Mexico lindo y querido.... Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas regions

Adventure in Mexico

 

Adventure in Mexico

Even today, almost nine years, I and my two traveling companions remember the vacation in Mexico as the most 'exciting and adventurous ever lived.
The adrenaline is cut into slices, and the only name it, Mexico was there eyes light up. We started the adventure really, with the idea of landing in Mexico City, and for delays in the reservation we had to go to Cancun. Well, maybe it's gone way better '...
Arrived at the airport, we booked for the next day for our car trips, these trips but 'we were completely ignorant .... With a collective taxi, we take the facts to which we chose in haste due to the operator, after having explained our few claims: needless to add that among all the tourists got on board the taxi dropped us in the past: namely say that our hotel was the best 'bad ... But we have not 'lost time in the evening, to be restored after a bit, we made a trip of tequila before going to sleep ...

In Chichen Itza

The following day, early in the morning, we left Cancun and go on MEX180 we reached the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, the most important of all the Yucatan. Arrived at its destination but we had to leave our good intentions of tourists, because a violent rain prevented a visit worthy of the name, disconsolate, we therefore direct the first hotel (hotel. ..) found on the street. Excellent choice with regard to the view, straight on the cemetery. At Chichen Itza we had the first encounter with children who attack foreigners, offering a few coins for any content that may ammucchiapolvere their hands, yes, even to us the heart has been opened a bit and one or two items we bought. I think ...

Chichen Itza

Finally the day of sun and blue sky we were able to visit the towns' ancient. Strano pero 'impact: a modern, complete with a bar, restaurant, etc., And in spreading the notes of the Rich & the Poor in Latin version. I hope you understand our shock!
Visit Chichen Itza and 'was a strong emotion, but because' the El Castillo had seen dozens of times on TV or in books, and found first before our eyes, then even under the feet, 'was a dive to the heart. By good Italians, we then put behind a group with a guide and we listened to the valuable information that the paying spectators received ...
El Castillo, la Plataforma de Los Craneos, the Juego de la Pelota, the sacrificial rites, etc etc. I am not a tediarvi with things that you already know 'all, for those who have doubts about the ability' to make a jump, well, the toglierselo and leave as soon as possible ...

An unexpected stage

Early in the morning we head in the direction of Merida, but after about sixty miles on our route is a junction with signs for Izamal. Quickly suklla read our guide to what place it is and, from a few notes, I remain intrigued, so 'we decide to make this detour, even if a few hours.
The few hours then transformed in a day and a half, already charmed 'away from the beautiful and scenic avenue of access to the city': his yellow ocher walls with white border, to serve as a wonderful contrast with the sky so that ' blue and 'very difficult to see. The center has a single intersection, the traffic and 'limited to four five machines and a few horse-drawn carriages, but there are even two police officers who act, we would say today, of the auxiliary traffic.
Parking, and one of them offers to control the car (open) with our luggage so that we can make a quick tour. The place we like, preserves the spirit that we imagined to find in our Mexico dreamed. Let us return to your car, we eat at a policeman and get your bags at the hotel of Luis, for the figure of 1300 pounds each. The room has all the amenities: two mattresses placed on a structure of concrete, but no cabinet coat hanger as a nail between the two beds, a bathroom in a separate room from the room with curtains scacciamosche. To guarantee freshness, a fan of every two revolutions it loses one. Yet ', we have never been so' well. We still have time to visit the ocnvento, a diligent watchdog us a visit, to discover Where 'the lady kept, patron of the Yucatan, which is carried in procession during the festivities dedicated to her. He explains that in 1993 John Paul II celebrate 'a Mass here during his trip to Mexico.
The convent and 'Franciscan presents a glance thanks to its extraordinary infinity porch, the windows are valuable and portrayed the Virgin and some scenes from the life of the saint.
In the evening a pianist performs a concerto, in which we can not miss, because even 'and' the only event planned mundane, we are lucky, the restaurant we chose for dinner (where we ate so delicious) and 'Left open up late to help their master and the organizers of refreshment.

