Day 14 Campeche

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Breakfast at Santa Rosa is lovely. We interrupt the Monday team meeting as we arrive. Seems to me that there are about 5 staff per guest assuming we are the only guests which seems likely as we haven’t seen anyone else since we’ve been here.

With Wilko navigating we head off for Uxmal. The roads we have experienced in Mexico have generally been very good and the drivers are also easy to deal with. There are a lot of motorcyclists and also a lot of 3 wheeled motorcycle things that usually contain a whole family or just your mate who you can talk to as you cruise along. The only issue is that they do about 5kph.

We arrive at Uxmal and as per usual there are very few people here. Again you require two tickets with two different ticket collectors spaced a metre apart. Uxmal is part way through implementing the McKinsey led strategy and have one ticket seller who sells both tickets.

Most of these sites are largely the same, couple of big pyramids for human sacrifices, a ball/Quiddich field and a couple of other random buildings for sun god worship and such like. Uxmal has a bit more of a “tropical” feel and the rock carvings seem to be better preserved.

Wilko assures his entry to heaven by assisting a lady in a wheelchair. I had noticed them struggling throughout the morning. Got a couple of photos as well. These Mexican archeological sites are not really wheelchair friendly. The Mayan’s didn’t invent the wheel.

Along the road we pass a guy on a motorcycle with a shotgun slung over his shoulder. I’m all for a photo but the other advise against it.

Wilko is very keen to go to another cenote in the way to Campeche. Obviously I’ve had a lot of fun winding him up about it, eg don’t really have enough time etc., but we end up going. It is not the greatest cenote we’ve seen. There are two guys at the entrance who control the rope barrier and collect the money. Once they let you in there is a car park attendant who collects your ticket. It is possible that these people have nothing official to do with the cenote. Probably just printed up some tickets. The cenote is not a patch in the other and it is filled with Mexicans including a baby who I’m not sure has read the no peeing in the water sign (or pooing for that matter).

After the cenote we are on our way to Campeche. The expressway is great, although every so often there is a random police check point offering full body and cavity searches, but generally the cops just sit around playing Fortnite. I missed a 40 zone and went screaming past at 110 they didn’t even look up. We of course have the obligatory torrential rain with the car acquaplaning through puddles and semis slipping and sliding. It was great!

We arrive at Campeche which is a seaside town built by the Spanish. Given it’s relative isolation it was a favourite raping and pillaging point for pirates. After a number of unfortunate events the government decided to build a walll around the town.

Catherine was very nervous about the accommodation, and she should have been since it was $125 per night. when we checked in Catherine asked if we should take our bags up to the room and the response was “if you like”. I think the alternative was to leave them in the lobby.

The hotel is actually pretty good with a lovely pool area. It does appear the they give some kind of 24 hour asbestos removal thing happening at the building site next door.

We go for a walk around the town check out the square with the obligatory cathedral and grand administrative buildings. Then head through the restaurant strip to the water. Most of the new buildings are outside the wall and the old city but some mate if the local Council managed to build a 4 story complex just inside.

We have a beer, but Wilko is disappointed that we haven’t been able to take advantage of the 2 for 1 happy hour as we only got one Corona.

Dinner is at a seafood restaurant. Wilko and I have been working on our Spanish. The girl who should us to our table asked, in English, for our name. Wilko said “Grande acqua”. Couple of issues with that noting that the Spanish for water is “agua”. She scurried if dispatched heavy artillary. We were served by an older lady who wasn’t going to take any of that shit from Wilko! Food was good, straightforward but well done. The highlight were the two guitar players who played us some happy Mexican songs. They were great!

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