A Trip To the Yucatan
It had been about four years since I had a tropical vacation with a girl, and I had enough frequent flyer miles to pay for my ticket, along with a $400 voucher from taking United up on a later flight from one that was overbooked to Pittsburgh. Being flexible has its benefits. Essentially, Robin and I got to fly to Cancun together for about $100. It seemed like a no-brainer. On top of that, I was able to piece together hotel rooms for around $100 a night and a week-long car rental for only $169 from EasyWay.
After a pair of uneventful flights, we were picked up at the airport by the rental car agency and given our ride: a radio-free air-conditioned manual transmission Hyundai i10 hatchback with the service engine light on and numerous small dents -- the Corvette of Mexico. While modest, it was still a luxury car compared to the one JC and I rented in Monterrey a couple years ago.
The car rental guys made a big point that smoking was not allowed in the car. Then, they would follow up with "...except for marijuana... pause... HAHAHAHA!" It happened twice, so I felt that the awkward reference meant that they knew where to find the herb, but I didn't follow up. Not only did I stop smoking a while ago, it also didn't seem like a good idea to smoke weed in a country controlled by a drug cartel. Nowadays, Mexico imports the best of its herb from the USA anyway.
We drove the car from Cancun to Chichen Itza, a 2-hour drive with about $20 in tolls and an awesome fresh fruit stand on the way.
After a pair of uneventful flights, we were picked up at the airport by the rental car agency and given our ride: a radio-free air-conditioned manual transmission Hyundai i10 hatchback with the service engine light on and numerous small dents -- the Corvette of Mexico. While modest, it was still a luxury car compared to the one JC and I rented in Monterrey a couple years ago.
The car rental guys made a big point that smoking was not allowed in the car. Then, they would follow up with "...except for marijuana... pause... HAHAHAHA!" It happened twice, so I felt that the awkward reference meant that they knew where to find the herb, but I didn't follow up. Not only did I stop smoking a while ago, it also didn't seem like a good idea to smoke weed in a country controlled by a drug cartel. Nowadays, Mexico imports the best of its herb from the USA anyway.
We drove the car from Cancun to Chichen Itza, a 2-hour drive with about $20 in tolls and an awesome fresh fruit stand on the way.
Mayaland
The grounds at Mayaland
After a detour through the backstreets of Piste to avoid a Christmas festival that included many bicycle riders heading to Mexico City for La Virgen de Guadalupe celebration, we arrived at Hotel Mayaland, nestled right next to the ruins at Chichen Itza, and literally a walk away from the pyramids. Though we reserved a balcony, we were given a room without, but it was actually an upgrade because it not only included a king size bed and couch instead of two doubles, but also a luxury hot tub jacuzzi. Unfortunately, the hot water took over 15 minutes to heat up, and it ran out before the tub filled, but we managed to enjoy it nonetheless. After waking up at 4:20 in the morning and traveling all day, a nice hot bath was a great complement to the Oaxaca chocolate and bed cuddles. We also wandered the grounds a bit.
The room had a TV, but there were only two channels in English. One was the Discovery Channel, but it only broadcast reality tv shows about rednecks making moonshine. The other was the History Channel, but there was no sound. Also, the wifi wasn't working that day.
When I asked the guy at the front desk about the sound issue and the Wifi, he tried to play it off and say "This hotel is for relaxing and not watching tv." I asked him if their website promoted free Wifi, and when he couldn't deny it, he came up with another excuse that it was an issue with my iPad. Calling bullshit, I brought him our two android phones, neither of which would connect to the wifi. The next morning, I had them reset their router, and all was good.
The room had a TV, but there were only two channels in English. One was the Discovery Channel, but it only broadcast reality tv shows about rednecks making moonshine. The other was the History Channel, but there was no sound. Also, the wifi wasn't working that day.
When I asked the guy at the front desk about the sound issue and the Wifi, he tried to play it off and say "This hotel is for relaxing and not watching tv." I asked him if their website promoted free Wifi, and when he couldn't deny it, he came up with another excuse that it was an issue with my iPad. Calling bullshit, I brought him our two android phones, neither of which would connect to the wifi. The next morning, I had them reset their router, and all was good.
