Wanna piece of this?

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Laguna Bacalar

This place was gorgeous, helped out by staying in a proper hotel ie not a car, with a view of the laguna from my bedroom window.

It's a quiet place to stop for a day or two, in fact, I could have stayed longer. The laguna, which is freshwater, clear and aqua as the Caribbean sea, has huge fish that get up to 2metres long. Apparently snorkelling is wonderful.

We didn't have time to go but I forgot to say in the last entry, in Tulum, we did manage some snorkelling, and in a cenote, which was pretty damn cool. A cenote is basically swimming about in caves with lights. Visibility is fantastic, literally metre's and metre's stretch out beneath you. You don't really see fish, but you do get to explore stalagtites and mites. You fly above caves and crevaces far below you, which look like they are within touching distance. Amazing. Sas wasn't too happy when the lights got turned out and after a lot of heavy breathing and kicking about, we guided her out and sat her by the lights.

We all liked the feel of Bacalar town, which is very small. The plaza is a very sociable place, with kids playing on swings and older folk chatting and generally hanging out.

Leaving Bacalar for Campeche, we broke the journey up with a visit to a Mayan ruin at Balamku. Lots of old brick (and some newly restored stuff), bit of moss, and some pyramids. Usual stuff - nothing to write home about.

Campeche

After the quietness of Bacalar, we were ready for a party and happy to be staying in the city of Campeche for a new year to remember.

After spending the day wandering around the old town, we arranged to meet up, in the hotel reception at 7.30pm, to go for drinks and see what was going on for NY. All dressed up and full of anticipation we attacked the night.

The main plaza was a safe bet, so what were the plans for the New Year here, we asked. Fireworks? Dancing? Fiesta?

Nothing. Party was yesterday. What??

Try the waterfront, where there are "bastante" (more than enough) restaurants. This was where everyone would congregate tonight, we were told, beneath the huge Mexican flag.

We should have realised when the Mexican flag was NOT flying nor was it even attached to the massive flag pole. Not a good sign of a people in the festive spirit.

We then, started to get a bit desperate and wandered back into town, checking down side streets just in case we were missing THE place where everyone was.

No, nothing doing.

After the clock pushed past 11pm we slumped onto a bench in the main plaza and listened to the church service going on. This was where "everyone" was, or at least about 40 people. Perhaps there would be a big party when they came out.

But hang on, we had no glasses to raise, no music, nada. So, we all plumped for going back to the hotel reception and having our own party there. Surely, they should have some form of alcohol.

Nothing here either, but a vending machine. The hotel receptionist was nice and turned up his tinny stereo, gave us change for the vending machine and took our photo's. He even bizzarely joined in the happy new year kisses.

Well, it was a New Year I'll remember.
My first, sober, in years.

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Photos

Laguna Bacalar
View from bedroom window.

Laguna Bacalar
Sas on the kitsch bedspreads.

Car journey to Campeche
My lovely neice.

Campeche
What a silly bowl hairdo!

Campeche
Colonial street, clean but dead as a dodo.

Campeche
Sas getting into the nativity scene.

Campeche
Church on New Year's Eve. This was where the party was at, and where Howard proposed to my sister!

New Year's Eve 2006/7
The vending machine.

New Year\
Happy New Year!

Comments

[Jota]

Pregunta
If you had two weeks to travel Mexico, what do you recomend to do on a bit of a shoe string budget? Gracias