Tulum II - The Mayan Ruins

This post is in continuation to the last one about Tulum and its gorgeous beaches. There is more to Tulum than the blue water expanse and white sands. It houses some of the most beautiful Mayan architecture and ruins that tell stories which sound very much like tales from the yore. These tales can pretty much promise goose flesh, especially if you are standing right in its heart and listening to it.

PC: Panoramio.com

One of the most notable ruins happen to be the Tulum ruins. These ruins, popularly known as, Ruinas Mayas de Tulum, are simply breathtaking. The main pyramid (or rather watchtower) was built in the 13th century and stands on the Caribbean beach. So if you are in Tulum, this is the one place you must go to. Never had I seen a pyramid, standing in such grandeur watching over the turquoise waters. My imagination quickly transported me to the time when this was a thriving civilization, with everything intact, with actual people living there. It was an amazing feeling, which soon drifted with the hustle bustle and excitement of the tourists enjoying the cool waters at one of the most gorgeous beaches in the world.

We did not plan to get into the waters, but trust me, looking at that place it felt like we will miss an opportunity of a lifetime, so we just went ahead in our regular clothes. Such is the effect of the ruins and the Tulum beach. It draws you towards itself like some beautiful singing sirens in the sea.
The ruins consists of mostly the temples, pillars, and the main castle called Castillo. There are some green patches with a few trees, so if you are planning to head there be sure to pack some sun block, hats, plenty of water in your back pack, and of course a change of clothes.

Castillo overlooking the sea

Tulum I - Riviera Maya

It could not be more magical or psychedelic than this. The vast expanse of the sea stretching into the ocean, the narrow roads winding up to somewhere far away. Both sides of the roads dotted with numerous hotels and spas, you know the ones which are not flashy and promise you the relaxation you have come here for. At night, you can hear some music at a distance and some LED lights highlighting the names of the hotels. As we headed further up the road, my phone lost its signal...we had come pretty far away from civilization. Driving toward the camp grounds where we were planning to stay for a couple of days before heading toward Merida to see the world famous Chichen-Itza, I started wondering if we would get some food before we crashed in the tent.

Tulum might look distant and out-of-the-world, but it has everything you might require, including an Indian restaurant serving delicious samosas with green chutney. There are some public beaches among the more prominent private beaches. You might have to look up for some of them. Once you are at the beach, its just pure blue expanse of the Caribbean. Its exotic and breathtaking. Order some nice nachos, locally known as totopos (Aztec origin) and guacamole and some chilled beer (Bohemian or Indio) and just relax. Your mind will go into the zen mode that requires a lot more effort to achieve if you live in the city.

There is more to Tulum than just the blue expanse and the white beaches. Keeping reading for more on underwater river caves, the ancient Mayan civilization, pyramids, and lots more. This one is going to take more than just one post.

Until next time!

Hang on for more on Mexico!

It has been a long time since I wrote my last post on this blog. This year was all about relocating to my home country and settling in. That being said, there is  not a single day that I do not think about Mexico, its beautiful landscape, warm people, tantalizing food and the best music ever! I got the opportunity to travel a lot during my stay in Mexico, and that made me start this blog as I wanted to share the country's rich diversity and beauty with people who wanted to learn more about this colorful country. So I will continue posting pictures from my days in Mexico and keep maintaining this travelogue that I started writing with so much love.

Finding Internet in Las Vegas

Although this blog is about my travel in Mexico, I would like to dedicate this post to a slightly unrelated topic; this is regarding my travel to Las Vegas. Although my travel to the splendid city in Nevada was amazing, one thing that troubled us quite a lot was getting hold of a local SIM card/ phone chip, mainly for the purpose of having internet available on phone. Unlike other American cities, it is difficult to find free Wi-Fi access or Wi-Fi access nonetheless in every location. Funny thing is we could not find a kiosk at the airport where we could buy the chip and could get on with the trip. So my advice would be to head to the nearest Fry’s Electronics store and buy a local SIM card which gives you a good internet pack. T-Mobile has the best options and the next choice would be AT&T.