Mayan Ingenuity
Amazing
That evening, we watched a presentation in the planetarium about the Mayans. These ancient geniuses knew a lot about astronomy, and they built the structures of Chichen Itza in alignment with the celestial bodies so they could predict the seasons and maximize their crop growth. They also had a firm grasp on the concept that the miniscule ego of a human is but a tiny cog in the greater machine that is the universe--though an important cog no less.
The land in Chichen Itza is supercharged. Robin was overwhelmed with the energy and had a vision of blood pouring from the large central pyramid from what she perceived to be an ancient animal sacrifice. The intensity of the energetic forces of the land and the people that once inhabited it began to unleash forces on us that carried on for days.
The land in Chichen Itza is supercharged. Robin was overwhelmed with the energy and had a vision of blood pouring from the large central pyramid from what she perceived to be an ancient animal sacrifice. The intensity of the energetic forces of the land and the people that once inhabited it began to unleash forces on us that carried on for days.
Pollo de Piste
The epic pyramid at Chichen Itza
We took the car to nearby Piste, and after a brief false-stop for parking, we ended up parking it on the side of the road between a restaurant where the manager tried to get us into their place by saying it was "recommended" and a lady running a convenience store. Both of us had a weird feeling inside about parking the car, but we let it go to find lunch.
We ended up at a local place where we were offered a "whole chicken" and a bunch of sides for 40 pesos each. Then, we got a taste of the shadiness of Mexico. First off, it only turned out to be a half-chicken between the two of us. After we finished it, the lady informed us that lunch was actually 50 pesos each. Not one to complain about a couple bucks, we headed to our car.
We ended up at a local place where we were offered a "whole chicken" and a bunch of sides for 40 pesos each. Then, we got a taste of the shadiness of Mexico. First off, it only turned out to be a half-chicken between the two of us. After we finished it, the lady informed us that lunch was actually 50 pesos each. Not one to complain about a couple bucks, we headed to our car.
Shady Dealings
"That's not our car, is it?" said Robin.
Indeed it was, but something seemed different. It appeared that the trim on the driver's side door had been ripped off of the car. It seemed a bit odd. We looked around for remains, like maybe there was an accident or something, but there were none. It was as if someone stole the door trim! Who the fuck steals a piece of trim from a car door? No wonder the car had no radio. Fortunately, when we checked our rental agreement, the guy had made a large mark on the agreement that there was damage on that part of the door. We didn't remember the door trim missing, but I suppose it might have been that way when we got the car, as the agreement indicated extensive damage there.
Just to be certain, I called my credit card company to ask about their comprehensive rental car insurance that came with my card. After telling me the week before that it would be easy to file a claim, it turned out that the process would actually be a pain in the ass. Not only did we need the make, model, and year of the car and our initial and final rental agreement, but we also needed a damage report, an itemized list of costs from the rental car company, and a full detailed estimate of the repairs.
I had a feeling this would be damn-near impossible, and if there was an issue, the car company would simply just charge my card and call it a day. When we returned the car, the guy didn't even speak any English, so there's no way I would have gotten what we needed and caught our plane in time. Fortunately, the rental car agreement had already marked a plethora of damage on that door, so we didn't get charged. In the end, we really never did figure out if the damage was there already when we picked up the car or not. Sometimes, I'm a bit unobservant.
What was also weird is that we noticed a couple other cars in the area where the very same drivers side door trim was ripped off the car. We weren't sure if it was some sort of makeshift "parking ticket" from the cartel or some other sign. Perhaps one guy lost his trim and stole it from someone else to replace it, and then the cycle continued ad infinitum. Either way, the lesson I learned is that relying on my credit card company for any sort of collision or comprehensive insurance for a Mexican rental car was sketchy at best.
Indeed it was, but something seemed different. It appeared that the trim on the driver's side door had been ripped off of the car. It seemed a bit odd. We looked around for remains, like maybe there was an accident or something, but there were none. It was as if someone stole the door trim! Who the fuck steals a piece of trim from a car door? No wonder the car had no radio. Fortunately, when we checked our rental agreement, the guy had made a large mark on the agreement that there was damage on that part of the door. We didn't remember the door trim missing, but I suppose it might have been that way when we got the car, as the agreement indicated extensive damage there.
