Cozumel

Cozumel is a much better fit for us than the parts of the Mayan Riviera (Tulum and Playa del Carmen) we passed on the way here. At the same time, it is probably our least favorite spot we have been on this trip, but that is a high bar since we have LOVED everywhere else we have been in the Yucatan peninsula. From what we have seen of Cozumel it has a great beachy vibe with lots to do and countless beaches to explore. Since we had to leave our car in Playa del Carmen, we have felt a bit captive in our resort for most of our stay so haven’t been able to see as many beaches or sights as we would have liked, but we still had a very nice and relaxing time. The main stress point for me was the price of food at the resort restaurants. I didn’t think an all-inclusive would be a great fit for us since we aren’t big drinkers, but if we stay in a resort again I will need to factor the price of meals into that calculation in the future. The sticker shock from going from typical Mexican prices ($5-10 mains, or tacos for $1) to Cozumel resort prices ($15-20 mains) was really difficult to swallow. Even the drinks were at least $5 for a small amount of juice or water. We ended up shelling out for the expensive all-you-can-eat breakfasts (which were fantastic) so that we could then skip lunch and hold out until dinner.

While we did appreciate the luxury of the resort, Zach and I also just feel totally out of place. We don’t know what to do, how to tip, what language to speak, etc. We also felt like we had left Mexico and were suddenly in a mini slice of America. Prices were quoted to us in US dollars first, English was the primary language, and luxuries from home that had been absent everywhere else on our trip (such as toilets that flush paper, ever present a/c, and powerful water pressure) were the norm.

What I did love about the Intercontinental Presidente Cozumel was the snorkeling right on the property. I got in a good amount of snorkeling there with Zach and Diane, where we saw a surprising amount and diversity of fish. It is so fun just to jump in the water and see stuff whenever you want! The water is perfectly clear, and for most of the time there was no seaweed in sight. It only started to come in later in the day, and even then it wasn’t bad. We got to see a lot before the seaweed (and the tiny jellyfish that seemed to accompany it) scared Diane out of the water.

I stayed in for a bit and noticed a strange fish, the shape and size of an American football. It had ribbon-like fins along the side and I could not wrap my brain around what I was looking at. Then it turned and I saw its eye and tentacles. “Squid!!!” I yelled to Zach, who jumped in and got some pictures. It may be a cuttlefish, we are still trying to determine, but it was so so cool!! It was beautifully colorful, and soon its mate swam up and they swam away together as a pair.

Cuttlefish or squid?

We booked a snorkeling tour for Zach, Diane, and me (Melina opted to hang back and watch TV in the room all day). The tour left from the resort and there were only five tourist on the boat with us, which was nice. But it is odd to me that on just about every snorkeling trip I’ve ever been on there is one person who can’t swim, and this was no exception. There are floaties, so it is definitely doable, but the person always seems so nervous that I have to wonder if it is even worth it without taking a few swim lessons first…?

We stopped at two reefs and two beaches. The first reef was Columbia, where we saw lots of fish and a sea turtle! The next was a beach called El Cielo, which was lined with gorgeous white sand and dotted with huge sea stars! Each was bigger than a dinner plate- maybe about the size of a serving platter- and at least six inches thick. We also saw some tiny flounder here that were really weird and fun to watch.

We then took a quick break at a sandy beach that our guides said used to be empty, but when we were there was clogged with party boats. People were everywhere, blasting music and drinking beers. It was NOT our scene, but the highlight was the enormous sting rays weaving through the groups of inebriated tourists! Our family was the only one that had our snorkels so we kept our heads in the water and ogled them (the rays, not the tourists) as they glided by. Most of the other groups there were completely unaware of the rays, which seems crazy because some were maybe 6 feet in diameter!

The final reef was La Francesa, which had more gorgeous fish and the grand finale: a nurse shark hiding in the reef below us! It was too far away to get a good picture, but we got a kick out of the sighting. Zach was pretty proud that when our guide said, “look, a shark!” his first instinct was to swim towards it rather than to panic and swim away. I guess he’s becoming more comfortable as a snorkeler…or more tolerant of dangerous animals?

As awesome as it was to see these amazing sea creatures on a tour, it was definitely more rewarding to snorkel on our own at our own pace during this trip. I’ll need to remember that for future traveling. I am also starting to wonder if there are any snorkeling destinations left with the vibrantly colored corals I remember seeing in Hawaii when I was a kid. The changes I’ve seen in just the last 30 or so years are significant and depressing.

I was determined to snorkel around the hotel before breakfast on our last day, so I got out before 7am (shocking that the rest of the family didn’t want to join me) and walked out to the beach. As soon as I put my head in the water I saw a barracuda looking right at me. I decided that snorkeling by myself with no one there to hear me scream was a bad idea, and immediately got out of the water.

Melina decided to join me after breakfast to snorkel and look for the cuttlefish/squid pair. They didn’t make an appearance, but Melina did enjoy seeing all the colorful fish and the schools that teemed around a sunken structure off the reef.

Meanwhile, Zach and Diane learned that the hotel has a trained hawk to keep birds away. They met both the hawk and it’s trainer. I think this is super cool but also sad because it explains why there are so few birds here. I’ve seen a few tiny bananquits, but the only others have been the great tailed grackles that are everywhere in Mexico. I’m pretty sure they are the birds the trained hawk is there to scare, but they don’t seem at all phased. I even got to see the grackles swarming a large (wild) black hawk and chasing him away from their trees. They are gutsy!

On our last full day in Cozumel (and Mexico) Diane and I borrowed bikes from the hotel and rode into town on the bike lane. It was about 8km and was an easy ride, but HOT. We cooled off afterwards with bubble tea in the town square, and wound our way through the stalls filled with the same cheap junk over and over.

Eventually Zach and Melina took a cab into town to meet us and we all walked the streets, on a mission for Melina. At one of our earlier stops on the trip she had seen an ice cream treat that she remembers having back when she was 5? years old in Portugal: the Pela Pop. It is a banana-shaped yellow ice cream popsicle covered in a gelatin “peel.” Despite the fact that she maintains she does not like bananas, Melina has been dreaming about this dessert for the past 8 years and was determined to find it. We only had to hit a few corner shops when we found it. Melina says we have now fulfilled her every dream in life.