Other than this you can always enjoy free internet at the numerous Starbucks stores dotted all over the city (mostly on the strip).Also check with your hotel if they offer Wi-Fi access or not. Surely you would not want to be internet-less when you would want to check in on FB while playing a game of poker at the Caesar’s Palace or Harrah’s, or tweet about the amazing performance of the Cirque du Soleil you just saw at the Bellagio or the Mirage!

Tepoztlán - Pueblo Mágico

The one thing that always comes to my mind when I think of Mexico is how colorful it is. Indeed, every street corner, every graffiti, every shop you see is a like a burst of color and imagination. One such place which soothes the tired eyes of city dwellers is Tepoztlán, a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It was named as one of the “Pueblo Mágicos” or magical village by Mexico’s Secretariat of Tourism. Tepoztlán is known for mainly two things, the ruins of an old temple/pyramid to the Aztec god Tepoztecatl, and the amazing ice creams that you can find there.

The pyramid on Tepozteco was built for the god of the alcoholic beverage pulque. It is a steep climb up the mountain, but once you do manage to reach the top the view is simply amazing. Just in case you are planning to go hiking up the mountain top, just make sure it isn’t too sunny, keep hydrating yourself and you should be fine.  

Image courtesy: wikipedia.com 

Now for the ice creams: You find them in a variety of flavors and colors and you will definitely be spoilt for choice. From the simple flavors like chocolate, lemon, and vanilla, to the exotic flavors like Rompope, Mezcal, and Angel’s Kiss. There are street vendors who sell these ice creams and also proper establishments like Tepoznieves (a very famous ice cream shop), with its colourful décor and crazy ice cream menu.

The third and ‘absolutely-must’ thing that you should do when in Tepoztlán is shop. You can find a variety of products from clothes, shoes, skin care products, to artistically designed house decoration items at really affordable prices. This is certainly one of the go to places when you are doing your souvenir shopping.

Last but not the least a good place to eat at. There are a number of good restaurants in Tepoztlán, but Los Colorines takes the cake in the restaurant section. With its bright and colorful décor, amazing menu, and quick service it is an absolute favorite of mine. Vegetarians will not be disappointed. 

Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is a beautiful city, in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.  Located along the Caribbean sea, this city is a popular tourist destination. PDC is regarded as the calmer and more relaxed beach as compared to Cancun. It has its fair share of night clubs and pubs on the 5^th Avenue, and streets flooding with tourists, but unlike Cancun, the beaches are easily accessible and cleaner.

There is a huge budget store located at the corner of the 5^th Avenue, across the ADO bus stand, where you can shop to your heart’s content, you can find everything from magnets to premium tequila bottles, beautiful sombreros (broad-brimmed hats traditionally worn in Mexico) to funky t-shirts at reasonable prices. Among the numerous pubs, the Blue Parrot happens to be favorite for tourists and locals alike. The pub is located on the beach and you can enjoy your drinks while watching spectacular shows organized by the pub.

While in Quinatana Roo it makes more sense in staying in PDC because it is located strategically from the other tourist destinations like Cancun, Tulum, and the ecological parks of Xcaret and Xplor. It has a good public transport system which is both cheap and safe. The people speak English so you don’t necessarily need to speak Spanish. 

Captain Hook

Cancun is one of the most hyped destinations in Mexico, and rightly so. When we visited Cancun this March, it was full of spring breakers partying and enjoying the Caribbean to the fullest. Cancun is known for its amazing night-life and beach parties. But one thing that you should not miss out on is the Captain Hook (Pirate ship) cruise that runs almost every day in Cancun.

The experience is a sheer delight. The moment you enter the harbor where the ship is docked you see pirates, the funny ones and the angry ones, pretty mermaids, and of course the skeletons of the dead pirates sitting on canons.

Once on board you are greeted with drinks from the open bar and dance performances by the pirates and the mermaids. All this is followed by a series of games conducted by Captain Hook himself. But this cruise is not only about games and fun; you get to witness a fight between two pirate ships, the Captain Hook and the Jolly Roger. There are sword fights, canon fires, rope tricks, and of course the grand finale. While you are booking the tickets you get a choice to select either the Lobster dinner or the New York Steak. Personally, I felt it made more sense to go for the Lobster because, you are on a pirate ship, cruising the Caribbean, lobsters definitely make more sense. Get set for a pirate ship cruise and chant “Aye-Aye Captain!”