Happy 15th Anniversary Baby!
Thanks for taking me to a little piece of paradise to celebrate!
(We went in February 2010 but our Anniversary is October 14th.)
Isla Mujeres is a small beautiful island located a short ferry ride from Cancun. The island is seven kilometers [five miles] long and less than one kilometer wide however most visitors never leave the small town located at the west end of the island.
Isla Mujeres has a rich history filled with pirates and marauding buccaneers. As the story goes in 1517 a Spanish butcher by the name of Francisco Hermandez de Cordoba happened upon the island searching for slaves for Cuban mines, the Spanish already in the process of decimated the indigenous population of that island. Unfortunately the slavers found nothing but old statues which they perceived to be statues of women, thus the name of the island, "Isle of Women".(I think that is why Adam wanted to go here - to the Island of Women. Ha Ha.)
Thanks for taking me to a little piece of paradise to celebrate!
(We went in February 2010 but our Anniversary is October 14th.)
Isla Mujeres is a small beautiful island located a short ferry ride from Cancun. The island is seven kilometers [five miles] long and less than one kilometer wide however most visitors never leave the small town located at the west end of the island.
Isla Mujeres has a rich history filled with pirates and marauding buccaneers. As the story goes in 1517 a Spanish butcher by the name of Francisco Hermandez de Cordoba happened upon the island searching for slaves for Cuban mines, the Spanish already in the process of decimated the indigenous population of that island. Unfortunately the slavers found nothing but old statues which they perceived to be statues of women, thus the name of the island, "Isle of Women".(I think that is why Adam wanted to go here - to the Island of Women. Ha Ha.)
The transportation on the Island is walking, golf carts, motorcycles, scooters or a cab. It is amazing how many people and things the people of the Island can get on a scooter. We enjoyed many walks into the town to eat, shop and hang out at the beach.
We got up one morning to go Scuba Diving and walked to the Marina to find out that the winds were to strong to take the boat out. We made the best of the day by exploring the whole west end of the Island and enjoying a day at the beach. We did get to scuba later in the week. It was amazing, the water was so clear.
At the beach I got my fantastic hair do. It was perfect, I didn't have to do my hair the rest of the time we were there!
Crusin in Style!
We rented a golf cart to cruise the island in for a day. We looked all over for the Church. We finally found it in the middle of a neighborhood. Yes, it is in a house and the sister missionaries live there.
MAYAN RUINS
The Ruins are on the south end of the Island.
Isla Mujeres has one small archaeological site, which happens to be located at the most easterly point of Mexico. The Mayans, being astute celestial observers built a structure there for some unknown reason although the fact that sunlight hits this point first every morning might have something to do with it. It is also thought the structure may have been used as an observation post/lighthouse as well as a communication post being able to signal both boats and people on the mainland.
Isla Mujeres has one small archaeological site, which happens to be located at the most easterly point of Mexico. The Mayans, being astute celestial observers built a structure there for some unknown reason although the fact that sunlight hits this point first every morning might have something to do with it. It is also thought the structure may have been used as an observation post/lighthouse as well as a communication post being able to signal both boats and people on the mainland.
The structure is believed to be dedicated to the Mayan Goddess Ixchel, the Mayan Goddess of Fertility. Remnants of traditional ceremonies combined with Catholic overtones have been passed down from generation to generation and there are still Mayans alive today who practice the fertility ceremonies.
In 1988 Hurricane Gilbert hit the island hard and reeked havoc on the site but the site has been cleaned up and "renovated".
When we went to the south end of the Island to see the Mayan Ruins we hiked down the rocks to the ocean. In this picture we were looking back toward the west end of the Island. Dreamy water, don't you think? This is definitely one of the best places I have got to visit.
