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Published: January 9th 2009
Saturday I woke early to catch the 7:15 am bus to Chichen Itza. I was looking forward to a nice hot shower, but was upset to discover that the water wasn't working. I got ready without it, and tried out my spanish by complaining at the front desk and trying to get some of my money back (after all, I had paid for a room with a bathroom....). No luck though, the guy firgured that since the entire hotel didn't have water (not just my room), then I shouldn't get any money back.
Slightly peeved (and smelly) I left and caught my bus. Along the way I met a nice young couple from the USA, and sat beside a friendly Italian guy. The bus dropped us off along the highway, and we hiked in to the ticket booth. It was less than a kilometer, but I was again happy that I packed light. I'd brought my pack, since I had checked out of the hotel and was moving on to Merida.
We got to the ticket booth shortly after it opened, and there weren't many people around. I bought my ticket and then checked my bag in the free
baggage check area. It was about then that I discovered I didn't have my wristband any longer.
Along with the ticket, we were all being given bright orange wristbands, and mine must have fallen or been lost at some point between checking my bag, etc. It was more than a hassle to get another - at first I was told I would have to pay the entire entrance fee again. I pointed out how silly that seemed, and in the end I was still made to pay about 60% of the entrance fee, just for a new paper wristband. This, even though I had the reciept and they all remembered me an knew I had paid. Not a good start to my morning!
After that, I had a good time though. My two American friends had gone ahead and I walked along keeping my eyes open for them.
One of the main pyramids is hard to miss, but I headed first to the large ball court at one end of the ruins. It's huge! Archeologists think that the game played here may have been different than in some of the other Mayan ruins. This is because the
carved stone 'hoops' high on the walls of the court are quite small, so it would be hard to get the ball through the hole using only hips and knees.
My new friends caught up with me shortly after, and we agreed to meet up near the large pyramid. Called the Temple of Kukulkan, and sometimes 'El Castillo' (the Castle), the pyramid is in the centre of several other ruins. Partly restored on some sides, but with the crumbling steps on the others, I found it very impressive. Each side of the pyramid is just over 55 meters long.
I circled it several times, taking lots of photos. I didn't run into the others, so I head down a path that leads to a huge cenote (pronounced ' Sen-oh-tay'). Cenotes are formed when the rock dissolves underground and then collapses inwards, forming circular pools, often quiet large. The cenote at Chichen Itza was likely used for providing water, but was also considered sacred. Archeologists have recovered gold, jewels and also the skeletons of people who were sacrificed there.
The road there was lined with locals and their trinkets that were for sale. Most of them were just
unpacking, and there were lots of interesting items. I finally caught up with my new friends, and we enjoyed looking at the different things for sale, and bartering the prices. I ended up buying a small replica of the Temple of Kukulkan.
We spent another couple of hours wandering around the many other ruins, including a cool area of hundreds of pillars. We spent some more time viewing the many things that locals were selling. There was jewelry, souvenirs, carved masks and textiles. One young man was selling some rather risque masks! When asked if they were 'traditional' he just blushed. See the pictures, if you're curious....By this time it was almost noon and the number of tourists had increased dramatically, along with the temperature! We got ice-cream near the ticket area, and then I said good bye.
I got my bag and bought a bus ticket for the next ADO Bus to Merida. It was a bit late, and I was worried I'd missed it. It was a short ride, only about 2 and a half hours, but a big portion of that was just fighting traffic in Merida to get to the terminal. I stopped to
check the bus schedule after arrival, and found out that there were no busses to Mexico City on Sunday. Rather than wait until Monday, I got one of the last seats available for Saturday night, and then walked into the city to relax for the 6 hours or so before my bus was to leave at 9:30pm.
In town I found a resteraunt and had a good meal, and also got directions to a local bookstore. Armed with a new book to read on the bus, I spent some time in an internet cafe. With darkness falling, I thought I'd head towards the bus terminal. Enroute, I noticed that the main town square was filling up, and the preparations that I had noticed early for a concert were complete. As I had several hours still before my bus, I decided to check it out.
All of the hundreds of folding chairs were taken, so I slipped behind the crowd and found a little place along a low wall between some small trees. There was a family already there, with four young girls, an uncle, the parents and a grandma. Over the course of the next two hours, we
made introductions and became friends. When I left, each of the girls kissed me on the cheek. It was very sweet.
As I left, I spotted to guys heading in the same direction, with large packs. Guessing that they might also be backpackers heading to the bus stop, I introduced myself. They were heading to the station too, and I asked if I could join them (I felt safer this way than walking unfamiliar streets after dark by myself).
I got the bus fine, and slept passably on the 22 hour trip to Cuidad Mexico (pronounced'Swee-dad' it means city). It was cold as usual, with the bus being severely over-air-conditioned. I shivered, even in pants, a shirt and my fleece, and with a blanket wrapped around me.
I seem to have mastered the art of not needing to pee, at least when it is neither convienant or desirable. I really don't need to know what a bus toilet looks like after 22 hours of journeying with 60 mostly male passengers. I managed to use the few stops we had to my advantage!
We finally arrived within site of Mexico city at dusk, and the lights seemed
to stretch forever. With almost 20 million people living in Greater Mexico city, it is one of the largest cities in the world.
It took about 2 hours to reach the terminal, called TAPO, which was a huge complex, set up like an airport with many branches sticking out from a hub. There were hundreds of busses coming and going! It is one of 4 main terminals in the city.
