Side trip to Tulum...

So, on Monday, I decided to do a day trip to Tulum since it’s just down the road. I tell you what, the United States could learn a few things from Mexico when it comes to convenient travel. The bus costs almost nothing and goes all over the place numerous times a day. Not to mention the collectivos who are always anxious to add a passenger or two or three or six to get their money’s worth. If I could grab a bus or van to various parts of the country for two or three bucks in the U.S., I’d be traveling all the time. Anyway, back to the post. Here’s my starting point from Puerto Morelos.

I will grant you that it’s not a Greyhound Bus Station. I went in to purchase a ticket to Tulum, but found out that the ADO bus doesn’t go from Puerto Morelos to Tulum. I would have to take the ADO bus to Playa del Carmen, then take the Mayab bus from PDC to Tulum. No big deal. I get to PDC at noon and find out the bus to Tulum won’t leave for another hour. Who cares?? I’m in PDC…time for a cold one! I head to the beach…which seems larger than the last time I was here…

Here’s my cold one…

Only time for one, then I’m off to Tulum. The bus driver doesn’t speak any English, and I want to be sure I’m getting off at the right stop. Neither one of us understand each other. Fortunately, a passenger knew what I wanted and told me to get off at this stop, so here I am. They have lots of shops, just like at Chichen Itza, but not nearly as many.

These guys were twirling around suspended from their feet, but no one was watching…

I didn’t know how far it was from the bus stop to the ruins, so I asked a cab driver to give me a ride. He said it was just a five minute walk, so I said, “nevermind.” Here’s the road to the ruins…

About three weeks ago, I happened to pick up this book to read.

It was made into a movie back in 2008, which I totally missed, so I was unaware of what it was about. When I was in the bookstore, I read the synopsis and thought it might be a good read since it was about Mexico. OMG, I didn’t even notice the comment on the front from Stephen King and had no idea it was like a horror deal, but got so into it I couldn’t put it down. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s about some college students who are vacationing in Cancun and decide to look for a lost friend outside of Coba and end up dying because they’re trapped on a ruin that is inhabited by a flesh-eating vine. So, I’m walking down this road to the Tulum ruins and can’t help but think of that book. Fortunately, there were no flesh-eating vines on Tulum. I’ll just post a few pictures because once you’ve seen one ruins, you’ve seen them all. Haha…I’m kidding about that, of course, but I will have to admit that when you’ve seen Chichen Itza first, Tulum is much smaller and less impressive in comparison. It also doesn’t have the details like heads, figures and symbols that Chichen Itza has.

I like the palapa on this one. I wonder if that’s been there since it was built. Haha!

This is the main ruin that you see from the sea. I would love to be out on a boat and see this from that perspective.

But what it DOES have that Chichen Itza doesn’t is the absolutely gorgeous view of the sea. I’ve seen these colors a dozen times, but they just seemed to be spectacular yesterday. Maybe it’s because you’re seeing them from above and there’s nothing in the sea to break up the colors…it’s all just such a harmonious, vivid gradation of turquoise and blue. It’s beyond explanation. At any rate, it’s always mesmorizing to me. And the book about Mayan history I’m reading says it’s the only ruins in Mexico that sits by the sea.

So, I’m taking pictures, and I hear a rustling at my feet.

Hola, mi amigo!!

Okay, so we all know that these guys are harmless, but how many of us have been scared shitless when one suddenly appears from nowhere while we’re minding our own business appreciating the beauty of Mexico?? And even though I know he’s harmless, this is a zoom view…I did not put my camera within an inch of his head.

An overall view of the ruins as I'm leaving…

And on the way to the gate, I saw a guy filming something on the ground. These two were having it out. They weren’t being too aggressive…I think it was a macho iguana version of “I’m better than you are” type of deal as they kept circling one another.

I grabbed a bite at a small Tulum hotel/restaurant on my way back to Puerto Morelos. Another cold one…

I was the only customer…

But these enchilades verde were the best meal I’ve had so far on this trip…

You just never know…

And here’s a hint of the adventure I had today. I won’t be posting on this until I get back home. I want to do it justice because this was a really cool experience and a lot of fun.

I was told that the snorkeling on Puerto Morelos is very good, so I want to try it while I'm here, but it's still so darn chilly and windy, I just can't even think of getting into the water. Hopefully, it will get warmer as the week goes on.

Hasta manana!