Last day at the beach

Today started off with a beautiful cloudless sky for our last day at the beach. Mom and dad went to breakfast while Helen and I hit the snooze in our cabaña. Everyone reunited on the beach to read books, and in Helen's case, do some summer math homework. The beach chairs were semi shaded so as long as you shifted up or down in your seat, you wouldn't get burnt like a candy cane. 

We ordered lunch from the hotel restaurant and didn't have to move at all. Helen and I split a Hawaiian Gourmet pizza, mom got friend calamari, and dad got tuna. The pizza wasn't small, but Helen and I were hungry so we polished the whole thing off. Dad went for a snorkel but didn't see much so he went back in with mom and I just to swim. "Swimming" for dad consists of throwing "snowballs" of seaweed at me and flopping around in the water like a beached whale. Mom likes to play the 'I have no idea who these people are' game. 

We tired pretty quickly and swam in, to dry off and lay in the sun for a while longer. There are tons of sea turtle nests on the beach, and on a couple days we've even seen the tracks of a momma turtle hauling her way up the street. We went for a walk to dinner and checked all of the nests to see if any were about to hatch. If a nest is sunken in a circle, it means that the eggs have hatched and the turtles just haven't crawled up yet. Sadly, none of the nests were sunken in so we made our way to dinner at Restaurante Las Estrellas at La Luna hotel.

We ordered drinks and played a couple rounds of cards before our food came. Dinner was fun, dad is pretty amusing, and we finished it off by playing some more cards. While walking home, we saw a rainbow right over the ocean. When it got dark out, I laid out in the hammock and listened to music while watching the stars. Helen and I packed up all of our things before we went to bed, and just to add in a little excitement, I spent about 5 minutes trying to catch and kill a roach before crawling into bed and hoping I killed it. 

Just a Day Away

I wasn't that excited to get up early and leave our sweet room in Tulum, but then again, who would be? probably Dad. He was ready to go, I could tell, by the way that he was checking us out about 10 minutes after the rest of us started to wake up.
 Being packed before was a big help, all I did was throw on some clothes, brush my teeth and dizzily walk my way to the front desk where Mom tried to check us out without Meghan's help. Except for the fact that Meghan did the survey on how great the hotel was because Mom didn't want to. So we used the restroom one last time and then got in our tiny rental car and drove downtown where we stopped and ate breakfast at a small restaurant on the street. It was pretty good, the toast tasted like the kind from Waffle House so I ate four pieces which probably wasn't that good for me but I was ready to not eat Mexican food for a long, long time.
 When our bill was payed and our stomachs were full, we walked back to our car and drove a little while to Akumal, which is where Meghan and I pointlessly argued and waited in car for Mom and Dad to go check out the lagoon nearby. However it was raining and expensive and they weren't allowed to visit it before we paid so we decided to pass and headed over to a different town, Puerto Morelos. There we stopped for a drink after we walked on the pier. I ordered a Fresca, for what I hoped wouldn't be the last time, and Meghan ordered an iced tea, with hope that it would be like the ones she got in the gas station at home. It wasn't, but I wasn't surprised because we were in a different country then what Meghan was hoping for that day.
 Afterwards we walked down a small strip of craft stores that sold everything from tablecloths with Aztec warriors on them to tiny animals who's heads swung sideways due to wind. As we walked, and admired the gadgets they had on display for us, it reminded me of being back in South America, where many people all over the streets were relentless, trying to get you to buy their things. However only one man was urgently trying to get us to come into his store, the rest of them were minding their own business, and only looking up when you set foot in their store.
 When the heat had Dad and I beat, we left the small mall and walked to the convenience store to buy little things of ice cream to get our minds off of the heat. I got a tiny bowl of chocolate and vanilla ice cream mixed, while Dad and Meghan got fruit bars, and Mom got a small bag of Chocoretas, round, green candy which our family has come to adore.
 After we paid, we sat in the shade by an old chapel that was only a couple doors down from where our rental car was parked. Having woken up early, I was a bit tired, but nothing a semi long car ride couldn't fix. On the way to Cancun, we stopped by a beach that was famous for their turtle nests. Once we paid to get in- not to swim, just to watch- I thought that the beach should have been more famous for their hermit crabs than for their turtles. On average I probably saw about 200 hermit crabs just scuttling off in different directions, and I had to pay close attention to my footsteps so I wouldn't accidentally step on one.
 After 5 minutes of being in direct sunlight, I told Dad that I knew I was getting burnt and that I was going to wait over by our car in the shade. I guess everyone else couldn't really handle that much of it either, because they all came over minutes after I did. After Dad went and checked out the cenote not far down the beach we hopped in the car and finished out drive to Cancun.
 When we reached the hotel, all I wanted to do was lie in bed and rest. And that's exactly what I got, besides the fact that Mom asked me to be ready by 5, we had a surprise for dinner. Of course, I was excited for the surprise, and Meghan and I kept bugging Mom&Dad about where we were going, but it was like they had zipped their mouths and thrown away the key.
 Moments later, however, we found out the surprise. We were eating at a restaurant called Lima, Peruvian cuisine. I was excited, I haven't had Peruvian cuisine since the days living abroad. Sadly, they were out of Inca Cola, but Dad and I ordered a chicha morada (purple corn) drink instead, and toasted to old times. For my meal, I got my dog (just kidding) but I did get the food that we named our dog afterwards, which turned out to be delicious.
 With our stomachs full and prepared to get up super early the next day for our plane trip back to America, we finished our drinks, thanked our waiters, and drove back to the hotel, where we received a mere 7 hours of sleep before we were forced awake to leave Mexico, and all the treasures that came with it.

