Coming to Progreso, Mexico by cruise ship and this would be our first time here so we booked an excursion using the cruise ship this time around.

So what are we doing today?

If you are coming by cruise ship, just know that this is the longest pier ever built at 5 miles long to get to the mainland. Also know that getting to the Ake Ruins from the cruise port is 1- 1 1/2 hours long. It is very entertaining along the way and the excursion guide will tell you about their land and give you interesting information to keep you busy and the time goes fast.

We were almost to the ruins so he gave us a little history regarding the ruins. The name Ake means vines. Most are made of stucco and are archeological ruins that have been restored. They are not like pyramids. They loved astrology and the temples were a way to get closer to the sky.

The Spanish invasion was in the 1500's and destroyed everything they could find on the temples with writing or carvings. They call the big ruins the IRS because it was the ruin that people come to give offerings or to sacrifice. No, it was not to sacrifice humans but something that they owned. The offerings could consist of essence to burn, deer meat, flowers, perfume and tobacco and paid to the priest to pay their taxes by the rich.

Along the way there was a place that was making twine and other things.

There were other ruins/buildings around the area but they were blocked off

Finally we could see the ruins!

One of the ruins on the side we had to go up with the tour guide. He said it was unsafe to go alone and he would have to show us the proper way to get up. The others that wanted to explore the big ruins could do so on their own. We decided to go up with him.

It took us 2 minutes to climb to the top of this one. Once up at the top we had a great overview of the area and there were several spots they said was the perfect place for a "selfie".

The only way to climb this thing is to go slowly and use your hands on the way up. On the way down, butt crawl by sitting and putting your feet down on the next steps and repeat.

A few selfies and we were photobombed by the kids

We walked around the other side and found it interesting. Maybe a fit pit? For those incense to burn?

We slowly but surely butt scooted our way back down the ruin and it was time to head over to the other one.

Time to climb again. These stairs are huge and there is a reason behind it. They were used to separate the different levels so that people could not get up them easily. Every section was ceremonial. They were temples, not houses. It was a place to reach the heavens and talk to the gods. You must be respectful. Now although it can potentially be a rough and slow climb, it only took us 3 minutes to the very tippy top.

Yep, it's selfie time again.

The hubby decided to photo bomb the kids picture since they had done us earlier.

It was really pretty up there with the stones reaching to the sky.

A few more pictures and it would be time to head back down.

The kids were a little quicker getting down than I was. But I would weave myself back and forth finding little "extra" steps to make it not a steep in places. But it was not a butt crawl type of situation on this one.

Although we had only been there for around 30 minutes, it was more than enough time to climb both of them, get great pictures of the views, and now it was time to go. I've never been to an actual "ruins" before (at least the kind that you climb) and now I can say I've been there and done that. I've done replica ruins and seen small ones in various places, just not ones that you climb.

There was also a deer park here beside the place that was making the twine. It said the white tail deer became endangered back in the 70's there. At the entrance we would see this