Tulum and Akumel, Mexico 2011

June 13,  Grand Oasis, Akumel, Mexico

Got breakfast and then a taxi to the bank.  Luckily I was able to get my card back and it worked.  So in business again!

Did a bit of shopping and then caught the bus to Akumel.  Only about 30 minute ride.  Got dropped off at a stop on the highway, so had to catch a taxi to resort.

Bus was Pesos 26 ($2), taxi was 120 ($10 for a 10 minute ride).  Taxi driver said he would drive me to Playa del Carmen for Peseo 250 ($20).Almost worth doing it after considering another taxi to bus stop here and who knows where the bus station is in Playa del Carmen.

This resort, Grand Oasis, I found on internet, $70 all inclusive, for ocean view.  Good deal!  Turns out my room is on beach level maybe 30 steps to the water!  Very nice.  The hotel in Tulum was $50/night and then expensive meals on top.

Found as well that they make very good caipirinhas!  Only problem is that you have to walk to bar or swim up to!  They do not deliver!  Life is tough!

June 12,  Tulum, Mexico

To the usual place for breakfast.  They have the 'mucho cafe' under control.

Then got a taxi to the Tulum Ruins.  Even at 9 am the place was fairly busy.  I ended up only spending about 1 hour here as the site is fairly small.  But very nice as the ruins are on a cliff overlooking the beach and sea!  Very nice.  Many people in swimming.  Seems that Mexico does not like you to wander too close to the ruins as set paths and routes to follow and the ruins themselves are roped off.  The site is small but so are the temples and palace as compared to the ruins in Guatemala.  Still very nice.  Seemed to be more columns and also carved entry ways, some of which still have red paint.  This site is about 1000 years old.

Interesting as many of the visitors were Italian, and suffering from the heat and humidity, so in the shade most of time, which included the tunnels through the walls which made it impossible to get through.

Then walked for abut 1 hour into Tulum.  Went to the bank and the machine kept my card!  Damn!  As Sunday not much I could do, thankfully a woman translated the message on the ATM for me, which said I had to go to bank.  Have to wait for tomorrow.

Walked around town a bit.  Had to buy a new pair of flip flops as mine broke just as I entered the ruins!  It was a long walk into town, especially since I did it mostly barefoot.  But this was only when the pavement was not to hot to walk on.

Caught a taxi back and spent the rest of the afternoon reading on the beach or swinging in the hammock!

Big thunder and lightning storm over the ocean as I walked back to hotel along the beach from dinner.  Shortly after I got back it started to rain, and I am not sure how long it rained as went to bed.  Taxi driver the next morning said rained most of the night.  Glad my thatched roof did not leak!  And not sure why but power kept going off and on, could not have been the storm as power supplied by generator!

June 11,  Tulum, Mexico

Walked for about an hour to the south this time.  More resort/cabanas and many private homes.  Much of it jungle.  Amazes me that some have a few acres and the area is completely raked to keep the dead leaves off the ground.  At least they have retained most of the palm trees and other bushes.  Anyone looking for a house on the beach, there are many places available, but I have no idea of the price.  I am guessing that they do not have services either.

June 10,  Tulum, Mexico

Went for breakfast at same place as dinner last night.  Again, the only person there.  They laugh when I say I want 'mucho cafe'!  They are good about it.  Pretty good as well, too bad I have to wait until 8 am to get!

Went for a walk, north along the beach.  Amazing white sand beaches, and not many people around.  The beach seems to go for miles, with the odd rock outcrop in places.  Very hot but the water feels great.  Seems cooler than Belize.

Some big black clouds formed in the north east and looked like a big storm, but it past over or around and nothing came out of it.  Did cool the temperature off a bit!

Back to hotel and had a nap and then out for dinner.

Went to a different place just down the street.  Very expensive!  Had ribs for $20.  But should have said 'rib' as it was 1 rib but huge.  A 8 to 10 inch rib with 2 to 3 inches of meat all along!  Very tender and  very tasty!  They cooked everything in a wood stove.  Stuffed by the time I got finished.

At least there were about 12 other people in the restaurant.