Grand Cenote

Woke today to an unpleasant smell and the beaches and surf were covered with the largest deposit of seaweed seen since our first evening. The removal crew were already working hard at what looks like an impossible task. This phenomenon has the potential to destroy the tourism based economy if it continues. 

After getting a map and some recommendations for clear water swimming options we headed out. On our third inspection we settled on the Grande Cenote, very appropriately named.  The three deep, dark  cavernous cenotes that we hit on our way to Tulum were artificially lit. This one is quite different - open to the sky, two pits were connected by a tunnel that you could swim through. The tunnel was like a cave with stalagmites and air above, not full of water.  Birds were nesting inside as well. Very cool experience swimming frome one side to the other. I had my snorkel mask and the underwater view was extra special - fish and fresh water turtles. 

We hung out for a while although I was the only one to take several dips. Headed into Tulum Pueblo for lunch before returning to the beach. The seaweed had cleared up enough for some swimming and sun bathing without too much smell. Had a late dinner at CoCo - pizza, tuna and ceviche. Late night I star gazed and saw half a dozen shooting stars or possibly meteors with the Milky Way as a backdrop. 

Sunny Day in the Tulum Ruins

I once read a travel guide that referred to the Tulum ruins as the Maya's with the best views.  I have to admit they are rather fantastic.  The white stones in verdant green groundcover on the cliffs of a spectacular blue-green Caribbean Sea are stunning.  That said, the grounds of this site are lacking in tree cover and the result is a true oven and a breeze that was both humid and hot.

We woke the girls at @9 and stopped by the grocery for breakfast on our way.  We arrived at a fairly large parking lot with several tour buses.  The Tulum ruins are visited by 1.1 million people a year and the are running a racket.  When you arrive, there are several hut that offer maps and info in the parking lot, they are really there to sell you packages to do other things.  By the time we escaped the salesman, another few buses were unloading and we began our 3/4 Mike walk to the gates through an outdoor shopping extravaganza with hawkers in every doorway beckoning you inside.

On the map there is a picture of a train that carries you the 3/4 mile.  In truth it is a pull-behind trolley with cutout plywood shaped and painted to look like a train car nailed to the sides being dragged along by a tractor spewing stinky gas fumes.  The fumes make the walk a little less breathable but just as crowded.

We get to the ticket gate and there is a long line.  It's fortunate that it's shaded but the air is stagnate and we are overheating.  The girls find a seat on the edge of the covered space while I run to the restroom and Mike toughs it out in line.  

When we walk to the ticket gate, we are dodging tour groups set up in the shade giving background information on Mayan history and describing the site.  The people passing us in the other direction are drenched in sweat and heading out the entrance.  I am a little worried at this point, what kind of misery have I insisted upon this morning?

A large tour group is making their way through the little opening in the wall so I elect to climb the stairs following the signs to the viewpoint.  The stairs are boarders on the right by a wall and some trees and on our left by a small but dense forest.  When we get to the top of the stairs, there's another break in the wall.  The Mayans built gates into their walls, no bigger than the width of one person, we turn here and go through.

We emerge on the other side of the wall and we are standing in a wide walkway.  Trees are scarce and shade is at a premium. The white buildings gleam in the bright sunlight as I start to wither from the heat immediately.  We only walk the ocean path and climb to the ropes on 3 buildings, before we call it a day and start looking for the exit.

On the way home, we stop at a restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet.  El Carmello is a street side shack that serves some fantastic food.  We ordered tempura shrimp tacos, fried fish tacos and octopus a la Mexicana.  Yum Yum Yum!!

Back at the hotel, we changed into swimsuits and went out to lay in hammocks and on the beach loungers and ordered some frosty cold drinks.  A few hours later, we walked up the beach to another great restaurant, El Tabano and I had my second set of fish tacos for the day. 

After the walk back home, I spent some time outside gazing at the stars.  The Milky Way was a fuzzy slash in the sky and I had a difficult time identifying even the constellations I know.  When I was ready to turn in, I was lulled to sleep by the sound of the surf.  I'm wondering now if I'm going to be able to sleep at all when I get home. 

Some R&R

Meghan and I were pretty happy about the cabana that we were staying in so the morning was very peaceful and relaxing. Except for the fact that the seaweed right outside our windows smelled like rotten eggs, but the smell went away once some of the men pushed it away from the beach. It was basically a chill stay in hammocks read a book day, and that's exactly what we did. 

 Meghan and I skipped breakfast- we claimed that we weren't hungry, but I obviously regretted it because I heard the food was Italian. I chilled in front of the fan in the room until the cleaners came and shooed me out. 

 So I was "forced" to step out in the sun and under a small pavilion which held a bunch of hammocks. There I re read one of my favorite books and ordered a smoothie. I ended up getting the ladies next to me which honestly tasted like plants but it was alright.

 Since I didn't feel like swimming I waited in the newly cleaned room right up next to the fan until Mom&Dad and Meghan were done. After everyone had showered and was ready to go we left and walked up the beach for a bit until we stopped for lunch at a nice hotel called Las Estrella's (the stars). It was very good, I didn't feel like eating much but Mom convinced me to eat some chicken fingers that were delicious, to which I ate all of them. 