Merida

In the morning we still enjoy a fresh juice, take a quick trip to the market (but that fish covered with flies attracted there for nothing) and let's see what 'that remains of what was probably the most' important archaeological site in the Yucatan After Chichen Itza, the pyramid of Kinik Kak Moo is not 'in good order, but this' which is still leaving an impression of civilizations' unfortunately buried after the Catholics.
We start then in the direction of Merida, the capital of the state which faces the Gulf of Mexico. The arrival and 'devastating: a traffic chaotic, disorderly, made even more' confused by the presence of the market. After trying a car park and a hotel for the evening, we can finally walk pero 'eil admire its beautiful historic center of colonial style, the palace of the government retains a series of paintings that evoke the history of the state, and while a few steps Cathedral and 'set up a party for its first 400 years. In the square we notice the large presence Shoe, our old Sciuscia '; what we could be a humiliating activity appears rather' how many, many people stop to take the clean shoes, and the expertise and the dignity 'which is their recognized and paid for us to disappear This shadow across the European Union that we had against them.
In the evening we return to our hotel and decent plan your trip to Palenque.

Palenque

The journey to Palenque and 'long but wonderful, and I drive this stretch, in our precise and respected tour over which we have set. While my two traveling companions appisolano, I can not enjoy the silence and solitude of a journey along the sunny asphalt language than we expected the crossing with a few trucks, a car and nothing more, 'even to of the 'road. Before reaching Palenque remain surprised by a posada near the sea, with a small bridge from which the fishermen probably leave in search of fortune in the water. We stop and eat a meal based on fish, the most 'absolute peace and tranquility'. We look enjoyed: it is not 'wonderful?
Start and, after overcoming great difficulties with 'the Siege of mosquitos in the early hours of the evening, arrive in Palenque, a roundabout at the center with the head of an indigenous (gypsum ...) gives us' welcome, and few hundred meters in central city ', we find a hotel, this would say decent, where we decide to spend the night. After dinner we go on the market; c'e 'un po' di tutto, climate and 'tranqullo, despite the late hour because no one bothered us' tourists, indeed, we feel protected.

Visit to the archaeological site

The day and 'dedicated to the archaeological site of Palenque, a town' well kept immersed in the forest, which seems to be still alive, or at least once abandoned by its inhabitants just before we arrived. El Palacio and 'really good in the conservative state, so' as most other buildings, we are told that is not 'given its use, whether on a question of a settlement or if you need for particular functions.
But it seems' pretty clear that the City 'live on three dimensions: that of power, the people and that of divinity', all concentrated in an urban environment of exquisite beauty suggestive.
Its magical flavor is then reinforced by the presence, inside the Temple of the Signs, Pakal's tomb, considered one of the most 'great king of Palenque Mayan: impossible not surprising as this approach to burial practice in vogue among the ancient Egyptians .
As we come away pero 'called: and' the Tuscan group of girls and a boyfriend of one of them, we met at the airport, that strange being in the same location, 500 km away! Exchange a few words and we wonder if we can not review in Playa del Carmen at the end of our holiday. Chissa 'but will' still hard, it was still the era of mobile phones. Prehistory was nice!

San Cristobal de Las Casas

Palenque and let us enter the woods in Chiapas, after making a brief stop at the waterfalls of Agua Azul; unfortunately the water is not 'crystal clear as we expected in August, at the height of the rainy season brings with it' and mud slime that make it brown. With the arrival in Chiapas gasiamo us with one another, no one hides his emotions. Basically we are just the pirla, but 'this constant and nature we have in office and the body' to something that maybe we had not planned departure. We had not even planned to take a risk to remain out of gas on the climb and then arrived at the flood, he plunged straight road straight to the first lights of San Cristobal. Mea culpa, I had wanted to spend more money to do the full self, whereas the remaining fuel would be more 'than enough to make the trip. Instead, because of some our inexperience ... we are running out and no child is approached to give a poor tank ... In any case we will do, and 'almost night, will be 21 when we reach the first petrol pump in the city'. I was refreshing a couple of desserts that a woman is selling to motorists.
Piu 'tardi find accommodation in a hotel opposite the bus station. In San Cristobal is cool, we are at 2200 meters high, and even the rooms remind homes mountain: the bed and 'wrought iron and there are thick colorful blankets to ensure a warm vacation.

