TravelStream™ news feed for member borealjk on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/borealjk en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:49:03 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/2/1238461140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/2/1238461140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/2/1238461140/tpod.html Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:49:03 -0400 Akumal, Mexico, 2009

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Akumal, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

This was the first time not staying at a resort. We rented a two bedroom condominium on the beach in Half Moon Bay, Akumal on the Mayan Riviera. This condo was fully equipped with fridge, stove, microwave, coffee maker, etc. It was nicely decorated which gave it a "cottage" type feel. There was a great CD player. The best part of this condo was the quietness. No yelling, drunk teenagers or young adults at the bar. The beach area in front of the condo is well shaded with two palapas & several trees. The beach is sandy but the water entry was rocky. You need water shoes to get in and out of the water. There's rumored to be good snorkeling right in front of the condo but due to high waves, we didn't get much chance to snorkel. The bedroom air conditioners were very loud. Luckily a lovely breeze kept things cool at night so we didn't need the conditioners. The ceiling fans were enough. The condo had a safe that had key entry and programmed entry. I never could get the programmed entry to work so just used the key entry. The condo was just down the beach and road from several restaurants and beach bars.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207700880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207700880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207700880/tpod.html Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:34:36 -0400 Mexican Mayan Riviera 2008

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Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Today was fly home day. We were picked up by bus transfer at about 9:20 am. Again we were the only ones on the bus as we headed to the next stop at Xcarat were all of the other bus passengers got on at the Occidental Grand Xcarat resort. Because we were early getting there, the bus guide suggested we walk around the resort and check it out. This is a different type of resort with a Safari/Jungle feel. Finally everyone was ready and away we were off to the Cancun airport. Flight flew out on schedule. We got to Toronto ahead of schedule. Had our most expensive meal of the trip in this airport. Then it was on to our commutor flight to Sault Ste. Marie. Got in about midnight.

EGAD! There's still snow!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207544400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207544400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207544400/tpod.html Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:20:00 -0400 Mexican Mayan Riviera 2008

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Tulum, Mexico

Our last full day in Mexico started with us driving the rental down to the Tulum Mayan Ruins. WE got there about 9:15 AM. There were already lots of people there. Lots of people speaking French, Italian and German. $40 pesos to park and 48 pesos each park entrance fee. Toured the ruins without a guide. We don't think we missed much without having the guide. Lots of aguans here. Went for a swim at the beautiful beach at the ruins. After our swim we headed down the Tulum beach ruin. We founds a drive way for one of the cabana rental places and walked down to the beach. This beach is wide. At least 100 meters wide. We finally came to a beach bar and stopped for drinks and a rest. Went for a swim there and headed back up to the beach road and back to the rental at the tulum parking lot. Hot, Hot, Hot. We then drove to Gran Cenote which is just 10 km west of Tulum on the road to Coba. There we paided the $80 pesos entranced fee and snorkeled and explored this cenote.
There are caves to explore in this cenote. It was refreshing. Snorkeled for about 1 1/2 hours until we got chilled. Headed back to car and tried to go to Manatee Cenote again but it crowded again, so just headed back to the resort.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207468800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207468800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207468800/tpod.html Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:32:11 -0400 Mexican Mayan Riviera 2008

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Tankah, Mexico

We left crowded Akumal and decided to check out Manatee Cenote on Tankah Bay about 30 km south. Drove back out to highway 307 and headed about 30 km south. Turned to the left on to a rough gravel road. Road turned and headed north along the shore. Many private casas along here. Finally came to Manatee Cenote but it was crowded with locals. Decided to check out Casa Cenote for beers and water. Had one of the cheapest beers of the week at 30 pesos and water at 20 pesos. After the beer and water, headed back to car and then back to resort. We never got the chance to swim in Manatee Cenote.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207458000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207458000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207458000/tpod.html Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:22:07 -0400 Mexican Mayan Riviera 2008

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Akumal, Mexico

Today we rented a car to explore with. We rented it for two days for $190, this included all insurance, including 100% deductible. Some sort of small car, 4 door, a/c and that was it. Picked up car and headed out on 307 south.

First stop was the Pemex gas station. Topped up tank with 150 pesos. Next stop was Akumal to try and snorkel from shore. Found a place to park but it cost $2 pesos/hr. Rented lift jackets from dive centre and headed to beach. It was packed. This was Sunday and this is the day the locals bring their family to the beach. Found a place to put our stuff under a tree and into the water we went. It was rough and lot of suspension in the water. We had to swim out past the crowds to get into somewhat clear water. Saw some turtles but feared going any further due to currents. Headed back to shore. Went to Lol Ha Beach restaurant. Two beers, water margarita and cerviche = $230 pesos.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207371600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207371600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/borealjk/1/1207371600/tpod.html Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:45:42 -0400 Mexican Mayan Riviera 2008

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Puerto adventuras, Mexico

This was a glorious beach day. Spent most of the day enjoying the ocean and reading.
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Chichén Itzá, Mexico

Today was the day we would spend the whole day away from the beach on a tour to the ancient city of Chichen Itza. We booked the tour on-line through YucaTrek tours. It was small group of six, Mitch the guide and the van driver.