Back at the hotel, we had to say one last sad goodbye…to Zach’s stash of seashells. He left tons at Celestun, but had high hopes to ship a box of his favorites from Cozumel. Unfortunately, DHL was not ok with shipping seashells, so he had to leave more behind and pick only a handful (including one large and perfect conch) to bring back in our carry-on luggage without getting arrested by the Mexican authorities. So after he painstakingly selected the best of the best, he asked us, “who wants to go help me write ‘Mexico’ in the sand with the other shells while I cry?”

Diane and I went to dinner early to take advantage of happy hour. The deal was 2 for one, and so we both got mango daquiris; hers a virgin and mine a double. Then we enjoyed a final dinner at the gorgeous seaside restaurant. We have taught Melina how to calculate a tip and charge the bill to our room, and so she has loved “paying” for our meals this way. She says she is using the money she got from her “parent lottery.” We love this.

We are all so sad to be going home. It is especially painful that we don’t have our sweet Zellie waiting for us. Not to mention the news we have been trying to ignore while on vacation. Even Melina has come back around in the last two days and is bummed to leave. The girls have come up with a great way to think about it: “we aren’t leaving Mexico, we are going to see Georgia!” That definitely helps.

As I write this we are waiting in the Orlando airport, at the end of a 6 hour layover before we board our flight to Baltimore. We have explored every shop, been through security four times between terminals, and taken goofy pictures at every opportunity. We are anxious to be done with our return flights, but would honestly turn around in a heartbeat and go back to Mexico. Hopefully we will return someday!

Quick Stops in Tulum & Playa del Carmen

When Melina was a baby I looked at a trip to Tulum (we ended up going to Puerto Rico instead). At the time Tulum was a sleepy town where you could rent cheap cabanas directly on the pristine beach. Since then the town has exploded as a trendy destination, and when I looked at it for this trip I ruled it out pretty quickly. Cabanas on the beach are now $200+ a night for the most basic accommodations. Based on many reviews, the pristine beaches are plagued by stinky sargassum seaweed to the point that swimming and snorkeling is often not recommended.

However, the ruins in Tulum are directly overlooking the beach, and we decided to make a pit stop there on our way from Bacalar to Cozumel. The road soon became by far more congested than we have seen on the entire trip. Strangely enough, the “jaguar crossing” signs we also saw in the jungle were even more numerous here, wich is either because of the nearby Sian Ka’an bioreserve or to impress tourists. We decided it was the latter based on the number of billboards also lining the sides of the road.

Jaguar sign in the jungle…before we entered the urban jungle

Mural in our restaurant

We first went into town and quickly found an adorable spot for lunch that specializes in juices and had tons of vegetarian options. This perked us all up and we had a great lunch, although the portions were enormous, so we headed to the ruins feeling quite a bit over-full. As we drove the tiny road to the “archeological zone,” we marveled at the swanky hotels, the hipsters with man buns, and the women in barely-there clothing and high heels. Most were walking or riding bikes in the direction we were driving. Touts shouted at our car to sell us their parking spots and acted as if there were no parking ahead. We didn’t believe them and drove on. We were right, of course, there was plenty of parking near the entrance of the archeological zone, and one guy told us we had to pay 150 pesos (about $7USD) to park there, even though it was clearly free parking. We felt like we had to pay since all our luggage was in the car and we didn’t want anything to happen to it, but we balked at buying tickets to the ruins from him. “They are only 150 pesos for each of the four of you! If you go ahead you will have to wait in long, long lines! The tickets say 85 pesos but that is for Mexican citizens, for foreigners it is 150!” We took our chances and walked to the entrance and right up to a kiosk with no line where we paid $85 each for three tickets (Diane was free). Zach and I are used to this kind of thing but the girls were horrified.

The parking and entrance tickets were immediately worth the price when a coati emerged from the woods and Zach and Diane followed it like the paparazzi for an extensive photo shoot.

It was early afternoon and the sun was brutal. We hadn’t had time for our sunscreen to be fully absorbed into our skin, so Melina and I raced between patches of shade and Zach and Diane took pictures of the gorgeous ruins and the sunbathing iguanas.

Idyllic (except for the seaweed)

We liked that the three Mayan archeological sites we saw on this trip were so distinctly different. Chichen Itza with its single giant pyramid in the center of a huge clearing, Calakmul buried deep in the jungle, and Tulum peeking out over the sapphire Caribbean sea.

We were soon back on the road and headed north to Playa del Carmen to catch the ferry to Cozumel. With the flights we originally booked we were going to take our car on the ferry to Cozumel and then spend a night in Cancun before flying out on Monday. Unfortunately, Frontier Airline canceled that nonstop flight and rebooked us on a connecting flight that leaves on Sunday instead. Because of this and the limited number of car ferries, we had to leave our rental car in Playa del Carmen, which was much more difficult than we’d imagined given that the ferry dock does not have a parking lot. But we found a private lot and left them our car and our keys, and jumped on a ferry bound for Cozumel.

As we left Playa del Carmen we eyed the massive amounts of sargassum seaweed I’m the water and on the sand, the crowded streets lined with Starbucks, Burger King, and similar international chains, and the rowdy beaches. I started to worry that Cozumel was a poor decision. But at least our ferry was practically empty and the sea breezes were wonderful! In 45 minutes we were in Cozumel, and very grateful that it was much greener and quieter than the highrise-filled chaos we had just left. And to top it off, the sunset from the beach at our resort was one of the best we’d ever seen.

For our final days in Mexico we are in a resort so dissimilar to the rest of our trip that it is actually disorienting. More on all that later, but to give an idea, here is a quote from Diane as she danced about, THRILLED to be in a resort: “you KNOW it is super fancy, because you can even flush your toilet paper here! That is the true sign of LUXURY!”

Bacalar

Laguna Bacalar, also known as the Lagoon of Seven Colors:

This is clearly the next “it” town of the Yucatan. I am very grateful we were able to see it now, before it inevitably gets overcrowded and expensive. Already the town bears little resemblance to the town I researched three years ago, and with the number of trendy eateries and stylish Europeans on every corner it already has a very touristy feel.

Rolled ice cream

One of many of Zach’s VW bug pictures

Vegan hot dog (she wasn’t a fan)

Diane making friends with a random dog at the fort in Bacalar

However, it is also spectacular. Our villa looks out right over the water, and the colors of the water are nothing short of heavenly. Diane is ecstatic because she gets to sleep in another indoor hammock, and Melina is ecstatic because she doesn’t have to share a bed.