 On on walk back to the cabanas on the beach we stopped by some turtle places where either turtles had laid their eggs already or they were about to. It was cool to check the dates on the back of the sticks marking the territory to tell when the days were this year.

 Shortly after we settled down in the cabanas to have some rest time, it started to pour. It was a massive thunderstorm, where the sky turned black as it hurled sheets of water as Mom described as she sprinted back in forth between the two cabanas to check on us. 

 When the rain had steadied to a small drizzle, Mom&Dad and I went to the front of the hotel where we sat at a table and played cards and ordered some food. Out of the 12 games that we played, I won two, not a successful round for me, but all in all it was fun and I was excited to climb back into the cabana and listen to rain pitter patter across the roof as we fell asleep. 

Cenote, cenote, cenote

We woke up early to eat breakfast at the hotel before hopping in the car to go visit the ruins of Cobá. My here were many temples and things that were spread out on a lot of land, so we rented bikes for easy transportation. I'm used to riding bikes in Hilton head where everything is flat and smooth and this was very very different. The path was very bumpy but it wasn't a very long route. We started off towards the end, stopping at the ball court first. Everything was roped off but there was a really cool stone in the shape of a skull right in the middle of the court. I'm pretty sure it's where they stuck people's head before they were decapitated. We biked to the end and climbed up the Great Pyramid which is the 2nd tallest in the Yucatan peninsula. The view from up there was beautiful. Mom and dad were up there for a bit, but Helen and I stayed up talking and enjoying the view. At one point we were the only ones there and it was beautiful. We got down the pyramid the way three year olds go down stairs, on our hands.

After looking at the rest of the ruins we headed off to visit 3 cenotes. The first one was by far the best, the water was crystal clear and we were the only ones there. Light came in from a little hole in the ceiling as well as a couple lights on the walls of the cave. The second cenote was smaller but their were so many stalagmites that it looked like the ceiling was melting. We stayed there for a bit but cleared out when some more people came (we didn't want to explain to them how dad broke the stair). The last cenote was huge, but very crowded. The stairs down had two jumping points, one at 10 meters up and one at 5. I did neither but I did get in the water for a bit.

After the cenotes we were all really hungry so we ate lunch at a place overlooking the lake. It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. They were kind of like tacos but the tortillas were filled with beans and fried to be like a hard taco shell. Inside was chicken, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and pickled red onion which is a delicacy here. After lunch we got back in the car to go to Tulum. Our hotel is called COCO Tulum and it is eco friendly, completely run on wind power. Helen and I share a cabaña which is right on the beach so when I wake up in the morning, the first thing to see is the ocean. Right on the beach is an area with hammocks that are super comfortable as well as beach chairs. After hanging out for a while we went to dinner in downtown Tulum at an Italian restaurant. The food was excellent and there was a guy with a beautiful voice playing guitar inside. We window shopped on the way back to the car and drove back to the hotel to go to sleep listening to the waves. 

Relaxing in Valladolid

Day 2 in Valladolid and we had planned on sleeping in (tomorrow we would be getting a very early start) and only hitting a cenote or two, close to town. Debby and I left the girls sleeping and walked the 8 blocks to find the central mercado for a cup of coffee before breakfast. Even this early the sun was hot, hot and our walk was mostly due east without any shade. No coffee at the not so great mercado, and we headed back. Helen woke up feeling sick and tired. Hoping she would feel better by lunch we stuck close to the hotel. Debby and I wandered the streets, took in the municipal building and stumbled on an awesome mosaic fountain. 

Helen never did return to feeling better but did agree to join us for lunch at the equivalent of a food mall food court except that most of the restaurants served the same menus and there was a smattering of jewelry and clothing booths as well. We choose the one where the waiter waived his menu the best. I guess the house rules forbid waiters from yelling at potential customers which was very courteous. After lunch the girls were back in their room for the day while Debby and I checked out some streets off the main square and had a drink while watching the tour busses roll in and out of town.

Ek Balam & X-Canche Cenote

I set the alarm to wake everyone up early to get on the road for Ek Balam.  When we arrived in Valładolid yesterday, it was miserably hot and I just knew we would not want to be hanging out in the sun midday.  We finally got all our stuff together (and Helen out of bed) and headed out to find a grocery store where we could buy a large container of water and some snacks for the car.

We didn't get to Ek Balam until 10:30.  It was sticky and hot but there was abundant shade when you weren't climbing pyramids.  This site is not fully excavated and we passed several buildings that were still covered in jungle growth (this site opened to tourists in 1994).  There is something kinda cool about visiting a pyramid in the jungle. 

When we arrived there was 1 tour group and maybe 2 dozen other people.  We climbed the Oval Palace and gazed across the open space to the Acropolis.  It was difficult to see what had been reconstructed and what had been left undisturbed.  The site is small, only 9 buildings have been cleared which makes it a terrific place to slow down and see everything

I love the free reign given to climb up and down all of the ruins, I am having second thoughts about skipping Chichen Îtza but I'm certain that after climbing sites in several other areas, it would be a let-down to walk between the buildings and stand behind a rope, not to mention the throngs of people and hawking salespeople.

