Mexico - Day 6

And here we are, our last full day in Mexico. It was another "my choice" excursion and I had booked us to drive dune buggies through the jungle with Rent Buggy Playa del Carmen. I was super excited for this but when we got there and had a look at the dashboard of the badass machine I'd be driving, I was a wee bit apprehensive. And, big surprise, there were only 4 of us booked on the tour!!!! For anyone considering a trip to Cancun/Playa del Carmen - go in mid to late January and book the morning excursions!

Once we fired up our mini-monster trucks, pulled on our goggles and pulled up our bank robber style bandanas, we headed out ... onto the HIGHWAY. Sweet Jesus, have they not seen us drive? And these vehicles don't have turn signals, power steering or very good brakes. I see why they made us sign a waiver before we were allowed to begin. 

After about 1/2 a kilometre we turned off onto a dirt road and headed into the jungle. The bandanas are an important piece of safety equipment. As it hadn't rained much for the past week, things were DRY. Dust managed to work its way under my goggles, in my clothes and every crack and crevice you can imagine. However, half the time I didn't wear mine because my goggles kept fogging up as if I was wearing a thick wool scarf in -30 weather instead of +30!  We did however manage to find two small puddles which we skirted on the way out but deliberately sped through on the way back. I didn't come all the way to not get dirty. And get dirty we did (click for video).

After about an hour, we were deep in the jungle and pulled off into a hidden spot just off the side of the track we were following, just big enough to squeeze the three buggies in. We hopped out and headed off into the trees along a barely visible trail, slowly heading downhill. About five minutes later, we ended up here. This was the the second most beautiful cenote we visited (in my opinion) - its hard to compare some of them but it was very close between this one and the underground bat cave cenote we visited on our zipline tour with Selva Maya Eco Adventures. Different but both surprising, relaxing and peaceful. Look at those colours!

There was no where to change as you're literally in the middle of the jungle, so we just stripped down and let the mosquitos have their way with us. Mommikins was the last to get changed and just as she was stuffing her girls into her bathing suit, three local men came down the path to go swimming. Pretty sure at least one of them got a good look but what are you going to do?! We swam around for about 45 minutes, had a quick snack and headed back to the buggies. 

Instead of going directly back to the starting point, we took a detour into what many would call a slum. Extremely poor locals were squatting on government land - we were told that they were so poor and receiving no help from the government whatsoever, the children have no school, births aren't registered and families are building houses literally out of anything they can find. The first stop was at a local market where for a few $$$ (100 pesos) we could purchase a small bag of food to hand out. Mommikins and I picked up two bags each (we had been hoarding our pesos for some reason...and spending our USD all week). 

A short ride later, followed by local children, we stopped by a large group of women and children waiting our arrival. The poverty was striking enough and tugged at your heart; however, the small size of our group, which we had been overjoyed at earlier in the day, broke your heart when you saw how many people were hoping to receive something. Normally their groups are a lot larger which means more help. As it was, it took a lot not to shed a tear or two. 

A couple of the kids had made bracelets for us which they tied on our wrists and others were selling brightly coloured dream catchers to help out their families. We were also introduced to Maria, a school teacher who volunteered her time to teach the children what she could given the lack of resources. We were so moved by the children (who kept hugging us and had the most beautiful smiles I've ever seen!) that when we got back to Canada, we emailed the company to see what we could to help out more.

An emotionally and physically draining day for both of us. This was a fun, exhausting, exhilarating week. To finish off our holiday, we decided to try the Brazilian restaurant at the resort, Fogo de Brazil. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to enjoy this as I generally don't eat a lot of meat when I travel, and I'm notoriously picky about meat even at home. Sure enough, I didn't enjoy any of the meats on sticks they had to offer with the exception of some sort of sausage which was fairly tasty. Even Mom who tried all the meats wasn't impressed until the very end when they brought out some sort of steak which she raved about. I was thrilled by the salad bar which was easily the best in the entire resort. Part of me wishes we had tried the restaurant earlier 'cause I would have eaten my weight in veggies. Mmmmm.

