Viva La Mexico

  Tulum, Mexico
Thursday, February 8, 2007

Traveling from Guatemala to Mexico is like stepping into a whole different world. Everything seems so safe and secure here compared to Guatemala. People in Mexico seem so well off compared to those in Guatemala, when in reality they really aren't.

Spider

My initial plan was to only visit Palenque, Mexico and then go straight to Chetumal where I would cross over into Belize. It was just to tempting to spend more time here. So 2 days in Mexico turned into a week before I knew it.  Its been a long tiring week.  I was up everyday at around 5 and on a bus at least 4 hours each day.  I didnīt get more then 5 hours of sleep all week.  There was so much to do and so little time.  Well I have time, but I didnīt want to spend to much of it in Mexico, only because I am heading South and it wouldn'tīt really make much sense for me to travel to far North.  All week long I was on the move.  Threw 5 States in 7 days.  Never slowing down.  That is until I reached Tulum on the Caribbean side of Mexico.  I really wish I could have spent more time in here but if I'm going to make it to Argentina by August I'm going to have to rush threw a few parts and this was one of them, since I had never planned on going threw Mexico to Begin with.

It was a long 8 hour Bus/boat/bus ride the morning I left Guatemala to reach Palenque, Mexico.

Palenque 3

We had to cross the Mexican border in a boat which was interesting. The only thing I really planned on doing in Mexico was to visit the ruins outside of Palenque then leave the next day. I met up with someone who was going the same route I was, so we decided to travel together for a bit. We found a place to stay just outside of the Palenque ruins. It was a cool little jungle lodge, with cabins buried in the jungle foliage. It really wasnīt what I was expecting this far out of town.

Palenque

They even had a pool that we could use, which was good because it was a hot sticky day of travel.

Bright and early the next morning we were off to see the ancient ruins a short distance from our hotel. 

Palenque Ruins 2

I heard great things about this sight and it was one of the only reasons I came to Mexico.  That and to get out of Guatemala before I run out of money again and I'm forced to beg for scrapes on the street (again). 

Palenque Ruins 56

The ruins of Palenque were incredible.  Not quint as impressive as the ruins of Tikal, but still very awe inspiring all the same.  The drastic change of architecter from site to site is incredible. They all seem to be different and unique in there own way.  The only thing I didnīt like about the site were the hustlers inside the ruins trying to sell you stuff.  They were scattered threw out the park.  Tikal in Guatemala was nothing like that.  In Tikal there was only one souvenir shop outside the park.  I kind of ruins the experience of exploring a 2000 year old ancient city when people are hassling you to buy stuff left and right. 

Palenque Waterfalls

But thats Mexico for you.  Theyīll get you anyway they can.  After about 3 hours exploring the ruins Matt and I caught a short 3 hour bus ride to Villahermose in the State of Tabasco, where we spent the night in a hostel and rested up for the next day.

Villahermosa 4

It was 6am the next morning.  Matt and I were sitting in the bus terminal about to go our separate ways.  He was going to Mexico City and I was going to Chetumal.  Two completely different directions. 

Campeche 1

But then at the last minute right before we bought our tickets we both decided to jump on a bus heading somewhere totally different from where we were going.  So at the last minute we bought tickets to the city of Campeche.  Campeche was an unusual Mexican capital city.  It didn't feel like Mexico.  It was too safe and clean. 

Campeche 2

Once we got into town we found a cheap hostel and went out that night to see the sights around the city.  While I was ordering dinner that night I accidentally ordered shark meat.  aww no shark meat.  are you kidding me.  Obviously I wasnīt going to eat it so I passed it  off to Matt.  They also had Alligator meat on the menu.  Who eatīs Alligator meat anyway?

Early the next morning Matt left to catch his flight to Mexico City and I caught a bus to Merida, 4 hours North of Campeche.  Half way there I stopped to explore the ruins of Uxmal. 

Uxmal 4

By the time I got into the ruins I only had about an hour and a half before the park closed, so I whipped threw the ruins and caught the first bus to Merida I could find.  I didn't get into Merdia until around 7 that night.  I hate arriving late at night in a new city, especially a capital city.  Because you never know what your walking into and you never know what to expect.

From Merida I went to Tulum on the Caribbean side.  On the way there I stopped and saw yet again more ruins.  The ruins of Chichen Itza. 

Chichen Itza Ruins 1

Because of the close proximity to Cancun, the place was packed with vacationers, beach bums and spring breakers.  It was almost impossible to take a descent picture of the ruins without having turistas ruining it.  Luckily it started to rain in the afternoon and they all melted. 

Iguana 1

After that I had the place to myself.  Once I got out of the park I caught a bus to Tulum.

Tulum was a good break from all the running around iīve been doing lately. 

Tulum 1

I spent 2 days laid out on the beach and walking around the ruins that are right on the beach.  I think I got the worst sunburn of my life while I was on the beach the one day. 

Lobster Boy

  I put on sunscreen on but I must have missed my back somehow.  After Tumul, it was time to leave Mexico.  From here I will be crossing over into Belize and traveling South making my way into Honduras.  I wish I could have stayed longer but I just couldn'tīt afford it.  Mexico was far more expensive then neighboring Guatemala.  I canīt get used to this kind of comfort.  Things like Traffic lights, working ATMīs, law enforcement, $12 a night rooms, 2nd class buses, hot water and so on.  None of these things existed in Guatemala and iīll be heading back down that way shortly. 

Tulum 3

But I think I'm going to miss the food in Mexico most of all.  It was incredible. 100 times better then Guatemala and I ate like a pig everyday.

Itīs been a few weeks since my last update.  Iīve been trying to keep up but I just didnīt have time.  I have to apologize on the massive update.  I tried to sum it up as short as I could but it just didnīt happen.  In a few days iīll be taking my PADI Open Water scuba diving course on the Island of Utila, Honduras.  Iīll do another update from Tulum, Mexico to right before I leave for the Island in La Ceiba, Honduras(feb.17).


Dustin