We thought we were unlucky to have wind and rain in the forecast for our first two days here, but it didn’t hurt the relaxing vibe at all! Our third day was sunny and gorgeous, so we were able to get the full experience. We were a bit bummed to miss out on a boat tour of the lake since our first two days were too windy and today was “no boat Wednesday” when boats aren’t allowed on the lake. But as it turns out we were actually lucky- apparently when weather is good the jet skis and motor boats zip around the water and definitely disturb the peaceful atmosphere that we had in abundance. Also, the wind kept the mosquitoes away!

Most of our time here we swam, relaxed in hammocks or on our patio, played with the resident dogs (six of them!), snorkeled, watched for birds, and kayaked. It was wonderful and relaxing. The water was warm but still refreshing and clear as glass. When the wind stopped you could see every pebble on the bottom.

The dogs also supply much entertainment. Sassy is the gregarious people-lover who will do anything for pats and snuggles and loves to fetch sticks thrown into the water from the dock. If you try to give attention to any other dog she will, very gently, hold your hand in her mouth until you pet her instead. Cody is the newest rescue and barks ferociously at us every time he sees us, until Sassy comes up to us for attention and then all of a sudden Cody is totally cool with us again and is happy to play or get loved on. The other four dogs completely ignore us.

Perfect sign at the Jurassic Park-style entrance gate

Sassy soaking up the love

The bird life around our villa is shockingly diverse! Every time we walk the quick loop around the property we see new kinds of birds. The mosquitoes on the walk are terrible but it is totally worth it for the birds: swallows, flycatchers, woodpeckers, chachalacas, parrots, and many others. Even some new ones for us, a limpkin and a snail kite! We caught a glimpse of a trogon and were even within feet of a masked tityra feeding its young!

Snail kite

Golden fronted woodpecker

Baby doves

I could go on for ages about the birds here, but the highlight was “Pere-pere,” named by Diane. This is the baby parrot that hung out for hours on a tree by the water where we were swimming. We were so close we probably could have touched him. You rarely see parrots alone, so we were worried he had been separated from his flock in the high winds and were close to calling bird rescue when a pair of parrots came and he flew away with them! He circled by us on his way out and sqwacked at us as if to say goodbye. We were so relieved!!

Pere-Pere

We did do one organized activity here, and that was Los Rapidos. This is a restaurant in the mangroves where you pay to enter the water among billion year old stromelites and let the current pull you down the river towards the Lagoon. After a half mile you jump out and do it all again. This sounds gimmicky and our expectations were low, but it turned out to be really cool and a lot of fun! It helps that even though this is the most touristy things we’ve done on this trip and there were still only about 50 people there, tops.

In 20 years I fully expect that you will no longer be allowed to do this (I have the same prediction for climbing the ruins at Calakmul). The stromelites are rare and delicate and important to the ecosystem, and despite the many signs in multiple languages, we still saw some people stepping on them. Hopefully I’m wrong, but I’d be shocked if I am.

We were very sad to leave Bacalar and Villas Pehaltun this morning, especially after discovering the magical bakery that is Madre Masa. This place has giant cinnamon buns and fruit bowls, and the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had in my life. Unfortunately Melina had a bit of a meltdown at our final breakfast, but was able to turn things around later in the day. Boy, these teenage years are difficult for travel. She has improved so much at home over the past two years, but I think two weeks without the social interaction of friends is just too much for her. It is a shame, because I just want to travel forever and ever, but one week may be Melina’s limit these days. I sure hope that changes soon.

On to our last stop on our trip. Typing that makes me so, so sad.

Calakmul

In recent trips we have had some close encounters with animals that were nerve wrecking at best and terrifying at worst. In Thailand it was monkeys, in Florida it was gators, and in Tennessee it was bears. But apparently these experiences haven’t taught us much because we now have another “When Animals Attack” episode add to our list…more on that shortly…

Our four hour drive from Campeche to Calakmul was actually quite enjoyable. The terrain was more varied and the roads passed through more interesting towns than the highways in the north. We put a Mexican music station on the radio and bebopped our way across the state of Campeche. Melina must have been annoyed with us because she put in her ear buds with thunderstorm white noise playing and spent the time “over-thinking,” as she put it. Apparently four hours of that had the effect of a calming meditation, and she has been a joy ever since.

Some of the towns we passed through were quite charming, especially Champoton, a lively fishing village where locals held up strings of the biggest shrimp I’ve ever seen to our car as we drove by. As we drove deeper into the jungle the signs got more and more interesting. Zach kept trying to get a picture of the “jaguar crossing” signs but the timing unfortunately never worked out.

When we finally made it to the town of Xpujil, we started rocking out to “Welcome to the Jungle” (Zach downloaded it especially for this moment) only to be immediately stopped for road construction, which made for a rather anticlimactic entrance. But no matter, our jungle cabin is sparklingly clean, and we have come across lots of critters simply while strolling around the grounds! Flocks of chachalacas jump through the trees, and orioles, hummingbirds, and flycatchers abound. We even watched an oriole weaving palm strands into a hammock-style nest right by our breakfast table. Magical! There are even two resident dogs (Blackie and Clucha) who join us on our birdwatching walks. The only problem here is that with the recent rains, the mosquitoes are absolutely horrific. We have to cover every possible inch of skin, and even then they swarm and bitebite us through our clothes.

Entrance to our cabin

Leaf cutter ants

Oriole

Mojitos with lunch

Diane watching hummingbirds at lunch

Plain chachalaca

Momma oriole weaving her nest!

When checking in we made a last second decision to change our plans a bit to work around the rain in the forecast. This meant driving to see the nearby bat cave on our own last night instead of with a guide as part of our tour of the Calakmul jungle ruins. We were a bit nervous as the directions were vague: “It’s about 30 minutes down the road…there are no signs, but just stop where you see parking for two cars and follow the path to see the bats fly out of a cave at sunset.” We crossed our fingers and hit the road, and the entrance turned out to be relatively easy to find. To our great relief, there were park guides and some other tourists there, so we weren’t completely on our own. We were given a quick intro, completely in Spanish, but as we understood it, the basics were that there would be about 3,500 bats flying out of a dry cenote at 7:30. They travel a range of up to 30km each night and return to their cave in the morning. We were to be silent and to wear masks (not because of COVID but because of the bat guano).

Overlooking the cenote with the bat cave

The Bat Cave

We waited with the other 15-20 other tourists and guides in near silence at the rim of a giant cenote. The mouth of the bat cave gaped below. Melina glared at tourists who made any noise, and at one point even demanded, “Silencio, por favor!” which made me happy because 1) nice job picking up a new Spanish phrase that I didn’t teach her and 2) apparently she is a “Karen” like me. Ha!

