Why did the chicken cross the road?

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It’s very overcast today after the long rainstorm last night, making us think that our planned day on the beach is not the best plan after all. We have therefore decided to get up late and have a slap up breakfast back at the restaurant round the corner. We are pleased to see that the pool is being cleaned as we make our way out - at least they are trying.

The restaurant is practically full up. We opt for the outside garden area as there is a nice cool breeze blowing through and all the tables and chairs have been dried after last nights torrential rain. We think there may be more on the way!

I opt for a large bowl of fresh fruit, with yoghurt and granola whilst Ian has a bacon omelette, which is stuffed full of thick meat, and beans. Ian sticks to coffee but I order an anti-oxidant drink, whatever that is? Sounds healthy - but healthy or not it tastes great...peach, lemon and some other fruit all whizzed up in a liquidiser by the look of it.

We roll back to our room, stuffed to the gills. On the way Ian notes the ‘free range’ chickens in the road. This is a little used dual carriageway...but it leads to the beach so it won’t be long before the traffic increases - it’s clearly been put in for a purpose. At the moment, the locals are using it as an extension of their yard space so there are hens and cockerels all over the place, treating the central reservation as their own.

We decide that a walk up the beach would be great - it’s still warm but the cloud cover will be good. We put on our water shoes so that we can paddle. Ian has changed into his trunks but I decide my cut off trousers should be fine for a splash. Huge mistake - the waves are crashing and I am soaked within seconds. Never mind, I am drying quickly too!

We have decided to walk up the right hand side of the beach today as we walked to the left last night. Maybe we will find the cenote? We pass several hotels under construction - we suspect this is not going to remain ‘virgin’ beach for much longer. We still wouldn’t waste good money coming here...well OK, I know we did, but not five star package deal type money.

We reach a hotel which faces on to a couple of small wooden piers. Small boats are moored and bobbing behind them. I don’t think anyone is bothering to attempt sailing today - it’s far too rough. We can’t get any further along the beach because the tide is in, although we can see the beach and larger hotels of Centro in the distance.

We start to make our way back and meet an American couple. They have been coming here for six years now. Yes, they know exactly the location of the cenote and, by the way, they do love our English accents! If we had turned left and walked a bit further down the beach than we did last night we would have been there. They point out a lifeguard stand in the distance...it’s about there. The cenote is absolutely beautiful, we really must go there! We decide that we will, tomorrow. But we do ask ourselves how qualified they are to judge, given that they have chosen to visit this place for six years in a row!

We have arrived back at the accommodation, hot and sticky. We decide to go to the pool. How do you judge the size of a pool from an internet avert? If it looks large, it probably isn’t. If it looks OK then it’s probably tiny. If it looks small, it’s probably a foot spa. We have the foot spa.

There’s no one else here so we choose two sun beds in relative shade (there are four) and I jump in the water. It’s really not possible to swim but it’s nice to cool down...and there are some entry steps that I can sit on and remain submersed. Meanwhile, Ian is trying to erect our borrowed parasol. It has seen better days. Several of the spokes are broken so Ian manages to puncture the shade in three places whilst attempting to open it up. This is obviously a two person job. Ian puts the shade down, I hold the offending spokes down and Ian opens it up again. It works after a fashion! Well that’s until the wind decides to blow again and the umbrella turns itself inside out.

We lounge around the pool area for a couple of hours and then we return for a shower and change. We have decided to have an early dinner again tonight. We like the local restaurant and it does good food so why waste time looking elsewhere - there are plenty more options on the menu to work our way through!

Our evening meal does not disappoint. We both choose fish. Mine is a slight surprise as it is a cold meal...seafood marinated in a tangy vinegarette served with freshly cooked tacos and yummy mashed potato. Ian’s is a traditional grilled fish, served with rice and salad, much as he expected except for the tasty sauce. We also both try out some different smoothies from the extensive drinks menu.

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