Mexico May 2008

 Makiko and I decided to travel to the Yucatan mostly because it would be a lot cheaper than traveling to Europe again. I made all the necessary arrangements and only booked our first 2 nights in advance and decided that because we are going in the low season that it would be unnecessary to book more and be able to keep things more wide open and linger or move as needed. This strategy proved to work well.

 We had an uneventful flight to Cancun and after figuring out how to maneuver through the airport we were soon on an inexpensive bus to downtown Cancun. I had no intention of spending any time in Cancun as the resort zone partying and laying around just isn’t for us. The bus let us off just 2 blocks from our hotel, Hotel el Rey Del Caribe. We got turned around a bit but after some direction from a local we soon found the place. It is a nice, inexpensive place. After getting settled we walked around the downtown area a little which isn’t much to marvel at and had dinner at nice place called La Habichuela. The atmosphere is great but the food while good was overpriced.

 The next morning we had a complimentary breakfast at the hotel that was average and the car rental company met me at the hotel precisely at the agreed upon 9am and took us to pick up our car which was 10 minutes down the road near the airport. At the rental office I asked about detailed road maps. All they gave us was this large tourist magazine which had cartoonish maps which were fine for some places but not good enough for where we were going. I asked them where to get maps and this seemed to throw everyone into a tizzy as no one really had a good idea. One guy thought that Walmart in Cancun would be the best place and then there was a lot of discussion about where exactly the Walmart was on the cartoon map. After about 10 minutes of discussion about where it was someone else suggested Sanborn’s which I had seen and was only 2 blocks from our hotel. We got into our little Nissan Tsuru and started our first driving adventure which was just getting out of the parking lot and turning around on the busy 307 and heading back to Cancun. This didn’t prove too difficult.

  We walked to the Sanborn’s and we did find the maps we were looking for and we changed some money (these places are everywhere in Cancun), we collected our things, studied the map and drove out of town on the Cancun Libre (free) road towards Chichen Itza. The scenery was pleasant and we passed through numerous Mayan towns some were nice others were messy. The guidebooks and other people make a big deal out of the “topes” (speed bumps) that are strewn along the way. Yes there are many of them, but they are always well marked and only occur when you approach and go through towns. As long as you are paying attention to the signs, they won’t surprise you. However if you do drive over them too fast, some of them will cause damage to your car.

 The drive to Chichen Itza was an easy straight shot with no surprises until we got to Valladolid. The 180 Libre takes you straight into downtown to the old main square of the town. Once there, the only signs pointed towards Chichen Itza and Merida via the Cuota (toll) road which we did not want. It took a couple go-a-rounds the square and careful study of the map in my guidebook to find the one street that leads out of town via the libre road. Once we got on it, it was an uneventful straight shot to Chichen Itza. 

Our hotel, the Hotel Dolores Alba was right on the 180 just a few kilometers this side of Chichen Itza. It is a pleasant place though nothing special. We had beers at the hotel’s restaurant and a decent ham and cheese and cooled off in the pool. Fortunately they had my favorite Mexican brand Superior, which is no longer found in the US.

The next morning we had our complimentary breakfast at the hotel, which was average and got to Chichen Itza before 9am. The place was almost deserted and it was already very hot, but it is also very impressive and very, very big. We casually strolled around the main plaza and begun working our way around to some of the outer areas. The only drawback to the place is the constant hawking by an unbelievable amount of ‘artisans’ that cover just about every square inch of every path that leads to and from the various sections of the park. At around 11am the big tour busses start to arrive and it starts to get very crowded. Even though it was the low season, I shudder to think what it could be like in the high season. To cover all of the various sections you will walk at least a few miles.

We ended our stay at the Sacred Cenote, which was beautiful but there was some garbage floating on the dark green water. The Mayans used the cenote for sacred rituals and threw valuable objects including people as offerings into it. Modern people throw plastic water bottles into it. We spent most of the day at Chichen Itza and left around 4pm.  We went back to our hotel and even though we were exhausted from a full day in the heat, we decided we had enough energy to walk across the street to the Ik Kil cenote.