Eventually the girls saw a bat, then another, then a few more. They began flying out of the cave in greater and greater numbers, much to our delight. The colony of bats became thicker and thicker until we were staring in awe at a tornado of bats swirling in front of us! I was shocked that we didn’t hear the loud flapping of wings that accompanies bats in every movie (Batman, Indiana Jones, etc) and instead they were as silent as moths, with just their high pitched squeaking and the rush of air as the only accompanying sound. Zach and I quickly realized we had misinterpreted. This was not 3.5 thousand bats, but 3.5 MILLION bats. It was magical, and we were all mesmerized. Diane jumped and fidgeted in happiness, and Melina stared in amazement. There is no way I can describe the experience and we could not capture it in pictures, so here is a video Zach took:

About the time Zach was taking this video, a tour guide crouched down close to my foot. Did he see a frog? A tarantula? No, a baby bat was crawling on the ground! I carefully moved aside and we watched him climb the tree next to us and take a flying leap into the mass of bats. The guide explained that the babies aren’t good fliers yet and can’t take off from the ground; he must have crash landed and needed to climb upwards to get back in flight. At just that moment, THWAP! Another baby bat landed on Diane’s back!! It crawled up her back and took off from her hooded head. Then we watched a few more crawling by in the ground and trees, and shooed a few off of our legs and arms (not touching our skin, thanks to our long sleeves and pants!).  We heard some tourists farther down from us squealing and completely freaking out and going back to their cars. I praised the girls at their calm and cool demeanors, “You girls are the BEST!” I told them, and Diane said, “are you kidding??? This is the coolest thing that has ever happened to me!!” Melina happily agreed. Then…the proverbial sh$t hit the fan.

Bats started flying into us left and right. They were all over the ground and it was getting very difficult to take a step at all since it was now dark and bats were crawling everywhere. One almost crawled *into* Melina’s pant leg. We were all near screams and desperate to get out of there! We moved so slowly for fear of stepping on a baby bat, and were distraught when we did see one that had been crushed by a tourist. Finally, FINALLY, we got out of the danger zone just to look up and say, “where’s Melina???” We called for her and heard far up the trail ahead of us, “I’m here! I have a new family now!” Melina had seen an opportunity to ditch the rest of us and glommed onto a faster-moving couple with flashlights.

Back at the car we all let out sighs of relief, but our adrenaline was racing for the whole ride back. We are not idiots, we had done our research on this excursion and NONE of the articles and blogs and travel books I read mentioned anything like what we experienced. We later talked to a guide who was there on the same night as us, and she said she’d never experienced it like this before! It sounds like there is a short window of time in the year when all the baby bats are first taking flight that this happens, and we just happened to be there during that window. Thankfully we got out without any bat bites, but needless to say we will probably be undergoing rabies treatments when we get home, just in case. Fun. So now we can add “swarmed by bats” to the list of dangerous animal encounters that the girls can tell their therapists about someday.

Two crawling baby bats, before things got too intense for photos

Our second day in the jungle was simply perfect. And it was Father’s Day!! We spoiled Zach as much as we could with a card and gummies and perfect behavior from the girls

The only swarms we had to contend with were mosquitoes but they were totally worth it. We headed out after an early breakfast with Bianca and Sebastian, our guide and driver for the day for our tour of the ancient Mayan city of Calakmul. The entrance to the biosphere reserve that surrounds the archeological site is about 45 minutes from us, and once in the entrance it is another 60-90 minute drive through the jungle to the actual site. The variability in time depends on how much wildlife you stop to see along the road, which for us was a good bit! We saw turquoise browed mot mots, a tarantula, gorgeous ocellated turkeys, a crested guan and a russet-naped wood rail (no pictures of the last two).

We stopped along the way for a short hike through the woods around a watering hole, where we were lucky enough to get great views of both howler monkeys and spider monkeys! Diane was thrilled and this was a highlight of her day, while Melina was mostly just glad they were keeping their distance.

The resident crocodiles had moved on to a bigger watering hole during the dry season (thankfully! We have had our fill of crocodylidae for a lifetime!) but we did also see a lot of cool bugs and plants, and a golden fronted woodpecker.

Termites in a nest by the path

Melina protecting herself from the mosquitoes

Calakmul was one of the largest Mayan cities with possibly more than 50,000 residents, far more than Chichen Itza. There are more than 6,000 structures over 20 square kilometers, of which we saw only a small portion. While in Chichen Itza the residents were all about the jaguar, here in Calakmul they were known as the Snake Kingdom. But the highlight for us was the location in the jungle and the fact that you can climb on the sites! Diane led us to climb all three of the biggest structures, Melina joining us only on the largest. The 360 degree views of the jungle into Guatemala were spectacular. We took a lot of time to take it all in.

The steps were a great workout going up, and a great lesson in conquering fear on the way down. They were so steep that Diane and I descended backwards as if on a ladder, while Melina adopted the method of sitting and scooting her butt down one step at a time. Zach was braver and descended standing up, carefully side stepping his way down. The girls disliked the descent but were great sports and were thankfully very cautious. And the views from the top were so so worth it! At the top of the tallest two structures there were some trees growing in the ruins that were teeming with beautiful butterflies. We also got to see a few cool birds from above the jungle canopy. Unfortunately no toucans, to Diane’s disappointment, but we can still hope.

Squirrel cuckoo

Lineated woodpecker

Brown jay

It was a very full day, and by the time we were back on the main road and headed to our cabin the sky opened up and it started to pour. Que buena suerte! We had such perfect weather all day with clouds to keep things relatively cool and some sun peeking through to ensure gorgeous views from atop the ruins. The evening rains brought the added bonus of an amazing array of frogs appearing everywhere while we ate dinner. And this morning we even had a tree frog in our shower!

