SAT. 27 February 1999. Rain in Vancouver. Barry dropped me off at the airport at 5 AM. Canada 3000 flight at 7 AM. Bumpy, about 5 hours to Cancun. Took the local bus (airport van to next terminal -the old terminal- then the bus that the airport employees take, they pay 9 pesos, we pay 25.) Novotel, met Kathryn (my roommate) in the lobby, she has spent a week working in Mexico city. I swam in the pool, we read by the pool for a while then I had a snooze. Met the group at 7 PM then went for dinner. Troy is our leader, there are 8 of us in the group: including Troy, we are 4 Canadians, 1 British, 1 American, 2 Germans and 1 Swiss-German. After dinner, Kathryn and I went to the Supermarket, bought bread and cheese.
SUN. 28 February 1999. Left at 7 AM, taxis to the airport where we had breakfast. 1 1/2 hour plane ride to Tuxtla Guttierez then bus to San Cristobal de las Casas. Taxis to Na Bolom. The house used to belong to an anthropologist and an archeologist. It's neat with interior courtyards. Had a meeting outside then some of us walked to town with Troy, restaurant, zocalo, market, church, email. Back to the hotel, another meeting then dinner at a huge table in the dining room. We had squash soup, coleslaw, pasta, chicken. Early night.
MON. 1 March 1999. Breakfast at the hotel, made a sandwich with the rest of my omelet. Tour with Pepe to Chamula: lots of kids, an old church with chanting woman shaman, candles burning on the ground, pine needles. Saw a video on zapatista Jan 94 in the shaman's home. The others had lunch but I ate my sandwich. Bought postcards. Back in the taxi to go to the co-operative valley of San Nicolas where the Mayans own the land and sell their produce and flowers all over North America. Walked to Zinacantan, visited the church and a house where Pepe's friends live and weave. We took pictures of them and bought things, they're a bit cheaper than on the street. Pepe told us a lot about the Mayans. Kathryn and I walked up to the Iglesia Real de Guadalupe on top of a hill. Dinner at Margaritas, we had lots of fun, danced a lot with Albert, he took ballroom dancing. Pepe joined us for drinks, danced with him too. Good Colombian band, bought cassette.
TUE. 2 March 1999. Kathryn and I went to Canyon Sumidero in a van with Mario (driver) and a group of loud Italians. Drove back almost all the way to Tuxtla. Good tour, 1 1/2 hour. Saw 6 crocodiles, one huge one was swimming very close to the boat. Lots of birds. Christmas tree where there's a waterfall in the rainy season. Iguana. 4 dams, the river starts in Guatemala, ends in the Gulf of Mexico. We had a ham sandwich in the cafe by the river but we had to wait for the Italians who ate somewhere else. Chatted with Mario in Spanish. Stopped at the Cascada, walked around for 20 min. It was hot there. In town @ 5, had showers. Went to town, we both bought amber, Kathryn a bird brooch, me a small stone. Walked around the zocalo, looked at the cathedral then met the others at a typical resto, the food was ok. I walked back to the hotel with Roland, he stopped to buy fruit salad. Full moon. Someone is playing piano at Na Bolom.
WED. 3 March 1999. Sun AM, rain, hail, clouds. We meant to leave the hotel early to take pictures in town but it didn't happen. Sat with a man who looked like an old hippie at breakfast, he's an anthropologist who has lived in San Cristobal for 20 years. Took pictures in the courtyard, looked around the grounds. Left at 9 AM in 2 vehicles. Mario is there but I rode in the other vehicle in front with Luiz who only speaks Spanish. There are 3 women with us, Natalie from France who likes to talk a lot and 2 from Belgium. There were no lights at the cave so we went in with flashlights then we went to a small village to look at pottery, the kids bug you to buy stuff but I didn't have enough change. Kathryn bought a nice pottery. I really liked the small site of Tenam Puente, we climbed a pyramid, nice view of the valley. It started to rain and hail, walked back with Natalie. Back in the vehicles to the lakes. Some swam but it wasn't that warm. I got stung by sand fleas. Looked at other lakes, Roland ordered sausages from a stall but it looked like there were worms in it. He pretended to eat it and walked around to dump it. Back in Comitan, Kathryn and I walked around the zocalo looking for a casa de cambio but there are none. I had to use the instant teller. To the market then we ran into Jim, Roland, Al and we ate outside by the zocalo. It's cheaper here in Comitan than it was in San Cristobal. Back early, wonderful hot showers, we're staying at a very nice hotel, the International.
