We are anxious about crowds, so we set off very early to reach Uxmal, arriving at 8.15 am. The last part of the road is very narrow, as it is the route used by the lorries avoiding the toll road to Campeche. Amazingly the only other people there are another English couple who take a fine photograph of us three in front of the Piramide del Adivino, the magnificent structure that greets you on arrival. Atty is excited because, although living in Mexico, she has never visited an archaeological site before.

Uxmal, which means thrice built, was actually constructed five times, dating from the early classic period of 600AD. The architectural styles are borrowed from highland Mexico as it was an important trading town on the Ruta Puuc, where we will visit two more sites.

Skirting round the pyramid, you get to the Cuadrangulo de las Monjas, or Quadrangle of nuns, highly decorated with long-nosed images of Chaac, accompanied by the motif of the now familiar feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl or Kukulcan in Mayan.

We pose for photos in the arch leading to the Pelota or ball court, another magnificent structure. On the right is the famous Casa de las Tortugas (House of the Turtles) – turtles were associated with the Mayan rain god, Chaac and in their mythology when they suffered from drought so did the turtles, hence a temple to pray for them.

Opposite the 100m long Palacio in the top photo is a two-headed jaguar throne, very weather-worn.

We make our way behind the Palacio to discover another huge pyramid, only partially excavated, which gives a good idea what the site must have looked like before the heavy restoration.

What is really notable about this site, apart from the complete lack of people and tourist-tat stalls, is the magnificent stone carvings which have survived the centuries.

After a couple of hours drinking in the zen of Uxmal, we climb into the car to visit Kabah, another major trading town but small in size (or at least what has been excavated and is on display), but it must have been extensive and important if you look at a archaeological survey of the site.

Here there is another huge Palacio des Mascarones, or masks, where there are 300 depictions of Chaac decorating the front side of the temple. Round the back there are also two gigantic male figures. As we are about the leave the heavens open (as they have been threatening to do all morning) and a bus load of assorted-nationality tourists arrive – unlike us they have brollies and waterproofs! But otherwise we are almost alone here.

Our final stop is the site of Sayil, home to another huge palacio, hiding in the encroaching jungle. We have a long chat in English and French with a university graduate who is selling tickets – the strains of Edith Piaf alert us to his passion; Atty explains that university education is widely taken up and there are large numbers of incredibly well-educated people like this young man doing menial jobs. He learned French because he really wanted to go to France. He must have been lonely at Sayil – intelligent and loquacious but no one to talk to. It was hard to escape.

They are renovating this site, and there is a path cut through the rainforest leading to some of the hidden gems poking through the trees,  like the El Mirador temple. At its height – around 800 AD  – there were about 8000 people living here, hard to imagine.

The rain is still hovering so we retrace our steps to the nearby town of Santa Elena, where I have been lured to the local hostelry called The Pickled Onion – one of my childhood nicknames. I simply can’t resist! Unsurprisingly we are the only people there, but we have a pleasant enough meal -including pickled onions, in red below.

Of all the archaeological sites we have visited, we find Uxmal the most impressive by far, not only because of its quiet serenity and comparative lack of visitors, but also because of its sheer beauty and the magnificence of its structures, set amongst the slightly rolling hills of the area. The quality if the construction (even if heavily restored) is simply breathtaking. A very worthwhile excursion.