The Acropolis is just over 100 feet tall, it towers over everything in the area and is the second tallest building in the Yucatan. Unlike Teotihuacan, these pyramids have rooms inside them.  They have found 40 rooms inside this building and several murals and sculptures (the murals are not open to the public).  It houses the tomb of Ukit Kan Le'k Tok, a governor of some sort - its entrance has a mouth of a jaguar and an opening in its mouth to the tomb.  I was struck by the recreation of this part at the Archeology museum in Mexico City.  It was special to them see the real deal today.

After heating up climbing pyramids, we walked back to the entrance and bought some frozen fruit bars and hopped on some tricycle taxis to the X'Canche Cenote attached to the site (1.5 km away).  The cenote was gorgeous and the water was super clear.  There were catfish swimming around in the water which was a little freaky, but they moved out of our way as we jumped in.

We had lunch onsite after swimming for a while and took a little nap in the hammocks provided in the palapa next door.  Relaxed and happy, we rode in the tricycles back to our car and headed back to our hotel in Valladolid.

We hung out in the hired in the heat of the afternoon.  Mike and I down at the restaurant at a table and the girls up in the room.  At about 4:30, we went and got the girls and shared a pitcher of lemonade over some card games.

We walked to dinner a few blocks from the hotel and sat outside in a covered pavilion in a lovely garden.  The food was good and the location was great.  We walked back to the hotel, stopping to get another frozen fruit bar and the girls were settled in for the night.

Mike and I headed back out to watch a band playing on the street.  There were locals set up in plastic deck chairs and many couples, old and young, out in the street dancing.  The band had several horns and sounded great and watching the older couples dance together was inspiring.  We returned to the hotel for a nightcap under the stars before turning in.  Another day in paradise. :)

Driving in Mexico

Awoke in our very basic hotel for Cancun - The Calypso.  Even the pool was uninvitingly cloudy.  After the breakfast buffet I quickly caught a bus to the mall to pick up the Rental car we had reserved the night before. First car rental in Mexico for me and after the Avis rep asked me the third time whether I was sure that I didn't want to purchase additional insurance, I thought I better call Nationwide.  Turns out that we are indeed covered and off I go. I had been watching driving habits of our cab drivers and the signage is pretty good if you are paying attention - so that is my plan.

After picking up the girls and our luggage we headed into the city of Cancun to find food (and park!). Finding food took much longer than anticipated as we drove aimlessly around town. This did however provide good practice for paying attention. Finally on a side street we found some fried empanadas that hit the spot.

Back in the car it was a 2 hour drive though the flat jungle on a straight toll road with only one exit to Valladolid. We got in around 4 and jumped in the hotel pool as it is steamy hot here. Great budget tourist hotel Maria de la Luz right on the main square has a restaurant, pool and best of all, free water!  I really dislike buying plastic water bottles that I don't think are recycled. We did bring our Nalgenes so water dispensers like they have here are perfect for us.  The main square is nice and relaxing with a fountain ant the courting seats that we have seen in other South American Plazas. I think we may have broken the intention of these separated seats.

The tourist info center mentioned a special evening tour this month of the Convento San Bernardino de  Siena, a closed historical convent in the city.  Meghan was no up for this so we left her behind at the hotel and headed over by foot for the candlelight tour.  It was not just a tour but a production performed by youth of a historical revolution or battle that the convent served in some harboring capacity. This kids loved firecracker explosions (representing gunfire) that echoed off the stone walls. It was a loud and hot performance but entertaining even without our family translator.

Yay For Another Travel Day!

  We were informed by Mom&Dad last night that we would be taking a plane to Cancún instead of an 18 hour bus ride. So, instead of having to wake up early to go to the bus terminal, we got to sleep in. Check out was at 1:00 so we took our time getting packed up, playing small games on our devices, and Meg and I took a trip to Starbucks- and, just because Mom&Dad weren't there to tell me differently, I ordered a cheesecake for breakfast. It was great. When we came back it was time to leave Sheraton's nice hotel room and go out for lunch. By that time my stomach was bothering me but not enough to not go out. At the restaurant we chose, I didn't order anything but a drink. Meghan said it was probably the cheesecake that I chose to eat for breakfast, but I didn't want to admit out loud that she was right. 

 After their food was almost fully digested, we grabbed our bags and headed to the subway station.

It was a fair amount of blocks and by the end of it I was starting to wish I hadn't eaten that cheesecake. I was super pumped because I was imagining that no one would be on the subway to the airport because no one had been on it before, but I was wrong. It was fully packed with people so we held our bags tightly to our chests and were aware of space for the rest of the trip. By the time we were at the airport my shoulders were killing me, and I complained to Meghan that my bag was definitely the heaviest luggage out of our group. But when we found out that checking our bags would be free for our entire plane to Cancún, we quickly found out whose bag was really the heaviest. 

 Meghan won with her baggage weighing 11.82 kilograms, with mine being second to last at 9.82, with the exception of Dad who just packs  a toothbrush and sunscreen, if nothing at all. 

 We wandered to find our gate where the plane would off at 4:30. At 3:20, we had plenty of time, so we bought some snacks for the plane, and since I didn't eat any lunch, I was starting to get hungry, so I got some potato chips and a churro, which is the first time I've had one of those since our trip to South America. 

 The plane was giant, which makes sense considering the amount of people that were waiting in line to board. 

 The flight was short, only 2 hours, but we waited on the runway for about 30 minutes before we were allowed to get off the plane.

Sadly, Meghan wasn't feeling so great once we arrived so we tried to get to our hotel quickly.

 It was called hotel Calypso, and nice, small room that we would stay for one night. Mom&Dad and I went down to dinner while Meghan stayed in the room and tried to sleep. The food was excellent, it was actually the first meal that I finished my entire plate, plus the rice and beans plus the one chip. When we got back to the room Meghan was watching the second to last Twilight, so we knew she was feeling somewhat better. I got to sit and watch the end of it, which was pretty great, because I had a mineral water to drink while watching. 

 Meghan was pretty pumped about the next movie that was coming on, "White Chicks" but Dad said it was too late, and time to go to bed. 

Ruinas

Starbucks has become part of our morning routine and it sure helps when we have to wake up early to get on a van. Not unlike New York, Starbucks are at least a stones throw away, where ever you are. Our driver came to get us at the hotel and we waited in the plaza for about 15 Mexican minutes for the other members of our tour. The 15 Mexican minutes translated to about an hour. Our first stop was at a gift shop outside of the ruins. A lady named Jenny explained to us how paper, textiles, juice, and liquor were all made from the Agave plant. The tip of the plant was a needle and when the outer layers were peeled back, there was thread attached to it. She died the thread using rose petals, calcium and the flower that goes into Manzanilla tea. The calcium turned the red to a purplish color and the yellow to a green. I wish that was the kind of science they taught us at school! We walked around the gift shop for a bit before leaving to go to the ruins. The most popular parts of the ruins were the Sun and Moon temples. Our guide said that the temple of the moon used to be covered with white stucco and the temple of the sun was made of all red stones. We climbed halfway up the temple of the moon and had a pretty view of all the smaller pyramids. We went through one of the houses and the guide told us that in the courtyard of every house there was about an inch of water that covered the ground so it reflected the moon and the stars at night. 

Lastly, we climbed the temple of the sun where we could go all the way to the top. I'm confused as to why on earth such short people would build temples with stairs that were as tall as their knees. It was rough getting all the way up there but the view from the top was stunning. You could see the line of small pyramids with the temple of the moon at the end. Tenochtitlan was in a valley so we could also see all the hills around it. Once we descended, we had some extra time so we looked for a tree with some shade. Helen and I played cards until it was time to go. We got back on the bus and it took us back to the hotel. From there we went to eat a late lunch at a steakhouse. Dad and I both got meat that was served on iron skillets still cooking it while we were eating. After lunch we went to the pool at the hotel until the sky looked a little sketchy and we got out. The rest of the day was spent hanging around the room. Last but not least, we ordered room service for desert and the tray that he rolled in served as a perfect card table.

Mexico City!

This morning we tried to take our 9kg of laundry to the lavandaria, but after walking the 6 blocks there, it was closed.  We gave up and walked back to the hotel.  Stopping for a coffee and some sweet treats from one of the many Starbucks we passed on our way (tell me where we are again?)

We bought passes for the Touribus, an open topped double decker bus that runs several circuits around the city. We rode into the historic district from our hotel in the business district.  We passed a few abandoned buildings that were victims of the 8.5 earthquake that occurred here in 1985.  Most of the windows were intact but there were large cracks in the foundations and running top to bottom of the 4 story buildings.

We got off at the Alameda, a central massive square with large trees and grassy areas and paths wandering in the middle of the city. We walked past the Bellas Artes building.  Gorgeous exterior with lines coming out of both sides with hundreds of people waiting to get in.

We walked to the Zocalo, which was covered by enormous white tents, and walked through the Cathedral. Large arched ceilings with little to no paint.  There was a mass taking place as we came in, we attended IMO for a Wednesday morning @9:30.  

The church is well maintained in the areas used frequently but lacks the luster of other cathedrals of that size.  There was a net across the base of the bell tower cupola to catch pieces of the ceiling as they fell.  It was a lovely church in need of some restoration. They do not charge people to tour it, but I wonder if they would make enough to restore the gold painted on the walls and repair the ceiling.

We walked on to the Templo Mayor.  The temple was discovered by electrical workers trying to install cables underground in 1963.  Until this discovery, it was believed that the Cathedral was built over the entire site of the original temple.  There was not much to see other than the base of their buildings - but the try fascination for me was that they built these temples and buildings in a land that was mostly swamp because their leader believed that this was the chosen spot when he saw an eagle perched on a cactus holding a snake.

To build their massive buildings, they had to hammer long pieces if wood into the mud and build/weave a floor on top of them.  It reminded me a little of the Uros on Lake Titicaca.

We ate lunch on the 4th floor overlooking the Zocalo, taking in our first Plata del Dia of the trip. It's a 3 (sometimes 4) course meal for a fixed price.  It's plenty of food and super inexpensive versus ordering off the menu.

After lunch we ran to the bus.  We had to stop it from driving off without us, but we made it.  The seats up top were hot, hot, hot but we toughed it out and rode to the Archeology Museo in Chapultepec Park.

The museum is extremely well done and the ground floor features all of the historic culture and their remains (including models of some of the buildings left behind) and the second floor hosts a glimpse of the culture in the same areas today.  I enjoyed one of the models so much, I'm hoping to change our flexible itinerary to take in the actual site.