So despite what the girls will undoubtedly describe as a near death experience with bats, we had an absolutely wonderful time in Calakmul. I am sad to leave the jungle, but very glad to be returning to the water for the remainder of our trip. Weather is looking iffy, but our fingers are crossed!! At the very least, even if it rains for 100% of the rest of our trip, we have had an absolutely amazing time so far and would still be able to go home happy. What else more can we hope for? (Other than a toucan,sighting, of course)

Campeche

My original itinerary had us in Merida for a second day and then driving six hours to the jungle. But at some point pre-covid I was speaking to my boss and his wife, who traveled through the Yucatan peninsula a few years back, and asked for their favorite place. “Oh, Campeche!” they agreed, and in my memory they said this with dreamy sighs while gazing into the distance. I may be remembering that a bit more dramatically than it actually occurred, but regardless it made an impression on me. Later on, when reevaluating our itinerary mid-covid I took the opportunity to cut down on city stays and decided to break up our long journey to the jungle with a night in Campeche. So, here we are…

Reading about this city Zach and I had a hard time picturing what to expect, and every tout that made friends with us in Merida described it as quiet and slow. The reality of Campeche took us by surprise in the best way possible. It isn’t sleepy like Celestun, but also isn’t bustling like Merida. It definitely has a touristy feel, but with mostly Mexican tourists and very few Americans and Europeans (that we have noticed, at least). The old center of the city is a walled bastion (built as a protection against pirates) alongside the gulf of Mexico. Inside the walls is a grid of gorgeous multicolored streets in pastel hues, and chock full of restaurants and bars and cathedrals. Calle 59 is the central pedestrian-only street decorated with lights and ribbons strung overhead between buildings. It is a photographer’s paradise, and it is nearly impossible to make it half a block without Zach stepping into traffic multiple times to get the perfect shot.

After a fun but mediocre lunch, the girls were tired and retreated to our hotel to rest. I had warned the family that of all the places I’d booked for this trip, this hotel felt like the biggest risk. It ticked the boxes (central location, pool, free parking, good reviews) but the reviews were sparse and only good, not glowing, and it seemed like it may be a bit sterile and lacking in character. But it is wonderful! It is in a huge old building that feels like monastery, with a beautiful courtyard, giant room, friendly staff, sparkling pool, and tons of character. All for only $70/night! A huge win. So the girls were happy to rest up in the room while Zach and I explored the city during the heat of midday.

Virgin strawberry daiquiri rimmed with blue sugar

Suddenly the hot afternoon turned dark as storm clouds rolled in, and Zach and I took refuge in a beautiful cathedral while rain poured outside. We were grateful for the dry sanctuary, and quietly admired the intricate altar covered with cascades of fresh flowers and the meditation garden. As we waited and waited for the rain to ebb, we became a bit less respectful…we whispered about how beautiful the artist painted the light on the crown and in the depths of hell in one painting, and came up with captions for the angels. “Oh my, it does look fiery below. But I guess you should have made better decisions when you had the chance!” “And, while you’re down there, can you heat up this burrito for me?” “Actually, here, take this dove and give it a roast, will you? I’m starving!”

When the rain let us we explored the tiny pirate museum in the old city walls with Diane (while Melina was catching up on alone time), and then splashed around in the pool in the rain. Pool time has become a daily ritual on this trip.

Diane shows the pirates who’s boss

Later in the evening D walked with us down to the malecon. It was still drizzling, but we wanted to see the ocean up close. As we admired the imposing angel statue (it gave us His Dark Materials vibes) we heard a mewing from behind us on the malecon. We tried to place the sound (a squeaky bicycle? A cat bird?) and as it got closer realized it was coming from a couple that was walking towards us. “Oh,” I said, “it sounds like they are carrying a cat but it must be a baby.” “Um, no,” said Zach, “they are carrying a cat.” And he was right. We could barely contain our hysterics as we watched the middle aged couple carry their CAT to the edge of the ocean IN THE RAIN, and proceed to pose for pictures with it at different points on the ledge in front of the ocean! Every 15 seconds or so the cat would let out a miserable “mrroww!” to signal what could only have been its intense unhappiness. Zach finally got a sneaky picture when they put the cat down and attempted to walk him on his leash (he was not having it). We just could not figure out what the story of this scene could be. Zach had the best (if most disturbing) guess: “Every day, they come here and throw the cat into the ocean, and every morning it comes back!” Of course, then I became terrified I would have to jump into the ocean to save the cat, but of course the cat stayed ashore. After the wacky trio were long gone we still couldn’t stop singing, “na na na na I keep on hoping, cats by the ocean!”

Since we had a late lunch we were just not hungry for dinner, so instead in the late evening we headed to a chocolate restaurant. After all, the Mayans did call chocolate “the drink of the gods,” so it was only appropriate to honor them with chocolate frappes, hot chocolate, and chocolate desserts! We have been too hot to try any local chocolates until now, but the rain cooled us down enough that we felt the need to make up for lost time. It was a very good decision. I’m pretty sure I get just as heady from a rich chocolate cake as I do from a glass of wine, so it was the perfect nightcap.

Of all the towns we’ve visited so far on this trip, Campeche has been my favorite. It seems like it would be a perfect place to live for a few months, getting to know the best taquerias and cafes and watch for pirates from the ramparts. I can already see my reaction when I’m asked about our favorite places in Mexico. It involves a far off look in my eyes and a dreamy sigh, complete with, “Oh, Campeche!”

Merida

We had to practically drag the girls out of the water this morning when it was time to leave Celestun. Diane immediately started negotiating: “can’t we just extend our trip by a week and come back here? Why not??” Melina’s tactic was to continue snorkeling, hoping that we would just forget about her and leave her behind. But no such luck. We said goodbye to Owner-Karen, the dogs, the cats, the birds in the garden (mot mots and orioles!), the geckos and lizards, the mosquitoes (who are keeping about a liter of us as a memento of our time together), our perfect beach, and headed back east to Merida.

Merida is a much bigger city than Valladolid and has a very European, cosmopolitan feel. It has a vibrant historic center full of lush parks, trendy restaurants, churches, and even a mansion-lined boulevard (where the mansions have mostly been turned into banks). It is a shame we have only one day here, but we were lucky to get cooler weather so we did a lot of walking and exploring.

We picked a fancier place than usual for lunch and were absolutely thrilled! My mole sauce was by far the best I have ever had, and I’m already sad I may never have mole as good again. Our waiter was delightful, and loved that we were trying to speak Spanish, however clumsily. He helped us out with some words and pronunciations, and told us how disappointed he is that some people live in Merida for years and never try to learn Spanish. He was impressed with the phrases the girls have picked up, and encouraged them to learn a second (and third!) language. The girls were totally smitten and as we walked away Melina told me she was regretting that she didn’t choose to take Spanish next year, but that she was looking forward to taking it in high school. Hooray!

