A CHANGE OF SCENE AND COZUMEL

The Mendoza Family

Saturday, I got up fairly early and went to the beach.  I had hoped to get there before the wind came up, but it got windy early that day.  It wasn’t cold, so I did lie on the beach for a couple of hours, enjoying the sun, and then went back to Rossy’s for a shower.  I packed up my belongings, said goodbye, and trundled my suitcase a block and a half to Avenida Benito Juarez, where I found a taxi immediately.  My taxi driver was a friendly guy and he gave me a local’s perspective on nearby attractions on the way to the hotel.

Lobby of Viva Maya

Our Room

Main Pool at Viva Maya

Sun Shelters

Erika’s plane didn’t get in until 3:40, but I wanted to be sure to get to the hotel before she arrived.  Hoping to miss the temptation of the lunch buffet, I arrived at 2:45.  They met me with a glass of champagne.  The desk clerk gave me a wrist band, told me he would finish checking me in later, and hurried me off to the dining room because lunch was over at 3:00.  I managed to select a healthy lunch of fruit and salad, which was probably a good thing, since my room wasn’t ready and I downed a couple of pinacoladas while waiting in the bar.  I finally got a room around 4:00, although I had to wait a while longer for my very sweet chamber maid to finish making up the room.  I went back to the lobby to wait for Erika and spent a frustrating hour and a half trying unsuccessfully to connect to the internet.  The wi-fi seems to be overwhelmed by the number of guests trying to use it.  While I can connect to the network, I never seem to be able to get any internet on either my computer or phone.  Data roaming doesn’t function, either, so I am incommunicado.  Erika arrived just in time for dinner.  We had dinner, wandered around the complex, drank a couple of fruit drinks and then went to bed early because Erika had had a long day of travelling.

The Main Bar

Sunday we had breakfast and then went to the beach for a little while.  We swam in the ocean and then tried to lie in the sun, but kept getting thrown off our chaise lounges by people who claimed we had taken their places.  Finally, we gave up and went back to the hotel.  It was our intention to go downtown and check out the prices of excursions outside the hotel, so we ate an early lunch at the snack bar and then rode bicycles into town.  We explored a bit and talked to a couple of dive shops about excursions to Cozumel.  Unfortunately, the travel agency owned by Rossy’s friend was closed on Sunday.  We finally booked a snorkel trip in Cozumel for Monday.

The Adult Pool

After riding our bikes back to the hotel, we ate lunch again (fortunately, I was eating mainly fruit) and then lounged about, trying different fruit drinks until it was time for dinner.  We had dinner reservations at Hacienda Don Diego, the Mexican restaurant at the hotel.  We had tacos al pastor for an appetizer and I had a rolled, stuffed skirt steak with flambeed bananas for dessert.  We were served strawberry margaritas with dinner.  Then, just as we were finishing dessert, the manager came over to our table and slammed down a couple of shots glasses.  Next, he produced three bottles of tequila.  His hobby was producing flavored tequila.  We sampled mango, coconut and pineapple tequila.  I liked the mango best, so he then poured me a full shot of that.  Usually I suffer when I drink tequila shots, but these went down very smoothly.  Neither of us was in the mood to do much after all that alcohol, so we skipped the evening show and went to bed early again.

The Cozumel Ferry

The No Problem, Our Dive Boat

Monday, we walked into Playa del Carmen and took the 10:00 ferry to Cozumel where we had booked a snorkeling excursion.  We booked the trip through Scuba Playa and went with a company called Blue Angel.  The dive boat met us at the main ferry dock and then took us to their dive shop where we stopped for a few minutes while the divers got outfitted.  They have a small hotel, dive shop and restaurant.  It was a  pleasant spot.  Downtown Cozumel looks like any other place where cruise ships dock.  There were the usual expensive tourist traps and jewelry stores.  Cozumel is very flat and the coast is mainly rocky.  It is, however, surrounded by reefs and the continental shelf drops off sharply there, making it a famous dive spot.

Erika on the Way to the First Reef

The first place we visited was a reef that was fairly deep down.  We were the only snorkelers and we went with our own guide named Bernie who didn’t speak much English, but was good at finding wildlife to show us.  It was overcast, which made it hard to see a lot, but we did see quite a bit of large sea life including a nurse shark, three eagle rays and several large sea turtles.  The bubbles rising from the divers below us made a fantastic show against the cobalt blue water.  I think that was my favorite part of that first spot.

