Mayan Mexico: Coba's ruins

by Hannah Powney (United Kingdom (Great Britain))

I didn't expect to find Mexico

With a sharp, pressured inhale, my mind, like clockwork, triggers the thought, ‘I should do more exercise.’ Thankfully I’m only seven, uneven steps away from my destination, and this knowledge jolts me to the top of Nohoch Mul- the Yacutan peninusula’s tallest Mayan Pyramid. As my breath finds it’s natural rhythm again, I can feel the Mexican sun hugging me warmly from the back whilst miles of dense jungle unfolds in front of me. Stretching out across the ancient city of Coba, the canopy fashions itself into a green rug, and from 137 ft above ground I have the urge to lift it up and imagine finding a bustling Mayan world beneath me; It’s not hard envisaging Coba’s hay day in history, the archaeological site feels untouched, one of the special places on earth where time has stood still, and where you hope the trees will whisper it’s secrets to you if you’re quiet for just long enough. It’s extremely peaceful. I congratulate myself on timing it right. By arriving by bus from Tulum in the late afternoon I’ve avoided the crowds and the heat of the midday sun. Whilst I make a seat out of the top step of Nohoch Mul a strong sense of contentment spreads through me as a result of the sublime, panoramic view and a belly full of Cochinita Pil Pil. I press my hands softly into the chalky ground and ask myself how many people have stared out at this same sight- there’s nothing like perching on top of an ancient pyramid to feel the timelessness of it all. After spending 20 minutes gazing into the horizon, I cautiously make my way back to Nohoch Mul’s base, using an old rope to guide myself down its steep, dusty face. The Indiana Jones feeling is strong in this moment, and becomes more prevalent as I get back on the bicycle I've rented and start to carve my way through Coba’s ancient road systems. My research on Coba had been intentionally sparse so I’m surprised by how immersive the outing is becoming. A giddy feeling starts to bubble up inside me as I breeze through the jungle listening to the tropical birds as they create the soundtrack to my explorations. Making my way through the Ceiba trees I suddenly come to a clearing and I’m presented with a ruin which intrigues me. I place my bike on the ground and walk over to it. The shape of the ruin consists of two slanted white stone structures staring at each other across a space of 10 feet. Jutting out of the middle of each structure is a thick circular ring. As I study its form, I visualise a piece of string being threaded through the two rings- a Mayan washing line perhaps? As a matter of cosmic timing, while I’m hypothesising about the meaning of the structure a local guide comes through the trees with two tourists. As they come closer the guides’ voice carries in the warm air, ‘...it’s a Basketball court.’ He then pretends to throw a shot and follows up with a cheeky grin to his Canadian counterparts. I didn’t expect to find a basketball court here, that’s for sure. The guide continues his well crafted monologue which I’ve sneakily gained a front row seat to. I find out the game of Pok Ta Pok wasn’t for exercise purposes, (a shame as maybe if I’d played a few games before the climb up to Nohoch Mul I’d have been more prepared). Instead, it was a religious ritual, where two teams tried to get the ball into one of the hoops by only bouncing it with their hips. The games could last days, but ultimately, the captain of the winning team was usually decapitated as a sacrifice: a truly fitting end to a Mayan sport. Full of new-found insight, I pick up my rusty mountain bike and slowly meander my way back to the entrance of the site, stopping at a few more ruins and spotting a Spider Monkey as I ride. An epic afternoon, I think to myself- much more than just a glimpse at a pyramid.