The drive there took about 2 1/2 hours through the back country of the Yucatan. We toured the site for about 3 hours with a guide we picked up at the entrance. I can't recommend visiting this site highly enough. There are many restored and semi-restored buildings. You are no longer able to climb or enter any of the buildings, which was disappointing.

After Chichen Itza, we went to a cenote to swim and cool off. A cenote is a opening to the underground river system in the Yucatan Peninsula. There are thousands of these throughout the peninsula.

After the cenote swim we went to the colonial town of valladolid to walk around the town square and have lunch.

We got back to the resort about 7:30 PM.
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Akumal, Mexico

We awoke to a perfectly calm day. This would be the only calm day of the trip as the remaining days would be very windy.

This was suppose to be a "beach day" but got the urge to snorkel. Booked a snorkel tour from the resort dive shop. $39 american each. The 10 am tour was booked so we had to wait for the 1pm trip. In the meantime, the nice calm day made way for a windy day. The tour was via boat from the resorts pier, about 30 minutes south down the coast to Akumal. Along the way we got a good ocean side tour of the coast. Most of the coast down that way is very rocky. Along the way the ocean was rough and we all got wet. Finally we were at Akumal and behind the reef. It was much calmer behind the reef. We had a very good local guide who seemed to know exactly were to go. First was the turtles. We saw about 1/2 dozen of those. Some small and some quite large. They seems to know we were there but didn't seemed to be bothered by us. I've got to add that there was a lot of people there from several different tour boats and some who had just swam from the Akumal public beach. After the turtles we headed toward the reef area where we saw many types of fish. There was barracuda, squids, jack fish, sea urchins, and many types I can't name. My underwater pictures didn't turn out to good. I suspect the baggage xray for airport security.
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Akumal, Mexico

Caught Collectivo (bus) on highway by resort. Van packed with locals going about their business. Nothing but spanish spoken in here. Told driver "playa publico, Akumal".

After several stops dropping off and picking up people along the highway, we got off on the highway by Akumal beach access road. Cost of ride $20 Peso each. Used the cross-over pedestrian bridge to get to the east side of the busy highway for the walk down to beaches.


Walked from highway to arches, about 3/4 of a km. There we took a cab to Ya Kul Lagoon (cost $60 pesos). At the lagoon paid the $80 peso each admission. Also rented a locker for $50 pesos. Snorkeled around the lagoon for about and hour and half. We saw lots of fish and a stingray. We tried to make it out to islands where the ocean waves break but got tired and headed back to access point. Lots of people had showed up on a tour and it was really crowded. Met this nice couple, Chris and Randy, from Cologne, British Columbia. We ended up getting a ride with them in their rental car to La Buena Vida restaurant on Half Moon Bay. This saved us about 1 kilometer walk.


At La Buena Vida restaurant we relaxed and had drinks and lunch. Two beers, pop, water, Shrimp Taco and a Nacho platter - cost was $360 pesos. Beer was good and the food was good. This restaurant is right on the beach at Half Moon Bay. The view and atmosphere are great.

While we were sitting there black clouds started rolling in over the water.What looked like funnel clouds were forming and then disappearing. It looked like some touched the water. Boats were coming and going so I guess they must be benign. After a time we decided to walk down to the public beach at Akumal bay. Just as we started walking down the road, it started to rain hard. We ducted for cover at the Dive Centre. It kept raining and raining. We decided to head back to the resort. Hailed a cab. This cost us $200 pesos with tip.
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Cancun, Mexico

Starting our vacation from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada:

We caught the commutor flight from Sault Ste. Marie to Toronto at 6 am. The weather report the night before was calling for heavy snowfall and blistery winds. Lucky for us it was mostly rain on our drive to the airport @ 4:30 AM. The flight from the Sault to Toronto was uneventful. We landed in TO, found our departure gate and waited. Flight from TO to Cancun left about 10 am. On flight, we were surprised to find out that our complimentary meal consisted of only a sandwich, snack and non-alcoholic drink. This is a change from previous flights when full meals were served. Landed in Cancun about 3.75 hours later. Navigated smoothly through Mexican Customs (got the green light), past the Time-Share vultures and found the transfer to the resort easily.

Drove south from Cancun, down highway 307, past the fast growing city of Playa Del Carmen. About 50 minutes later was our first stop where all of the other bus passengers got off at the Occidental Grand Xcarat resort.
We were the only ones left on the bus except the driver and guide for the remaining drive.

We finally turned off the 307 into the Barcelo Maya resort grounds.

Check in went quick and easy.
Room was 1206 in the Tulum building which is the furthest south in the resort. Room was second floor and faces the pool and beach. There wasn't much of a view of each due to plentiful palms & other vegetation. The A/C worked well, lots of hot water and fridge was kept well stocked. Fridge had a hard time cooling stuff but ice from machines cooled beer nicely.



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