A Mexican holiday!

Hi everyone...first chance I've had to complete this post about my 2 weeks in Mexico....I apologize for the the pictures being out of order, but you'll get the general gist of my Mexican holiday which was loads of fun!  ....basically, I flew into Cancun with two friends who'd never been.  Our first night was spent in a hostel in Cancun a couple of blocks from the bus station.  This was ideal as we took the bus from the Airport to get there, walked to the hostel where we each had booked a suite no less!, and left the following morning, taking the 3 1/2 hour - 4 hour bus trip up north to the beautiful city.  Merida is the capital of the Yucatan peninsula with a population of almost 1M people.  It's very picturesque with a beautiful Main Square or Park, so green & lush where you can sit and listen to the birds singing!  We stayed at the Luz En Yucatan in Merida, I'd been there two years before and knew I wanted to return.  The Luz En has been named one of the world's best bargain hotels by Trip Advisor, just google it, and it is exactly as it's described!

This picture is blurry but I like it as we were so happy to have arrived at the Luz En Yucatan!
Brenda is on my left, Lori to my right; they were wonderful travel companions as they loved and appreciated everything about Mexico that I did.

The pictures below and above were taken in the Main Square which is just 3 blocks from the Luz En Yucatan; it's in the historic district, and it's surrounded by shops, restaurants, impressive old office buildings and this cathedral which actually holds the world's largest Crucifix!

on Sunday mornings, cars are not allowed in the historic district and you can rent a bike for $2-3/hour and ride along with dozens of other people admiring the sights along the way, not having to worry about getting hit!  ask about it!

the food in this part of mexico (Yucatan) is different from the food you'll find on the mexican riviera (Mexican) but I love both!!!  It includes influences from the local Mayan culture, as well as Caribbean, Mexican, European and Middle Eastern cultures.

more of the bicycling on Sunday morning

my companion, Tanya, who was from Texas but spending a long weekend at the Luz En Yucatan; Lori and Brenda had gone off on their own excursion, visiting the ruins...

this is the rooftop of the hostel in which we stayed, Mundo Joven, in Cancun....as mentioned, we each had our own suite! complete with 2 rooms and 2 flat screen televisions....both unnecessary, but the place was very clean and I felt safe....it was $45 a night for the sutie which included breakfast on the rooftop desk....ask for a "quiet" room as Lori and Brenda's rooms were closer to the rooftop desk which is also used as a gathering place for a younger crowd....I did not hear them at all

So basically, this was my itinerary in Mexico...

fly into Cancun, spend Thursday night at the hostel

take the bus on Friday, arriving in Merida for Fri-Sunday nights

leaving Merida for Player del Carmen on Monday morning by bus

staying in Player del Carmen until Wednesday morning after

which we went to Puerto Morelos and stayed there til Lori and Brenda left on Friday morning, taking a cab back to Cancun Airport

my sister arrived on Friday, we spent another night in Player Del Carmen, and then took a bus to Akumal where we spent 4 wonderful nights at the Vista Del Mar....returning to Player del Carmen on Wednesday to stay two nights...the day before we left, (Thursday), we took the Ferry to Cozumel, rented a VW for the day and drove around the island (well halfway around and back) before returning to Player for the night, and taking a bus at 7 am to make it to the airport on Friday morning for an 11 a.m. departure back home....

While in Akumal, we paid did the Robinson Crusoe sailing adventure through the Akumal Dive Shop.  It was really really nice, so much fun as there was quite a wind that day....also the captain and his crew prepared one of the best meals, all fresh.....guacamole, ceviche, salsa, and the best grouper which they cooked over a fire right on the beach...ending it with fresh cut pineapple and coconut!!!  oh and lots of little beers!!! and water included...I'd recommend it!

While we were in Puerto Morelos, my friends Lori and Brenda and I took a cab out to the jungle along Rue de Cenotes.....it cost us 250 pesos each way, we went about 15 miles down the road before taking a right onto a dirt road for about 5 miles or so, and went to an awesome Cente de 7 Bocas...we pretty much had the place to ourselves (it was a Tuesday which helps I think), and got to see these incredible crystal clear pools of water in which the rays of the sun can be seen beaming down for hundreds of feet...simply amazing!

