Liz: Days 27 & 28: Isla Mujeres In The Water

I'm not going to post anything for the next week as we're taking a break for our travels and just hanging out here.  We have no big plans besides going to the beach, reading and snorkling.  The kids love it here.  It is very safe and they can run around barefoot and watch iguanas and go for rides in the golf cart. Yesterday when Patrick and I took our scuba encounter dive they enjoyed hanging out on the boat with the crew.  Sofia bonded with the dive companys' underwater photographer, Molly.  She sat right next to her in the boat, chatting away and was thrilled when Molly gave her a Barracuda jawbone with the teeth still intact that she found on our dive.  Otis got to sit up at the front of the boat for the ride out.  When it was my turn to fall backwards into the water off the side of the boat I must have looked a little nervous because Otis put his hand on my shoulder and said "Breathe IN.  Breathe OUT.  Breathe IN. Breathe OUT."

Diving was fabulous. We had a great time, once the initial jitters passed. Patrick has his advanced open water certification but hasn't been diving for a long time so he came along with me for moral support and to refresh his skills before going in some bigger dives.  The visibility was greater than 30 feet. Between that and snorkling from the boat the day before we saw a variety of fish and even three giant sea turtles.  As we were ascending to the surface of our big dive we saw that it was raining on the surface.  It was so peaceful looking from below.  We climbed out into warm rain and dark skies and then it poured for hours.  The street outside our hotel was flooded with water.  Now I understand why the curbs are so high!  It was nice to have a rainy day and stay in for the rest of the day.

Liz: Day 26: Isla Mujeres Turtle Farm

Yesterday we rented a golf cart and drove around the island. It was so much fun! The sun was sparkling on the water and we kept passing fragrant bunches of sea lavender.  This is my favorite place of anywhere we've been on this trip.  Everyone is relaxed and on "island time."  Along the way we stopped at Tortugranja, the local turtle farm.  Every year during the nesting season of giant sea turtles they take the baby turtles and raise them in tanks. Then local school children and tourists help release them back into the ocean.  We saw several varieties of the turtles as well as some other sea life.  They also take care of turtles who have been injured.  Pictured below is a young white sea turtle and Otis and Sofia holding a starfish and sea urchin. 

The women who run our hotel, a mom and daughter from Canada are hosting a potluck dinner tonight.  I'm going to attempt to make Otis' favorite dessert, Granny Boyd's cookies. I say attempt because ingredients are different here and I wasn't able to find any cacao powder.  I do have roasted cacao beans (but no means of grinding them!) and a Hershey's bar of baking chocolate so hopefully it will work.  Also, butter in Mexico is very different from butter at home.  To me it tastes like margerine and acts like margerine.  The Chedraui grocery store here has a great selection of imported foods (they even have Tillamook cheddar) but the only unsalted American style butter I could find was Anchor butter from New Zealand.  The kitchen is open air on the rooftop terrace as well as the oven so this will be a new cooking experience for us.  My kitchen helpers are looking forward to some cookies so I hope not to disappoint them!

Also pictured below, looking at Cancun across the water and a beautiful flower.

Patrick: Week 4: The Pez

To recap last week, we spent a few days at Uxmal and a few more on the island of Cozumel.

At the Mayan ruins it's highly recommended to hire one of the tour guides to walk you around and tell you about what your looking at.  The quantity of symbology that the ancient Mayans used at Uxmal in their decorating was astounding.  They also had a ball court with stone hoops.  Only one hoop remained but it was cool to see.  They played with round 4 lb. solid rubber balls.

One of the tour guides was talking about the iguanas that were all over the place and referred to them as the "squirrels" of the yucatan.  "You don't play with squirrles do you?  Well, we don't play with our iguanas."

Our time in Cozumel was great.  We stayed in the equivalent of a VRBO apartment that had a separate room for the kids and was really reasonably priced (score!)  Rented a car and made a full circuit of the island at least twice.  Spent a lot of time on the beach and playing in the water.  The kids aren't confident with snorkel gear yet so we couldn't take them out as far as the reef at Punta Sur.   The view from the lightouse though was fantastic.

We did the dolphin encounter and had a lot of fun.  Except for Sea World in San Diego, I don't know if I've ever seen dolphins in person before.  Definitely not that close.  We got to touch them (Otis said they feel like rubber) and have a splash battle.  Sofia found out that if you place your fingers on their forehead they make rude noises out the spout (which got lots of laughs.)  They said that was a normal noise that was part of the dolphin vocabulary.

Now we're on Isla Mujeres (the Island of Women.)  The Spanish named it thus after finding all the statues of Mayan goddesses.  We named this week The Pez (fish) because we plan to spend more time in the water doing snorkely and scuba-y things here.  Otis and I have already found a couple schools of fish with our masks and goggles in the shadow of a bridge over some shallow water.  So cool!  I can't wait to see some reefs in person.

We're not going anywhere else for nearly 2 weeks and the pace here is significantly slower (the golf carts everyone drive go about 20 kph?) so we're looking forward to slowing down and getting to know the place.