San Cristobal

Day dedicated to San Cristobal. In the square of the town hall to witness a military parade, and we explain that it is remembered the anniversary of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
All along the porch of the house a myriad of municipal banquets offer sweets of all kinds. The sweet smell attracts pero 'too many bees, we find that within the cannoli, drowned in cream ...
While we follow the ways of the city 'an unknown student there threads under the arm anti copies of the newspaper, not at home we are here in the land of Sub Marcos; signs of struggle in power persist in the central square of the cathedral. Are evident traces of a sit in claiming that the reasons for the campesinos.
San Cristobal in the cool and sunny day is revealed in all its beauty, with the colors of its colonial buildings, its markets rich wools that some 'suggests to Peruvian lands, their women pargoli marled of red cheeks . Not far there is' the famous church of San Juan Chamula, inaccessible to tourists, and that 'even forbidden to photograph the little of which can be made onto the door. Even here you can breathe a strong breath mystic.
In the afternoon we get to a travel agency and book the next day for a hike along the Canyon in Sumidero.

Sumidero Canyon

We are in the square of the town hall of good morning, a jeep of the travel picks up there to bring us to the Canyon Sumidero. After a short ride we arrive at their destination, we embark in a ship's boat with other tourists and begin to travel this river that divides the cliffs com a Grand Canyon of westweniana memory. Our guide focuses on the most 'spectacular and allows us to admire and photograph the creations of nature, including a niche in which e' inserted un'immancabile statue of the Madonna.
In return, the obligatory tip of the "Captain" and then a stop at a point of catering (lunch and 'included in the price), with a mariachi to enliven the meal.
The occasion allows us to know two guys from Puglia, which then spend the evening and half day of 'below.
With them we would like a luxurious dinner at the restaurant placed in the middle of the town hall square and a couple of hours of chatter along the streets of San Cristobal, a place from which there seems harder to pull ...

De regreso

Today begins the return journey, I have to return within a few days in Italy, and my two traveling companions will stay one week (in their predictions, but the rest and 'another story ...) in Cuba
Good morning to depart from San Cristobal, it's Roberto drive today but, as soon as you start to get off the roads inaccessible from San Cristobal to Palenque report, Roberto is caught by strong tummy and must yield to me the steering wheel: small inconvenience due not so much about food as in air conditioning "unconditionally" used in the restaurant "luxury" in which we greeted our friends Pugliesi. Travel and 'long, we stop to Emiliano Zapata, attracted by the name dell'illustre revolutionary, but the town is indeed disappointing: the museum with relics dell'illustre guerrilla unique attraction is closed. In return we are attacked by millions of mosquitoes hungry for blood and, after having tried in the worst eating granita ever enjoyed (I had not yet been to Gallipoli ...) we continued the journey to reach Escarcega Francisco.
Even in this case it is an anonymous city, the only restaurant that seemed worthy of consideration, the "Titanic" (!) Closed the kitchen at 21, so we turned in for a perro caliente por la calle ... At 23 we were already in bed ...

Puerto Morelos - Playa del Carmen

Our journey continues in Puerto Morelos for a brief stop and then stop straight ahead on the white beaches of Playa del Carmen. Arrived here, we decide that for the last few days they want Mexicans nn piu 'knowledge of archaeological finds it' of the Zapatistas, but we intend to enjoy this beautiful sunshine and a beach on which you might die.
We find a good hotel, at the time, new construction, for which pagavamo 30,000 lire a head.
In the evening many local events based on music and on the beach of Cervia

Reunification

After spending the day doing nothing on the beach and to gulp in a restaurant in the evening we find Tuscans. Incredibly, and without being given a specific appointment, we are together again. In eight of our small jeep sfrecciano far and wide through Playa del Carmen, an oasis of fun, even when far from the excesses of American Cancun ...

the last seconds..

To me this is the last full day in Mexico, with the Tuscan give us another day of pure relaxation, shopping and some taste of tequila. We are not ashamed even to choose a lunch at an Italian restaurant and order spaghetti alla Puttanesca, both to enjoy the tastes of home!
In the evening, Playa del Carmen is the soul of a marketplace, which enables us to buy the classic last-minute gifts ...

Until the end

Be the luggage and left the hotel I reviewed, I have arranged to make a final bath in the crystal clear waters and have lunch in peace near the sea. I go there and Tuscan then to the airport in Cancun, we have the same flight, while Enzo and Roberto will leave for another destiny ... It 'just to be said!