Gone down the airplane we went to Avis for the withdrawal of ours fantastic Nissan Tsuru that later we discovered to be the most diffused car in Mexico. Considering that was 11 p.m. and that to avoid the tourists trap of Cancun I had foreseen to sleep to Valladolid, we had to drive for 2 hours. Hardly gone out by the airport we have made knowledge with the topes, for the one that doesn't know it, it concerns artificial backs whose purpose is to slow down the cars especially in the town, the problem is that the topes are often been in the most unexpected places or that are so high to be touched with the bottom of the car (I remember the scene of a limousine driver made the most absurd manoeuvres to cross one of it) and above all often are not signaled. Generally the circulation doesn't present big problems, normally the roads conditions are acceptable, the only problem besides the topes is that the roads are often poorly signposted, so it pays to get a good road map. Sometimes, especially in the Chiapas you can meet military check-point, however we had never problems, sometimes the soldiers limited to control the content of the luggage van.
Between Cancun and Merida there is one of the few toll highways (besides quite expansive), so good road conditions helped me a little bit in the baptism of Mexican guide also because my trip companions were sleeping and I was also decidedly tired. Toward 1,30 a.m. we finally reached Valladolid and we systematized to the hotel María de the Luz in the main square; is necessary to say that it's inadvisable to park on the street overnight but fortunately either this that the whole other hotels we met had private garage. After a good sleep we begun the day with the good Mexican breakfast of the hotel.
The program of the day foresaw the visit of the Valladolid cenotes: Zací and Dzitnup, the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá and the arrival in the evening to Merida. The cenotes are very diffused in the whole peninsula of the Yucatán, it concerns natural sinkholes that were used by the Mayas as source of water or as places of cult and in some cases as places of human sacrifices.
Just in the center of Valladolid it is found the cenote Zací, between all those sees is the biggest but it is probably the least spectacular one, decidedly more beautiful it is the cenote Dzitnup, 7 km west of Valladolid center. To reach the spectacular cave, you need to pass through a narrow passage in the rock. The path is very slippery, besides I noticed some guides spilt (I have not understood why) some liquid that seemed by the smell cleanser, I think this was the reason because the path was slippery.
We arrived to Chichén Itzá at 12 a.m., the hottest and most crowded moment but we can not do otherwise. Being Sunday the entry like in all the archaeological sites was free, I must say that I remained really impressed above all by El Castillo, the principal pyramid that we climbed along the narrow and steep stairs but the sight from the top it's wonderful. In the square in front of the pyramid every evening it's possible to assist to a sounds and lights show. Even more spectacular must be the natural show that it's possible to see on the occasion of the spring and autumn equinoxes, in these 2 days the shade of the sun on the stairways of the pyramid creates the effect of the creep of a serpent. Also the ball court and the Group of 1000 Columns are impressive, with a walk of 10 minutes it is possible to reach the sacred cenote where human sacrifices were effected.
Reached Merida in the late afternoon we systematized to the hotel Dolores Alba, discovering besides that it also had a beautiful swimming pool where we jumped as soon as unloaded the car. For the evening we foreseen to try one of the restaurants suggested by the Lonely Planet but accomplice the jet-lag and the walk of the day we slept until the following morning.
The day after has been devoted to the visit of the city, of its buildings and churches in colonial style and of the market where we had a first contact with the local handicrafts. Typical of this zone are the Panama hat and the hammocks, is necessary however to take care about the quality of goods acquires above all by the road sellers. For lunch we finally directed to the restaurant Los Almendros where we tried a typical dish the Poc-chuc, it concerns meat of pig marinated and barbecued, between the contour besides the omnipresent cream of beans there was a pepper that I immediately tasted, I usually eat spicy but this time for 5 minutes "I saw the stars!!!!" However this was the only case, in all the other tastes I had any problems, rather the Mexican kitchen has decidedly satisfied me.
The following day we had foreseen the visit of the archaeological site of Uxmal and then a 500 Km drive up to Palenque. I remained a little bit disappointed by Uxmal, is necessary to say however that a lot of zones included the pyramid of the Magician were closed for repairs and therefore the visit was limited to a walk around the ruins.
Instead I was positively surprised about the town of Palenque, being the Holy Week there were some celebrations in the city park with a lot of Mexicans (local and not) along the roads, that it contributed to create a beautiful atmosphere. We lodged to the hotel Xibalba
in a building of recent construction with a nice room even if the bath had
only a curtain instead of the door. To avoid crowd we arrived to the archaeological site toward 8,30 a.m. finding however a lot of persons; also here some zones were in repair but the buildings dipped in the forest are spectacular. Waiting for hordes of starveling mosquitos, we were sprinkled us with mosquito repellent, but we had no problems.
Left Palenque we directed at first to the beautiful Misol-ha falls where we made a walk along the path under the falls, but is also possible to take a bath in the little pond.
From Misol-ha with a 1 hour drive we reached the Agua Azul falls and we remained absolutely amazed. The quite impressive falls thrown into a river creating a series of little amazing ponds with a blue sky water, this coloration (fortunately for us) can be seen only in the months of April and May. Because of the holidays the place was very crowded however we passed a pair of hours to splash between these fantastic falls.
Left the falls we had to drive for about 150 Km up to the 2100 mt of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, this leg of road has been the worse one we met, not so much for the conditions of the road mantle as for it was disseminated by the topes, so it was necessary much more time to cover the distance and the continuous stop enervate the driver; however after almost 4 hours we arrived to the coolness of San Cristóbal.