The girls were tired of site seeing so we bought them a burrito and sodas and left them in the hotel room while we went to catch the South loop.  We bought some snacks and walked to the bus stop to find out the bus was stuck in traffic and when the 9:00 closing time came, Touribus pulls in to whatever the closest stop is and drops everyone off.  

Instead, we decided to walk through the Condesa neighborhood.  Cute area with large trees in the center walkways and bars and restaurants scattered around.  We sat at an outdoor table and enjoyed our time together and the quiet of the time without the girls. :)

Fantastic Day One!

Leaving Oaxaca

Today we are taking the bus to Mexico City. I have some reservations about leaving partially because I like the feel of this town but also my concerns for safety in Mexico City.  We have read quite a few travel warnings which make me a little nervous.

Oaxaca was full of tourists, mostly national tourists, for the Guelaguetza festival of folk dancing. We fit in a little more with the masses doing tourist things, buying crafts, hats and taking a lot of photos.

We hit Cafe Alex, our first morning breakfast spot, then caught a cab to the bus terminal.  The 6.5 hour  drive was through high mountainous desert full of various cactu plants then falling into a wide agricultural valley before entering the city. Bus movies were Grown Ups 2, War Horse and American Hustle with no subtitles for the gringos.

The MC bus terminal is huge but broken down into smaller terminals so we didn't feel overwhelmed and made it easily to the metro station below. I was on full alert but then began to calm down as it was clear that everyone was just doing their thing and even though we were clearly tourists, we we not out of place. Our stop popped us out in the Rosa Zone financial district were we walked  couple of blocks to our hotel with bags on backs during rush hour with most folks in business attire getting off work. Now I felt a little out of place but totally safe. Not sure anymore what I had worried about or what I had expected. This was a metropolitan city like many others, with great public spaces. 2 days to explore further.

Monte Alban

After groggily going to the smaller bus station to buy our tickets to go see Monte Alban, one of the top 5 best ruins in Mexico, we went to a café right around the corner. We were expecting the food to be made quickly, and then we would eat the food quickly and go back to the terminal before our bus left at 9:30. 

 However, as time ticked away, we chatted and waiting for our food to come. Meghan and I both ordered smoothies, not questioning how large they were. At 9:20, when our food finally came, we noted that we couldn't eat in 10 minutes plus walking back to the station. 

 So we called and switched our tickets to the 10:30 time. The only downside of going an hour later was that it would be hot most of the time we were there. But I assumed it would be fine. 

 The smoothies that we ordered were too big for a giant, let alone a human. It was good, but I felt bad about wasting almost half of it, by dumping it down the sink later on that day. 

 We took our time leisurely walking back to the hotel and chilling there until it was time for us to head back over to the bus terminal. 

 The ride was about 30 minutes, not too bad because Meg and I played cards and listened to the girls across from us speak in Italian. When we arrived, we paid our fee and debated (actually only Mom&Dad debated, my opinion didn't matter whatsoever) on whether or not we wanted a tour guide. When we (they) agreed on having a tour guide, a man named Julio volunteered. Thankfully he spoke English so I didn't have to spend the next hour and a half trying to piece together what he was saying. 

 First, he gave us an overall explanation of what we were going to see and find out today about Monte Alban, a former city which was first inhabited by Zapotecs around 500 B.C. They flattened the tops of mountains and there they built temples to honor their gods. There were also houses for the upper class on the slopes of the mountains and houses for the lower class down in the valley. 

 We walked slowly up the hill, stopping to listen to stories about important trees that had been there for centuries. One of the places we went to first was the Gran Plaza, which was was where all the markets were held, where upper class people bought things and lower class mostly just watched. There were many temples around the plaza, most of which were blocked off for protection to the stones.

 One of the coolest things Julio spoke about was a room that only got direct sunlight twice a year. There is a small temple over the room, leaving one hole near the top where the sun can shine through. 

 After Julio finished the tour we wandered up the stairs to see two separate temples on either side of the plaza. When we saw almost every ruin and took pictures of it, we headed down to the museum and walked around looking at all of the artifacts that the archeologists had dug up and preserved, such as a skeleton that had been placed in a tomb, like Julio explained.

 Feeling like we were finished and had seen everything we needed to see at Monte Alban, we hopped on the 2:00 bus back to Oaxaca. All of the seats were full, so Mom&I slid over to make room for a sweet girl who Mom tried to talk to some of the ride home. 

 We walked for a little bit and stopped at a locals restaurant. Mir was a four course meal, two soups, a main course, plus a small rice pudding in a plastic cup with a very small spoon. It was delicious, I would definitely eat there again. 

 After stopping by the hotel for a nap, we walked downtown through a craft market, which consisted of at least 30 very small stores, where not one store didn't have another store that was selling the exact same thing. Most of them were selling pottery, small colorful animals, clothes or shoes. 

 We all purchased an item, and feeling satisfied we went to a café where Meghan and I split some quesadillas. 

 Dad had heard that fireworks were going to go off around 8:40, so we walked around to try to find some rooftop restaurants where we would have a great view. Apparently all the locals had had this idea way before us so we ended up watching them standing in the plaza. They were still beautiful, and more far away then I've experienced before so they were much less loud then I expected. 

 After they ended we walked back to the hotel and Dad went off to find some food since the rest of us weren't hungry. I took a shower which took forever since out of the 30 streams of water, 7 of them actually worked. 

 After taking at least 10 minutes trying to get shampoo out of my hair, I gave up on conditioner and went to bed. 

Small town visits

After eating pastries for breakfast, caught a cab to the ADO bus station to buy tickets to la Ciudad de Mexico. Then we set out to try and catch a colectivo: a small bus that would take us to Tlacolula, the weaving town. Of course nothing is that easy and we walked for a while before getting lost and having to ask for directions. We caught the bus and rode out of the city. The view out the window looked a bit like the outskirts of Cusco, lots of green and occasional small houses. Tlacolula seemed to not have many people until we got into the market and there was barely any breathing room. People were selling all sorts of things from live chickens and turkeys to clothes. We walked around the markets for a while just taking everything in. We ate lunch at a restaurant because although the market food smelled amazing, it probably wouldn't have gone over so well. After wandering for a bit longer we caught a taxi to Teotitlan. Once in Teotitlan we walked around looking at all the tapestries that many vendors were selling. We walked up to the main square where a funeral was coming out of the church led by trumpets and trombones. The church was filled with flowers from the funeral and it was absolutely beautiful. I forgot how much patience and energy go into every single detail of churches in Latin America and it's breathtaking.

We went to a restaurant to order drinks and played cards for a bit before getting on another bus to go see the biggest tree in the world. I don't know what I was expecting exactly, but the tree was enormous. There was a fence around it so we couldn't go up and touch it but it was still impressive to see. We ate some ice cream in the park and I got tamarind and chile. Mexicans don't mess around with their chile, by the time I finished my ice cream, my mouth was burning. We caught a taxi back into Oaxaca and ate dinner on the plaza watching the Gold Cup final on TV. The restaurant/bar was super crowded and there were people standing on the street so they could watch. Mexico won 3-1 and everyone was thrilled.

Oaxaca Market

The overnight bus was not as comfy as we had hoped and we arrived sore and tired this morning. Luckily we were able to check in to our hotel very early and after breakfast caught up on some sleep before exploring Oaxaca. First stop, the Benito Juarez mercado. Always my favorite spots in town this one did not disappoint with all of the sights and smells, some great and others not so.

I saw the grasshopper ladies and after a sample bought a small bag of these deep fried and spiced insects... pretty tasty but I couldn't get much interest from the rest of the gang.

There is a month long celebration here called Guelaguetza and so the center of town is full of folks. We wandered through vendors to the Santo Domingo de Guzman temple for a quick peek inside and some sanctuary (isn't there a story of vendors and temples?). Afterward we got a bite to eat before the parade but by the time we finished up it was too late to find any good vantage points. It sounded like an excellent parade and we caught glimpses of some reworks on pole, spinning parks into the crowd and also some taller puppets but didn't stick around too long.

Final Day on the Pacific

     Got up this morning and headed back to El Cafecito for breakfast with Mike, letting the girls sleep in a bit.  The sky was a bit overcast which put a slight damper on the heat of the sun.  We bought the girls some pastries and smoothies and caught a cab back to the hotel to pack up.
     After laying around in the room and gathering our belongings back up, we checked out of the hotel and caught a cab to the bus station where we left our bags for the day, then took another cab out to Playa Zicatela (home to the enormous surfing waves).
   We walked a little bit, but the sky has cleared and the sun was blistering hot so we ducked into a beachfront restaurant and sat at a shaded table close to the roar of the waves.  Meghan volunteers to go buy cards and we sit there for an hour or so watching the waves and playing cards - at the end of the games we played, Helen counts the cards and comes up with 40.  It's then we realize that there are no 8's or 9's and while we were playing Speed and Crazy 8, not one of us noticed there were no 8's.
     We wandered up the street after our last card game looking for a place to eat and settled in a restaurant for lunch across the street from the beach, but still in range of the sound of pounding waves.

     After lunch, we moved basically across the street to Juquilita, a beachfront bar with several well shaded hammocks, where we whiled away the remaining hours swinging peacefully sipping our drinks and reading our books.  Once in a while, I would glance up in time to see a massive wave thunder in and would rush to the edge and sit and wait for another one.

  At around 6:00, we crawled out of our hammocks, walked around a bit and headed to the bus station for our overnight bus to Oaxaca.
     On the bus we were treated to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in espanol - until the lights went out and we drifted off to a fitful sleep.

The People's Beach

Debby and I got up early and took a cab back to the bus station where we were told the night before that the overnight bus to Oaxaca was full and our options were to stay another day or take a day bus. Not ble to decide at that moment we slept on it and got to the station in time to buy the last 4 seats on the overnight bus tomorrow. Another day in paradise.....

After two days at Playa Carrizalillo we decided to hit some new sand at Playa Manzanillo, known for snorkeling. This beach is another small harbor lined with restaurants hiding under the palms and we chose some chairs and umbrellas that were well shaded since we were on our 3rd day in the sun.  By purchasing drinks and food, the loungers are free and we had excellent front row seats for the day.  

By noon the beach was packed to the point of walking through a crowd to get into the water and it was necessary to wade into deeper waters to have some room.

This is not our favorite scene but it was enjoyable to see something different. There was a constant stream of vendors making their way through the crowds selling everything from fruit to trinkets to a song if you wanted it. Very reminiscent of beaches in parts of Equador and Chile. This was also a locals beach with very few gringos like us.  Boat captains were taking groups out and back all day to see dolphins and turtles or to ride on the back of an inflatable tow-behind. We took no part, just layer back and watched it all. 