It is a lush well-manicured park that first takes you by some nice looking bungalows that you can rent. Then there is a bar and showers and large bathrooms and quite a bit of amenities all centered around the cenote. You could look into it from the top and it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. This was the first one I had ever seen and even though it is built up, it still looked unbelievable. We rented a life jacket for Makiko and if I went there again I would probably get one too. The entrance is a large fully cemented stairwell/cave that winds around the cenote and has a couple of places where you can look down into it. At the bottom, about one third of the place has concrete ledge with some stairs going up the wall and people were jumping off it into the pool. There is also some artificial light but still it is just gorgeous. We stayed for a little bit as it closes at 6. We dragged our selves back to the hotel and we drove back to Piste and had an excellent dinner at the Restaurante Las Mestizas again.

The next morning we were headed to the biggest city in the Yucatan called Merida. The hotel in Chichen operates another in Merida so I booked it with the guys in Chichen before we left. We first stopped in Piste for breakfast at Restaurante Las Mestizas again and it was pretty good. The drive was peaceful once again going in and out of some small villages that were typically poor, not so nice towns until we got to Merida itself. As it did in Valladolid, the 180 simply became a small busy one-way street heading into the center of town. Fortunately our hotel was only 1 block over from this street and it wasn’t too hard to find and it had its own parking. We got settled into our room, which was very clean, decent and inexpensive. It was still early and we headed into the downtown area, which was only a few blocks away. The center of town is quite nice with many old colonial buildings around the Plaza de la Independencia. The Catedral de San Ildefonso is one of the oldest buildings in all the Americas, built in the late 1500’s. It was Sunday, which is the best day to be in Merida. Every Sunday the Plaza and some surrounding streets are filled with locals and people selling all kinds of things. There is constant entertainment going on and it was great to see. One of the nicest buildings was the Palacio de Gobierno on the main square. It is open to the public and on the second floor there is a whole series of murals painted by a Merida artist named Fernando Pacheco that tells much of the history of the area. I learned more about the Yucatan in 15 minutes looking at and reading the descriptions of the murals than from any other source I looked at. We strolled around for a bit and then took a taxi to the Paseo Montejo. The Paseo wasn’t really interesting at all and the driver took us to couple of monuments that weren’t thrilling either. It was very hot and we just went back to our hotel to cool off.

 I went swimming in the hotel pool and met some nice people from Florida that come to the Yucatan very often. I asked for some dinner recommendations and they strongly recommended a particular place that was also in my guidebook. We walked back to the square and found the right street and walked several blocks to the place but it was closed. We walked back to the square and went down a beautiful side street and settled on a very beautiful restaurant that was right across the street from and old church. I can’t remember the name. We got a seat in small balcony that overlooked the street below. Dinner was fabulous as was the service and we lingered here for quite some time.

 The next morning we got into the car and headed for Uxmal. Heading out of town wasn’t easy. Basically the same Calle 65 that brought us in was the same one to get us to the next main street but the one we needed had 2 different names. I figured this out and got on the right street but then it changed names while I was on it to yet another that was not on any map that I had. I just kept heading straight and it was the correct road. We had to find the “periferico” which is a road that runs around the entire periphery of the city. There were signs pointing to Uxmal but they were also pointing to Cancun. It was very confusing and we had to go past it a couple of times and see the signs on both sides to make sure it was the correct road. Once I decide that it was the correct road only then did we see that this was the periferico that I was looking for. Once we were on it then it was easy to follow the signs to the next turnoff south towards Uxmal.

