.  Follow the line of backpacker type tourists heading forward on the main road out of town.  Yes, there were several available taxis, but that was not a part of my plan.  I walked a lot in Mexico and I was pleased about my endurance.

The parking lot at the archaeological site had five tour buses and around fifty cars.  Okay, the place was busier than I hoped for on a weekday.  It was certainly better than any weekend crowd.  And, I was soon to discover that Coba was huge and that amount of people easily spread out.

Close to the entrance were two Maya ball parks.  I didn't have to read any signs.  I don't think there were any anyway.  I knew what they were when I saw the stone rings on either side of the court.  Teams of one to four athletes used their hips instead of their hands as they tried to get a ten-pound rubber ball through the hoops.  Scoring was difficult.  The game usually ended when one team scored or if the ball touched the ground.  This ball game wasn’t like any sports today.  It was a solemn experience.  And, if you lost, there was a good chance you were also going to be sacrificed.

Of course, you are not allowed to climb those courts for the proper photographs.  But, they really were not the reason people visited Coba.  There was also a huge temple area, and that was the destination in Coba.  And, it was obviously a bit of a hike.  I gathered that when I saw all the bikes for rent and the tricycle taxi drivers for hire.

I opted to hoof it.

It was a peaceful walk along a winding path among the trees.  Of course, you were not allowed to totally zone out amid the beauty.  At any moment, a flurry of bicycles could take over the path.  You had to remain alert.

The temple complex, called Nohoc-Mul, got its name for fairly obvious reasons if you speak Mayan.  Not on your list of skills?  Nohoc translates as "big" and mul means "mound".  I told you it made sense.  It is the tallest structure in the northern Yucatán, built around 780 A.D.  And, unlike anything in Chichen Itza, Tulum, or the rest of Coba, you are allowed to go to the top of this big mound.

There was a hefty rope running top to bottom.  Many people relied on it.  Very fortunately, and with a little bit of pride, I didn't need the rope.  I decided to take the mound twenty-five steps at a time.  On the first few rounds, I didn't really need to stop and rest.  I did so anyway.  And, I had to rest on the later rounds.  I heard somebody say there were 128 steps.  I never counted them.  I was surprised how easily I got to the top.

Visitors varied from six to twenty-six while I was atop the pyramid.  I would have loved even thirty seconds to myself.  That never happened.

I saw so many people struggling to descend. Many people sat on the steps and eased themselves down, one sitting at a time, polishing those stones with their rear ends. Perhaps several of the stone steps had also been polished smooth from centuries of footsteps. Either way, the polishing continues. Much to my relief, I didn't find it difficult. I had to be careful because a few of those polished stones were slippery, but it was not any challenge.

None of this success stopped me from taking a tricycle taxi back to the entrance.  I wanted the experience and I saved so very much money by not taking a tour.  It was an easy splurge.

I had lots of time before my scheduled bus departure back to Playa.  I headed back towards the town of Coba.  But, I made a delicious detour along the way.  A little cafe offered traditional Maya cuisine.  I had no idea what that included, but I was going to learn.  And, I think it was meant to be.  As soon as I sat down, a rain storm popped up out of nowhere.  I was seated, dry, and ready to discover Poc Chuc de Cerdo.

Again, if you spoke Mayan, you would instantly know what Poc Chuc is all about. Poc (or póok) means roasted or grilled and chuc (or chúuk) means over wood coals. It’s a traditional Maya dish of meat prepared in a citrus marinade and then grilled to perfection. "Cerdo" was pork, but another options can use chicken or fish. The English portion of the menu described the dish as pork fillet with grilled achiote Mayan sauce, served with beans, rice, vegetables and handmade tortillas.

You may have noticed that my meal had achiote. I assume if you're like me, you never heard of it.  I had to ask about it. I was shown some dried leaves and explained that they were used in cooking to add color to the dish. Achiote is also used in commercial products to add yellow and orange coloring to butter, cheese, cakes, sausage and even popcorn. However, I found the original use much more interesting. Indigenous people used to use achiote for body paint and lipstick.

The vegetables included grilled onions sautéed with coriander over the pork, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. My meal had rice and frijoles. Every meal in Mexico has rice and beans. But, I suspected that no Maya chef ever really used rice. The three staples, called the three sisters, were squash, corn and beans. Perhaps she is a half-sister, because the fourth staple – never called a sister – was chili peppers. There were also three varieties of salsa. One was green fire. I don’t know if it is the one I researched called “dog snout salsa” but it very well could be. It gets that name because it makes your nose run. Whatever I had did that to my nose.

As far as "handmade" tortillas go, I think I was more of an expert than the usual gringo who showed up at this restaurant's doorstep. I'd witnessed tortillas mass-produced by machines that automatically spit them out until the batch of dough is finished. I'd also witnessed the individual tortilla press at Mama Javier's restaurant. I expected "handmade" to mean there were actual hand prints on the finished product. I was served perfectly made, flat tortillas just like Mama Javier made. So, they may not have been as "handmade" as I wanted, but that didn't stop me from eating every single one of them.

The indigenous people of Mexico were the first to realize the joys of chocolate, savored by the Olmecs, Mayas and Aztecs alike. Evidence suggests that it was consumed as early as 2600 years ago. However, sugar didn’t exist in the Maya world. The word chocolate comes from the Maya word “xocolati” which means “bitter water”. Their hot chocolate was a mixture of crushed cocoa beans, water and hot chili peppers. Yep, that adds a whole new meaning to “hot chocolate”.

Well, there is sugar in this part of the world today. But, my traditional Maya meal didn’t have any dessert, chocolate or sugar. It really didn’t matter. This meal was an unexpected treat. When I travel, I have a short list of things to do. Anything additional is considered “extra dessert”. My “to do” item was to climb Coba. So, enjoying this unexpected and unplanned meal was enough of a “dessert” for me.

2 Comments
Pat Randolph
11/13/2016 06:44:07 pm

What a wonderful experience....and you did it your way (of course)! Can't wait to see your pictures!

Reply
Phillip
11/19/2016 04:22:00 am

There are more photos on the mural man site. THe trip to Coba was Adventure 3.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Wander My World With Me 
    by Phillip Martin

    Artist, Muralist,
    Photographer and
    World Wanderer
    Blog Directory

    Wonder about Wander My World With Me?
    • I Draw (Introduction)
    • Faces in the Crowd
      About Icon Images 
    • Directory

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All
    Portraits
    Travel

    RSS Feed

    View Previous Blogs and Add Comments
    Scroll to the bottom of this page and select "Previous" 
    and/or add Comments by selecting "Comments" and fill in the "Leave a Reply" form.
    Phillip Martin's Web Sites
    • Facebook
    • ​The Mural Man
    Phillip Martin's Books
    • The Mural Man Series 
    • A Taste of My World Cookbooks
“Safety and security don’t just happen; they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. 
 We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.”
 
~ Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa



Proudly powered by Weebly
Design by DivTag Templates