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