Exploring the Mayan World

A trip to Mérida, the capital of the Yucatán; visiting a factory hosting the revival of an industry that made the Yucatán rich more than 100 years ago; the mansions lining Mérida's Paseo de Mont; shopping for the perfect hammock and guayabera shirt.

Traveling to Izamal, the "yellow city" named after the Maya sky god; touring the city's history, including a walk through the Convent of St. Anthony of Padua; venturing to Chichen Itza; looking at the achievements of Maya architecture.

A trip to Valladolid and Ek' Balam, two places in the Yucatan; the first offers travelers a chance to see a traditional agave distillery and an all-female troop of competitive horseback riders; the second is the ruins of what was once a Maya capital.

Accompanying Dr. Barnhart as he writes his name in Maya hieroglyphs; talking to howler monkeys; plunging into a geological cathedral; a journey to Tihosuco, home to an episode of an oppressed people fighting for their independence.

Exploring the history and culture of Mayapan and its surrounding region; the destruction of sacred Maya codices during public acts of faith held by the Spanish friar Diego de Landa; sampling dishes of grilled pork and ground pumpkin seeds.

Discovering what makes Uxmal a marvel of Maya urban planning; Dr. Barnhart explores archeological features, including the Pyramid of the Dwarf, the Palace of the Governors and the Nunnery Quadrangle; exploring the Loltun Caves.

Looking at Kabah, where one will find over 200 faces of Chaac the rain god and a rare example of literate public art; visiting Becal, famous for producing some of the best jipijapas in the Yucatán; taking a trip to the Celestun biosphere.

Labna is an architectural wonder crowned by three buildings, which are the Palacio, the El Mirador pyramid and the Labna Arch; decoding the cultural messages in these famous works; traveling back to Merida.