I posted this pic earlier - it was dessert at Fogo de Brazil. A banana crepe sauteed in rum I think with berries and vanilla ice cream. I almost died it was soooooooooooooooooooooooo good. Sigh, I will miss you banana crepe. You stole my heart.

The next day we hung around the resort until pick up to head to the airport around 3ish. To avoid the heat and humidity until we headed home, I hung out at the Elephant Bar near the check in and had a nap on the couches. Shhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone. A great trip and a wonderful introduction to Mexico. 

Mexico - Day 5

Ahhhhh. Time for some rest and relaxation! Mommikins and I are not normally the type of folks who can spend their vacation sitting on a beach, "relaxing". Basically, we look at it as doing nothing. We can do that at home. This explains why our vacations are usually jam-packed with activities and excursions. However, after our trip to Hawaii, we realized that not only is having a little down time a good thing, we also could use a day to ourselves. Cue the sand and sunshine...

In Hawaii, I spent our day apart on a photography tour with Oahu Photography Tours led by a fantastic photographer, Dee-Jay Hanssen. This time around however, I just wanted to ... OMG ... wait for it ... yup, you guessed it .... RELAX. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

After breakfast together, I headed back to my room where I grabbed my backpack and threw in a book, a towel and my phone - the essentials. It was still fairly early on a Sunday morning so I was lucky when I arrived at the beach. It was empty. I found a little open air shelter thingy (hut?) where I made myself comfortable on one of the recliners and settled in for some "me time". The sound of the waves and solitude however soon beckoned and I found myself leaping over rows of seaweed washed up on the shore and dipping my toes in the crystal clear waves.

Perfection. Did I mention I had unknowingly picked the hut right beside the bar? Tee hee. I finally managed to get my first mojito here and it was disgusting. Overly sweet with no flavour, I took three sips and tossed it. Blech. I'll stick to drinking back home thanks.

I surprised myself by spending a good three and half hours nestled in my little corner of the Caribbean. By this time, people were arriving at the beach in droves and a young family had taken over the side of my hut closest to the beach. I figured it was time to skeedaddle back to the resort and grab some lunch.

Can't really beat that view, can you?!

Mom and I both had a good laugh mid morning - we started texting to see what each of us was doing and she eventually came and sat with me on the beach for a little while. We complain about how we spend so much time together and can't wait some days to get a little peace and quiet but when we do, we start wishing the other person was there. Go figure!

One more day before we head home!

Mexico - Day 4

Day four was another water day - snorkeling! Both Mommikins and I had worn masks before in Hawaii but haven't actually officially tried it with the whole fins/flippers. We headed back to the same dock where we went parasailing to hook up with the folks from Total Snorkel Cancun. Not sure if they are owned by the same folks as Parasail Cancun or if its the same company but we received a very hearty welcome when we hopped out of the van.

Underwater Selfie!

We had a quick test of the equipment and to ensure that we understood all the basics (kick your feet, breathe through your mouth, etc). There was a lovely cool breeze to take off some of the heat of this gorgeously clear day but it meant waves kept pushing into the dock steps. Who cares! This is going to be awesome!

Our group again was relatively small (the theme this vacation continues!) with Mom and I, another Mother/Daughter duo from the US and three folks from the Ukraine. We headed out to open water lead by Captain Willy (Mitel), our main snorkel guide the extremely handsome Arturo (Mmmm, Latin Men...), the somewhat shy Luis who did all of the photography, and PEDRO! Pedro was part of our crew when we went parasailing - he had picked us up and took us back into shore when we were done and recognized us from earlier in the week.

The gang snorkeling at site 2 - Turtles (Tortuga!) and a manta ray I think?

I had bought a new underwater camera to bring with me on this trip because we were going to be in the water pretty much every day. Cue the disappointment. The pictures it takes were horrible underwater - the video wasn't bad but I barely used it. The remaining pictures in this post were part of the photo package Mommikins purchased (Great job Luis!). Rant over...mostly LOL. 

