Digging Deeper into the Yucat n in .NET framework

Maker Quick Response Code in .NET framework Digging Deeper into the Yucat n

2

Uncovering the Yucat n s fascinating past Discovering the delicacies of Yucat n dining Mastering a few key words and phrases in Spanish

he resorts of Mexico s Yucat n are known for glorious white-sand beaches bordering tranquil, translucent waters It would be easy to let that be the sole draw to this destination, but there s so much more here to enjoy The Yucat n s rich history has left mysteries still to be uncovered and ruins that make for popular explorations So, what s the story behind them In this chapter, we relay a brief history of the area and its cultural high-points We also sample the unusual and memorable culinary specialties of the region, and provide tips for attempting the local lingo

A quick look at the geography of the Yucat n Peninsula belies the uniqueness of this area although the entire peninsula is a flat slab of limestone, it is unlike anywhere else on Earth Millions of years ago, this area absorbed the force of a giant meteor The impact sent shock waves through the brittle limestone, fracturing it throughout, creating an immense network of fissures that drain all rainwater away from the surface When driving through northern and central Yucat n, you don t see any rivers, lakes, or watercourses Yet, a vast subterranean basin stretches for miles underground, invisible except for the area s many cenotes sinkholes or natural wells that are also a one-of-a-kind phenomenon Many are perfectly round vertical shafts (such as the Grand Cenote at Chich n Itz ); others retain a partial roof, often perforated by tree roots quiet, dark, and cool, they are the opposite of the warm, brightly lit outside world To the Maya, they were sacred passageways to the underworld

The ancient Maya left behind elegant and mysterious ruins that, despite all that we now know, seem to defy interpretation Almost every year, archaeological excavation leads to the discovery of more ruins, adding to a growing picture of an urban civilization that thrived in an area where only scantily populated jungle now exists What can we make of such a civilization What value do we accord the Maya among the other lost civilizations of the ancient world Even this is unclear, but the art and architecture they left behind are stunning expressions of a rich and complex cosmological view Then there was the arrival of the Spaniards, in the early 1500s an event that in hindsight seems almost apocalyptic Military conquest and old-world diseases decimated the native population A new social order predicated on a starkly different religion rose in place of the old one Through all of this, the Maya held on to their language but lost most of the living memory of their pre-Hispanic ways What they retained they cloaked in the language of myth and legend that was worked into a rough synthesis of old and new They selectively appropriated elements of the new religion that could help make sense of the world, and this process continues today in the many Maya communities that have native churches For these reasons and more, the Yucat n is a curious place; it may beckon you with its turquoise-blue waters and tropical Caribbean climate, but what will ultimately hold your attention is the unique character of the land and its people There is no other place like it

The Yucat n is edged by the muted aquamarine Gulf of Mexico on the west and north, and the clear cerulean blue Caribbean Sea on the east, where the resorts covered in this book are found The peninsula covers almost 134,400 sq km (84,000 sq miles), with nearly 1,600km (1,000 miles) of shoreline Most of the land is porous limestone, with thin soil supporting a primarily low, scrubby jungle In most of the Yucat n there is no surface water; instead, rainwater filters through the limestone into underground rivers In the state of Quintana Roo, where Canc n and most of the areas explored in this book are located, there are several protected areas which are among the region s most beautiful, wild, and important In 1986, the state ambitiously set aside the 520,000-hectare (13 million-acre) Sian Ka an Biosphere Reserve, conserving a significant part of the coast in the face of development south of Tulum Isla Contoy, off the coast of Isla Mujeres and Canc n, is a beautiful island refuge for hundreds of birds, turtles, plants, and other wildlife And in 1990, the 60-hectare (150-acre) Jard n Bot nico, south of Puerto Morelos, opened to the public Along with the Botanical Garden at Cozumel s Chankanaab Lagoon, it gives visitors an idea of the biological importance of Yucat n s lengthy shoreline: