Old Man Doing Young Things

Sunday morning and some online discovery finds a place called Xcaret. To call it a theme park would be belittling the true experience of the place. It is an archaeological and ecological park located around the sea.
http://www.xcaret.com/

I arrived there late around 13:00, bought a two day pass and started by donning a life jacket and travelling through the underground river followed by a laze on the hammocks:

Before the trip I had a vision of getting my SCUBA certification but then reality set in. So as a compromise I did SNUBA diving. This is where the tank is connected to you but sits on a kayak on the surface and is connected by a 7 metre hose. Apart from not having the tank on your back and the depth everything else is the same as SCUBA.

IT WAS AWESOME:

 I really loved it and have looked at doing some more at Puerto Morelos. By the time I was finished it was close to 18:00 so I opted for the Mexican Buffet which BTW was really nice at a table where I could watch the Mexican Horse show and sit and thin how every culture has their claimed horse history.

I tried to see the leopard and jaguars but they weren't very cooperative only....

Things I would like to do on my return visit before I leave on Friday.....Butterfly Pavilion, Bee Farm, Edible Mushroom Farm, Museum of Orchids, Fish Shrimp Farm, Sea Turtle Area and possibly another (I did it 18 months ago) swim with dolphins.

Anyway clearly a day I thoroughly enjoy and am thinking about maybe coming here again in the future (maybe en famile)  as I really enjoy the whole scene. One minor pity is that I have some timeshare options which would make my accommodation free but most of them have a compulsory food inclusive option of around $A100-$140 a day and I kind of like being able to explore the food scene. Tonight for example I a going to an Italian restaurant recommended by Maite, Vivien's Mexican Daughter-in-Law who spends Christmas vacations here - that would not realistically be possible using a food inclusive option.

Monday was a "nothing" day. Breakfast at the beach catching up with news from home alternating between napping, pool, some shopping - 30 minutes to check out of Wal*Mart grrr, cooking lunch and having a lovely inactive day.

That night I went to Lucca, an Italian 'up-market' restaurant at the Grand Velas resort. Food and service were both excellent but it was in a very large all marble restaurant better suited to buffet breakfasts but all in all very good.

Tuesday morning back to Xcaret where it seemed much more crowded than last time. I signed up for swimming with sharks. It was a man made reef pool with five large grey nurse sharks. The first part we were allowed to hold, pat and feel them - very up close and personal while the second part we were allowed to swim around the tank with them. I should point out that while we swim around the tank they are 'trained' to swim below us. These photos taken by me while snorkeling in the tank with the sharks.

 

After the sharks watched dolphin show and had a buffet lunch 'carne' which was quite good actually. Then the Butterfly pavilion and a few things along the way and home after six hours. One truly needs two days to see MOST of this excellent park.

 

Got home about 18:30 and lay down for a nap which became lights out for the day.

All good fun in the sun - am reasonably brown even by my standards.

Hope all are well.
XD

 

Things Mayan

So the 08:00 ferry to Cozumel it was. "Return they ask" I realise that there are two separate companies that alternate every hour - go figure - and the return is only available for the one you buy it from.

I queue up (or line up as the Americans say) and there is a short queue (maybe 10) and a long one (100's) - I am innocent so I go to the short one which is boarded first for the 45 minute journey.

I arrive in this most visited Mexican Island, Atlantic Ocean on one side and Caribbean on the other and the first thing I see and I mean the very first:

 WTF!! Clearly the Chabbad's reach is far and wide.

A quick walk around the centre of town and breakfast at the café before heading to the ATVs at el Cid Hotel. I arrive to be told yes 10:30 no problem wait inside. Twenty minutes later no the 10:30 is sold out and you can do the 12:30 and BTW we only take cash.

A quick aside on the cash issue in Mexico. The street rate for the $US is 11.75 pesos to the dollar which at current rates would mean the Australian Dollar should be 10.81 pesos to the dollar. Using the ATM even with the charges the rate you get is 11.33 so cash in Mexico use your ATM card. You need to be careful everywhere as places use the exchange rate according to the temperature. Some are generous others not at all.

Anyway I go looking for an ATM as I had very little cash on me. As I approach the machine I fall into a shallow water feature and get completely soaked. For some amazing reason my iPhone was in my handbag (most unusual) and I managed to rescue it and everything else before the bag became waterlogged, Anyway all finished OK and I return in time for the tour.

We are bussed to their facility 15 minutes away where we get this amazing detailed safety briefing (all of 7 seconds) and off we head starting on the side of the main road before heading into a sandy rocky and at times quite rough path just above the beach. We aren't allowed to go onto the beach at this time as it is turtle nesting season.

After an at time gruelling ride we arrive at what is called a Mayan Ruin - you judge:

 

Anyway very good fun and most enjoyable. The sun is searingly hot but my SPF50+ amazingly did the job and no sunburn at all.

 

They then schlep us to a Tequila "factory" which I was quite hohum about but which was very interesting. To be called Tequila it has to be made from just one of the 275 varieties of the Agave Plant. They use the core of the plant at 8 years old and as they leave the roots intact it regenerates. There are 225 manufacturers of which 19 are organic.

Back to make the 16:00 ferry and to the apartment for a rest before dinner. I decide on a very fancy but reasonably priced Italian just metres from where I am staying and it was excellent with Spicy Seafood Soup and Tuna Carpaccio.

 

A relatively early night with a long day ahead.

 

Next morning I hot the road for what will be eight hours of driving. First stop is 62kms Tulum a Mayan ruin beautifully situated above the beach where one can swim. If I said the sun was searingly hot yesterday it is much worse today.

Iguanas EVERYWHERE oblivious to the sun and the human presence. The ruins are awesome when you think about how primitive tools and technology must have been in those times. After just an hour I have to get out of the sun and have some hydration as drink is not allowed in the ruins.

 

Off to Chechen Itza one of the seven wonders of the world. This is a further two hour drive. Arriving there is an experience in itself. You pay for parking and get told not to lose your ticket as you will need it to exit - go figure. Then you buy one entrance ticket and have to buy a second one - why you ask? One is Federal Government and the other is Municipal Government and they can't consolidate - full employment I guess.

 

Entering is akin to walking through a massive Mexican Bazaar throughout the whole site there are vendors selling their Mayan Masks, hand carved (in China perhaps) chachkas and everything else.

 

But when you reach the ruins they are quite awesome

 

 

On the one hand I regretted not paying the $US65 for the tour guide but as my shirt was soaking wet with sweat and I was quite fatigued after 1.5 hours I was happy I hadn't gone for it to hear of the history of every stone. I did read all about it afterwards having felt I missed a lot of the meanings.

 

I decide on lunch in a nearby spa hotel and it was lovely and relaxing looking over the tranquil gardens before the three hour drive home which included the pleasant and unusual experience of somebody filling my car with petrol and washing my windscreen. A quick shower and relax and off to dinner.

 

I choose a Mayan restaurant which has nice décor matched by the food and totally unmatched by the service. I wait five minutes and am asked for drinks at which time I ask if I could have a menu. After another 10 minutes I see the head waiter and ask if it would be possible to get a menu. Turns out there is a menu shortage AND THE RESTAURANT IS ONLY HALF FULL. After 20 minutes I finally get a menu I look through it the choices seem a bit thin then I recall having seen something on the menu when deciding to eat there and it turns out my menu of 4 pages is missing another four pages. How tired must I have been to stay there. Anyway the meal was lovely while the tip was non existent.

 

I should point out that every day has since I have been here has been forecast as thunderstorms, shower, rain etc - not one drop of rain since I arrived seven days ago!!

 

Home for a very well deserved rest. My cough seems better and the cold seems to be clearing up so here's hoping.