Back in Puerto Morelos, there were several really good places (2 on the main square) fro breakfast....

while we were in Akumal, we rented bicycles from the Vista del Mar (highly recommended) where we were staying at $6 a day....(or $30 for the week!)....and used them a lot riding from Yal Ku Lagoon which was about 3/4 of a mile from the condo and Turtle Bay, about the same distance in the opposite direction (we were on Half Moon Bay) as well as to the Pueblo cross the highway to buy some fresh fruit and toritllas and eggs....so fresh, cheap and delish!

goofing around at Yal Ku Lagoon...I'd recommend going there when it opens on a weekday morning, paying the $12 for your bracelet, snorkeling for 2-3 hours, and then leaving for a while, but returning around 3....won't be as busy that way!

there are beautiful walkways at the Lagoon so when you take a break from snorkeling (you can get a locker, any gear you may need right there!), you can walk around and see the statues, etc.  There's also a small restaurant, but we went down the road to another place which is owned by the daughter of the man who discovered Akumal....I'll try to find out the name as I took a picture of the sign, it was really really good!

This was the fresh mango, papaya and pineapple that we purchased in the Pueblo.

These are some of the beautiful sculptures that you'll see as you walk around the Lagoon.

and this is the amazing Yal Ku Lagoon, where a fresh water river runs out to the sea....you'll see lots of colorful fish!  well worth the visit....also, lots of photo opps!

the little place where we had lunch....

one day we walked up to the highway from the condo in Akumal, (about 3/4 of a mile) and we took a collectivo (this is the mode of transportation for most Mexicans in this area, it's very efficient and cheap)...for a cost of about $3, we went to Tulum where we spent the day.....beautiful, spectacular stretch of beaches....it had gotten a little busier than when I visited it years ago, but there are still stretches of beach in which you see a handful of people.....ps...I would not recomend riding a bike from where the collectivo drops you off (in town) as it is a very busy road...and make sure to have a good map of Tulum as well as know how to ask for a taxi ride to the beach (it should not cost you more than $6 from where the collectivo drops you off!)....

we got to see the sun rising each morning from our 2nd floor balcony in Akumal as we at our fresh fruit and eggs and sipped on our coffee while checking our email....perfect!

We hung out at the Zebra in Tulum...this was our view....the food and drinks are also very good, a little pricier than elsewhere but hey, with this view and water, no complaints!

so happy having spent a gorgeous day in Tulum, heading back to the collectivo which will take us back to Akumal!  next year I will stay one night in Tulum...

This is a new arch in Player that incorporates old symbols with new....

Visiting an old friend, Jaime, who has worked at the Luna Blue Hotel (which I would recommend in Player...it's a quiet oasis in the middle of what is becomming a little too busy for me beach scene...but as I have a friend there, I visit still

I think Lori and Brenda had these coconuts when they went on their excusion of some Mayan ruins back in the Merida area...

There are all kinds of new buildings/resorts/condos springing up along the beach in Player, etc...this grafitti hides some of the scaffolding etc...

our new friends, Sarah and Alan to my left (that's my sister Kathy in the white t-shirt) and Robert on the right...all staying at the Vista Del Mar in Akumal....we liked to go to dinner each night at the Buena Vida, a restaurant 3 doors from our condo which had a menu full of different things....the road that goes to the main section of Akumal has no electricity at night time; although it's nice to be star gazing, we didn't feel comfortable walking the 3/4 mile to and from it....plus, this place had great food and drinks for reasonable prices...

my sister and I had so much fun playing in the surf on Cozumel!

We rented this really cute little lime green VW bug with a stick shift (it'd been my first car in the 70's so we both knew how to drive it)...again, recommended to rent from Isis Rentadora in Cozumel for $50 for the day....easy driving around the perimeter of the island, just remember to stay to the left as you go around the rotary area, if you are in the right lane (as I was) you're suppose to go off onto a smaller road that runs parallell to the one you are on and no one will let you in!!!  also get a good map so that when you return the car, you know exactly where you are going....although the part of town is on a grid and easy to figure out, I get lost easily!!!