Just to be certain, I called my credit card company to ask about their comprehensive rental car insurance that came with my card. After telling me the week before that it would be easy to file a claim, it turned out that the process would actually be a pain in the ass. Not only did we need the make, model, and year of the car and our initial and final rental agreement, but we also needed a damage report, an itemized list of costs from the rental car company, and a full detailed estimate of the repairs.
I had a feeling this would be damn-near impossible, and if there was an issue, the car company would simply just charge my card and call it a day. When we returned the car, the guy didn't even speak any English, so there's no way I would have gotten what we needed and caught our plane in time. Fortunately, the rental car agreement had already marked a plethora of damage on that door, so we didn't get charged. In the end, we really never did figure out if the damage was there already when we picked up the car or not. Sometimes, I'm a bit unobservant.
What was also weird is that we noticed a couple other cars in the area where the very same drivers side door trim was ripped off the car. We weren't sure if it was some sort of makeshift "parking ticket" from the cartel or some other sign. Perhaps one guy lost his trim and stole it from someone else to replace it, and then the cycle continued ad infinitum. Either way, the lesson I learned is that relying on my credit card company for any sort of collision or comprehensive insurance for a Mexican rental car was sketchy at best.
Cenote Swimming in the Shade
The beautiful Ik Kil Cenote
We visited two Cenotes (spring-fed craters of water) near the ruins: Xtoloc and Ik Kill. Ik Kill was swimmable, and it was a lot of fun! As we left our hotel, a guy stopped us and gave us a card for a 5-peso discount. He then met us there and escorted us through the park.
At first, he seemed nice, but we got a shady vibe from him. When I got a locker, the ladies were about to give me a key to a locker, but the guy gave one of them a look, and she switched me to a different key. Shady... Then, as we walked down to the spring, Robin overheard one of the guards commenting to the man something about my expensive Nikon D7000 camera. Sketch!
I gave the guy a 20 peso tip, and we had some great time swimming, but the feeling we both had in our gut made us cut our stay short and take our possessions from the locker before there was a chance to lose any of them. "Not responsible for stolen articles from the locker" indeed! Coming as an American couple without any locals put a target on our back. I'm not one to be overly concerned or paranoid when I travel, as I had just finished a trip around the world last year without any paranoia, but there was something about the region around Chichen Itza that gave me a feeling that to use a bit of extra caution. It seemed like a poor area whose only source of income was from tourism. I know that we create our own reality with our thoughts, so I try to always stay positive, but sometimes, when you get that gut feeling, it's best to recognize it and take appropriate caution.
At first, he seemed nice, but we got a shady vibe from him. When I got a locker, the ladies were about to give me a key to a locker, but the guy gave one of them a look, and she switched me to a different key. Shady... Then, as we walked down to the spring, Robin overheard one of the guards commenting to the man something about my expensive Nikon D7000 camera. Sketch!
I gave the guy a 20 peso tip, and we had some great time swimming, but the feeling we both had in our gut made us cut our stay short and take our possessions from the locker before there was a chance to lose any of them. "Not responsible for stolen articles from the locker" indeed! Coming as an American couple without any locals put a target on our back. I'm not one to be overly concerned or paranoid when I travel, as I had just finished a trip around the world last year without any paranoia, but there was something about the region around Chichen Itza that gave me a feeling that to use a bit of extra caution. It seemed like a poor area whose only source of income was from tourism. I know that we create our own reality with our thoughts, so I try to always stay positive, but sometimes, when you get that gut feeling, it's best to recognize it and take appropriate caution.
Playa Del Carmen
The pier at Playa Del carmen
After two nights at Mayaland, we drove the car to the beach! Our first destination was Playa Del Carmen for three nights. We stayed at Hotel Aventura Mexicana in town. It was a spiffy hotel that included free breakfast and some very knowledgeable staff. Though it wasn't beachfront, they had connections with two beachfront hotels where we could get some chairs.