 The second reef we visited was much shallower and the sun came out at that point, which was a good thing because we were pretty cold after that first swim.  Bernie put a piece of pineapple in his pocket and we were mobbed with tropical fish of many types that followed him everywhere, even when he dove down deep.  We could see much better in the sunshine and I enjoyed swimming with all the fish.  I felt like I was swimming in Finding Nemo.  At times, fish would swim right up to my mask and look me in the face.

Blue Angel Dive Shop Complex

Playa del Carmen at Sunset

After our second snorkeling session, we returned to the dive shop complex and had a nice lunch of delicious grouper fillets.  Then we took the 5:00 ferry back to Playa del Carmen and walked back to the hotel in plenty of time to make it to our 7:30 dinner reservation at the Miramare.  The Miramare is a Mediterranean restaurant on the second floor near the beach.  The whole thing is covered by an extremely lofty palapa.  I had a cold avocado soup, followed by cheese ravioli with sage and chicken breast stuffed with cheese and spinach.  Dessert was strawberries in Grand Marnier over vanilla ice cream.

We went to see the show after dinner.  The theme of the show was a “Mr. Maya” contest.  The four contestants were a 65 year old Italian named Giuseppe, a Canadian in his early 20’s, another very attractive Canadian in his early 40’s and an 18 year old Canadian who often looked mortified, but was a good sport and always managed to make a good effort.  There were various contests, including one where the men worked with a female partner to pop balloons by smashing them between various body parts.  Giuseppe won by a mile.  His wife was a trooper during the balloons smashing contest, especially since they were slipped one filled with whipped cream.

HOW CAN THIS WEEK BE OVER?

The Park Where We Held Class

There really isn't much to relate about today.  I got up, took a shower and rode my bike to class.  The jackhammering had finally ceased, so Maria Elisa and I spent the day reviewing the numerous uses of the present subjunctive.  Time has really flown.  I can't believe I only have one more day of class.  It seems like I just got here.

Since I had neglected to eat lunch and dinner yesterday, I went out to eat after class.  I had three very tasty beef (steak, not ground) tacos with homemade tortillas and a beer for a little bit less than $4.00.  After lunch, I went to the beach and met up with the girl from my class.  Today, I had remembered to change into my bathing suit, so I took a swim in the ocean.  The water was gorgeous.  It was a very pleasant temperature and the sun was warm enough to dry me off when I got out, but not so warm that I fried.  It was still a bit windy, so we didn't stay too long.  It's hard to read when sand keeps blowing into your book.

I rode home and spent the remainder of the afternoon on the computer and studying grammar.  A new student arrived about 6:00.  His name is Mauro and he is from Venice, Italy.  He doesn't speak much Spanish and doesn't speak English, either, but Rossy, her son, Allen, and I managed to converse with him for a couple of hours in a mixture of Spanish and Italian.  He seems very nice.  He will be attending a different school and doesn't start until Monday.

Maria Elisa and Me

                                                                       Friday was kind of a sad day for me.  This week went too fast.  It was my last day of school and I was sorry to leave my teacher.  I may never again have a private instructor for four hours per day and Maria Elisa is a very sweet girl.  I really enjoyed her company and probably learned at least as much from just conversing with her as I did from studying grammar.

After class, I went to the beach with my fellow students for an hour or two.  I didn't have much in common with them, but they were nice.  I didn't stay long, however, because I had a mission today.  Since Rossy doesn't cook much, I decided that the best thing I could do for her was to make a nice dinner for all of us.  Mauro needed an introduction to Mexican food and I needed an excuse to drink some wine.

I went to the supermarket on the way home to buy ingredients.  Shrimp were quite inexpensive, so I bought a kilo and used them to make shrimp tacos.  I was very surprised to discover that there were no corn tortillas in the store.  I had to get flour ones, although I did find raw ones that I could cook myself.  I sauteed onions and peppers and Rossy made some guacamole.  I cooked the shrimp in garlic and olive oil and made a salad of mangoes, jicama and cilantro with oil and lime juice.  I also bought a bottle of red Chilean wine.  Everything turned out perfectly.  Rossy's son, Allen, said I should be on Iron Chef.  All in all, I think the dinner was a success.  I will be sad to leave this house, even if there isn't any hot water.  Mauro has been a nice addition, also.  Hopefully, we can see him next week.  He doesn't start school until Monday, so he doesn't know anyone else.  It will be a bit strange for me to be in a hotel full of foreigners after having been so immersed in the local lifestyle.  I am going to miss my Barbie pink bicycle.