With my small bag I had no need to wait for the baggage compartment to be open, so I was off in a flash. It was pretty easy to find the metro (subway) entrance, and I was off, heading to the older, historical, center of the city. The metro is inexpensive - just 2 pesos (about 20 cents) for each ride, and after just one transfer I emerged above ground at La Plaza de la Constitución, known as El Zócalo. There, a huge party was happening, with thousands of people enjoying all sorts of entertainment. There was huge Christmas themed decorations and lights everywhere, including a fake Christmas tree that must have been 100 feet tall. They were intent on celebrating winter, and there was even a skating
rink!
It wasn't far to the hostel, which was just two blocks from the Zocalo, and I found it easily. I had a bed in the dorm at the Mexico City Hostel. The hostel is in a huge old building and was very pretty. I got settled, and was invited to share some pasta dinner that a group of German tourists had just cooked. Shortly after I settled in to bed, and after reading a bit, fell asleep. It was great to have a bed after so much time on the bus!
I shouldn't have been so happy though. I woke up Monday morning covered in bites. The bed had bedbugs. I was super itchy, and nothing could be done. I headed out, determined to enjoy my day anyways, and needing to head to another bus terminal to see about busses to Mazatlan.
The metro was again easy, and I was reminded of my time in Paris. I hadn't expected to like Mexico city as much as I did, but it was growing on me (despite the bedbugs!). I got to the terminal (Terminal Norte) easily, and found that there were several busses leaving for Mazatlan. I
paid for a ticket on the 7pm departure, and headed back to the hostel.
After a brief rest, I spent several hours wandering around Mexico city. I found a store selling lots of different personal care products and after showing my itchy bites was sold a small baggy of something minty smelling, which helped a bit with the itch! I also found another small toothpaste (need to travel light!).
From there I wandered towards the market area, and found street after street of outdoor and semi-covered stalls selling all manner of things. Shoes, clothes, food, housewares - you could find it all!
At one point, a police officer started talking to me. I was a bit worried, since police can be a bit touch and go in Mexico. His name was Hector, and he wanted to show me a church (and he couldn't figure out why I was at the market). I went with him because I was a bit worried about what might happen if I didn't. I think he just wanted to talk to me, but eventually I was able to leave and carried on walking through the market. I bought a new shirt for
about $6 (two of mine are ready to be thrown away), and back at the Zocalo enjoyed seeing people tubing down a small snow covered hill and making 'snow men' in molds! After a brief stop at the hostel, set out to find a place to eat.
I ended up at a cool little restaurant near the Zocalo, which had a set menu for 75 pesos. I had a multi-course meal at a little table beside a window looking out to the street. It was very pleasant watching people walk by, although due to the lettering in the window I couldn't see faces. All I could see was shoes, children and bums as people passed by! But what shoes! So many colours and designs - even some leopard print pumps!
I spent some time in the city square after eating, before heading back to the hostel for my things. From there, I headed again to the Terminales Norte by metro, arriving with enough time to buy some snacks for the trip and enjoy some icecream.
I was particularily sad to leave Mexico city. I found it very beautiful and warm, and I was strongly reminded of my
time in Paris. I hope to come back someday, and spend much more time there.
Aboard the bus my bites were still bothering me, and I was feeling pretty crazed - my arms and legs were bleeding, but I couldn't stop scratching. On the bus I made friends with a Mexican named Emanual, who spoke excellent english.
With my itching, the bus ride seemed interminable, and it was noon on Tuesday by the time the bus arrived in Mazatlan. I took a pre-paid authorized taxi (you pay at the booth and get a ticket, which is supposed to keep the driver from scamming you at your destination) to the ferry terminal. The driver kept trying to convince me that there were no ferries that day, but I didn't quite believe him since he was also very interested in taking me to a hotel (where he would no doubt get share of the hotel cost).
Sure enough, there was a ferry! It wasn't the usual Baja California ferry though. This one seemed to be intended for cargo trucks and their drivers to cross on. Unlike the other ferry, with its cabinas and piano bars, this one had a
greasy stair case leading to a small room with old chairs and a TV, plus a comidor (restaraunt) that was open for a few hours in the evening. There were maybe 40 people aboard, and I was one of three or four women and the only tourist.
I found a corner with three chairs and staked out my territory. I went above deck as we departed, and then read and slept most of the night. I was again tormented by the bed bugs, and didn't sleep all that well. In the morning, I walked around a bit, and was also on deck as we arrived at the terminal outside La Paz (on the Baja penninsula) just after 10am.
After having our bags checked, our fingerprints taken digitally, and our ID checked, we were cleared to leave the terminal. I understand that security is so high because of the proximity to the US border. Cleared to leave the terminal, I caught a collectivo to the bus terminal in La Paz and then it was easy to catch a bus 2 hours south to Las Barriles.
I was dropped off at the highway, and I walked down the hill
to the beach area. I made a stop at the Farmacia (pharmacy) and bought some hydrocortisone cream to help with the itching, and then carried on to Martin Verduoga's beach resort, where my parents have been staying since mid December!
They were suprised to see me, but I had to tell them not to come too close, because of the bed bugs.
Mom loaned me some clothes, and I showered. Then we washed my clothes, and poured boiling water over them to kill the bugs and eggs. Then they went back in the washer and then into the dryer. We also sprayed rubbing alcohol in my hair (yuck!) and over much of my stuff, like my backpack.
With the cortisone cream rubbed on my itchy spots, and clean clothes, I felt much better. I took mom and dad out to dinner at a local place, and then went to bed early.
I was a bit itchy overnight, and I'm still worried that there might be more bugs. I guess time will tell! In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy a few days here with my parents before heading north to the border on Saturday.
Cheers,
Eileen
('Itchy')
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KIm
non-member comment
Wow!
HI Eileen, Sounds like you are having an amazing trip! Ouchy about the bed bugs! Travel safe! See you soon!