The first location was mixed with some vegetation and LOTS of fish. Perfect to get used to snorkeling. There were also a few underwater statues of hands in Punta Sam, one of the underwater sites by the Underwater Museum of the Arts (MUSA). The waves were taking their toll on me but I did pretty well until a big wave slammed in my face and dislodged my mask and snorkel, making me swallow a bunch of salt water. Arturo, bless him, noticed I was starting to struggle a bit so he let me be towed on the floaty donut thingy he was dragging around in case anyone needed help. And he took my camera and took a couple of photos of the hands for me.

So long and thanks for all the fish!
Photo from the video/photo package shot by Total Snorkel Cancun

Getting back onto the boat was an adventure - the boat is swaying back and forth, the wind is making it rock quite a bit and when you start to climb the ladder, the boat tends to dip lean into you, occasionally sending you off balance even more! There's a funny store about Mommikins almost squashing poor Luis after the final stop but that's for another day... 

Once we were all safely back on the boat, we headed off to our next stop which was a grassy area favoured by turtles and other underwater creatures. After the first excursion, I was exhausted so I opted to stay onboard for this stop. Sure enough, shortly after everyone was back in the water, Arturo and Luis started shouting "Tortuga! Tortuga!" TURTLES! Dammit. A little bit later - sting ray (or manta, not sure but some sort of ray).

TORTUGA!
Photo from the video/photo package shot by Total Snorkel Cancun

Back on the boat and we were off for the final stop - an abandoned shipwreck with sea birds on the part above the water line and fish practically engulfing it below. Still tired and now feeling the sun (I couldn't wear a hat with my snorkel and mask so I only had a bandana on my bald noggin, I opted to stay under the small tarp covering part of the seats on the boat. Mommikins though jumped (or rather was dumped like most of us) off the side of the boat and back into the water. Arturo borrowed her camera too and took some pics for her so she could focus on enjoying everything about her experience.

Mommikins getting her snorkel on! Go girl!
Photo from the video/photo package shot by Total Snorkel Cancun

Snorkeling was one of Mom's activities so I'm glad she really enjoyed this day! 

We were wiped by the time we got back to the resort. After relaxing a bit, we headed over to Los Lirios - the steak and fish club at the resort. Its part of the elite section of the resort but anyone is free to visit the restaurant. Naturally, steaks all round! After our experience in Hawaii a few years ago, we were naturally wary about ordering steak on vacation. Let's be honest, living in Alberta, we're spoiled when it comes to quality beef. The waiter brought us our food and left without leaving a steak knife for either of us. However, I was so hungry by the time it arrived, I didn't care and said I'd attempt to cut it with my butter knife. 

My knife went right through it. TEN-DER!

The steak was cooked perfectly (I love mine well done but minus Trump's ketchup) and it was delicious. While it was fattier than what we're used to being served here, it was a delightful treat after a fantastic day on the ocean. 

Mexico - Day 3

Sorry for the delay in posting the next installment - life, you know...

Anyways, on to day 3. This was MY DAY. Out of all the activities we had planned for our week in Mexico, this tour of the ruins at Tulum and Coba was promising to be the highlight of my trip. With my academic background in Archaeology, this was going to be a dream come true.

Are you imagining foreboding music playing?

With an 8AM pickup time, we didn't think we'd have time for a proper, full breakfast so we opted for a light snack (fruit and pastries) in Bar L'Elefant just to be safe. A couple of the resort kitties came by to keep us company which I took as a good omen. In our typical style, we were out front of the resort's main entrance ten minutes early, eagerly awaiting our pick up. And we waited... and waited... and waited... It was almost 8:30 by the time we boarded the van. A bit annoyed, sure but too excited to really care. I should have paid more attention.

We were a motley crew, a veritable United Nations with a couple of ladies from Brazil, five folks from Italia, a couple from the United States and two couples from France. Our tour guide (who never introduced himself or the driver the entire 12 hours!) spoke Spanish, Italian, English AND Portuguese! Once more, the people we encountered in Mexico amazed me! The couples from France however were out of luck but we caught up with another group from the same company on the highway and they transferred to the other van and a guide who spoke French. So yes, once more, a VERY small group. Fantastic.