We’ve actually had many chances in Merida to practice our Spanish, mainly because the touts in this tourism-driven city are first rate. The modus operandi seems to be for a random pedestrian to start chatting us up in Spanish, (“Hola! Where are you from? How long are you in Merida?”) and go on for a while about our trip (“only one day in Merida?”), about Virginia (one guy even said, “The Cavaliers!”), then recommend a few nearby sights, and finally start talking up the amazing Mayan crafts that can only be purchased in a specific shop just around the corner, which is only open for one more hour and closed for the next few days. “You must go now! It is the best place for shirts! Hats! Hammocks! Blankets!” Then practically shoving us in the direction of the shop. This happened to us three times in an hour and I still haven’t figured out how to derail the conversation, even when we see it coming. The guys are just so darn nice, and it is a great way to practice our Spanish! But of course, we are cheapos and never buy anything, so the poor guys are totally wasting their time on us. But we did check out one pretty Mayan market just for the fun of it (and for the pictures).

Bejeweled live beetles are used as bait to draw tourists into shops

Our hotel is in a beautiful old building from the 1500s with tons of character. The pool helped to cool us down during the hottest part of the day, which the girls loved, and Zach and I enjoyed complimentary “welcome cervezas” on our patio. But the best part may be in our room; Diane asked about a hook on the wall, and I wasn’t sure what it was but we looked at the opposite wall and there was another hook with a bunch of ropes hanging from it- a hammock!! So Diane got to sleep in a hammock hanging in the middle of our hotel room. She was an instant convert, and tried to convince us we could install one in her room back at home (not happening).

At one point Melina was getting too clingy in the pool and Zach started to reprimand her but she interrupted him. “I know, I know, keep your hands on yourself!” She pantomimed feeling herself up (her words!) and had us all in stitches. That kid is either on fire hilarious or full teen angsty. Thankfully, we have been staying in safe places so she has had the option to hang out in our hotel rooms at times when she needs a break from family togetherness. This has helped her to have far more happy moments than angsty ones on this trip, which means a better trip for all of us!

In the evening we had a late dinner at a funky 70s style diner where the food was mediocre but the juices and atmosphere were perfect for a low key family dinner. Zach and Diane loved their banana milks, and Diane even got her favorite, hot cakes, while still drooling over Melina’s fruit salad (Melina graciously shared). We were all in a great mood afterwards when we joined the masses of tourists to watch an outdoor dancing and music festival.

This morning we got out early to see the Catedral de San Ildefonso and to the Mercado Municipal to grab some licuados de frutas (smoothies) and breakfast pastries. At the mini panaderia in the market Zach, Melina, and I picked out small breakfast rolls but Diane’s eyes grew as large as saucers when she saw what we have since been calling the “Mega Muffin.” I asked what kind it was and the senora told me, “mantequilla” (butter). It was cheap and she was besotted so that’s how Diane ended up eating most of what was basically a pound cake for breakfast.

Halfway through the Mega Muffin

Coffee on our patio

Goodbye, Merida!

I could definitely spend a longer time in Merida someday, but we are also excited to be on to the next Mexican state in our adventure: Campeche!

Celestun

I intended for our three night stay in Celestun to be pure relaxation. Unfortunately, our arrival was anything but. The drive was longer than we’d expected and we had trouble finding a place on the highway to stop for lunch. We ended up putting together a picnic at a Walmart and eating in the parking lot- not ideal, but it got the job done. When we finally got to Celestun, we drove through the town and by a few okay-ish looking hotels and guesthouses when we saw our destination: Casa de Celeste Vida, the most beautiful of them all!

We drove up to the gate, ecstatic to see the bright turquoise ocean straight through the breezeway of the house. We were busting with excitement at the view, when the owner approached us at the gate, saying, “Sorry! We’re closed for the month of June!”

We were completely dumbfounded. My face must have fallen and all I could squeak out was a pitiful, “but…I have a reservation…?” The woman looked at me and asked if I was Karen. “We have you in the book for July!” Oh my goodness. I pulled out the email chain I had started back in 2019 when I made our original reservation and we followed it to when I rebooked for 2022. I very clearly had asked for June 13-16, and her husband had very clearly responded that yes, they could confirm my reservation for July 13-16. I never even noticed. The owner (also named Karen) paused for a beat and then said, “boy, am I going to let my husband have it! But come on in!” [HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF]

The next few hours continued to be a bit stressful as the girls immediately clogged our toilet (they keep forgetting to throw the toilet paper in the trash can instead of flushing it). Then a storm rolled through, which apparently in Celestun means loss of electricity and water, along with extreme flooding in the streets. That first evening I was a bit nervous that three nights was going to be too many I’m this sleepy town and that we would be bored. Thankfully, the next two days proved me so, so wrong.

The house is a tropical paradise, and the white sand beach stretches for miles in either direction. Bikes and kayaks and paddle boards are at our disposal, and beers and a complimentary bottle of wine were in the fridge (an apology for the miscommunication). Owner-Karen is a lovely host, and since the inn is officially closed we have the whole place to ourselves!

Well…not completely to ourselves. Arguably the best part about Casa de Celeste Vida is the pack of SEVEN wonderful rescue dogs that call this place home. The owners brought one dog from Canada, but the rest were adopted here in Mexico. They are extremely well behaved and are so entertaining when Karen brings them down to the beach! Scooter (the eldest) swims a bit and then settles in the arms of Owner-Karen in the water when he tires out. Oliver swims circles around us, while Bella digs for the crabs she can hear under the sand. Mia, the Alpha of the pack, explores the beach and leads the others into mischief. Ruby splashes in the shallows and Honey, the newest and most timid of the rescues, watches the others for clues on what to do. Rosie (the youngest pup) patrols the shallows up and down the shore, hunting for puffer fish. When she finds a school she hops up and down in the water and all the other dogs come running to join the fun. When a dog catches a fish, they carry it to the shore until Owner-Karen runs and demands they return it to the water, where she scoops it up (to keep Oliver from eating it) and waits for it to deflate before releasing it to freedom. One of our days here The pack caught 10 fish, and five of those were by Rosie alone! And a highlight of the trip so far for Diane was when she had the stand-up paddle board in the water and the dogs jumped right on top, and she pushed them around in the water for at least a half an hour while they peered down into the water as if on a glass bottomed boat tour. 

When we aren’t playing with dogs, we have spent countless hours snorkeling right off the beach. This is not a snorkeling destination, but because it is so shallow and calm and clear, it has done wonders for the girls’ confidence and snorkeling stamina. Melina lead us out to the far off sandbar, pointing out a giant hermit crab and a sea cucumber along the way, and Diane has learned to dive for shells without taking off her snorkel.

