The Maiden of the Rock: A Deep Dive into Xunantunich Mayan Ruins in Belize

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The Maiden of the Rock: A Deep Dive into Xunantunich Mayan Ruins in Belize Belize is a land rich with history and adventure, and for those who love to explore, its ancient Mayan ruins offer a glimpse into a world both magnificent and mysterious. My wife, Linda, and our friends, Eamon and Athena, and I dedicated our third day in Belize to exploring one of the most magnificent of these sites: Xunantunich, or "The Maiden of the Rock." This post will serve as your comprehensive guide to this breathtaking archaeological site, sharing our firsthand experience and helping you prepare for your own unforgettable journey. The grounds are well-kept, which we noticed the moment we walked into the central plaza, and the site is much bigger than we anticipated. The Journey Begins with a Hand-Cranked Ferry Getting to Xunantunich is a part of the adventure in itself, and it’s a detail that adds to the site's remote and timeless feel. The day of our visit was incredibly sunny, and the dri...
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Ghost Tour: Spirits, Murderers & Prostitutes of San Antonio

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A San Antonio Ghost Tour

The first adventure following our South American excursion was the Spirits, Murderers & Prostitutes of San Antonio offered by Curious Twins Paranormal Tours. We did the tour on Saturday, July 6 at 10:00 p.m. I will try to provide a brief overview without giving away any spoilers which could ruin anyone else’s experience.

The meetup location at the Alamo
The meetup location at the Alamo

 The tour begins with a chilling reminder of where you stand when you are at the Alamo Plaza, which is the site of at least three burial sites, a holy site for the local indigenous communities, and the center of Spanish San Antonio. Your guides then take you to the Menger Hotel Bar, where they introduce you to stories from San Antonio’s wild west days, tell you the sad story of a hard-working gal, and show you evidence of a cowboy gun-fight.

The tour continues down to the San Fernando Cathedral, where your tour guides tell you the tragic stories of native American communities, ladies of the night, and the buildings which originally occupied the area before poorly-sighted city planners demolished them.
at night
The San Fernando Cathedral

The third leg of the tour takes you into another bar that served San Antonio through the Prohibition era and was later run by drug cartels. It’s a nice, dark, quiet bar where you can have a conversation and have fun with friends. After this bar visit, your tour guides take you to the Holiday Inn Express, which used to be the old prison. There, you learn about a grizzly murder and the murderer’s execution, which ended in a literal bloodbath. And just like that, when you are at your most spooked, the tour ends. 

at night
The Riverwalk

I must admit I was a little nervous as Jarrett and I walked back to our car… but the feeling soon faded as we listened to some jolly music on the way home. 


 Verdict: Overall, this was a great tour. Not only did we get spooked, but we got to learn plenty about San Antonio which we didn’t already know. The tour guides are great storytellers who help you see the city from the point of view of those who were/are marginalized, making you see the Red Light District in a whole new light. I highly recommend it.

Logistics:


Tickets and Event Options:

Buy your tour tickets ahead of time from the Curious Twins website. Tickets for the Spirits, Murderers, & Prostitutes of San Antonio are on Fridays and Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. The tour lasts two hours, and the cost is $25 per person, with a $2 discount for students, educators, or military.

Parking: 

Easy, as the city of San Antonio has done a great job of creating plenty of options, such as street parking, parking garages, and parking lots. Your most budget-friendly option in the evenings is probably street parking, though it might be hard for you to find it because of how busy historic San Antonio is getting at night.

Meet-Up:

You meet your tour guides fifteen minutes before the tour starts at the Alamo Plaza, in an area/corner close to the Menger Hotel. Carriages are lining up by this area, which currently also has some construction going on.

Lessons Learned: 

Book this tour for when you visit San Antonio and are staying at a hotel near the Alamo Plaza, preferably something like the Menger or the Holiday Inn Express, where the tour ends. Jarrett and I drove down from Austin. Fortunately, I had napped in the afternoon before the tour, so I had no issues driving back after midnight.

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