In Yucantan with Eleya
PHOTOGRAPHER: Greg Griffin
SITE: www.GregGriffinPhotography.com
INSTAGRAM: @greggriffinphotography
FACEBOOK: /greggrffinphotography
MODEL: Eleya
INSTAGRAM: @Eleya
TWITTER: @eleya
FACEBOOK: /eleyamaureenmodel
About this shoot
When I close my eyes and reflect upon recent adventures in the Yucatán Peninsula my mind is flooded with an abundance of wonderful moments, flavors, colors and culture. The days were filled with unique experiences from arrival to departure. For the past six years I have been blessed to travel with Eleya to some magical places but our time in the Yucatan was quite special.
We first connected with our friends Shana and Victoria and began our journey to Holbox to meet up with our friend Walt to swim with whale sharks. Next Eleya, Shana, Victoria and myself traveled to Dzemel on the Northern Coast near Progresso. On our journey to Humberto’s home we stopped in Izamal to indulge in the Mayan cuisine and the colors of the city.
We instantly feel in love with the flavors and rich culture of these amazing people. Spending time in the Yucatán will touch your heart and change you forever. The beauty is easy to find in the beaches, sunrises, sunsets, smiles of the people and the art everywhere. The Mayan World Museum of Mérida is well worth the time. The building is an enormous art piece crafted to resemble the tree of life and packed full of wonderful exhibits to honor the Mayan people and their history. Some exhibits feature fragments from the meteor that stuck earth causing the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. If you’re a fan of art be sure to check out the Governor’s Palace filled with large murals depicting the Mayan struggles with the Spanish invasion.
After learning about the Mayan people and their history we ventured to a few of the working Haciendas. The grounds and building were stunning with delicious dishes to match. Between the beautiful colors of the sunrise and sunset we spent days exploring the Mayan Ruins and various cenotes. The caves are fed by water filtered through the hard ground and flowing through large unground rivers and caverns. Swimming here was beyond refreshing and the perfect escape from the humidity.
Clouds formed for days while the rain moved around providing some wonderful drama at sunset. After spending one day driving to a distant cenote and exploring an isolated Mayan ruin in the jungle we chased the approaching sunset despite the rain and our rental car that would shake at speeds over 100 KPH. We were rewarded by discovering a shipwreck on the beach with clouds hanging in the distance as the sun dipped down into the ocean. The vibrant reds and rays of orange light splashed upon the waves so brightly we almost could tolerate the relentless mosquitoes but managed a few shots.
My mind will forever be etched with the glow of golden sunrises, pink lakes and the way the blue green waters of the cenotes shimmered in the sunlight. We are all excited to immerse ourselves deeper in the culture of the Yucatán and discover more of it’s tasty treats. Wishing everyone many adventurous days making magical moments.
