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Booooooo Playa and Cozumel.  Other than the fun we had flying around on a moped in 50 mph winds.  Not much to speak of in Playa.  Well, we did get to watch some Sunday football.  Watched the Chargers and Colts lose.  So, we kind of  did the “america” thing.  Hanging out with drunk Americans yelling at waitresses because they were out of nachos.  “This is Mexico, how can you be out of nachos.”

So, Playa is a great place to go if you want to go to Mexico but feel like you never left California.  Babe, right up your alley.  They had great shopping.  Even a Diesel jean store…oh, and a starbucks.  Lots of girls walking around with there ice coffee.

As for Cozumel.  Sean and I took a ferry over in the morning, neglecting the beach in Cozumel for “Mexico’s Hawaii”.  Or so we were told.  Right before we rented “Mexico’s Harley”…or so we were told.  And some snorkeling equipment.  Where the guy neglected to tell us that it was WAY TO WINDY to get in the water.  So, we hopped on our “harley” and drove around for two hours.  I did enjoy honking the horn at passer bys.

Sweeeeetness right here…

The next day we wrapped up our journey in Mexico.  Taking the ADO bus to Chetumal.  One of the border towns between Mexico and Belize.  Crossing into Belize, following the sun and heading south…

This morning we awoke to the sound of crashing waves and the light of the sun creeping through our Cabana window. Rough I know.

After a little sunrise watching and a cold, very awakening shower we packed up and headed away from the beach for some more ruin trekking. Next stop Coba, Mexico.

After we were dropped off at the bus station in Coba we headed down the road in search of the Mayan site entrance. Rounding the bend we were pleased to find our first crocodile. Pretty sure it was a croc. See, now I can’t say that all those hours of watching the Discovery channel are paying off:

No reason to be alarmed though. He seemed to be “trained”. The youngsters of the village were throwing chicken in his mouth attached to a string in order to get him closer to the shore. When you stopped to take a picture they had you and, “teeps, teeps, teeps” followed close behind. Pretty good living for a kid. I gave the little guy 20 pesos. Although, don’t know what the risk/reward is for a 7 year old getting close to a 18 foot croc for $.20.

Coba was an amazing site. Much better than Chichen Itza in my opinion. And, much more grand than Tulum. Coba is another site with a minimal portion uncovered, under 10%. Most of it still covered by dense forest. Coba is also home to the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan, at 42m, and one that you can still climb.

When we were finished with the ruins we were eager to head to our next destination, Playa Del Carmen. But, luckily after a little pondering we let the Taxi Driver steer us away from the bus station and convince us to go to Tamcach-Ha. Another Cenote and one of the most refreshing activities after a hike through the jungle and a Mayan ruin climb. For a total of 210 pesos we were taken 6km, down a dirt road, to a hidden Cenote. Where Sean and I enjoyed a “jungle oasis” with only a few other people. There were also two diving boards, we both elected for the lower one.

After the cool off we headed back to Tulum for a pizza break (ya, thats right). And, damn good to. Wood fired. A little taste of Italia while in Mexico. Pepperoni and mushrooms.

Much deserved after climbing a ruin and swimming for an hour. Question to ponder…why in the world did 4′ tall Mayans build such HUGE stairs? My lord, its not like a step more like a small ledge or something. Just thought I’d throw that out there. After lunch we hopped in a Collectivo and headed north for our last stay in Mexico, Playa Del Carmen and Cozumel…

Ahhhh, the beauty of blue waters, white sands, and naked people.  Sean and I arrived Thursday (1 Nov 07) in Tulum, after waiting for an hour in Valladolid for our bus.  Guess thats the pace to get use to.  All we could do is keep going to the ticket counter and point at our ticket.  They would just respond, momento.  We just had to keep our fingers crossed that we were in the right spot at the right time.  We were and arrived in Tulum Proper around 1130.  As we didn’t quite know where we were going we headed south to the Weary Traveler Hostel for some information.  After asking a few questions we decided to forgo the in town hostel for a on the beach cabana.

We were in luck as another bus was leaving for Tulum Beach for 10 Pesos ($1) at noon.  Only 30 minutes after our arrival in the city.  Which seemed to parralel the lifestyle in Pacific Beach, CA.  Tulum Ave resembled Garnette Ave in PB.  Just a smaller dirtier version of it.