We hung out at Punta Sur in the morning in Cozumel...it's at the Southernmost Point...it's a protected parcel of land which houses a swamp, mangroves, with crocodiles, as well as the lighthouse (135 steps I believe to the top)...and a road that runs along one of the most beautiful stretch of beachs in Cozumel....it cost $12 to get into this place, well worth it!

This was taken back when my sister had first arrived in Mexico, we were so happy as we'd found a place on the beach with happy hour from 4-6 p.m...you can't miss it!, it's plastered on the cement wall as you walk along the beach....anyways, bottled beers were two for $3.75 (I am serious!)....and to top it off, this live band was stolling down the beach..yes, that's a harp, the guy is playing a harp...well, we just loved them!

I ate pretty much the whole thing!

This was our condo in Akumal....the Vista del Mar...isn't it amazing!

this is back at the Cenote in Puerto Morelos area...

Brenda and I walked up these stairs to a treehouse....kind of wobbly, I'm glad that we were the only two up there!

see the water!  I wish my underwater camera had been working....it stopped working after the first time that I used it out on the reef earlier that week in Puerto Morelos....fortunately, I did not lose any pictures.....but then, I had no camera!

We walked the beach in Player del Carmen to a beautiful beach club (about a mile walk in the direction going North which I would recommend)...anyways, we went past this cenote which was right there on the beach!  amazing, crystal clear blue waters, it came up to the neck...

We stayeda at the Colibri Hotel in Player del Carmen....it was right on the beach, this was the small bar located there...

we had run out of cash which we needed to have once we reached Punta Sur (for reasons too long to explain)....anyways, the owner of the small food shack, made us some fresh conch cevich and gave it to us...and beers as well...what a kind generous man, I will write him....

an afternoon spent at the beautiful beach club

holding a Mexican child....

so happy in Mexico!

my new friend....

this was the beach where we hung out for a few hours in cozumel where the kind man nourished us for free...

Hacienda ? in Cozumel....I'd stayed here years ago, I'd like to go back as it's quite lovely

heading back to the Ferry Boat after a fun day in Cozumel.

a ceremony that they perform near the arch in Player del Carmen 

Kathy's happy in Tulum....at the Zebra...

we went out to eat with Jamie to La Pesca in Player del Carmen, again highly recommended....get the Coconut  Fish!

this is the owner of La Pesca....I'd been there years before when he'd first opened and wasn't sure if he'd succeed or not; the place was very busy and I told him how happy I was for him....he sent us a free round of drinks!  nice humble man...

Kathy and I doing a shot of tequilla at the Luna Blue 

Coconut shrimp!!!

Jorge, favorite bartended at the Luna Blue

this is Quinta cinque in Player....

a moving bar!

Kathy always wanted a tattoo....this is a henna one....

ideas for places to go....the buses are a great mode of transportation in Mexico....

more graffitti....

happy with her tattoo!

This was the place I was talking about earlier...near the Lagoon..and fairly close the the condo...it's called Gynn'Ak....you'll notice lots of Lion Fish logs and you can read the article about the takeover of the reef of this "invasive Lion Fish" which is not a local species.  it is isued exclusively at Gynn'Ak in the fish recipes...the owner goes out on the reef and spears them, she has won awards for her spear fishing efforts on the Lion Fish Wars....it was very good, the beer was not bottled, a little watery...

More of the lagoon...it was difficult to stop taking pictures!

stretch of beach in Player del Carment, somewhat busier here, but it's still fun...

this was down the road from our condo in Akumal and it overlooked Turtle Bay.....made for a very nice walk anytime of the day...

view of the hostel rooftop in Cancn

a view of the Catholic church...there are many in Merida, but this is the largest....

..riding the bike..Merida was once a fortified city and some of the old wall still remains...