Pictured below: Dolphin pics, Otis holding the giant iguana.

Liz: Day 25: Isla Mujeres Rooftop

This morning Sofia and I are greeting the morning on the rooftop of our hotel, enjoying the warm breeze and the early morning sun.  Yesterday was our first full day on Isla Mujeres and we took it pretty easy.  Patrick began the kids snorkling lessons, first in the dipping pool at our hotel and then at a beach nearby.  He and Otis were excited to find a place full of fish where the water was fairly shallow.  Sofia loves snorkling in the pool but is less eager about the ocean.

Our hotel is well situated.  I'm glad because we're going to be here for 12 nights and you never know before you get to a new place exactly how it will be to stay there, especially with kids.  We are three blocks up from one of the most popular beaches on the island and one block off the main drag for restaurants and shops.  Last night the kids picked the restaurant, which turned out to be great, an Argentine restaurant with roses on the tables under the starry sky that serves steak and lobster (and also pizza if you know where to look.)  We've been eating breakfast across the street at a loncheria where you can get omelets or hotcakes for $3- $3.50.  We like to pick a good breakfast place and go there every morning.  The kids like the routine and we like getting to know people.  Our hotel is a unique place, a family run, artsy place with plants everywhere and a little girl (age 2) who lives on the premises and has been kind enough to share her sandbox with Sofia.  There is a library full of books and a resident dog as well.

Today we'll rent a golf cart and explore the island a little.  There is a turtle sanctuary here as well as some great parks and beaches.  We've reserved a boat for later in the week to do some snorkling and Patrick and I are hoping to do some diving next week.  Patrick's birthday is next week on the second, our last day here and I'm working on a surprise for him.  I found the perfect thing last night, but have to work out the details. 

Pictured below: the beach down the street, the view from our hotel room door (in and out), and the street nearby with restaurants and shops.

Liz: Days 23 & 24: Cozumel and on to Isla Mujeres

We spent our last day on Cozumel at the beach at Punta Sur.  There is an ecological reserve there, great snorkling, crocodiles in the lagoon and the remains of a pirate hideout from way back.  There is also a long line of hammocks next to a bar/snack shack that made the best fish tacos we've had on this trip.  After playing at the beach we drove up the beautiful east side of the island but noticed that the beaches were lined with a surprising amount of trash that had washed up.  At one beach we saw a group of volunteers with garbage bags picking it up which made me consider whether we should participate in something like that while we are here.  Or maybe at home on the Oregon coast when we get back.  We stopped for dinner at Coconut's, a fun touristy restaurant on a bluff overlooking the coast, complete with parrots, the biggest margaritas I've ever seen and a chicken patrolling under the tables for snacks. 

On Sunday we packed our bags, something we're looking forward to having a break from for almost two weeks on Isla Mujeres.  Patrick has it down to a science, but the rest of us are a little more free form about it.  Our ferry crossing from Cozumel was pretty rough.  Many people were seasick including Otis and I and when we arrived it was pouring rain, a little something to remind us of home.  When it rains here it's for less time but with a greater volume than in Oregon. It's like it just dumps it all at once and then it's done.

Patrick secured a taxi for the hour ride up to the ferry for Isla Mujeres.  Our taxi driver was fun to talk to.  We learned that there is a popular brand of men's cologne called "Patrick", that Elizabeth flipped around and said in spanish means something like "I'm joking with you!" and about a Mexican heroine named Sofia, but I can't remember the rest of her name.  Our taxi driver also loves basketball, plays in several leagues, including a taxi driver league and coaches a youth team that won second in all of the Yucatan last year.  I had no idea that basketball was popular in Mexico!

When we reached Puerto Juarez and the ferry dock the sun had literally come out.  We rode on the top, outdoor deck this time and had a much better ride.  There was live music for the trip over, a singer/ guitar player who was pretty good.  The color of the water was amazing, colors I like to paint with.  I can't believe there are people who live near this beautiful ocean all the time!  Patrick and I have been wondering how much it would cost to buy and run a hotel here.  It's probably something a lot of people wonder after being here for a little while.  What a place!

Liz: Days 20-22: From Uxmal to Isla Cozumel

We had a long day of travel from Uxmal to Cozumel that included a 5:45am wakeup, a 90 minute car ride, a 5 hour bus ride, 3 taxi rides and a ferry ride, along with lots of waiting in between.  Our bus had a minor breakdown along the way, adding (thankfully, only) an hour to our wait time and subtracting air conditioning for the rest of the ride.  Because our bus was late we just missed the 3 pm ferry and had to wait until 5 pm.  Happily, the ferry terminal is right on a beautiful beach in Playa Del Carmen so the kids were able to run and play for a bit. 