After being dropped off by the bus we searched out the cabana scene via taxi.  A bit expensive but worth it when you’re carrying around 50 lbs on your back and you don’t know exactly where you’re going.  At first we checked out Cabana Copal, a bit pricy as it was a spa and yoga retreat (650 pesos per night).  So, we hiked to the next place, Pappaya Playa and found a cabana right on the beach (350 pesos per night).  Our Cabana is the one on the left.

Not to shabby for $17 a night.  One complaint, well not really a complaint for some.  The waves were so LOUD I didn’t fall asleep for an hour.  That and I got lost when I had to pee at 1 am.  They shut the electricity off at 11pm.  I ended up at a dead end in between two cabanas rather than the banos.  I eventually found it after pondering if I’d be able to find my way back.  Beauty was, no electricity, no lights…no lights…amazing stars.  As bright as the ocean was loud.

The next morning, 2 Nov 07, we awoke ”early” (7 am) and we hiked 5 km to the Tulum ruins…

…absolutey beautiful as they were right on the beach.  After a few hours of exploration we headed back down the road to our cabana.  Stopping off after 2 km of walking for lunch and to grab a taxi back.  Blisters were starting to set in.  Lots of walking for Big T.

When we got back to the cabana we took advantage of the ocean, some siestaing, and prepping for our next destination…well, and the nude beach.  Not in being nude, just some lookie lookie.  I tried to cover my eyes but I had sand on my hands and was afraid it might get in my eyes…so, well…I thought it best to not endanger my eyes and just keep them uncovered (hands and eyelids).  So ya, I was that guy I guess.

Well, after a plane, two buses and some foot power we made it to our first destination…Valladolid Mexico.  A town three hours west of Cancun and a spur for backpackers looking to see the central Mayan sites.  Town wasn’t much to speak of.  About 40,000 people with a main square.  Our hotel was right off central park:

Yes, we had a pool.  So, you could say we ain’t exactly roughing it.  Hot water to.  Had a few nice dinners there.  Ran into a guy named Jimmy, an ex-patriot one might say.  I think he was a trust fund baby who ”went south”.  Boasted how he’s been sitting at the same table for 10 years, stopped in Valladolid and never left.  Also fathered six kids there.  No worries, didn’t tickle my fancy.

On all hallows eve we headed to Chichen Itza (it was hot as shitzen itza alright), one of the main Mayan sites in the Central Yucatan.  One could say we were eager beavers.  We woke up at 6 am, were on a collectivo (a ford econo van that waits to fill up to leave) by 0730 and at the ruins by 0815.  I think they opened at 0800.  We walked around, having the whole site basically to us, for two hours before the tours started showing up…it felt like it was ours.  But, note to self, ”your manager ain’t going to fire you if you show up late to the ruins, its alright to take it down a notch”.   But, the early bird gets to take photos like this, without hoards of obese tourists getting in your shot:

Just Sean trying to get a better shot…bastard…

After thoroughly heating up at Chichen Itza we hopped out of the collectivo on the way back to Valladolid at Ik Kil for a little dip in a cenote.  A pool created in the limestone by years and years of run off…

…it’s a little dark but if you look closely (the picture on the right) you might be able to see one of those obese tourists jumping in the cenote.

Fast, so fast.  Amazing what technology can bring us.  Some curse it, but, in this moment I have to say I bless it.  Yesterday morning I was in San Diego.  Hugging Faina, kissing her on the forehead acknowledging her wishes for me to ¨travel safe¨.  But, that was yesterday.  Today due to the wonders of air travel, first class air-conditioned Volkswagen buses, digital cameras, the Internet (thank you Mr. Gore), and Carty´s MIS degree…I´m in Mexico, writing a blog and sending pics.  Amazing.

We arrived yesterday, as seen in this photo, with no difficulties.  I mean no difficulties.  Sean´s flight was 20 minutes early and mine the same.  Quickly found each other right outside of customs and headed to the main bus terminal on our way to Valladolid.  Moms, you´ll be happy to know that our first meal was street meat, just couldn´t resist.  Combo #4 of delicious gorditas.  No idea what was in them, but, no poo problems to report.  Its our iron solar plexus.

Enough for now, we´ve been on these computers for 2 hours now trying to find the ¨n¨ on the keyboard along with interpreting Microsoft menu options while uploading, compressing, and rotating photos.  I overwrote every picture I took choosing the option ¨Guardar todo¨ which apparently means ¨save all¨.  No worries, my father taught me well, I had backed them up before diving through menu options written in Spanish.  Time to find a Cerveza and some Pavo (I think it means Turkey) Nachos.