Kabah was very nice to visit consisting of mostly 2 large buildings on one side of the street and some more less preserved structures on the other side. One of the buildings facades is made up entirely of Chaac god masks. For much of the time we spent there, we were the only people there except for the caretakers that take your money at the entrance. We walked around the main section for a while and then crossed the highway and walked down a pleasant path. There is a marker that notes a large pyramid to the right but you can only catch glimpses of it through the trees. Continuing down the path you walk through a large arch that has some faint Mayan handprints on it. Passing the arch you come to a small group of buildings that look like they may have been housing. They seem kind of spooky off by themselves in the jungle.

 On the way back to the hotel we decided it was beer thirty and stopped at small restaurant called the Pickled Onion. A marvelous woman named Valerie from the UK who came to Mexico by way of Canada runs it. She was delightful to talk to and we spent some hours there drinking beers and slowly ordering various items from the menu all of which was good. A few other gringos showed up and we had nice chats with them as well before retiring to our hotel just up the street.

 The next morning we had our complimentary breakfast, which was pretty good. We also had some discussion with the owner of the Inn. Her name is Kristine and she was the first gringo to settle in Santa Elena many years ago. She came down from Oregon, met and married a Mexican man and has been in Santa Elena ever since. After breakfast we drove to Ticul, which is a bigger town than I thought and tried to find its market. We weren’t successful and we abandoned the idea and proceeded to drive to the Ruta Puuc. Once again it was very confusing to try to find the road we needed to get out of town. There was a sign that had no text but just pictograms of a pyramid, church and a man with a flashlight underground. I pulled over and asked a man on the street if he knew if that was the road to the Grutas Loltun (caves) and he said it was and indeed it was. On the way we went through the town of Oxcutscab and we did stop for a short time at the market there.

 It wasn’t far to the cave but the attendant didn’t want to make change for the parking fee and told us to wait for the next tour, which was in 1 hour. We decided not to wait and instead drove off in search of an abandoned hacienda called Tabi. Just around the bend from the cave was a sign pointing us down a long road and then another pointing us down a decent dirt road. After a short while the road came to 3 other dirt roads. There was a signpost by one but the sign itself was gone. I chose the better of the 3 and it was the wrong one. We went back and tried the one that had the signpost and after a short time it came to a gate that said we were in the right place.

We pulled into a large field with a giant hacienda and other buildings scattered around the field. There was a caretaker just sitting there all alone. He told us that the place is not open to the public but we could look around the outside for 5 minutes. We checked it out for maybe 15 minutes, which is about 5 Mexican minutes. It was kind of eerie. I gravitated over to an old ruined church, which was very interesting and took as many photos as I could around the premises. We said thanks to the caretaker and continued on down the Ruta Puuc. It wasn’t long before we came to the next ruin on this route called Labna. Labna is interesting and is most notable for a richly decorated arch. After Labna it wasn’t far to the next one called Sayil, which features a very large palace type building. These minor ruins are all small but they each contain something unique from the other and are uncrowded quiet places to visit.

 After leaving Sayil we passed Kabah which we saw the day before on our way back to Santa Elena. We went back to the Pickled Onion for more beers, good food and good conversation with Valerie. That night I slept nicely in a hammock that was in our room. The next morning we had another good breakfast at the Flycatcher and talked some more to Kristine about our plans for that day. We wanted to go the cenotes at Cuzama and we got detailed directions from her to get there which were very helpful.

 We set out of Santa Elena and went to Ticul and armed with Kristine’s directions we quickly got on the right road heading north. We went through several small Mayan villages and without too much trouble were able to stay on the right road which eventually turned into a tiny little country lane that brought us to the small village of Chunkanan. Once there we saw a lot of donkeys and horses and the little carts that you rent to go to the cenotes. Some guy directed us to park in an empty lot next to someone’s house. We both needed to use the facilities and he said we could use the bańos at the house.  We walked around the back and were invited into a small outhouse that had a toilet with no seat. After using it there was no way to flush it. They said they would take care of it. I can only assume that they manually poured water into it. After using it they informed us that it cost 3 pesos to use the toilet and 10 pesos to park in their yard. We didn’t have small change and they couldn’t make any but we could pay when we returned. We paid the cart driver 200 pesos ($20) sat down and we were on our way.