THU. 4 March 1999. Up early, bus left late @ 7:30, local bus. Back through the lake district, it's cloudy and the window pane fell out. Local people came on board and left, we passed 2 army checks, peed on the side of the road. Got a 15 minutes boat ride to Ixmal station, the buildings are on cement platforms with corrugated roof covered with thatch. We each got a little screened room. Had a wonderful lunch then went for a jungle walk with Ramon. Refreshing swim in the river, Manuel had just built us steps and a platform. Another great meal, in bed @ 9.
FRI. 5 March 1999. Up before dawn, went by boat to look at scarlet macaws but did not see any. Not important, it was nice to see dawn on the foggy river. Breakfast then the others went for a hike. I stayed behind, feeling lazy and my runners are slippery. Talked with the cook Felicidad, her daughter Maria and young Luisa. Read my book, had a snooze. They came back and we ate lunch. Took the boat across the river to look at animal tracks: fox, iguana, deer, tapir. Walked in the forest, saw some chucaron (broad-billed bird) and a monkey. Tried to come back but the motor would not start. We tried to attract attention across the river. By the time Ramon arrived, Troy had started the engine. Another delicious dinner. It's Maria's 13th birthday, we put little things and coins in a bag for her and Claudia drew a card which we all signed. Troy had baked a cake, I took pictures.
SAT. 6 March 1999. Another delicious breakfast then we ate giant shrimps the size of a lobster that the guys trapped and picked up this morning. I gave Felicidad an envelope with tip and Ramon got one too. We're sad to leave this little piece of paradise. Ramon took us out on the boat, 1 hour downstream, very pleasant, saw birds and a crocodile. Got to Chakmul, the bus schedule changed, it'll leave at 12 instead of 9:30. We have such a good group, no one made a fuss. Some went swimming, some of us went to the cafe in "town", then sat by the river. Got in an old but comfortable bus and rode for 6 hours through Chiapas to the town of Palenque. It's interesting to see the countryside, poverty, 9 soldier checkpoints, sometimes we have to get off the bus. Stopped at a little town for bathroom, some bought fruits. Finally arrived in Palenque, our hotel room is very hot, it's an internal room. We had showers, did laundry. We all met in the lobby for a few minutes then walked to a restaurant for dinner then went for coffee.
SUN. 7 March 1999. Hot. Got up @ 6, breakfast downstairs. We took the bus to the ruins of Palenque and had an excellent tour with Ernesto. We went up the Palace of Inscriptions and down into the crypt: the big slab is there and the skeleton underneath. The tomb was built first then the pyramid after. We sat in the shade and Ernesto talked about the ruling class. He said we'll play a game, I'm the queen, he gave the others professions, Roland is a healer, what a coincidence (he's a doctor). He took us around the Palace then thanked us for being interested, it makes him feel like it's more than a job. Walked around, sat for a while on Temple of the Cross Foliage with Roland then Temple of the Cross with Jim. Went outside to the restaurant to eat, Kathryn, Jim, and I then Kai, Claudia and Albert. Kathryn and I went to the North group, it's scorching hot by noon. We saw a big iguana but he hid. We sat on top of some structure, sheltered from the sun. We walked through the site, the jungle, lots of people and came out by the museum (it's closed). Got in a collectivo, rested in our room then walked to the cafe. Walked through the square, there's a stand and loud music. Visited a little plain church. We all had a very nice dinner on the roof terrace of a fancy hotel. Beer at a terrace outside the zocalo, we had a fair amount to drink and we giggled in our room.