Zach has also been snorkeling but with a different goal: shells! The shelling here is unbelievable, and I think he may explode from happiness at the bounty he has collected. His standards have gotten so high that he has been tossing aside shells that on any other beach would be his greatest treasures. At one point Zach was wandering way down the beach, shells filling both hands, when Owner-Karen turned to me and the girls with a grimace, “I didn’t want to tell him, but this is actually the worst time of the year here for shells. In August you can fill a bucket with perfect conch shells in just a few minutes on the beach!” Well. I don’t think he is missing out.

Owner-Karen also pointed us to a dark spot in the water less than 50 feet from the shore where they used some rubble from a fallen wall to make a tiny reef. And it has actually worked! The reef teems with fish, and although they are not brilliantly colored they are still fun to watch, and there are also quite a few pale round stingrays gliding on the ocean floor and hiding just under the sand (we have to be careful where we put our feet!). But best of all was that we discovered the reef has a resident octopus!! When we first saw her she was halfway behind a rock and Melina and I got a great view of her tentacles and the suckers on them! But then she retreated to a space between rocks and hasn’t come out since. We can only see a bit of her in there, but she is quite large, maybe basketball sized. She is typically dark purplish red but has also changed to white a few times. Just amazing!! None of us have ever seen an octopus in the wild, and we are smitten, especially after watching My Octopus Teacher on Netflix. Since she has stayed out over the last few days we wonder if she has laid her eggs and is waiting out the end of her life before they hatch. Or maybe she’s just spooked by us.

The only organized activity we have done here was to catch a boat by the bridge to take us to see the flamingos. We showed up early to beat the heat and the guide told us that early in the day the flamingos weren’t really feeding, just flying. We asked if we should come back later, but he insisted, “no, no, you will see flamingos!” But we were skeptical. Turns out we didn’t need to worry, he took us to see a flock of about a hundred flamingos feeding in the shallow waters nearby! Their necks are impossibly long and snakelike, and when they fly, they are shaped like long skinny toothpicks with giant wings. They truly look and sound like alien creatures out of a sci-fi movie!

On our boat tour we also zoomed by tiny islands covered in cormorants, tricolored herons, egrets, and ibis. We snaked through a mangrove canopy and took a quick stop at a freshwater spring. We swam in the cool clear water between the mangroves (until the mosquitoes drove us away).

When we returned to the boat, the driver struggled to get it started again. He fiddled with the engine for about 5 minutes before another boat captain stepped in to help. Zach turned to me, “Todos a Boardo!” he said, and we laughed and told the girls about the idea our Game Night friends had years ago for a South American version of Ticket to Ride. Juan had come up with the name (it translates as “All Aboard!”), and the idea was to add “chaos cards” to the game format to represent the inevitable challenges and rewards that come with traveling in Latin America. This was a perfect example: “Uh oh! Your flamingo tour is derailed when the boat won’t start and you are forced to swim back to the mainland. Lose a turn!”  We laughed as we explained this to the girls, and in another few minutes the engine roared to life. Hooray! Then the other boat captain returned to his boat and…it wouldn’t start. Todos a Boardo!

Another few minutes and both boats were working. Zach and I were glowing and Melina and Diane were all smiles. We were all so thrilled to have seen flamingos, not to mention the rest of the experience, which was all a bonus!

We’ve spent a little time in the village of Celestun, which is a short drive or a 10 minute walk down the beach from our guesthouse. The town is charming and sandy seafood restaurants line the beach. The main square is simple but has a tiny grocery store and fruiteria (Diane’s favorite) and an ice cream shop (Melina’s favorite). Dogs are everywhere, and although none are on leashes and few have collars, they are in general friendly and well treated, so it is charming rather than scary or depressing to come across them napping in the middle of the road or traipsing through the beach restaurants.

If it weren’t for the mosquitoes and biting flies, I would live on our patio here at Casa de Celeste Vida. The geckos put on their nightly show of chasing bugs and defending their territories. Diane and I set up chairs by a window so we could watch the geckos from inside, safe from the greedy mosquitoes. One night after Zach and I came back from a grocery run, the girls were so proud to announce that the chirping we were hearing was coming from inside our room, and yes, we have a house gecko! We were all thrilled with this discovery.

When we leave here tomorrow we will be sunburned and covered in bug bites, but happy and relaxed and fulfilled from our wonderful time in Celestun. Zach is already aching to come back…in August…with giant buckets for shells!

Chichen Itza

Technically I’ve seen Chichen Itza before. I was about 12 years old, and I remember getting on a bus early in the morning from a resort in Cancun and going somewhere intensely hot and where the sky was grey but still so bright it hurt my eyes. I know what the iconic pyramid looks like, but I can’t tell if that’s from a memory I have or just from the pictures I’ve seen since. And that’s really it. But this leaves me with two important takeaways: 1) Going “back” to Chichen Itza for me was really like seeing it for the first time, and 2) it is unlikely my kids will remember our visit to this “New Ancient Wonder of the World” when they are in their 40s. And that’s OK.

We left Valladolid early and grabbed some goodies at a bakery before driving the 45 minutes to the archeological site. We arrived around 8:30, and entering the park was unnecessarily complicated. There were multiple decoy parking lots set up to try to lure you in even though the main parking lot was practically empty this early. Guides scrambled over themselves to get our attention and help us out at each turn in the hopes that we would buy their tours. And as soon as we bought our tickets we were directed to another kiosk where we had to buy our *other* tickets. Apparently, the state and the federal governments charge fees, but they don’t trust each other so you have to pay each fee separately. I assure you that this was very difficult to understand in what little Zach and I remember of our high school Spanish classes.

However, once we finally entered the ancient Mayan city, we realized our great luck. We had some cloud cover (a bit), an occasional refreshing breeze, and best of all, we had the place practically to ourselves!

We had fun exploring the sunny parts of the site first before the extreme heat set in. El Castillo, the giant pyramid, was truly impressive. We also enjoyed the Temple of Warriors with row after row of decorated pillars, and the Platform of Skulls. We enjoyed imagining the Olympic-style games in the Great Ball Court.

Once it got too hot to be in the sun, we explored the shaded sites in the surrounding forests. The path to the Sacred Cenote (no swimming allowed, unfortunately) was lined with vendors selling the same touristy trinkets table after table. We marveled at the shear number of cartoon-y Frida Khalo t-shirts and Predator (from the 80s movie) statues. Melina groaned every time we passed the stalls selling heavy woolen blankets…ugh! She and I kept trying to be the first one to spot more of them so we could say something like, “oh wow, you know what sounds really good right now? A nice, heavy, warm woolen blanket! Ooooohh, I could just drape myself with 5 or 6 of them! I’d roll up like a burrito and be so cozy!!” while the other one of us would writhe and cringe in agony at the thought in the 95 degree heat.