Playa Del Carmen has two distinct beaches separated by a large pier in the middle. To the south of the pier is a beach that has several boats and irregular sand formations that make swimming a bit awkward. To the north of the pier is what appears to be a better beach with a long stretch and more traditional waves and swimming areas. Aventura's deal gave us two options for beachfront chairs. We could go on the south beach to Indigo to sit on the chairs for free, or we could go to the North beach to sit on the chairs at a place called Kool for a price of 50 pesos each.
Playa Del Carmen has two distinct beaches separated by a large pier in the middle. To the south of the pier is a beach that has several boats and irregular sand formations that make swimming a bit awkward. To the north of the pier is what appears to be a better beach with a long stretch and more traditional waves and swimming areas. Aventura's deal gave us two options for beachfront chairs. We could go on the south beach to Indigo to sit on the chairs for free, or we could go to the North beach to sit on the chairs at a place called Kool for a price of 50 pesos each.
Not Kool... What's that smell?
The north beach of Playa Del Carmen
We opted to first try Kool, as it seemed to have the better beach. We showed up and sat down on two of the chairs, assuming we could just pay the guys 100 pesos and be done with it. They notified us that the Aventura deal was for the chairs at the back of the beach, not those in front. If we wanted to stay in the front, the cost was more like 2500 pesos. We walked to the back, and they informed us that all of the discounted chairs were full.
The name fit the energy of the place. It seemed to have a pretentious vibe to it. It was like a dance club that sold $20 bottles of liquor for $500 to customers that buy them and leave them half-full at the end of the night. It seemed like a great place for rich people to feel reaffirmed that money can buy happiness, because if you didn't flash your cash, you were treated like a lesser person.
On top of that, the beach had a weird sewage smell to it. It seemed that Playa del Carmen had been overrun with tourists to the point where the sanitation system couldn't keep up, so there was some overflow being dumped in the sea. It was sad. The smell couldn't be denied, and it also came up through our shower a few times in the room. I was able to mitigate this by letting the water run ever-so-slightly in the shower, but of course, this water wasting only contributed to the larger issue. It was either that or smell like a water treatment plant in the room.
The name fit the energy of the place. It seemed to have a pretentious vibe to it. It was like a dance club that sold $20 bottles of liquor for $500 to customers that buy them and leave them half-full at the end of the night. It seemed like a great place for rich people to feel reaffirmed that money can buy happiness, because if you didn't flash your cash, you were treated like a lesser person.
On top of that, the beach had a weird sewage smell to it. It seemed that Playa del Carmen had been overrun with tourists to the point where the sanitation system couldn't keep up, so there was some overflow being dumped in the sea. It was sad. The smell couldn't be denied, and it also came up through our shower a few times in the room. I was able to mitigate this by letting the water run ever-so-slightly in the shower, but of course, this water wasting only contributed to the larger issue. It was either that or smell like a water treatment plant in the room.
IndiGothere instead
The view from Indigo
The next day, we went to the south beach and sat at the chairs of Indigo. It was much better. Not only did they have free chairs for us on a beautiful beach, but they sold some reasonably-priced food with great service. There was no pretentious vibe, and we had a fun afternoon lounging. Though Kool had more of a 'singles' and 'cool people' vibe than Indigo, there were still some fun drunk dudes to keep us entertained, as well as some Israeli girls checking me out, so we had fun. The pizza was pretty good too!
Though the beach was a bit irregular in that I had to go out almost a half-kilometer before the water got deep, and there were some boats parked in front of the hotel, this beach didn't seem to have as much of the strange smell of sewage that the north beach had, so it was definitely a winner, and a great way to spend our last afternoon in Playa del Carmen.
Though the beach was a bit irregular in that I had to go out almost a half-kilometer before the water got deep, and there were some boats parked in front of the hotel, this beach didn't seem to have as much of the strange smell of sewage that the north beach had, so it was definitely a winner, and a great way to spend our last afternoon in Playa del Carmen.
Great food in Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen has many great restaurants of all different nationalities. Our favorite place was a Venezuelan restaurant called Kaxapa Factory. The owner was a really sweet guy, and he gave us samples of various fresh juices as soon as we sat down. The food is very fresh, and it has many vegetarian options.