After a turn for the varied hotels we systematized to the hotel Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas really next to the principal plaza; the city is very nice with colonial houses and buildings painted with vivid colors, besides we expected a very poor city, contrarily the way of life seemed better than the other cities we saw.
Besides the visit of the varied churches and city buildings I liked a lot the colored Mercado Municipal where good articles of local handicrafts can be acquired; we practically spent a day in the zone between the market and the temple of Santo Domingo to bargain with the local indios.
Unfortunately for lack of time we have not succeeded in visiting the villages around San Cristóbal, besides the following day to our departure there would have been the processions for Holy week and I am regretted a little bit to lose it.
Left San Cristóbal we directed to that the guides define one of the wonder of Mexico: the Cañón del Sumidero, arrivals to Chiapa de Corzo we directed to the wharf taking with the car the wrong way, after not even 10 second a police officer arrived and in a few words has made us understand that to avoid to go to the police station to pay the fine we had to make him a "present", this however was the only problem we had with the authorities, in all the other meetings they have been extremely kind and comprehensive.
Jumped on one of the boats that brings about ten persons, we began the 3 hours tour, to say the truth I expected more, above all I thought it was a natural wonder instead the basin has been created following the construction of a dam, then the day was not so good.
Ended the tour, we had to drive along our preferred road up to Palenque, it reassured us the fact that we had decided to go another time to the Agua Azul falls to relax a little bit, a few before arriving however an accursed topes flat a tire and so afterwards to replaced it under the 30° sun we arrived to the falls in the late afternoon, too late for a bath, so we made a walk up to the top of the falls, besides also being the end of the day because of the festivities there were even more persons. For the not foreseen standstill we arrived to Palenque in late evening and as finally surprise we found all the hotels full, after a pair of hours, exhausted we found a bungalow (quite expansive) to the Chan-Kah Resort Village near the ruins.
The program now foresaw a long transfer up to the Caribbean coast, first however we made another turn for the market where besides I acquired a beautiful stone engraved with a mayan figure, this acquisition and the fuel for the car practically dried up the money reserve, being holiday the banks were closed and the casas de cambio had very bad exchange rate, so we decided to try in the zone of Chetumal. Fortunately a few before arriving to Chetumal we stopped in a small restaurant where I changed my travelers cheques to a good rate also because once arrived in the city we discovered that the exchange rate was even more unfavorable, besides this the city has not liked us, so we immediately escaped to north.
In general however for the currency exchange we verified that the banks practise better rates and change the travelers cheques without problems, the casas de cambio especially in the inland have worse rates but they have the advantage to always be opened. The payments with credit card are a little diffused and in some cases was required a surcharge.
Arrived in the zone of the lagoon Balacar presented again the problem to find lodging, when we were almost resigned to wander about for the whole night, we found along the "highway" in the town of Balacar a small nice hotel just built, the hotel Scala, the only problem was that the beds were practically deprived of mattress and so when I thrown me on the bed have almost broken my ribs!!!!
The following morning in a pair of hours we reached the ruins of Tulum, the archaeological site is not comparable with those of Chichén Itzá, Uxmal or Palenque however the ruins are found on cliff to peak on the turquoise waters of the Caribbean creating a very suggestive landscape.
After driving for 2700 Km, some days of relax attended us on the beaches of Playa del Carmen, I expected a tourist place but not to this level, I don't imagine what Cancun can be!!!!
After having turned some hotel we found lodging to the hotel Bananas Cabanas. The atmosphere (and the prices) of the town are more international than Mexican, parallelly to the beach races a pedestrian zone literally disseminated of small shop, restaurants and bars, besides probably this has been the first time I found abroad the menù written in Italian!!!
Before relaxing on the beach we granted a last visit to the sea park of Xel-há, it's possible to spend a pleasant day walking between the varied lagoons, to see or take part to the dolphins show or making snorkeling, in this case you leave from a handle of the river in the middle of the mangroves and swim for around 1 Km, visibility is not exceptional and we saw the most beautiful fishes once arrived to the main lagoon however for a line we swum with a beautiful sea turtle . In the park are found quite a lot expansive restaurants, however before the exit we found an excellent buffet for an expense of around 100 pesos each.
Along the highway from Playa to Tulum there are on the right two handicrafts markets, we stopped to the first one of two finding a good choice and good prices, practically half those of Playa.
A thing that I appreciated quite a lot of Playa's beach is the fact that sand also in the warmest times doesn't burn, during the whole day and the evening a sea breeze gave back pleasant to take sun and walking.
I also made some dives, unfortunately the diving Expediciones Subacuaticas I choose has proven a little reliable, in fact I booked a 6 dives packet but the second day the owners started to say me that they need more money to pay the expenses, than the diving places had to be changed in comparison to those we have chosen and so afterwards some discussions I sent them to the devil, however I had 2 absolutely exceptional dives to the Cenote Dos Ojos, only these probably are worth a trip to these places!!!
Nighlife, practically confines to a walk along the pedestrian street and to eat in one of the numerous and dear restaurants; along the beach there are some bars where it's possible to listen music or dance but also being period of Easter vacations there was not a big movement.
After 15 days didn't remain to take back the airplane that would have carried us (sigh!!) to home, I must say that Mexico is one of the countries that I liked more and I want to come back as soon as possible to visit the whole rest.