The driver, a helper and a donkey drive the cart along a rail through the street and turned down a dirt lane. The cart is shaded and has cushioned seats and can carry 4 passengers plus the 2 drivers. The carts were used long ago at a nearby plantation that went bust many years ago and someone got the bright idea to turn it into a tourist attraction.  After some time we arrived at the first cenote. There were surprisingly clean bańos there and we changed into our swimsuits and went down into the cenote. It was cool, clear and refreshing. There were already a few others there. We swam for a little bit and got out and got back on our cart and pressed on. Now there is only one rail and another cart was coming the other way. The drivers have a right-of-way system and they had to stop and pick the cart up off the rail and put it back on after we passed. We came to the second cenote and there were also some people there. We took a short swim and then again returned to the cart. At the third cenote the driver’s helper told me that I could not bring in my backpack. The entrance was just a tiny hole just big enough for a ladder and 1 person. After descending into it, it opens up a little and there was small platform to climb into the water. We were the only ones at this one. After swimming, there is a convenient bańo at this one also and we changed into our street clothes and started back.

 After some time there was another cart coming the other way and this time it was our turn to give way. I helped the drivers lift the cart off the track and put it back on again. We had to repeat this several times. After a total time of about 3 hours and 4.5 miles traveled, we arrived back that the village. We got into our car and I didn’t see the people that wanted us to pay for parking and the toilet. As we began to drive off, she sent her kids out to get our money. The only small change I had was a 10-peso coin so I gave them that and they seemed happy.

 We left there and continued on our northward journey. Our ultimate destination was a town called Izamal but we were actually looking for a small town called Sudzal. After leaving Chunkanan we went through Cuzama and another small village and we got to the 180 libre road. My map showed the road that we needed to cross the 180 as being in a town call Kantunil. If we miss it we would be heading towards Valladolid and Cancun or end up on the cuota road, which we did not want. On the 180 there was a sign for Izamal but it only pointed towards the cuota road. I stayed on the libre road and after couple of kilometers it was obvious that it wasn’t correct. I turned around and headed back. I took the turn for Kantunil and drove into another little village. In the center there was a sign for Izamal so we took it and it brought us right back the 180. It seemed there was no way to cross it and there was only one other option. We got back on the 180 and took the turn for the cuota and as soon as we did there was another sign for a turnaround that headed back the other way and the off-ramp for Izamal. Whew! That only took about 20 minutes to figure out.   

After a few kilometers we came to the town of Sudzal. In the center was a sign directing us to the Hacienda San Antonio Chalante. This road headed out of town for a couple of kilometers and there was another sign directing us into the driveway. We pulled up to the hacienda and it looked deserted and spooky. We got out and there was a man there who greeted us and I inquired about staying the night. He said sure and showed us a beautiful room. There was no one else there and it was a little weird. Makiko thought that we had just driven into a horror story where guests check in but they don’t check out. She asked if anyone else would be coming and she was a little relieved to hear that there was one other family that was due to arrive that night. He asked us what we would like for breakfast (included) and when we would like dinner (100 pesos). We brought in our bags and the caretaker didn’t give us a key. I asked him for one and he seemed kind of surprised at the request. After he gave it to me I realized how unnecessary having a key was.    Just outside our room was a small refrigerator with some prices listed on it that included beer for only $1. I opened it and it was stocked with various soft drinks and some mini Sol beers. There was a convenient bottle opener on top so I took one and it was time to relax. I asked our caretaker what his name was and he said Andreus. I asked Andreus how do we keep track of the drinks and he said just tell him how many we have later. I wandered around the grounds taking pictures as the sky began to grow darker. I heard some thunder and I knew it was going to start raining. I ran back to the covered patio just in time. The rain cooled things down a little and then the family showed up. They were a very nice couple with 2 boys. We spent the whole evening chatting with them and they kept us company while we ate dinner as they were having theirs a little later. After they had dinner, Andreus and the chef left and we were alone. We chatted for sometime as the daytime bird noises changed into nighttime frog and insect noises.