For local fare, we ate at El Sobrocito del Fogón. It was the most authentic Mexican fare of our trip. For a more upscale dinner, we ate on 5th Avenue. There were many steak and seafood places, and we ended up at Madre Tierra, which not only had fresh and simply prepared fare, but it was on the second floor overlooking 5th Avenue below.
For a more casual dinner, we walked to La Brocherie, a French chicken place where the owner prepared the chicken in a special way with the herbs underneath the skin. It was way cheaper than Paris, but just as delicious! Not to mention, the dessert was legit. The owner was like "I have a sweet tooth, so if you don't like dessert, I'll eat it!" When we got our dessert and began to scarf it down, he was like, "Did I get lucky?" We answered, "No way, man!" It was delicious.
For local fare, we ate at El Sobrocito del Fogón. It was the most authentic Mexican fare of our trip. For a more upscale dinner, we ate on 5th Avenue. There were many steak and seafood places, and we ended up at Madre Tierra, which not only had fresh and simply prepared fare, but it was on the second floor overlooking 5th Avenue below.
For a more casual dinner, we walked to La Brocherie, a French chicken place where the owner prepared the chicken in a special way with the herbs underneath the skin. It was way cheaper than Paris, but just as delicious! Not to mention, the dessert was legit. The owner was like "I have a sweet tooth, so if you don't like dessert, I'll eat it!" When we got our dessert and began to scarf it down, he was like, "Did I get lucky?" We answered, "No way, man!" It was delicious.
Temperance
Ill-lumin-NOT-i
In a past cycle of austerity, Robin had taken over 3 years of abstaining from mind-altering substances such as alcohol and cigarettes, and by the time we made it on this trip, I was 7 months into my alcohol fast and 2 months into not smoking weed. However, I found myself on vacation surrounded by the energy of debauchery. Every restaurant was full of tourists drinking, and at every turn in the streets, a local was offering me drugs. "Bag of weed? Coke? Ecstasy?" Crazy. Though it wasn't actually hard for me to abstain, I did feel a bit left out, so by evening I found myself smoking a Cuban cigar and drinking Kava Kava in front of my room.
Afterward, Robin and I went to the chocolate shop and she got a coffee while I ate a cookie. I began to question how austere I was, and projected a bit on to Robin as I asked her if she drank coffee during her austerity project. Being intense about satisfying my intentions, I decided that I really wanted to drop ALL unhealthy vices, not just switch between them. As she sipped her coffee, her mood shifted and it spoiled the vibe. She didn't even finish her cup. She reminded me that it's worse to be ambivalent in the mind than to enjoy an occasional vice. Either smoke that cigar with enjoyment, or don't do it at all. Dang.
Afterward, Robin and I went to the chocolate shop and she got a coffee while I ate a cookie. I began to question how austere I was, and projected a bit on to Robin as I asked her if she drank coffee during her austerity project. Being intense about satisfying my intentions, I decided that I really wanted to drop ALL unhealthy vices, not just switch between them. As she sipped her coffee, her mood shifted and it spoiled the vibe. She didn't even finish her cup. She reminded me that it's worse to be ambivalent in the mind than to enjoy an occasional vice. Either smoke that cigar with enjoyment, or don't do it at all. Dang.
The Acoustics of a Fibonacci Fart
Another element we explored on this trip was sound. At the ruins of Chichen Itza, there were several "sweet spots" where the sound projections made very distinct echoes. You could stand at a spot several meters from the pyramid and clap your hands. The sound would echo off the pyramids back to you in a very unique squawking sound. Sweet!
I made my own acoustic sounds in the bathroom later that day. Though my relationship with Robin had progressed past the point where I had to always hold in my farts, I was a bit paranoid about the revenge of Montezuma, so I clinched my cheeks all day at the ruins. When I finally made it back to the room, I went to the toilet to see what would come out. In that moment, I left an insanely loud fart that projected out of my ass and ricochet in a Fibonacci sequence that I had us both laughing on the floor and reminiscing for the rest of the trip. The echo projected from my butt and into the toilet bowl, where it bounced around and out into the room that held the toilet, shower, and hottub. It then Fobonaccied out into the adjacent room which held the sinks, and then into the main hotel room to continue the sequence. It was like thunder. From there, the fart continued its golden ratio into Chichen Itza, where it bounced off the observatory and then to the central pyramid, where it was transported back in time to the age of the Mayans, disrupting the space-time continuum so that the world didn't end in 2012 after all. Praise god!