Tulum, which was about an hour away from our resort, was gorgeous! I could have stayed there for hours. However, please be warned - there is very little shade/trees at the site and it was damn hot. Make sure to wear a hat and bring water. Hat? Check. Water? Water? Agua?  Ooops. The ruins are in relatively decent shape; not surprising given that they are fairly young (its heydey was 13-15th centuries and was still in use albeit decline when the Spanish arrived). We were mixed with another small group when we arrived and taken onto the site by one of the tour guides working there. He was very knowledgeable and entertaining but we barely moved while he was speaking to us. I wanted to move around and see all the buildings. I'm so impatient.

Between the late pickup and the delay in transferring passengers, by the time we finished the formal tour portion of Tulum, our time there had been impacted. We were supposed to have an hour to ourselves to wander the site and explore, and shop if we wanted to. However, we ended up with only 45 minutes which had to include the 15 minute walk back to our meeting point. Needless to say, Mom just said "GO! I'll Follow!" and I was off, trying to make the best use of our time. I managed to get what I think are some pretty lovely shots especially on the side of the site right beside the coast. Oh that ocean breeze was wonderful. I'll post a link to my full set of pics once everything's edited and my daily recaps have been posted.

We saw a number of iguanas as we ran around the site. So cute from far away...

As a bunch of us tourists crowded around one particular opening in the trees trying to all get that one great shot, I overheard a woman comment to her partner something about it reminding her of Whitstable. Needless to say, I'm a busybody and blurted out "I've been to Whitstable!". Much conversation ensued (they were from Toronto!).

After we got back to our pre-arranged meeting place, we waited yet again for the members of our motley crew to arrive (late) before heading off for a swim in a local cenote. It was a bit disappointing compared to the others we had already visited. The site we ended up was already host to a couple of other tour groups and the cenote was out in the open, not underground. Yes, we had been spoiled on previous days but the water was cool and refreshing so the dip was welcome after the heat  of Tulum.

After our swim, we headed off to Coba where we stopped for lunch at a lovely open-air restaurant which I think is called Chile Picante Restaurante Mexicana. The whole upper floor of the restaurant is set aside for tour groups and they serve a small but extremely tasty buffet. This was easily the best meal (best dessert was last day in Mexico - stay tuned) I had during our entire time here. Rice, chicken and pork tacos, chili, some veggies and carne guisada con papas which reminded me of the stewed steak my dad used to make us when we were growing up except this also had sliced potatoes in the sauce! Roll me around in this with a bit of habanero sauce thown in for good measure and I'd die a happy death.

After lunch, we rolled ourselves down the stairs and outside. Literally just down the block from the restaurant was the entrance to Coba...

Coba is much older than Tulum - most likely at its peak between 500-900AD but parts were still in use until the 14th Century. Also, Coba is deep in the heart of the jungle - trees everywhere. It adds to the mystique of the site along with the quiet it brings. The main draw for most peoploe at Coba is the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan, the Nohoch Mul Pyramid (below) which you can still climb at your own risk.

120 Steps to the top and they're TALL steps (they pyramid is 137 feet high ... you do the math). Mom gave it a go although she didn't get far - its a very daunting task. And the way down is far worse than trying to get up. Super fit young guys were practically running up to the top. These same folks were the first to scooch down on their butts and grab the one rope running down the centre to make sure they didn't fall on the way down. Here's a video of Mommikins making her ascent. It gives you a really good idea of how tall some of the steps actually are. Ignore my smart ass commentary. I'm proud of her.

By this time, Mom and I were pretty tired and ready to head back to the resort for dinner. However, we were surprised to learn we had one more stop before the long trek back to the resorts. We headed off to a stop a tiny hut just off the side of the road which turned out to be the home of a local Mayan family. They welcomed us in and let us sample fresh grilled corn tortillas and we took part in a traditional ceremony similar to a North American Indigenous smudging ceremony. It was amazing to see the connections between Indigenous cultures separated by thousands of kilometres. So many similarities!

It was a very long day which always impacts my mood (yes, I'm self aware but still snap at people...sorry Mommikins). From pickup to drop off it was about 12 1/2 hours. If you decide to book this tour, make sure you're up for it. I recognize I need to be less rigid and let go of my need for schedules and sticking to them but when you're on a tour, it seems kind of important?  I would have liked another hour at Tulum so we weren't rushed and could do some shopping. Mom REALLY wanted a picture of herself with the guy and the snake! If I were to do it again, I'd probably break them up into separate tours. I would do a longer trip to go to Chichen Itza for example but just for one site. It seemed like we spent more time in the van than we did outside of it.