Our first full day in Cozumel, Thursday, was mostly a rest day. We bought groceries, rented a car and stopped by the Dolphinarium a couple blocks away to buy tickets.  It turns out they are really busy on the weekends with cruise ship passengers so the kids got their time with the dolphins on Thursday.  Because there weren't many people there, we got to be out on a sandy ledge in the water with the trainer and a dolphin all to ourselves.  There were other dolphins in the pool and sometimes they would come over and participate in what we were doing.  Otis loved to have a splash fight with the dolphin and then the trainer called two other dolphins over to play, which turned the victory definitively over to the dolphins. Sofia enjoyed feeding the dolphins and watching them do jumps as a group.  Otis wants to go back when he can swim so he can swim with the dolphins.

Friday we took a drive around the island.  Cozumel is gorgeous!  We stopped at a beach on the east side for a little to see the waves, then found a beach club on the west side to swim at.  It was a great way to spend the day.

Pictured below:
Our rental car (Sofia got to pick the color.)
Hammock time
Breakfast-omelet Cozumel style
At the beach
Sofia's new hair-do

Liz: Day 19: Uxmal

We were all a little cranky to start this morning. The kids are needing a break from us and each other, and probably vice versa too.  Then Patrick remembered and reminded me that we are on vacation in a different country and we're just getting started.  It was a good reminder not to get caught up in the minutia of travel and enjoy the bigger picture.

Today we toured our second set of Mayan ruins: Uxmal (pronounced OOSH-MALL).  I loved it. It was so peaceful and beautiful.  Pictures do not do justice to the perfection of the smooth stones rising out of the jungle. How did they cut the stones in such perfectly straight lines?  We all enjoyed sitting at the top of one of the taller structures watching the iguanas sun themselves on the rock and the wind blow through the trees, uncovering hidden ruins in the distance.  I could have spent a lot longer exploring there sans kiddos. 

Our next stop was a tour of the ecomuseo de cacao on the Tikul plantation.  This included a live demonstration of how the Mayans made choko-ha, the chocolate drink made from roasted cacao beans from which we get the name chocolate.  We got to sample it as well as walk through exhibits that showed what Mayan life was like.  It was very well done and a great addition to the tour of the ruins.

And then, at long last (for Sofia), back to the hacienda for a refreshing dip in the pool.  I have to admit, it was a wonderful finish to a day of dusty climbing and exploring in the heat.  And now, both kids are happily laughing and playing with their Daddy in the pool while I am sipping a Margarita on the patio.  Life is good.  It's going to be tough to get up early tomorrow for a travel day. On the other hand, we're headed for Isla Cozumel and a two bedroom apartment with a pool.  It sounds like just what we need.

Pictured below in no particular order: a cacao pod and beans, the magicians temple at Uxmal, one of the many animal statues decorating Uxmal, a red-headed woodpecker for my Dad ;-)

Liz: Day 18: At The Hacienda

We are staying at an hacienda near the Mayan ruins, Uxmal.  The hacienda itself is very elegant.  The floors are made from gorgeous tiles of different colors and designs and tall trees and palms give it a natural garden feel.  In the distance there are horses grazing and sheep in the fields and nearby is a full-size swimming pool.  As we walked around I could feel my ambitious sight-seeing plans for tomorrow fading in importance.  It is very quiet here, except for the birds in the morning and the women's tour group that checked in late last night.  There are no glass windows, just wooden slats that open and close, so the sound carries a little more than usual.  Many famous people have stayed here in the past; Queen Elizabeth, Jacqueline Kennedy, Prince Grace of Monaco, to name a few.  It adds some glamour to the experience!

Today we stopped at another hacienda, Hacienda Ochil, en route.  The haciendas are from the time of henequen (sisal) plantations. Sisal plants look like giant blue Aloe Vera plants but they produce a tough fiber that can be used to make things like hammocks as well as industrial twine.  The sisal plantations went out of business when synthetic fibers overtook the market, but a number of the haciendas have been restored and are now used as hotels, museums or spaces to rent for events.   Although now faded, Hacienda Ochil inspired the imagination.  There is a small museum there and a restaurant where you can get lunch.  I would love to have a time machine to see what it was like in the time of the Mayans and then in the time of the haciendas.

Pictured below: some photos of Hacienda Ochil and our hotel, Haciend Uxmal (first).

Liz: Day 17: Last Day In Merida

As I'm typing at 7:30 am Monday morning there are trumpets and drums playing somwhere in the background, reveille style.  Merida never stops celebrating!  Yesterday afternoon there was a saxaphone playing in the park up the street along with some jazzy singers and last night was the big party in the main square.  We gave in and let ourselves be hustled into a touristy restaurant with street-side tables. They brought us huge sombreros to wear and gave Otis a gun. The waiter threw down a stack of trays right behind him so it sounded like he fired.  Venders kept stopping by our table trying to sell us toys, gum, sombreros and shawls. That was annoying, but it was fun when a boy saw Otis playing with a newly purchased toy incorrectly and showed him how to use it the right way.  Earlier at the market I found the cutest Mayan sunhat made by hand by a quiet woman behind the booth. I'm glad her husband talked me in to taking a look! 

We're looking forward to moving on and seeing what's next.  Merida has been a great city to visit; safe, clean, friendly people, great food and lots to do and explore.  We recommend it!