Eating my way through Mexico...

I still want to do another post or two on Isla, but thought I'd do a quick post (well...quick for me) on the food I had on my trip. I already posted this picture on the strange Huevos Motulenos I had at the Hacienda in Playa del Carmen. Red, green and yellow peppers and no peas...and the tortilla was soggy...should be crisp.

But I liked the place, so I gave them another chance and ordered the Huevos Mexicana. Here's what it looked like.

Looks pretty similar to the Huevos Motulenos, doesn't it? In fact, it tasted almost identical, except for the fact that it didn't have ham. It DID have all the peppers again, though. This time I also got these little crisp biscuit thingies. They were actually pretty good. But I wouldn't try the restaurant again.

One of the last mornings I was on Playa, I tried the Huevos Motulenos at La Vagabunda.

They were excellent. They didn't call them Huevos Motulenos, but something like Huevos Yucatan...I can't remember exactly, but they were authentic.

Walking down the beach in Playa one day, I happned upon Playa Maya, and since I like any restaurant where I can dig my toes in the sand, I tried them out. They brought out the complimentary chips and salsa and they were great. They ranked right up there with Picus.

Then I got the shrimp cocktail...again, very similar to Picus, only they dress theirs up a bit more with the avacado, lettuce and lime.

I had dinner at this place one night and took pictures, but they didn't turn out well. It was good but a bit overpriced. One weird thing about this place...see that lobster-tail-shaped menu under the big sign? That is actually the menu they give you. So when they seat you, they pull up a nearby chair and prop this huge thing on it which makes it kind of inconvenient for patrons and employees to walk around, so you feel like you need to order fast so they'll take it away!

A couple additional notes about Playa...

My last night there, a couple from Virginia treated me to dinner at an Italian place called Las Mananitas. It was fantastic. They ordered a seafood feast that was huge. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Another tidbit of information: Definitely go to El Fogon if you go to Playa. It is a dumpy little place that serves tacos but it is extremely popular. The food is excellent and it is always crowded. I stopped by when I got off the bus from Chichen Itza to get something to take back to the hotel on Christmas Eve night because I wanted to be there for the little party they were having. El Fogon was packed! Prices are excellent and it should be a definite stop for anyone going to Playa.

So now I'm on Isla. My hotel wasn't ready when I got here in the morning, so I went off in search for breakfast. I wanted to eat by the shore, and chose Las Brisas Grill since it was the only one open that early. I ordered the French Toast. And that's exactly what I got...nothing fancy, that's for sure.

Last time I was on Isla in July, a friend and I went to the Mango Cafe for breakfast. Here is what their French Toast looked like.

Quite a difference. I think I'll stick with Mango Cafe.

My first meal was at Valesquez where I had the garlic shrimp and a Mohito. Their salsa with guacamole was excellent and the meal was great, too.

My one last try for Huevos Motulenos was at Buccanero's. Excellent. Since I know how difficult it is to make this dish, that's why I order it numerous times when I go to Mexico. I don't think I want to go to the trouble of making it again myself.

I only went to Picus once on this trip. I was surprised to find that they no longer offer their regular pico de gallo with the complimentary chips anymore. That's one of the main reasons I liked the place so much. Now they just serve a really hot green salsa which is way too spicy for me. They did, however, offer complimentary cups of fish soup. It was good, but not as impressive as La Bruja. Their shrimp cocktail is still very good, though.

Sidebar: I used the bathroom at Picus and saw that they had made some renovations. Hmmm...the person who put up the mirror must have been about 3-1/2 feet tall. I was standing upright when I took this picture and you can see that it's a tad low. Oh, well...one improvement at a time on Isla.

I went to the French Bistro for breakfast one morning and got the French Toast, fruit and crepes with maple sauce. It was okay...very rich. I think I'll stick with the eggs next time.

Okay, so I had a weak moment this trip and had a Bimbo Dog. It was late one night and I was in the hotel working on organizing my photos and had a craving. And since my hotel was only a couple blocks from the Bimbo Dog location, I couldn't resist.

