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Published: February 9th 2015
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After a yogurt and fruit breakfast included with our hotel stay, we headed to the bus depot. We purchased our tickets to Valladolid yesterday, $8(US) per person. Bus left on time at 9:45. All the bus employees seemed very happy, always smiling, very helpful. Two others got on the bus at the depot. But slow getting out of Cancun, many stops. Lots of oranges for sale along the road. Faster once we hit the highway. Many bicycles with several passengers in front in the small towns along the highway. Several garden shops with potted plants and trees for sale. People have more of a Mayan look here.
In 3.5 hours, we were in Valladolid. From Lonely Planet, "Valladolid, also known as the Sultaness of the East, Yucatan's third largest city is known for its quiet streets and sun-splashed, pastel walls. There's plenty to do, but it feels small, manageable and affordable." The streets are set up with the odd numbers running north and south, the even numbers east and west. We had reservations at Hostel Los Frailes, a charming place with Internet, a small above-ground pool, and hammocks! Breakfast is included, all for about $20 a night. Bob says he's
not cheap!
We started our tour with the main church, Templo San Bernardino and Convent. It was constructed between 1552 and 1560. You could see that the stones were well worn. To get there, we walked down a street of colonial architecture. Residences lie behind wrought iron gates right on the road. Most have a patio and potted plants beyond the gate. Some places appear quite expensive, others are more run down. We walked by many school children in uniforms, mostly red and green plaids.
Another interesting stop was Cenote Zeci. A cenote is a deep pool of water in the limestone. This cenote was in a large cave, with winding paths to the bottom. Long vines stretched from the edge of the pool to the ceiling of the cave. We saw several swimmers and many hanging on a rope that crossed the pool. It is set in a small park with stone walls. It was supposed to contain a zoo, but we didn't see any animals! You see many big tour groups walking in this city, but we like the way we do it.
We stopped by the Mercado Municipal, the market. A few stalls were
open, but all food courts were closed. We found out later things close up at 2pm. Walked through Parque Francisco, a good place for socializing with lots of wrought iron benches and white stone chairs, two chairs in an S shape so they are next to but facing each other. We found lunch at Tequila es de Mexico, right along the park. Had chorizo and mixed tacos. Again Bob complained his Bohemia was 30p (over $2)! (And again he told me to include this for his beer loving friends!) A cute little boy in a Panama hat walked by the restaurant with his dad just as we were leaving.
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