I think there's a large snake in this picture....taken at the Celustun Biosphere....

these are some of the artwork that are displayed alongside the church!

this was the town of Celustun...the carnival rides give it somewhat of a creepy feel....as most of the rides were broken down...and should not be oeprating at all!

the pink flamingos!

riding out to see the pink flamingos...I'd recommend doing this!

buildings in Merida....

one of the office buildings in the Main Square in Merida....which was open on a Friday evening, has lots of huge paintings of Mexican battles,e tc...

the boat ride in the Celustun biosphere included this area as well....

amigos.....

a cenote in the jungle...a little too close to the snake area for me!

the sculptures that I was talking about which were located alongside the Church...

Wowza!!!!

street people in Merida....I'm under the impression that people who have disabilities in Mexico have little else to turn to aside from their families?....

the world's largest crucifix....

only at the Luz En Yucatan!

breakfast above was at one of the small places on the square in Puerto Morelos.....

the "Flinstone" house in Puerto Morelos....it's now open as a museum of sorts...

you have to get out on the water...

or relax on the beach....

the Lighthouse that nearly toppled over in Puerto Morelos

the main square in Puerto Morelos

came across this resort as I walked the beach in Playa del Carmen

our room at the Luz En Yucatan....

our balcony....

heading out to the reef in Puerto Morelos...well worth the $30 although you can find it for even cheaper...as I did later in the week with my sister...$20

another beautiful sunrise from our balcony in Akumal

the pool at the Luz En Yucatan

Brenda snorkeling in Puerto Morelos....

this was part of the anniversary celebration of the small Catholic church in Puerto Morelos...young girls were dancing in traditional Mexican costumes....

dawn from our balcony

all taken on the island during the Robinson Crusoe Cruise

I hope you've enjoyed looking at these...if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to let me know, I'd be happy to help you plan a Mexican holiday!

Sandy & Lori almost fall off the mountain!

We thought we were well prepared....I had my camel back with a 2 liter supply of water as well as a few snacks.  We were wearing layers as well as hiking boots, that is, Mike and I were  But when my friend, Lori, had asked whether or not she needed to wear hiking boots, I'd responded that it wasn't absolutely imperative.  Now mind you,  I just didn't want her to have to spend money on something she'd use only once (this was her first 4,000 footer)..... surely people have hiked without hiking boots!  

And so, we set off from southern Maine early that late October morning.  It had rained the previous night and as we drove closer to the White Mountains, we noticed that Mt Washington was covered with snow, but everywhere else looked green.  The plan was to do a loop, hiking up Jackson Mountain and down Mount Webster.  The guide recommended hiking up Jackson as there were several steep parts that would be difficult to descend.  

Okay so how did that (picture above) turn into this!????

Initially, it was just s a little icy.   And then, we came upon a little more snow...and a little more  ice, just a little more.   Still we persevered as it got a little slippery....in the back of our minds, we all were just a wee bit concerned.  That was until we each found ourselves at a ledge, clawing at a root with one hand, a crevice in the other, knowing that if we did not grasp it, we'd slip down....it would not be pretty!  At this point, I'm sure we were all genuinely concerned about whether or not we'd make it, whether or not we could be rescued as cell coverage is scanty, but we kept our thoughts to ourselves!  

We eventually made it up that ledge and reached the peak where we experienced gusting winds and more coldness.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed the view for a couple of minutes and even took some photos!   Our hands were freezing as we did not have waterproof gloves (I can't imagine how Lori's feet were at this point) and we needed to find the trail down the Webster Trail which was our only way down!

and yet, we took stopped to take some pictures!

the grey jay....

Lori saved the day!  She found the trail that would take us to Mount Webster...here we are below, playing in the snow, 

We knew we were going to make it at this point...

Some more photo shots.....isn't it pretty?

Victorious....but her feet are frozen!

The three of us....still friends!

Celebrating our survival at Moat Mountain Pub!

Now let this be a lesson to you all...get some hiking boots and make sure you are well prepared to hike the White Mountains!  Conditions can change instantaneousy!