 

Hope all are well

More soon

XD  

 

Sun Surf and Sand

Finally got going around midday and checked out the beach actually walking on the sand. The beach is free but there are a large number of beach clubs which are usually restaurants where you can rent a chaise lounge towel and oils for $US8 a day. The pictures don't do this VERY long beach (kilometres) justice. The water is a lovely green/blue and is very inviting indeed.

I then headed to La Quinta Avenida (5th Ave). This is a very long (maybe 3+km) street with shops and restaurants of all types and varieties. The shops include some of the global brands and in some cases one at each end but they don't dominate the landscape but blend in with the numerous silver jewellery shops which seems to be the must buy take home from Playa del Carmen.

My walk took me around 3 hours so deserved the plunge into the rooftop pool when I got back.

 My walk took me around 3 hours so deserved the plunge into the rooftop pool (private just to this apartment) when I got back - very refreshing.

That night I head out to explore the OTHER half of "the Avenue". I discover the Pewter shop which has wonderful bowls etc at very reasonable prices - I am sure I will be back there to finalise a small order.

 

Most pieces around $A25-$A45 Except Large Serving Platter

Apparently you can buy your smallgoods together with your Viagra!!

I look at about 30 restaurant menus being very fussy about the lobster I am hoping to enjoy. There are some amazing looking restaurants some ultra modern chic others middle of the road and others simple cantinas.

Apparently I wasn't fussy enough as I settle for the Lobster Grill. Lobster Bisque, Caesar salad made freshly table side and two lobster tails weighing 500 grams with a cost of $A0.09 per gram - $A45 not too bad I figured. Well they arrived looked beautiful but were so overcooked that after one mouthful I pushed the plate away. I called for the bill and they generously only charged me 50% for the INEDIBLE lobster - I really wasn't in the mood for an argument for $A23 - and then whinged when my tip was only 6.7% - why I left a tip I don't really know. WTF!!!!

[L] Cigar maker
[R] waiter before whinging about his tip.

Back to the apartment to the start of the thunderous nearby nightclubs which, rather than annoying is quite invigorating.

I am extremely happy with my choice of location (thanks Danielle) in Mexico. The place is lovely. I isn't dominated by any one nationality but a good mix of many Mexicans (a good sign) Americans Europeans and even some Aussies. It hasn't been globalised but still has Mexican charm, the beach is AMAZING and the apartment works so well.

I finally get to sleep around midnight, wake for an hour at 02:30 getting up at 08:00 and as I sit at my computer updating my blog no electricity for two hours so I extend my sleep till it comes back on. I don't feel the urge to get up and out which to me, is the sign of a good holiday destination.

Midday and a shower finally sees me out the door.

Tuesday is easy to report on - I did F all of nothing. I walked, mooched, rested, relaxed, swam and generally did nothing.

Wednesday I drive to Cancun and I can report that I would have hated to stay at Cancun. It is just megaresort after megaresort after megaresort. On the way I learned a few new words in Spanish.

By now my cough has returned after subsiding for 2 weeks and I can't stop coughing, sneezing and feeling like crap. So on Thursday I head to the beach for breakfast in the sun, a 1km walk along the beach, a plunge in the pool and then I end up in bed from 15:00 on and off till the next morning where I wake u feeling a "little" better.

During one of my lunches I end up chatting with the Manager of an Italian Restaurant. He is from Rome, was an F&B manager on cruise ships and now works in Playa helping restaurant start-ups. Apparently almost all of the seafood is flown in frozen as the locals cannot supply the market for same in Playa. On the main street alone there are 30 Italian Restaurants not to mention all the other cuisines. He says that when the Mexicans have money they open a restaurant often having no idea what they are doing. Food wastage is a big factor apparently. Anyway it was an interesting conversation while I ate my prawn pizza.

Anyway enough for now - I am thinking Cozumel today and will probably go twice thinking ATV beach, jungle and Mayan Ruins tour one time and SNUBA (a connected air hose) another time,

Enough for now
XD