PLAYA DEL CARMEN BY BICYCLE

Cyclopista

Having a bicycle, even if it is a ridiculous, lopsided, pink bicycle two sizes too small for me, gives me wonderful freedom to get around the town.  I feel about seven years old when I am riding it and I keep falling over because I cannot stand up and coast to a stop like I do at home because standing up like that puts on the brakes.  Even so, I like riding a bicycle here.  Playa del Carmen has many "cyclopistas" or bike paths.  Some of them are beautifully landscaped and there is even one in the shade under the raised freeway, although it ended, without warning, in a concrete wall and nearly pitched me headlong into traffic.

I like the way Mexicans ride bicycles.  When I encounter bicyclists at home, they are usually dressed in spandex and furiously peddling fast bicycles.  The situation is much more relaxed here.  No one ever seems to be in a hurry.  I, who have hardly ridden a bicycle in a year, pass most of them without even trying.  This has caused me to take note of my tendency to hurry everywhere.  I am trying to slow down and move at their pace.

My Bathroom

I went for a run before school this morning and returned to find that I still did not have hot water, although at least I had water in my shower this morning.  This is apparently quite common, since my fellow students never have hot water in their house, either.  Since the morning seems to be the warmest part of the day here, it doesn't matter so much.  It just gives me good motivation to exercise before showering.

Dining Room

Kitchen

Living Room

Rosa came back just about the time I finished dressing and we ate breakfast together.  There seems to be some confusion about whether or not she is feeding me dinner.  I am letting it slide because it prevents me from eating things I shouldn't.  Last night, she made be a wonderful meal of eggs and carnitas.  She apologized profusely, but I was quite pleased to be presented with a meal containing no carbs.  I brought almonds, pistachios and Lara bars, so I won't starve.

Beach Looking East

After breakfast, I rode my bicycle down to the beach.  It was quiet down there at 9:00 in the morning.  I took some pictures and bought a bottle of water.  Next week, I will hit the beach in the morning while it is warm and then explore in the afternoons.  Even Avenida 5, which is packed with tourists in the afternoons, was relatively empty.

Avenida 5 Facing West

Deserted Beach Bar

Avenida 5

The Cozumel Ferry Pier

School Location

I decided to go to school a little early so as to use the wifi before class, but my teacher got there as early as I did.  We decided to go to the park, as the workers were still jackhammering next door.  The park is fairly pleasant in the morning when there is still some shade.  We spent the morning practicing the passive voice in various present, past and future tenses.  At noon, we repaired to a restaurant for coffee.  I wind had blown up and it was getting chilly.  By 1:00, the restaurant had become too noisy for us to hear each other, so we went back to the school.  We had been told that the noise ceased about that time and it was, indeed, quiet over there.  This school may be disorganized (The organizers are located in Mexico City and have no idea what is happening here in Playa.), but it is hard to beat having a private instructor for four hours per day.

After class, I went to the beach with the other two students.  I wanted someone to watch my bag while I went in the water but, unfortunately, I forgot to change into my swimsuit before leaving the school, so I still didn't get to swim.  It was very windy and the fine, white sand was blowing everywhere.  I tried to read for an hour or so before we finally gave up.  It was rumored that the water was warmer than the air.  I may never get the sand out of my Spanish dictionary.

The others met a friend and went off to do whatever twenty somethings do and I explored the area near the Cozumel ferry.  There is a huge sculptured gateway with a Mayan design at the entrance to the plaza there.  It looks like there are performances there sometimes.  There was a group of men in native costumes lounging about, but they weren't doing anything interesting when I passed by.

I decided to take my bike and go off in search of the hotel where I will be staying next week.  The hotel zone is a nice place to bicycle.  It is shady and through traffic is limited.  I could barely feel the wind that had driven us off the beach.  I found the resort at the far side of the zone.  I tried to slip in and take a picture, but the security was very tight and they wouldn't let me in.  Pedestrians were passing unmolested, but I guess my Mexican bicycle gave me away.  There are two Viva Wyndham resorts here in Playa del Carmen, the Viva Maya and the Viva Azteca.  They are next door to each other.  My teacher seems to be very familiar with them.  She tells me that guests are free to use the facilities at both resorts.  My friend, Erika, and I will be staying at the Viva Maya.  Maria Elisa told be that a whole section of the Viva Azteca is given over to Italians, so maybe I can thoroughly confuse myself by trying to practice my Italian.  There is a Starbuck's across the street, so I stopped there after my failed reconnaissance mission and had a frappuccino before leisurely riding back to the house.