At the edge of the cenote we drank from cold coconuts and watched the flocks of mot mots soar above and below us. We also saw flocks of mot mots nesting in some of the Mayan ruins. Zach and I just can’t get over these birds. They are so incredibly gorgeous, and of all the places they can nest, they choose places teeming with the most natural beauty and cultural significance possible. It is as if they totally know their worth and aren’t about to settle for anything less than the finest digs in Mexico.

We lost count of iguanas, which are always impressive in their prehistorically aloof demeanor.

We capped the visit off by leaving the sites at the perfect time, just before lunch, just before the heat of the day truly set in, and just as all the tour buses were starting to arrive. As we left we ogled the crowds and long lines in what had been a confusing entrance before, but what was now nothing less than complete bedlam. I think being able to pat ourselves on the back for getting there early made the visit even sweeter.

So although the girls may not remember this trip in 30 years, Zach and I sure will. Or worst case scenario, at least we have hundreds of pictures to help us remember!

Valladolid

It only took three years, but we finally made it to Mexico! I started planning this trip in mid 2019 for travel in 2020…which for obvious reasons didn’t happen. But we are finally here and having an amazing time already!

Our flights were uneventful and our arrival in Cancun was smooth. Picking up our car rental was a bit more of an ordeal. Only one person per family was allowed in the office for COVID reasons, so Zach disappeared into Enterprise purgatory while the girls and I waited outside. It took so long that Melina was completely convinced Daddy had been kidnapped and was never coming back. I peeked in the office and told her not to worry, there wasn’t much blood on the floor so at least he was probably still alive.

Eventually he emerged and we learned the issue was that the required insurance was more than DOUBLE the cost of the two week car rental!! Frustrating, but Zach handled it beautifully and negotiated an upgrade in coverage and car type to alleviate some of the financial pain. So now we are free to drive like entitled teenagers because we are fully insured- look out, guardrails and jersey barriers!!

This turned out to be a bit helpful because apparently the wide, straight road between Cancun and our destination of Valladolid was under construction for approximately 98.2% of the 2 hour drive. The massive scope of this project was perplexing, especially given that there was absolutely nothing- not a town or a village or even so much as a gas station- between the two cities. I guess the constant stream of tour buses from Cancun to Chichen Itza create more than enough demand for infrastructure perfection?

Valladolid is charming, and our hotel, Casa Aluxes, is simply lovely. It is my favorite type of hotel: small, clean, well located, and quirky and artsy with lots of beautiful outdoor space and friendly staff. Our room is huge and we step out our door to the lush green courtyard and sparkling pool. We have loved watching the lizards, birds, cats, and dogs that live here.

Cool artsy touches in our hotel courtyard

In our short time here we have wandered the grid of the historic town center, which is lined with colorful storefronts and tantalizing food carts. As we were instructed by Vanya, who works in our hotel, Mexicans “don’t eat tacos in restaurants, we eat them on the street,” so we did as the locals do (except for vegetarian Diane, who had a beyond burger from a local health food joint). The girls also got frappes from a street vendor, which turned out to have coffee in them…but thankfully they were so exhausted they slept anyway! Zach also waited in line to try the local favorite food cart dessert, marquesitas, a crispy crepe rolled into a log and stuffed with warm Nutella and…cheese. The first vendor ran out before Zach could get his sweet cheesy log but another vendor came through. We were all skeptical until we took a taste- they are surprisingly delicious!

We also watched an informative light show highlighting the significance of this historic colonial town (which I missed almost completely because I was waiting in line to get the girls their frappes). We also toured the monastery and roamed the bustling town square.

But so far the highlight of our day and a half in Valladolid wasn’t the food or culture, it was the cenotes. These are the underground sinkholes-turned-swimmimg holes that are a huge tourist draw in the Yucatan. Today we explored three very different cenotes, and we loved each one for very different reasons! The first was Cenote Suytun, famous for the photo op that leaves instagrammers drooling. Entering the cenote we were instantly stunned: it was HUGE! A tiny tunnel underground opened to a giant cave dripping with stalactites and stalagmites and lit through a single hole in the ceiling where a sunbeam streamed into the clear emerald colored water fish swam among the handful of tourists, and the piece de resistance was the brilliantly colored mot mots that nest in the ceiling of the cenote!

We got our family pictures snapped after waiting an insane amount of time for a few influencers to pose in the center of the cenote in every possible way that they could while staring deeply into the distance, sometimes complete with costume changes (!!). Thankfully we were there early before the crowds, because if I had to wait for a few more of these insufferable types it definitely could have marred the rest of the experience. As it was we had plenty of time left to swim in the cool water, chase fish, and float on our backs while staring up at the stalactites and mot mots.

The second cenote was a short walk away, and while the water wasn’t as pristine and inviting, it was absolutely swarming with cave swallows and more mot mots. We enjoyed watching them for quite a while Diane encouraged tiny fishes to nibble on her fingers. Then we ascended to the surface again to enjoy some fresh coconut water and watch the resident lizards, peacock, and sweet mama dog (the girls were devastated we couldn’t bring her home with us).

Our final cenote of the day was the Cenote Chukum. It was here that we truly were able to reap the benefit of traveling in the off season. The tourism hub built around this cenote is practically swanky, with pristine toilet, an all you can eat buffet, and hammocks hanging in shady tropical groves. We had all of these perks practically to ourselves, and we enjoyed them to their fullest! And of course the cenote did not disappoint. This one was enormous and sapphire blue with a zip line for plunging into the refreshingly cold water! All of us zipped except for Diane, and I got a great video of Zach and Melina taking the dramatic plunge.

Lazing on the hammocks after swimming and lunching was a blissful dream. While it was 97 degrees in the sun, it was barely 80 in the shade of the trees. After some hammock shenanigans, we spent about an hour there relaxing, napping, and enjoying the sweet smelling tropical breezes.

The heat here has been surprisingly bearable, but perhaps that is because in addition to our many cenote visits we have also made good use of our hotel pool. As I write this Zach is in the pool wowing the girls by flexing his pecs (“like the Rock!” as Melina says) while they giggle like maniacs. He is living up to the name of the entree he had at dinner tonight: “Zac Kool”

Tomorrow morning we are headed out of Valladolid to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World!