Ek Balam, archaeological ruins near Cancun, Mexico

Hired a car and driver to visit Ek'Balam which is about 2-3 hours drive from Cancun. It is difficult to find any package tours from Cancun which takes one to this place. I think it cost us a 1500 pesos to hire(Dec 2018 prices). We spent about two hours or less at Ek Balam, taking photos and wandering around.

The drive from Cancun to Ek'Balam is on a smooth, straight  road(toll). But one observation: It's a really boring road, in that, there's not much to see if you look out of the window. It seems to run through a forest , though we do pass a few villages or towns at times. There is not much to see as the vegetation by the sides of the road is high and one cannot see anything but this vegetation. I was hoping to see some wild life  but did not. Only a few other vehicles were on the road at times and the monotony of this drive put me to sleep!

I enjoyed the warmth, the sun and the bright blue sky. Any Canadian, fleeing the winter will know why I am so appreciative of the bright sun and blue sky, which people from warmer places take for granted. 

It was quiet and peaceful at Ek Balam. If one had a book, one could sit there and read, amidst these ancient ruins surrounded by  the jungle.   

 Look above. Why did they build these so close to each other? Surely there was no shortage of space in those days!

 I loved this color above...the blackness of weathering combining with the mild paler colors also caused by weathering. 

 Observe the lovely symmetry of the stones arranged...like bricks leaning on each other? I wonder if the edges of these tilting rectangular limestones are taking the weight of the rest of the stones above.

 The photos below are  of a temple we reached by climbing up many steps to the top of the structure. The whiteness of the stones here was in contrast to the rest of the ruins at Ek Balam and in contrast to the ruins we saw at other places such as Tulum, Coba and Chi Chi Nitza. How come these rocks have not weathered? I kept suspecting these must be new and not ancient. 

See the T shape carved in this rock above?

 The colors of the algae growing on the limestone buildings was like some sort of art to me. 

 The thorns on the entire surface of this tree is terrible! See the close up of the thorns below 

 I cannot understand this huge structure which has no rooms inside. Why was this built?