Another Kind of Cenote

The Yucatan is known for the Mayan ruins that blanket the region but cenotes, or underground freshwater pools,are another hallmark that I particularly love. I remember being dazzled by the sunbeams playing off the water at X-keken cenote near Chichen Itza so I was excited about exploring another one in Merida. The darkness of  the surrounding caverns and the Mayan belief that cenotes are the entrance to the underworld really make it a special experience.  So you can imagine my surprise when I saw the cenote topped by lily pads, above. Located right next to the stunning Mayan archaeological site of Uxmal,, I thought it was just a local pond. But I learned that there are actually three types of cenotes--open, closed and semi-closed. Each supplies a different kind of experience. I climbed down the rocks into the open pool and realized immediately that it was indeed different than my previous cenote dip. Tiny fish clung to my feet, nibbling at the dry skin! No matter where I moved, the fish followed. I know that some people pay money to get these "fish pedicures" in parts of Asia and big cities everywhere but  that's not what I was there for. It felt weird to have the fish nuzzling my feet, like somewhere between a tickle and a rub. After 20 minutes of this, I climbed out of the water and admired the cenote from a nearby rock instead. My feet were smooth and I felt like I had learned an important lesson about just how different cenotes can be.