Blogs from Mexico, North America - page 15

We have been told that it is best to arrive at Chichen Itza early to avoid the crowds and the heat. Our driver Alberto picks us up at 7 and we are at Chichen Itza by 8.30. There is hardly anyone here we buy our tickets. Our guide, Omar, checks that we have both tickets. In fact you need to buy a ticket at each window and then give one ticket to one ticket collector and the other to the other ticket collector (follow?). Chichen Itza is the archeological site in Mexico. Catherine is relieved because you can’t climb anything and the site is close to sea level also there are no tunnels. As we arrive the souvenir sellers are setting up. It must take them hours carefully laying out everything. I’m thinking 2 hour set ... read more

I was keen to get to Valladolid and begin exploring the “real” Mexico rather than the heavily touristy version found along the Riviera Maya. So I was a little disappointed to find that Valladolid is more like a Spanish town than most Spanish towns. It's made up of these beautiful little streets with coloured houses. It's got a very sleepy feel to it. There seems to be quite a lot of ex-pats there who own little coffee shops giving the town a hipster feel. Something which was confirmed when I saw a “concept store”, what the fuck is a concept store?! Valladolid is ideally located to Chichen Itza, and is surrounded by lots of cenotes. I met a few people there and my first night happened to be one of their birthdays, so of course Tequila ... read more

Today our driver who is Elmundo and is Erik the boss's, not Erik the viking's, brother and Plina and Rupret's brother drove us to Mont Albon a historic site outside Oaxaca. On the way there was a noise from the back of the car. Elmundo assured us it was just the back wheel, which is clearly nowhere near as important as say steering failure. Monte Alban is an impressive archeological site built by the Zapotecs an others, however it fell into decay and largely disappeared around 700AD. These Zapotecs were clever little buggers. They had devised a game which was kind of like Quiddich in Harry Potter. Elmundo was also our guide and he did an excellent job, although I did notice that he left most of the stair climbing to us. Monte Alban was discovered ... read more

I've been a bit lazy so far so I'm writing this three weeks after the fact. Arriving in Mexico I noticed one thing immediately, it's FUCKING hot. Not like India hot, but this intense humidity which is reminiscent of a sauna. BUT it's so good to be back on the road again, no worries, no responsibilities...beyond making sure I stay alive. This truly is what life is about, something I might have forgotten had I stayed home any longer. What I've noticed since I arrived is the way I feel has completely changed, the discontent built up over two years of working “a typical 9-5” mostly dissolved after one week. Such is the difference in feeling that I almost feel like two different people. What I love the most about travel is the question mark over ... read more

This morning we have a lovely breakfast in the hotel. I'm not really one for meeting random people that I'll never see again (Wilko is). I grudgingly spoke to Fred and Cheryl from somewhere in the US. Apparently neither of them like Mexican food but they've decided to visit Mexico to see how well the Mexicans do Italian food. Talking about food, Catherine has booked us into cooking class with Rupret's sister, Plina. We meet her on the terrace of her restaurant and then head into the food market. There is a lady out the front sitting on the ground selling herbs and vegetables. Becs trying to get a bit of colour asks Plina how far from the city she lives and how she gets in. She is quite fair way out so she catches a ... read more