MON. 8 March 1999. Hot. Kathryn and I went for a nice breakfast at an outside restaurant suggested by Troy. Shopped for postcards, she bought a cast of a hieroglyph. To the brand new, pleasant airport. I got a free beer in the waiting room, it's ok, it's noon! 1 hour plane ride to Merida in a small plane, 19 people. We're staying at the Trinidad hotel, we each have a huge bed. Pleasant courtyard with lots of greenery. Kathryn and I looked around the zocalo, cathedral, Palace of Governor, modern murals on the life of the Mayas in an air-conditioned gallery. Back to the hotel for showers then we all met for happy hour at a very nice courtyard restaurant with little white lights. Kai, Claudia, Kathryn and I and Albert stayed for dinner, we had delicious food and we danced to the band. On the way back, Al decided we should go for a horse and buggy ride. It was fun, the horse's name is Pappas.
TUE. 9 March 1999. Hot. Ate a croissant at the hotel. We all walked about 10 blocks to the bus station. Bus to Uxmal, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. One hour tour with a guide who was knowledgeable but not that personable. Most of us found that there was no feeling to the place. The Pyramid of the Magician is being fixed so we can't climb it. Lots of Chaac faces. Nunnery, Palace of Governor. Jim, Roland and I climbed the great pyramid then Roland and I explored the Palomar and climbed the structure behind it. I saw a snake skin. Met the group and had lunch under the palapa. Swam in the wonderful pool, the boys dove for pesos. Back in Merida, Claudia, Kathryn, Troy and I bought jewelry. Ate at a yucatecan restaurant.
WED. 10 March 1999. Left early, piled up in cabs, took a bus to Chichen Itza (also known as chicken pizza or chichi by the gringos). We toured with old Ernesto who is 70 and has a great sense of humour. Big ball court, cenote where they sacrificed the virgins, the observatory. It's hot, 40 C, 100 F. We had our photo taken with Ernesto then Kathryn and I went to the coffee shop, dancers in costumes. Back to the site to take pictures of the many skulls masks. By noon, the place is crawling with tourists. We waited for the bus for about 30 minutes. We practiced dance steps. We sat at the back of the bus. Read. Arrived in Playa del Carmen @ 6. Walked with our bags down the crowded main street. It's very lively, full of people. We had dinner upstairs at La Luna.
THU. 11 March 1999. We went for a short walk on the beach, it's beautiful, the ocean is turquoise, there are palm trees, one huge cruise ship, palapas. It's fairly quiet early in the morning. Walked back along the main street and had breakfast. Then went for a long walk on the beach heading North. We were thinking of snorkeling but the sea is a bit too choppy for me. We walked barefoot for about 1 hour past the hotels and most people. Swam. We walked back then went for a beer at Freud's with Albert and Roland then to La Luna for lunch. Shower, we discovered that we both burned the top of our feet, the suntan lotion was washed away. I sat at the beach for a while. Dinner at a restaurant on the beach then a coffee place where they had dessert. We came home early, Kathryn's feet are burning.
FRI. 12 March 1999. My feet are also red and swollen but not as bad as Kathryn's. I went for a swim in the beautiful ocean, very few people at the beach early in the morning. The boys are leaving to go to Cozumel where they will rent scooters. I went out to breakfast with Jim. We stopped at a store with masks. Back at the hotel, some of us relaxed in the hammocks. I went to town later and bought postcards. Kathryn and I went out for lunch around the corner at Freud, I had a delicious fruit plate. We all went out for dinner, our last night together. Kathryn presented Troy with his tip and a postcard that we all signed, she made a little speech. Some of us went for a last beer.
SAT. 13 March 1999. Woke up early and went for a swim at 7:30. It's very windy and the ocean is choppy. Sat on the beach for a while, trying to imprint it in my memory. I ordered breakfast at the hotel because I wanted to say goodbye to everyone. Our collectivo picked us up shortly after 1. We were dropped off at the wrong terminal and had to take the airport shuttle. Got some brandy at the Duty Free and had a beer and my last Mexican quesadillas. Adios Mexico!