Between my morning run to the north edge of town and my afternoon explorations, I have now seen most of Playa del Carmen.  Unfortunately, I have seen (and heard) a lot of really obnoxious Americans.  I often wonder why people who want to have everything just like they have it at home bother to travel?  I feel sorry for people who can still be miserable when they find themselves in paradise.  I do not, however, particularly want to be around them.  One of the nicest things about staying with local people when I travel is not living with a bunch of other tourists.  It's also a lot cheaper.  I am paying less for a week here than I would have to pay for a night at a resort if I didn't have a timeshare.  Food and drink is also about a third as expensive in this neighborhood as it is on Avenida 5.  I am pleased.

EXPLORING PLAYA DEL CARMEN

My Room

After two nights without sleep, I wasn’t much use yesterday.  I was just glad I was able to stay awake through my Spanish lessons.  Since Rosa picked me up from school, I didn’t really get to see anything.  This morning, I got up reasonably early and went for a run down to the beach.  I ran down Avenida Juarez to the beach and then west, looking for the hotel where I will be spending next week.  Avenida Juarez divides the town in half.  At the base of Juarez is the Cozumel ferry terminal.  On the east side are the even numbered streets.  This is the commercial side of town.  On the west side are the odd numbered streets and the “Zona Hotelaria” where the streets are mazelike and have exotic sounding names.  This area consists of resorts and fancy private residences and vacation homes.  It is very lush and green and was a nice place to run, even if I never found the place I sought.  I ran for several miles before returning home.

The House

It was quite warm for so early in the day.  There is no marine layer here in the morning.  The sun pops right out of the ocean, shining brightly.  It is very cheerful and might possibly even be able to make me like morning.  I was sweaty and ready for a shower when I returned but, alas, not a drop of water issued from my shower.  My landlady was out, so I was forced to take a sponge bath in my tiny sink.  It was impossible to wash my hair.

Just as I was about to hop on my bicycle to ride to school, Rosa returned and gave me a ride downtown.  The avenues run east and west and go by fives.    The school is at 15^th Ave. and I am staying on 80^th Ave.  It sounds like a long way, but is only a couple of miles.  The jackhammering had resumed, so Maria Elisa and I repaired to a coffee bar for our morning lesson.  I drank a cappuccino while I reviewed the present subjunctive and the uses of “por” y “para.”  I felt like I was back in Italy.  At noon, we moved to the park and studied there for another couple of hours, sitting in the shade of a palm tree.  Knowing we would probably be outdoors, I had made sure to wear sunscreen. 

My Ridiculous Pink Bicycle

After class, I used the internet at the school for a few minutes until they closed.  Then I walked down to Ave. 5, which is the big tourist street.  There are lots of expensive shops and overpriced restaurants.  I might have thought that Playa del Carmen was an expensive place if I had not eaten lunch with Maria Elisa in a restaurant near the school yesterday.  I walked inland a few blocks and had a tasty “Arab” taco (a gyro in a tortilla) for about $1.50.  I sat there reading an Oscar Wilde short story in Spanish and then walked back to the house.  I changed into my bathing suit and shorts, hopped on my bicycle and sped off down Ave. Juarez to the beach.  By the time I got there, it had already cooled off enough that I didn’t really want to swim.  I waded in far enough to tell that the water was a pleasant temperature and then stretched out on the sand to read.  It gets dark rather suddenly this close to the equator, so I could only stay an hour and a half or so before I needed to head home. 

Once I returned, I tried the shower once again.  This time, I was able to get water, although I never did get any hot water.  At least I managed to wash my hair, although the water was too cold to stand under.  The internet is still out of order, also.  Apparently, the cable TV is out, also.  A repairman is coming tomorrow.  This must not be uncommon, since the students staying in a different house are having the same problem.

Shanti

There is another occupant of the house that I forgot to mention.  Her name is Shanti and she is the tiniest Chihuahua that I have ever seen.  I doubt she weighs two pounds.  Her paws are about the size of my index finger.  She is very shy, but will beg to sit in my lap when her mother isn’t around.  She hardly barks at all.  Even our small cat could eat her for dinner.  Fortunately, Rosa doesn’t carry her around in her purse or dress her in silly clothes.  She is allowed to preserve her tiny dignity.

Una Aventura

My trip to Playa del Carmen got off to a rough start.  I had packed my telephone, but I received a text message just before I left and somehow managed to leave my phone at home.  Unfortunately, my phone is also my GPS.  I drove to Los Angeles and planned to have dinner with a friend and stay overnight so that I could make an early morning flight.  However, I did not have a map of the area where she lives and couldn’t call without a phone.  I drove around La Mirada for half an hour before I found a payphone and was able to get directions.

