Sunshine, blue skies, +30 C

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So after a number of years of thinking we should take a winter break to get away from the rain, wind, and chilly temperatures we boarded Westjest Flight 2056 on Saturday morning and ended up in sunshine at the Cancun International Airport shortly after 5:00PM. By the time we cleared customs it was just after 6:00PM and dark. We made our way out of the terminal through the taxi hawkers and time share offers and we were out of the building making a quick right turn to the ADO bus stop, about a 5 minute walk from the terminal doors. Instead of the three or 400 peso offers of transportation to Cancun by taxi or shuttle the bus was a mere 52 pesos each, about $4.50 /$5.00Cdn.

It was about a 20 minute bus ride to the bus depot, Cancun Centro, and the hotel we had booked was supposedly only about 2 or three blocks from the bus depot. It turned out that the 2 or 3 blocks depended on which direction you turned when you left the depot. We turned left.

After about 10 minutes we were beginning to think we must have turned the wrong way when a gentleman noticing our apparent confusion asked us what we were looking for. He knew the hotel, said it was only two or three blocks from the bus depot and sent us back to where we started from and beyond. Another 10 minutes past the bus depot and still no hotel in sight. What if we went back to the bus depot and started over by turning right when leaving the depot.?

Two of downtown Cancuns’ main roads, and a couple less significant roadways, intersect at a large traffic circle outside the terminal. From web information about our hotel and how to get to it, this was looking better already. Across one main road, cut through the traffic circle, turn right, cross the second main road, cut through another traffic circle and about ½ block along, guess what we found ?!

The “ El Ray del Caribe “ hotel is not your typical Cancun all-inclusive 4 star beachfront hotel. But if you’ve read past postings here you already know that “typical” never describes the accommodation choices. So it was up a couple steps into the small reception area where were quickly checked in. “ Now I will show you to your room “ he said taking our bags in hand. We followed our Mexican host from the reception area into a tropical jungle oasis of calm and quiet in central downtown Cancun. As we journey through this tropical courtyard with soaring palms and dense undergrowth we discover a swimming pool, and just over there a hot tub. Nearby is an outdoor shower, and in another corner what looks like perhaps a sauna.

Up a couple steps to the second level and our host leads us to the door way which he unlocks for us. Almost like your basic hotel room with a queen size bed except the floor is a natural hardwood. Our host turns on the refrigerator and shows us other features of the room including the bathroom with its walk-in shower. The shower itself is almost as big as some bathrooms.

A few moments to settle in and it was next door for dinner and a couple of beverages as we watched a local soccer game on the large projection screen. The day had started early so the night soon came to an end.

The next morning, Sunday, we had given ourselves two tasks for the day. First was to find a SIM card for the phone so that we would have local phone and data service. At the first couple of TelCel shops we checked there was a bit of a failure to communicate and we were unsuccessful in our hunt. The third shop seemed more hopeful until we understood that the advertised price was a charge for phone access and there was another further charge for data which was primarily what was required. We left briefly, for a couple hundred feet,, until we realized the total price for phone service and data was just slightly more than half of what Mr. Rogers had offered on his $50 Travel package.

Phone service restored the next task involved catching a local bus to the ferry terminal for a 20 minute crossing to the Isla Mujeres. We had contemplated booking the 3 night minimum at a hotel on the island which was described pretty much as undeveloped. As we neared the island it became apparent the information we had seen was, perhaps just “ a little dated “. The island is only about 3 kilometers long and ½ kilometer wide and as we walked the island there seemed very little that was not developed. The southern end of the island is old development and no doubt in a few years it will all be new development.

About half way along the walk from the North end where the ferry docked and the South end we came across a perfectly placed open air bar on the beach. What a great idea and at the perfect spot as you walked the island. I wonder if BC’s new liquor laws might go that far ? (No, I think that is still a dream ! )

We caught the 5:00PM ferry back to the mainland and began contemplating our dining options. Having not yet been misled by TripAdvisor a query for recommended dining spots near our hotel had us on the hunt for a place called “ Pik Nik “. We found it near a large central square just off a main road only a couple of blocks away. The square was encircled by food carts and vendors of all types, there was a band performing on a large bandstand, and in the middle it was like a circus with children driving / crashing cars into each other and obvious by the large smiles, having a lot of fun.

The interior of Pik Nik is pretty much taken up with kitchen and the dining/seating area is outside giving you an opportunity to ‘ people watch ‘ as you dine. When we arrived there was no seating available although at restaurants on either side there were lots of tables available. We chose to wait. Waiting was a the best choice. Both the food and service were excellent. At the end of our meal, Luis, one of the owners along with the chef chatted with us for a few moments. The restaurant opened about 4 years ago and Luis was proud to point out that his two servers had been with him and the chef since opening and worked well as a team as they all seemed to share the same vision. When Luis learned this was our last night in Cancun before moving on to Merida he recommended that we should visit El Nuevo Tucho in Merida if we had a chance.

And with infrequent use, I'll have to make you wait till my next posting while I figure out (again) how to add the photos that will add a few thousand more words to this post.

Sorry about that. Standby, be patient !

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