I made my own acoustic sounds in the bathroom later that day. Though my relationship with Robin had progressed past the point where I had to always hold in my farts, I was a bit paranoid about the revenge of Montezuma, so I clinched my cheeks all day at the ruins. When I finally made it back to the room, I went to the toilet to see what would come out. In that moment, I left an insanely loud fart that projected out of my ass and ricochet in a Fibonacci sequence that I had us both laughing on the floor and reminiscing for the rest of the trip. The echo projected from my butt and into the toilet bowl, where it bounced around and out into the room that held the toilet, shower, and hottub. It then Fobonaccied out into the adjacent room which held the sinks, and then into the main hotel room to continue the sequence. It was like thunder. From there, the fart continued its golden ratio into Chichen Itza, where it bounced off the observatory and then to the central pyramid, where it was transported back in time to the age of the Mayans, disrupting the space-time continuum so that the world didn't end in 2012 after all. Praise god!
On to Cancun!
Cancuns offer some of the clearest water of the world, even with turbulent waves!
Our last stop was the wonderful beach of Cancun. After reading endless shitty reviews on tripadvisor about Cancun hotels, I ended up selecting the Flamingo Cancun Resort. Though they offered an all-inclusive, I got the room only for about $100. It was a great deal, and we were upgraded to an oceanfront balcony room free of charge when we arrived! The place was absolutely beautiful, and the beach was way better than the one at Playa del Carmen. Not only was it a wider beach that was sparsely populated compared to the tourist mecca of Playa del Carmen, but it also smelled great! Like a beach should smell! The water was also crystal clear! Cancun has some of the clearest water I've ever seen in my entire life. It's absolutely amazing! However, the waves were very forceful and there was a bit of a rip tide, so swimming was dangerous, but I had lots of fun wading out to my chest and ducking under the huge waves! It was a great afternoon of sun and fun.
Ohh, Mexico! Cancun or Playa del Carmen?
Many people seem to recommend Playa del Carmen over Cancun. Playa had more of a 'local feel' when it came to the city, and Cancun was filled with tourist trap restaurants like Outback Steakhouse and Seniõr Frogs. At Outback, we spent $60 on lunch, but got to see some of the Steelers game. At Seniõr Frog's, we had a 2 for 1 dinner coupon, but it was actually a bait-and-switch to make you pay for an overpriced regular menu item and get an item from a "special menu" that was more like finger food. Also, the place was loaded with tourists trying to have a good time as the staff blew obnoxious whistles. We got up and left.
We ended up finding a gem of a restaurant called Hostel Natura. They not only had reasonably priced meals with a great ambience without the whistles, but they also had some amazing fresh fruit juices and a friendly wait staff. Though Cancun is mostly tourist restaurants, surely there are enough quality restaurants where you don't have to go hungry. If you decide to only eat at tourist chains, you might be better off going all-inclusive at the hotel, but the wait staff at Flamingo was relatively impersonable, so it might be a wash to consider all-inclusive.
Either way, we preferred Cancun over Playa del Carmen, and next time I return to the area, I have no desire to visit Playa del Carmen again, but we'd certainly love to spend another night or two at the beaches of Cancun!
Copyright © 2014 Russell Eric Dobda
We ended up finding a gem of a restaurant called Hostel Natura. They not only had reasonably priced meals with a great ambience without the whistles, but they also had some amazing fresh fruit juices and a friendly wait staff. Though Cancun is mostly tourist restaurants, surely there are enough quality restaurants where you don't have to go hungry. If you decide to only eat at tourist chains, you might be better off going all-inclusive at the hotel, but the wait staff at Flamingo was relatively impersonable, so it might be a wash to consider all-inclusive.
Either way, we preferred Cancun over Playa del Carmen, and next time I return to the area, I have no desire to visit Playa del Carmen again, but we'd certainly love to spend another night or two at the beaches of Cancun!
Copyright © 2014 Russell Eric Dobda