The tour company was so-so - we booked through one company who seems to farm out to smaller vendors so we didn't recognize the name on the van when they picked us up but they had our names so... The experience didn't do anything to make me want to book with them again or recommend them to anyone so I'll just leave it at that. However, if you're visiting the Yucatan, definitely make sure to visit one or both sites. INCREDIBLE!

Mexico - Day 2

After a fabulous afternoon parasailing, Mommikins and I headed back to the resort. I think we tried La Toscana (Italian) for dinner that night... looking back days are starting to run into one another! While La Toscana was very good for breakfast and pretty good for lunch, dinner was a miss for us. Mom devoured her lambchops but says she wouldn't order them again. I had chicken parmigiana with a side of fettucini alfredo. The coating on the chicken was as thick as the meat itself and not crispy and the fettucini? Ugh. Our advice? Definitely eat here for breakfast everyday, lunch when you're at the resort but skip the dinner offerings. Onto the fun stuff...

Day 2 in Mexico had us signed up to do the first thing Mommikins had said she wanted to do when we began planning our trip - ziplining! Neither of us had ever been before so we eagerly booked a half day with Selva Maya Eco Adventures which included ziplines, wall climbing, rappelling and swimming in a cenote. 

We had to arrange our own transportation which turned out to be no problem whatsoever as there's a kiosk at the resort where you can arrange all your taxi needs. We arranged to hire our own driver, Sergio, for five hours. Far more comfortable than the transport vans many companies used. I think we even arrived in record time considering how fast he was going - sometimes its not a good thing to be able to see the speedometer. 

All geared up and ready to go!

Our group was small yet again - maybe 12 of us in total including a couple of Australians, a few Americans (including a very nice couple from Oregon), and four folks from France. They crammed everyone into two 6 seater Polaris vehicles but Mommikins and I had the honour of driving in a tiny dune buggy with the fabulous Cesar. I'd say it was a 3-seater but there was really only one actual seat! Holding on for dear life, we roared off into the jungle and whipped through every puddle we could find (and Cesar found a lot). With no sides or top to the buggy, we were soon coated in mud from the waist down - my backpack still has mud on it. 

We all got fit for our gear and suited up ready to fly through the trees. After a short walk through the jungle, we climbed up the first platform and were introduced to the first obstacle - a double slatted suspension bridge. Just a hint: while your instinct will be to walk down the middle, its actually more stable and it'll be easier to cross on one of the outsides. Mom was up first. You can see her in the video below starting across. You can ALSO see the muy caliente Luis helping her get started. 

Give 'er Mommikins!

EDIT: the video doesn't seem to be working above so CLICK HERE if you want to view.

Unfortunately, Mom lost her footing about half way across and Luis (yum) had to go out and help her to the other side. While we weren't really high up, it still shook Mom pretty badly. We took a bit of a breather at the start of the next platform which was the first zip line. You could hear the rest of the group screaming in excitement as they flew down the line and further into the jungle. However, the slip on the suspension bridge was too much for Mom and she didn't feel up to it so we headed BACK ACROSS the suspension bridge, with Luis' help (hmmmm, was that the plan all along?!) and back to the ground. There was another opportunity to join up with the zipline half way through but she was still feeling wobbly. She was happy to let me go on without her but this was her adventure so we stuck together and rode in the polaris to the end point to meet up with the rest of the group.

The "waiting area"

The end of the zip lines is a short walk from the climbing wall. I took one look at this wall and laughed. There was no way I was going to get my plus-sized self up there. Mom gave it a good try but didn't get more than a couple of hand holds up either. Neither of us was too keen on the rappelling portion so we watched and cheered the rest of our group on.

The rappelling ends on the platform in the picture below right beside a cenote. It was gorgeous but we didn't end up swimming here. Instead we headed out to get changed and swim in two other centoes a short walk away. 

