Beyond the beaches: Exploring the Yucatan Peninsula

A vendor makes crepes filled with Edam cheese at Merida’s Plaza Grande.   ( David Hammond/Chicago Tribune )

Flying fish — fried and with a dash of hot sauce — are for sale at Merida’s main market, Lucas de Galvez.   ( David Hammond/Chicago Tribune )

Chichen Itza has a particularly lovely and well-maintained cenote, Ik Kil, that attracts throngs of tourists and locals alike and provides towels and a locker for under $10.   ( David Hammond/Chicago Tribune )

Ancient structures are plentiful in the Yucatan town of Izamal, about 40 miles east of Merida.   ( David Hammond/Chicago Tribune )

The main pyramid in Mayapan, the last great political capital of the Mayan world.   ( David Hammond/Chicago Tribune )

Not as well known as Chichen Itza, the pre-Columbian site of Mayapan is awe-inspiring in its own right.   ( David Hammond/Chicago Tribune )