The next morning we had a good breakfast and headed into Izamal. It is very nice colonial city where much of the town is painted yellow for some reason. The Convento San Antonio de Padua dominates the central plaza, which is just beautiful. We wandered around it for a little bit and then we found the cultural center that had a nice art gallery. We ran into our friends from the hacienda and directed them towards the cultural center. We headed a few blocks off the square to a large pyramid called Kinich Kak Moo. The pyramid itself is not so impressive except for its size. It is the largest in all of the Yucatan and is the 3rd to 5th largest in all Mexico. We climbed to the top and it was nice view. While we were there, our friends caught up to us and we all went down and had lunch together in nice palapa covered restaurant named after the pyramid on the same street and had a couple of old women making fresh tortillas in the back. During lunch it rained hard and we had to wait a bit before venturing out.

 It was still only about 4 in the afternoon but many of the shops had already closed. We walked over to the market but it too was mostly closed up. We decided to take a horse buggy ride through town, which was relaxing but not too interesting. After that we headed back to the hacienda. There we relaxed, chatted with our new friends, met the owner of the hacienda Diane who entertained us for little bit with her story, had another nice dinner and continued drinking and chatting into the night.

 The next morning we had breakfast with Diane and continued our conversation with her. We unfortunately had to say our goodbyes to everyone and leave the hacienda, which no one seemed to want to do. We had no trouble getting back the 180 libre road and again going through some small villages, past Chichen Itza and had no trouble going east through Valladolid and then back south towards Coba and Tulum. It rained some on our way and we stopped at Coba to see the ruins there.   

I was surprised to see how busy it was there. It had a giant parking lot with plenty of tour busses and souvenir sellers. We went in but it was rather disappointing. It was very spread out and you had to walk a lot to see very little. We decided we were done there and began to head back and it poured. We decided too late to use our emergency ponchos. We got soaked but it wasn’t a big deal because it is so hot. We headed towards the coast and reality soon hit us. We decided against staying in Tulum and decided to get closer to our end destination, which was Cancun where we had to return the car in 2 days. We drove north on the Riviera Maya which now seemed very crowded and chaotic after all the relaxing time we spent in the country side.

I thought our best bet would be a small place called Xpu-Ha. We found it but the small dirt road leading to it was gated and locked. We then went through Playa Del Carmen and decided it was just too big. I thought Puerto Morelos was our best bet as it is a small village and would be quieter. We pulled in and found our number one choice for accommodations but there was no one there. We inquired with some of the neighbors and they tried calling them for us but couldn’t get a hold of anyone. We sat in the nextdoor Internet café, had a beer and chatted with a local for a while but the innkeeper never showed. It was getting late and we wanted to get a room so another gringo local suggested a place called Ojo de Aqua a block away. We got a room there but while it was clean it was small and uncomfortable. I was tired and didn’t want to search around. We walked the few blocks into town and got some ceviche but it was a little expensive so we went to another place and got some fresh grouper that was very good.  The next morning it was raining hard. We didn’t want to go into town so we had breakfast at the hotel, which wasn’t good. We went back to our dreary room and just read for a while until the rain stopped around noon. It was still very windy and threatening but we went to the beach and swam for the first time in the Caribbean. I had goggles on but the visibility was not good and the water was a little rough. We went into town and a couple of blocks off the square there is a small group of artisan shops. Most of them were closed but we did find some really beautiful hand painted glasses and some nice blankets.

The next morning we were walking back into town to get something to eat and a gringo who maintains an apartment there year ‘round told us where to get the best breakfast so we went there and it was good and cheap. We lounged around a little more and then we had to drive north towards Cancun to drop the car. The rental place was just north of the airport and we had no trouble finding it. We dropped the car off without any issues or hassles with the rental company and they took us to the airport.