Both were underground and the water soooooo cool and refreshing. If you go to Mexico (Yucatan), you MUST swim in one. My favourite was the second one we visited. You had to crawl down an extremely steep ladder into a hole barely big enough to fit into. However, once you made it through the opening, you were greeted by a wide open cavern lit by lights they've installed; stalactites and stalagmites hundreds of years old if not older dripping down or poking up through the water. I could have floated there for hours. They even gave us flashlights to explore with so you could see all the formations and fish underwater and the bats in the ceiling; although neither of us thought to bring our waterproof cameras along...argh! We finished off our day with a lovely taco lunch (pork/chicken) and then back to Sergio waiting for us at the entrance. 

If you're looking for a great, fun day out, definitely book a morning or afternoon with Selva Maya Eco Adventures. We had a wonderful time even if we didn't end up doing most of the activities. Everyone on the crew was extremely friendly and we had a blast. Perfect for families too! 

Plus.... Luis. 'Nuf said.

Mexico - Day 1

We arrived in Mexico around 630ish the night before and didn't get in to the resort until around 8, grabbed a quick bite of completely forgettable food at the "International Buffet" before heading back to our rooms and sleep. 

SIDE NOTE: we NEVER went back to the Int'l Buffet again, not even for breakfast. My suggestion if you're visiting Sandos Caracol Eco Resort, stick to La Toscana (the Italian restaurant) for breakfast and lunch, and visit La Riviera (Mediterranean), Los Lireos (Steak / Fish), Fogo de Brazil and El Templo (Asian) for dinners. TRUST ME. Or even better, venture off resort to somewhere local and get some delicious Mexican fare!

Mommikins and I spent the morning of our first day getting acquainted with the resort, figuring out where our rooms were in relation to restaurants, lobby, the beach. A quick lunch and then we were picked up for our first adventure - parasailing! We had booked all of our excursions prior to leaving Canada to ensure we were able to do everything we wanted and I'm glad that we did. Through Trip Advisor / Viator, we went with some smaller companies that ensured a more personal experience than the large tour companies the resort was recommending. For our parasailing experience, we went with Parasail Cancun.

They picked us up early (yay!) and we were the only ones in the van, so we settled in comfortably for the almost hour long ride to Cancun. We didn't think much of it, figuring we'd meet our fellow adventure seekers at the dock. Were we in for a surprise! Turns out, we were the ONLY ONES to book a parasailing trip that morning. With a fabulous crew of three headed by Captain Leo, we set out onto the ocean alone. It was fabulous! 

The view from the shore (Punta Norte location in Cancun)

I have to say, if you're going to visit the Yucatan / Mayan Riviera, go in late January / early February. A common theme for our excursions as you'll see in upcoming posts was the very small group size. I don't think for any excursion there was more than 10 of us at a time. I digress.... (get used to it).

It didn't take long to get to a spot far enough off shore to send us up into the air. We climbed onto the platform at the back of the boat after getting strapped into safety harnesses, and were clipped onto a bar attached to a giant smiley-faced parachute fluttering behind the boat. Before we knew (or could prepare ourselves) we were swooped up by the air filling the chute and began climbing into the sky! Now, our family isn't all that great with heights and neither Mommikins or I enjoy carnival rides all that much so its a bit of a wonder why we originally chose to do this. However, once we got up in the air, the lurches in our stomachs were well worth it. The view of the ocean from 90 metres up is breathtaking.

Photo courtesy of Parasail Cancun (go ahead, buy the photo/video pkg when they ask you)

Because we were the only two customers, they let us stay up for double the amount of time we normally would have had - a full 20 minutes of flying time! WOOOOO! Mommikins took a little longer to become comfortable in the air but eventually settled in. They had hooked up us with a walkie talkie to let them know when we were ready to come down. We did try to use it a few times but they either couldn't hear us or chose to ignore us so were pretty much at their mercy. Again, totally worth it! 

It was a great experience and it get the opportunity to give it a try, DO! As you can see from the picture of Mom below, she had an awesome time. Either that or she was just so excited to be back at sea level... 

Mommikins loves the ocean. Or she's making google-y eyes at Pedro who's behind me...