OMG, it was muy beuno. (Don't tell anyone, but I actually went for another one the next night.)

It started to rain one evening while I was walking by Las Brisas Grill and so I ordered a pizza since I was craving something that wasn't Mexican or fish. I thought it was going to be a serving for one, but it turned out to be a whole pizza...which wasn't very good. The crust was too doughy and there wasn't much flavor. After the French Toast and now this...I will be checking Las Brisas Grill off my list.

My last breakfast was at Cafe Cito. I ordered the poached egg with ham and cheese.

It's my fault for not asking, but this is not what I thought it was going to be because I've normally loved whatever I've gotten at Cafe Cito. It was just not appetizing for a breakfast at all. I really should have asked. But their jam is wonderful and the coffee was great, so I'm not going to complain. Live and learn.

On a final note, here is the best meal I had the whole ten days I was in Mexico...hands down. The grilled fish at Sergio's on Isla. It was tender, flavorful and flaky. Look how huge that thing is...and I ate the whole damn thing. The couple sitting behind me asked me how it was. I told them to order it.

So, I had my ups and downs regarding culinary delights this trip. That's what makes each trip so interesting. Who knows what delectible treats I will encounter next time.

Playa del Carmen...

Okay, I know I’ve been remiss on posting, but I have been traveling around the Yucatan so I have good excuse. My first day at Playa del Carmen I’ll have to say was a bit of a disappointment. Since I’m used to Isla (and I know it’s unfair to compare ANYTHING to Isla), I just found it much too “hip” for my Mexican taste. A lot of people like that sort of thing when they go on vacation…I prefer less commercialism.

So, after my first evening of celebrating with the crazy Canucks, I went in search of Huevos Motulenos for breakfast. This little place is called the Hacienda and it’s only a half block from the hotel.

It’s a cute little place and I had heard (from the Canadians) that they had an excellent steak, so I thought I’d give them a try.

Can’t beat the prices…

But the Huevos Motulenos were not what I expected. They look pretty on the nice Mexican plate, but they had red, green and yellow peppers, no refried beans, no plantains and NO peas!! How can you call that Huevos Motulenos, I ask you?? Oh, well…they were okay, but a bit too heavy on the peppers.

So, I walked around town. The main drag is 5th Avenue where they have all the fancy shops, restaurants and natives selling their wares. My hotel sits at the north end of 5th Avenue, so it’s away from the crowds and the noise, which is good.I find that when I go to Mexico, it takes me a day or two to get into the picture-taking mode and I have to tune myself into what kinds of photos I want to take. Playa didn’t evoke the creativity in me, so this first day, I just took your regular touristy kind of pics.

Being from Texas, I think I'll pass on the Texas Burger Company since I can have those any day I want...

Another one I'll pass on...

Playa obviously has the usual Mexican construction issues. These guys were trying to move the scaffolding with the little ladder on top and the two guys moving the scaffolding didn’t see that the ladder was about to fall, so there was a lot of yelling and scrambling to keep it steady. Ha!

So, here are my toes in the sand...

And my view from that spot...

Various beach shots...

A night shot of the glitz and glamour...

Those somber Mayan women worked at this shop. She wasn’t posing for this photo…every time I walked by she was just standing there.

This place is just around the corner from my hotel (haven’t been there and won’t be going)…

For lunch I tried La Vagabunda…

Of course, the usual chips and pico de gallo (which was great, by the way)…

And the cheese enchiladas with verde sauce. They were good, but I don’t think I’d get them again.

My more interesting picture-taking came about when I took the bus to Vallodolid and Chichen Itza. I think it will be awhile before I do a post on those because they will take more time. I’ll just end with these teaser pics from that trip.

The colors of Valladolid…

Chichen Itza was amazing and covered a LOT more ground than I thought it would. The gods were smiling on me because the incredible blue sky and white fluffy clouds offered a great backdrop for the ruins.

