The Monkey clamors on the seaside cliffs at Tulum. Behind him you can see the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean and the largest structure of the Mayan settlement, known by its post-conquest name as the castillo (castle). The ancient Maya civilization stretched across much of what is today southern Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador, and significant Maya communities remain in the former two locations today.

Tulum was an important Maya city in the pre-Columbian period, serving both ceremonial and administrative purposes from its majestic clifftop setting. When the Spanish conquistadors first laid eyes on Tulum in 1518, they were duly impressed, noting that, “we sighted a city or town so large that Seville would not have appeared bigger or better.” At that time, Tulum would have appeared much larger than it does today, as the (since collapsed) dwellings of its inhabitants encircled the walled core of the city. Today, the site is a Mexican national monument, and one the Monkey very much enjoyed visiting.

The Monkey gets a different view over the Mayan ruins at Tulum. In the distance you can see some of the dense forests of the Yucatan peninsula.

The Monkey gets himself into a prickly situation in Tulum, Mexico.