An Intriguing Encounter in Chankanaab Mexico

Hey guys! Quick update here as I come to you from the beach of Chankanaab National Park, and WOW I just had the most interesting experience walking through some Mayan ruins here in Mexico!

The park is right on the water, and has beaches, snorkeling, and a beautiful forest with winding trails that lead through the ancient Mayan ruins. Me, my mother in law, and my sister in law were walking through the ruins, snapping pictures here and there (as seen above), when suddenly I came upon a little Mayan town that looked very authentic.

There were little houses decorated on the inside with Mayan artifacts, food, and décor. The teacher in me couldn’t help but think of how much my third graders would have loved this- haha! So then I stumble upon this little stone hut shaped like a dome, painted white. It wasn’t very tall, and the top of it had a little hole in it for letting out smoke. There were no other tourists or workers around, so I decided to go into the little dome. Suddenly, I noticed this little Mayan man hanging clothes to dry on a line in front of the dome. I asked him if he knew what the dome was for, and he started freaking out, saying, “You don’t know?! It is for studying. The Mayans measure the distance of the stars in that dome. Come, gather your family and I show you.” He was so surprised and excited and he ushered me and my family inside. I thought it was going to be a lesson on astronomy!

We shuffled into the dome and we gathered around a little pile of rocks. The Mayan man started playing a hand drum and told my mother in law to make a wish, and then he made her pour a cup of water over the rocks. Smoke immediately started billowing up from the rock pile, and the man’s eyes grew wide as he let out an “ahhh!” He then proceeded to read her and explain who she was and what she needed to work on.

I was like whoahhh I didn’t mean to lead them into a den of witch craft! But he just kept talking and drumming his little drum. He said she was focused on others to much and needed to make time for herself. He then read me and my Trinity as well. He told Trinity, who is a graduate student at Brownville University, that she needs to take time away from her studies to enjoy life. (How did he know these things?!)

When he came to me, he said I have a large following and that people are drawn to my energy. He also said that I am given whatever I want, and I couldn’t help but think welllll that’s how I got on this cruise, ha! He was like a little Mayan mentalist, and I truly felt like I had stepped into the twilight zone. It was so weird and random and I was dying on the inside.

Now we are headed back to the ship after a day of snorkeling, relaxing, and exploring. Underwater pictures to come!

Once we dock on Saturday, we are headed straight to Honduras!

Make sure to follow me on Instagram to keep up with my day to day travels: @courtneylivin

Have you ever visited Mexico? Have you ever visited the Mayan ruins or had a similar experience? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

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