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Mexico

Playa del Carmen sandy beach with palms and thatched huts
Playa del Carmen beach huts back in 2002
Playa del Carmen sandy beach with palms and thatched huts
Some of the first tourist accomodations in the nowadays busy city of Playa del Carmen were this kind of beach huts. Made from local natural resources, they blended nicely into the landscape with white sand and palmtrees. Some of them still exist today, alongside a lot of modern hotels and tourist resorts. (Riviera Maya, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-14)
Yellow brain coral sphere in clear Mexican Caribbean water
Yellow brain coral on the Riviera Maya
Yellow brain coral sphere in clear Mexican Caribbean water
Anybody else who still remembers taking your SLR underwater back in the 90s or early 2000s? Wrapped in a special solid plastic bag was the most affordable way to do it. Whilst not as professional, and hard to operate, I still think it was worth the effort to capture some of the amazing scenery below the waterline. (Riviera Maya, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-15)
Wave running ashore on an pristine sandy beach in Mexico
Riviera Maya - 20 years ago
Wave running ashore on an pristine sandy beach in Mexico
20 years ago, it was still relatively easy to find empty and natural dream spots on the Riviera Maya. Few visitors, endless sandy beaches, warm crystal clear water full of sealife, and lots of sunshine. With the continued "touristic development", nowadays many of these secret escapes are now part of hotel resorts. (Riviera Maya, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-13)
Open cave with water of a Yucatan cenote exit into the jungle
Cenote jungle exit
Open cave with water of a Yucatan cenote exit into the jungle
Located within lush and dense tropical forest, this is how an entry or exit into a cenote may look like. Most of them though need to be accessed via stairs, going down from the collapsed roof of a cave. Feels a bit like "Indiana Jones"... (Riviera Maya, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-12)
Sunshade and wooden chairs located on rocks of a tropical bay
A quiet place
Sunshade and wooden chairs located on rocks of a tropical bay
Despite of the excellent location, this inviting place with shade and lounge chairs was completely empty. Located in an amazing tropical bay with warm water with lots of fish, I assume it didn't take long for someone to occupy this spot. (Riviera Maya, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-07)
Scenic view of Tulum Mayan ruins and tropical beaches
Tulum Mayan ruins and tropical Caribbean beach
Scenic view of Tulum Mayan ruins and tropical beaches
This image shows the spectacular location of the archeological site of Tulum. From my perspective, it is one of the most beautiful spots on Mexico's Riviera Maya! As the name already says: you get a combination of breathtaking tropical seaside, combined with pre-hispanic Mayan heritage. When I took this photo back in 2002, one could still climb up the pyramids for an even more panoramic view. Nowadays, to preserve this historic site, this is no longer allowed. But the white sandy beaches and the warm waters of the Caribbean still invite for a swim after taking history lessons while exploring the ruins. (Tulum, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-10)
Low angle view of many palmtrees framing a dark blue sky
Palmtree sky
Low angle view of many palmtrees framing a dark blue sky
Not much to say about this view... (Riviera Maya, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-08)
View of the historic Hacienda Yaxcopoil in warm afternoon sunlight
Hacienda Yaxcopoil beauty
View of the historic Hacienda Yaxcopoil in warm afternoon sunlight
With the henequen boom in the late 1800s/early 1900s, large Haciendas emerged in the area of Merida, Yucatan. Business collapsed during the economic crisis in the 1920s, and even more with the invention of synthetic fibers. Some Haciendas have been renovated and turned into luxury hotels. Others are open for day visitors, definitely worth a trip. (Merida, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-01)
Weathered wall with wooden doors overlooking moss-covered floor
Ravages of time
Weathered wall with wooden doors overlooking moss-covered floor
Maintaining the ancient Haciendas iin the tropical climate is a never-ending battle against time, humidity and vegetation. This combination creates interesting photo opportunities. (Merida, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-05)
Yellow wall with green bench and broom on red white tiled floor
Have a break
Yellow wall with green bench and broom on red white tiled floor
Cleaning and cutting plants belongs to the ongoing tasks in any of the renovated Haciendas. Seems like whoever is in charge of this just took a break (or "siesta") (Merida, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-03)
Wooden deck with weathered lounge chair at a tropical lagoon
Aged wooden lounge chair overlooking a Caribbean lagoon
Wooden deck with weathered lounge chair at a tropical lagoon
Whilst maybe not the most comfortable of its kind, this lounge chair definitely enjoys a prime location. Being just 1m away from the warm and crystal clear waters of the Mexican Riviera Maya, its age really doesn't matter. I found this vintage edition during a vacation trip back in November 2002. Being low season, there were only few tourists around. Otherwise, I assume all of the seats overlooking this beautiful tropical bay would already have been taken. (Riviera Maya, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-06)

About this archive

The Mexico archives contain all my images of this fascinating country, taken over a period of 30+ years. Since my first visit, I have frequently returned, and each trip has been a memorable one.

Despite of just being a university student, I got the opportunity to travel to Mexico in 1989 for four weeks to perform some market research. Whilst nowadays such international assignments might be quite common, back then this was really special. I am still extremely grateful to the person who made this possible.

The impressions of this initial contact were so overwhelming that I decided to come back before starting my first full-time job. I blocked another four weeks right upon completion of my bachelor degree. This journey was a true explorer trip, moving around Mexico in buses, trains, planes etc.

Apart from the well-known beautiful beaches, I love to explore other natural wonders such as the desert and mountain areas. The colorful towns with the historic city centers are a true paradise for urban exploration photography.

And Mexico is a very lively country, with friendly people, delicious spicy food, and a diverse cultural heritage.

One of my personal favourites in Mexico is the Yucatan Peninsula, with the Mayan archeological sites and the unique cenotes. Other highlights include Baja California with the outlying islands, the vibrant capitol Mexico City, and the Chiapas highlands.

The first images from a 2002 vacation trip are already live on this webpage, more photos will be uploaded soon.

Please enjoy scrolling through my Mexico archives.

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Wooden deck with weathered lounge chair at a tropical lagoon
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