I wanted to see a cenote, so I had a taxi take me to the one closest to Chichen Itza, wait for me, then take me back so that I could catch a bus back to Playa.

Then there are the MANY photos I took from the window of my bus rides. The towns in between all the stops offered some pretty interesting opportunities.

Today is my first beach day. It has not been hot here at all. I worked up a sweat walking around Chichen Itza, but it has been very pleasant with lots of nice breezes.

Till next time…Feliz Navidad everyone!

Guess what I got today!!

I went by my bank today to put in an order for some pesos before my trip in a few weeks...which I had thought would take a couple weeks to get. When I asked how long it would be, she said, "Oh, we have them here now." Yay! I only got $100 worth...which came out to $1,180 in pesos...and no fees. Last time I left for Mexico, I didn't have any pesos and I didn't like having to search around for an ATM machine when I got there to get some. Now I'll have incidental money for whatever comes along when I get there...which I fold up in my colorful little Mexican coin purses. Then, when I'm settled, I'll make the dash to the ATM machine.

The trip is all arranged and paid for. First stop...Playa del Carmen which I will use as a home base for traveling to Chichen Itza and Tulum. But I am mostly looking forward to Valladolid. (Not my picture.) I think I will really love the charm of a colonial city.

Then a few days on Isla...

Only 20 more days and counting...

I did it...

Yep, I did it. Last Sunday I was checking airfares to Cancun for Christmas break, and clicked on "Purchase." I couldn't help it...some kind of strange power came over my mouse-clicking finger, and I had no control. I guess it's the pull of that turquoise water. Surprisingly, it's the best fare I've gotten in my last five flights to Cancun...except for the $117 fare I paid with VivaAerobus, but you can't count that because they cancelled the flight. So I have to post my trademark Isla picture because I be heading there in three months.

Since I get two gratis weeks over Christmas now, there's no way I was just going to stay home. I did that last year and was just about climbing the walls by the end of the two weeks. So I will be gone for ten days on this trip and one of my sons is planning to join me for a few days while I'm there.

But I'm doing something different this time. I'm going to go to Playa del Carmen first. I really want to see different parts of Mexico and I know that if I go to Isla first, I will get into that "Isla Mode" where I don't want to do anything or go anywhere else. (What IS it about that place??) So I've already arranged for a five night stay at Luna Blue in Playa BEFORE I get to Isla. I would also like to take a trip to Chichen Itza and/or Tulum while I'm there. And I've been told that Valladolid is an "authentic colonial" Mexican town, so I'm sure it would offer many good photo ops. When I went to Isla last July after selling my house, I was so stressed right up till then, that I couldn't really enjoy the trip. And when you know that you have to go back to moving to another place, it makes it even harder to relax.

At first, I wasn't even going to go to Isla and just spend all my time on the mainland. But when I was looking for places to stay, I did a random check on Isla for hotels, expecting all of them to be full for the holidays. The thing about Mexican hotels is that you have to send e-mails to most of them to see if they have vacancies, and in most cases, it can take a half a day to about two days to get a response! Some of them haven't responded at all...maybe because they're booked. So, remember that new hotel across from Justicia Social that I posted on my last trip?

The Bahia Chac Chi. I googled it to find their website and saw that their prices were between $60 and $70. Figuring they would be a lot higher over Christmas, I put in my dates and it came back the same. I couldn't pass it up. Then when I reserved four nights, it came back with an additional discount, so it comes out to a total (tax included) of $63.00 per night. I splurged and got the sea view as opposed to the inside view. I would much rather see that blue water than this blue water.

So, we'll see how it goes. After the Privilege Aluxes disaster, I'm a little nervous about trying a different place (especially when it's so new and modern), but you just can't beat that price...especially during the holidays. One thing I'm glad about is that they provide irons and ironing boards. Ha! Can you ever imagine ironing anything while on Isla?? "No, wait, Honey...I have to iron my bathing suit and tank top before I go out." Hahaha!

Well, if anything, the new digs will make for an interesting blog post.