Where in the World?: Number 1: Cenotes

Monday, February 9, 2009

Number 1: Cenotes

Because Dave was in town, I decided that I needed to show him the best the Yucatan has to offer. Number 1: Cenotes

I have seen many different english translation of the word cenote. Some of these include natural well or waterhole, etc. But none of these seem to acurately describe exactly what a cenote is, because you can´t really explain it in one word.

Before I try to explain, you need to first know that the whole Yucatan does not have a single river that runs above ground. (Go ahead, look at a map. Its true!) I don´t completely understand why, but I´ve been told that it is because the whole peninsula is extremely flat and close to sea level. Rather than having rivers above the ground, all of them run below the ground in an elaborate system of underground caves, caverns and rivers. I´m pretty sure that this is the only place in the world where you will find this.

So in some places, these underground rivers form giant fresh water pools in underground caves - some close to the surface and open to the air. These big pools are known as cenotes. Back in the day, the cenotes used to be a water source for the Mayans. Today, however, they seem to sim

ply attract tourists and natives alike either for swimming, jumping or just simply looking.

Cenotes are one of the most beautiful things I have seen. The water is amazingly clear, blue and refreshing. Also, their cave setting makes for a pretty interesting swim. Some of the caverns are so deep that you can´t see the bottom and you feel like your swimming in a blue abyss.

They are both awe-inspiring and somewhat erie at the same time. The water is clear enough to see far beneath what you could ever touch, so when you can´t see the bottom, it makes you wonder what exactly could lerk below. The soundtrack of the cenote consists of nothing - complete silence - with the ocational bat flying above. For me, the cenote is more than just a ¨natural well¨or a ¨waterhole.¨ It is an expe