Last day on the Pacific coast until some unplanned future trip!

Wednesday

     Waking up in bed is one thing. But waking up to an ocean and a pool outside your window is another.
     We started off the day with a wonderful breakfast at a crowded restaurant: El Cafecito. As hungry as I felt when we got there I was still not able to finish my plate of pancakes and fruit, and started to wish that Meghan and I had shared a plate instead of getting two separate ones. With our stomachs full and minds set on burning calories we sweated through the 10 yard walk (plus stairs) to the same beach as yesterday. After watching Meghan and Dad successfully stand up on the board while surfing yesterday, I was starting to regret turning down the offer to try it myself.
      So with a plan in mind to follow in their footsteps, after a limonata mineral- Fizzy Lemonade, I wanted to have my first surfing lesson, whether I was ready or not. Ray, the English speaking surf teacher that was with Meghan and Dad yesterday, taught me the 3 steps of how to get up while riding a wave. I was great at doing the steps on the sand, but while in the water, flipping over was what was happening 80% of the time. However I did manage to stand up twice, my feet on the board for only a millisecond but at least it was progress. At the end it was definitely a success, although more than half the time I was hanging off the right side of the board. Oh well. It was still a success.
   

 Out of the three books I brought, I finished the first one while sitting in front of the ocean, lemonade in my hand with the breeze drifting by. Meghan, next to me whispered, "Helen, we are literally in paradise." It wasn't really possible to disagree.
      We headed back to the hotel around 4 and chilled by the pool, reading and playing cards in the shade. Instead of being on a time based schedule, we took our time getting ready for dinner. We caught a cab around 7, and were taken to a separate beach where the waves were so strong and tall that only professional surfers could ride the waves. We sat at a restaurant called Los Tios (The Uncles) and ate dinner while watching the surfers swiftly zigzag through the water like they owned it; which they probably did.
     Instead of walking along the shoreline a little ways, we walked down the streets where the stores were open along with the sidewalks marked with little trinkets such as necklaces, dream catchers, or paintings. We walked to the end of the block where we were picked up by a taxi that took us to the bus station. While Mom&Dad waited in line to pay for tickets, I scurried off to the bathroom, and was in such a hurry that I didn't notice that we had to pay for toilet paper. Luckily, Meghan had my back and passed me some under the stall door, to which I felt rather stupid, and told myself I would pay attention next time.
     We found out that the overnight bus that we wanted to take was sold out, so we debated whether or not to take the 6 hour one, or spend an extra night in Puerto Escondido and leave for the trip to Oaxaca the next day.
     By the time our decision was made, I was tired and ready to go to bed. When we got back to our hotel, I think all of us labeled the day as a triumph and basically fell into bed. 

Surfs Up!

We woke up this morning to the blues outside our window, the sky, the ocean, and of course the pool. After eating breakfast at the hotel we got ready to go down to the Rinconada which is the strip of restaurants closest to our hotel. Once there, we bought water and turned to go down to the beach. We walked on a pedestrian path for a bit before reaching the stairs. After the first flight, we came around a corner to see the whole cove below us. The water further out was deep blue towards the beach it was light green. When I got down, I found dad talking to multiple surf instructors who all said it was something we just had to do. We decided to think on it -we being Dad and I, both mom and Helen were uninterested- and made our way to a set of chairs where we ordered drinks and went for a swim. After lounging around for a bit, it was time. Our instructor Ray, showed us the steps in the sand before we got in the water. They were pretty easy to do there, but once in the water it was evident that wasn't the case anymore. Dad had been surfing before and he easily stood up before falling back down into the waves. I wasn't as coordinated. It took me a while to get comfortable on the board until they brought me a new one and I had to start over again. Once I stood up the first time, I did it 3 more times before getting out to have lunch. We ate tacos at the restaurant/bar that we were sitting at and then hung out for a bit more before going back to the hotel. At the hotel we swam in the pool for a bit before leaving to eat dinner at 6. A cab took us to the downtown of Puerto Escondido and dropped us off at our restaurant. We ate looking out at the bay where all the fishing ships were. Mom and Dad both got fish, Helen got spaghetti and I got octopus. It was so good. When we left the restaurant, the street was filled with people and venders. It was kind of like a street fair but smaller. We caught a cab back to our hotel to change into swimsuits before leaving at 8:30 to go on a tour of a bioluminescent lagoon. We drove out and got on a boat with a couple other people and our guide. The stars were incredible, we could even see the milky way. Once far from the lights, the water started to light up when it was moved. When you put your hand in the water and splashed, the water around your hand would flow.  Many people went swimming, including Helen, but I stayed on the boat to watch the stars. I think I was asleep even before we got back to the hotel. We all came in, changed and immediately went to bed. Our first full day in Mexico was definitely a success.

Viva Mexico!

      We had a full day of travel.  Loving parents dropped us off at MARTA to begin our journey @8:30.  ATL to MEX.  Changed terminals, waited in a crazy long line to check in to our budget Mexican airline [an early reminder of life in Peru].  I had forgotten how spoiled we in the U.S. are when it comes waiting in lines. Somewhat lost in Terminal 1 - it was confusing that the airline just tells you the terminal to hang out in until they post the gate, the plane is assigned to just minutes before boarding...

     We arrive to a partially sunny, humid paradise. :)