North America

Home
North America
Tulum Ruins by the Sea

Tulum, The Ruins and A Beach I Could Call Home

Charles Kosman
Mexico
0

Yesterday we decided it was finally time to check out Akumal. We've heard nothing but great things about it since we got here. It's always been high on our list of things to do but for some reason a month had gone by and we still hadn't gone. Well that changed yesterday and I'm pleased to announce that we all had a good time. Before I get into it though, I suppose I should add a thing or two (or knowing me a hundred) about our three night escape to Tulum. I'm sure you got quite the earful in Cole's post but he only talked about one day and we all know 5 year olds can never be quite trusted. Especially when iguanas, a trampoline, cheese and mayonnaise sandwiches are involved. ;) We decided to take a bus to Tulum simply because we thought it would be easier than taking a collectivo...

Banana Crepes, Iguanas and a Trampoline

Charles Kosman
Mexico
0

Today has been a great day. So great that dad is letting me, Cole, write this blog entry. Okay, I'm only 5 and can't really read or write that well but dad said he was going to use my voice, whatever that means. He says that people might enjoy a different point of view for a change.

We got into a place called Tulum yesterday and we're staying in a neat hotel room. Me and Jordan have to share a bed but that's okay because mom and dad are right beside us. I like it when we're close. Mom must have really wanted to keep me quiet because she let me play my Nintendo DS while she surfed the internet.

They never let me play games in the morning. It's too bad because I enjoyed waking up really early and sneaking downstairs to play it when I first got it a few months ago. Dad wasn't too happy when he found out and from then on they hid it at night so I coulnd't find it...

Side Street off 5th Avenue Playa del Carmen

Hanging With The Locals and Smooth Sounds

Charles Kosman
Mexico
0

Yesterday was kind of a unique day for us here in Playa. Not only was it Sunday but it was also the last day of the Jazz Festival. The reason Sunday is kind of special here is that most Mexicans (or I guess anybody who lives and works here) gets the day off. Most of the locals work 6 days a week and Sunday is their one day to get out and enjoy what this area has to offer. A lot of quiet areas around town are suddenly filled and there are times where it actually feels like you're living in a Mexican town and not some immense resort.

We had heard that it could get a little busy on Sundays and to be honest the first two Sundays we kind of stuck around the condo. One thing we've learned early on about ourselves is that we're not big crowd people. We usually love when something big is going on but not for the same reasons as most people. We've learnt when the crowd goes one way, we go the other. It's usually the best time to see and explore touristy areas without having a million people ruining the fun. It usually works well for us...

Gran Bahia Principe Pool

Gran Bahia Principe and Good Friends

Charles Kosman
Mexico
2

After being in Playa del Carmen so long we get a chance to go on a little side vacation with some visiting good friends from back home. We were going to be staying at a nice little all inclusive hotel named Gran Bahia Principe for a few days. Now when I say little, I mean only in comparison to a city. The place is huge!

Contemplating a Plunge in Cenote Crystalline, Playa del Carmen

Cenote Cristalino and The Nibbling Fish

Charles Kosman
Mexico
1

Contemplating a plunge in Cenote Cristalino, Playa del Carmen? We headed to this gorgeous cenote from our condo in town. It was also our first experience with the local collectivos buses. In all, it was a great day and a wonderful place to laze away the hours.

To those who haven't yet been to this area, a cenote (say-NOH-tay) is basically a large (or small) freshwater hole composed primarily of limestone and fossilized coral. They essentially get created when the water level drops and the rooftop caves in revealing a pool of crystal clear water. Because these pools are often connected to extensive underground rivers, they've become very popular with cave divers. Some of the deepest can go down for...

Barefoot Nomads on the Beach in Cozumel, Mexico

Cozumel and The Taxi Mafia

Charles Kosman
Mexico
1

When we woke up this morning to beautiful sunny skies and no wind, we knew we needed to make the most of it. We've been thinking about a day trip to the nearby island of Cozumel since we got here but then our lazy streak started and well, we really didn't feel the need to go that far to have an enjoyable day.

After a quieter time than normal yesterday we were all itching to get out and see the world this morning. We had scoped out the ferry terminal last week while we were in that area and had a pretty good idea what to expect for the first leg of our journey.

We managed to get the kids ready and were out of the house around 10. Both ferry lines (UltraMar and Mexico Waterjets) run pretty mucheach hour during the day and we were gunning for the 11 one. After a quick $2 cab ride to the bus terminal (it's the closest drop off point to the ferry terminal) we walked the other few blocks to the ferry.

It seemed every person we passed (and there are lots in that small distance) was asking us if we were going to Cozumel...

Mamitas Beach Playa del Carmen Looking at the Pier

Cold Pools and Warm Breezes

Charles Kosman
Mexico
1

Well it's been almost ten days since we arrived in Playa. Time seems to be flying by. We've been to the beautiful beach and the overpriced markets numerous times. We've walked La Quinta Avenida (the popular 5th Avenue pedestrian corridor) from one end to the other. We've tasted the delicious (and not so delicious) fares of several high and low end restaurants and have enjoyed countless hours on our deck and by the pool.

Amazingly enough to some of you, we haven't gone on any big excursions or taken any tours yet. We've looked into heading to Cozumel by ferry and are planningthat for the next time the sun is shining and the wind isn't blowing. We've found that almost every day we've had one or the other...

Manana - Lazy Day

Mañana Or, As We Call It, Another Lazy Day

Charles Kosman
Mexico
1

Years ago, when we first visited Mexico, we often heard the term mañana spoken by the locals. It was simple to figure out that mañana translates to tomorrow however it took us a few days to fully realize the importance of that word. For most Mexicans, and to be honest most warm latin countries, mañana has a whole other meaning.

When the locals say mañana more often than not they're saying, yeah, it needs to be done and there's a good chance it will however that time isn't now and maybe that day will be tomorrow. It's a way of pushing things off for another day. More than just procrastination, it's an understanding that life happens and in the tropics it often happens at a slower pace. Maybe it's the people or maybe it's the fact that at midday things slow down to a crawl and a lot of people laze around to escape the afternoon heat. I think it's a little of both but mostly it's just the way things are out here. More of a realization that life is to be enjoyed and lived and tomorrow will be similar enough to today that it can get done then.

I sometimes wonder if the colder countries lost that sense of relaxation. We tend to spend our lives rushing around as fast as we can. I truly believe it's because of the weather and in particular, the seasons...