My flight was at 7:15am.  I got up at 3:45 and managed to leave the house by 4:30, but it took me an hour to find the freeway (How is that possible in LA?) and so I missed my flight.  The next flight didn’t leave until 10:00 and would have arrived at 6:00pm instead of 3:00.  I had to pay an extra $200 to change flights.  (So much for saving $300 by flying from LA.) Unfortunately, that flight was late and I missed my connection in Mexico City.  I met another woman in the line at the ticket counter who had the same problem.  She was beside herself because no one seemed to speak English and she didn’t speak Spanish, although her last name was Los Reyes and everyone seemed to think she should.  She latched onto me when she noticed me having an animated conversation in Spanish with the ticket agent.

We finally got rebooked on the 10:15 pm flight to Cancun.  Despite the best efforts of my new friend at the ticket counter, I had to pay yet another $85.  Neither of us was very impressed with Aero México.  I have always enjoyed flying on Mexicana Airlines, but Aero México was very disorganized and half the passengers seemed to be having some form of difficulty.  We spent five hours in the Mexico City airport using the internet at Starbucks.  I had time to get some pesos from the ATM and obtain a phone card so that I could (I thought) call my landlady and tell her what had happened.  Although I tried several times, I was never able to reach her.  I had two phone numbers, but one was disconnected and the other went straight to voicemail. 

We arrived in Cancun just after midnight.  After seeing that my traveling companion had a way to get to her hotel, I grabbed a collectivo heading to Playa del Carmen.  A collectivo is a minibus that operates without a set schedule.  They leave whenever they are full.  With an entire plane full of folks having just arrived, I did not have to wait long.  The fare to Playa del Carmen was 300 pesos (about $27.)  It took about 45 minutes to drive there from Cancun.  The highway is very good and there are resorts and tourist attractions everywhere along the way.  I suspect that one could spend a lot of money here very easily, although my food, lodging and Spanish lessons are costing me less than $400 for the week.

I had a very strange address for the house where I was supposed to stay.  The email said that it was the green gate across from the Oasis apartments on 40^th Avenue between 2^nd Street and Benito Juarez Ave.  Of course it was pitch dark at 2:00 in the morning, but the driver was very accommodating and, with the help of a policeman, we found the place.  There was no bell.  I banged and banged on the gate, but succeeded in waking only the dog.  Once again, I sought out a payphone and tried, without success, to call.  So, I found myself standing in the street at 2:00 am with my suitcase and no clear idea what I was going to do.  I started dragging my bag towards the beach, figuring I would eventually find a motel.  Fortunately, I only had to walk about two blocks before I found a motel.  By the grace of God, they had a vacancy.  The gentleman behind the counter was very welcoming and I was extremely grateful to finally fall into bed.

The motel wasn’t fancy, but I rented a room for 550 pesos (about $44.)  The room was quite large and had its own kitchen, but everything was rather shabby, there was very little water pressure and the mattress was hard as a rock.  Even though I had hardly slept the night before, it took me about an hour to get to sleep.  This might have been because of all the coffee and Diet Coke I had consumed on the plane and in the airport, trying to stay awake enough to drive to Playa del Carmen if it had been necessary.

Playa del Carmen is a noisy place.  Local construction methods do not contain much, if any, soundproofing and barking dogs, squawking birds, shrieking children and noisy trucks abound.  I had no trouble waking early enough to get to school on time.  I tried, once again without success, to raise someone at the house so that I could drop off my suitcase.  I ended up dragging it a mile or so to the school.  I found the address (if you can call it that) easily enough.  Playa del Carmen does not have street numbers.  Addresses consist of a description or name of the building and an approximate location, such as the Hacienda del Carmen Condos on 14^th Street between 15^th and 20^th Avenues.  Unfortunately, all the gates were locked up tight and there was no indication of a language school being located there. 

They had told me to arrive at 8:45 the first day, but by 9:00 I still had been unable to locate anyone.  I started to despair.  I was beginning to believe that I had been ripped off.  No one answered at the house, the phone numbers didn’t work and now the school didn’t seem to exist.  Finally, a teenaged boy approached the gate and I asked him if he knew anything about the school.  He let me in, showed me to the entrance where there was a tiny (3” square) sign and told me that they didn’t open until 10:00 am.  I was extremely relieved.  I settled down on the steps and prepared to read for an hour.  After only a few minutes, a young woman arrived and let me in.  We conversed for half an hour or so before my teacher arrived.  Her name is Monse and she is from Barcelona.  Surprisingly, I have no trouble understanding her.  She told me many things about the area and I was pleased to learn that it is quite safe here.  Even I had noticed that there is a large police presence.  She told me that there are even more police than usual, right now, because of spring break.

My teacher is named Maria Elisa.  She is from Argentina.  Of course, the Argentinian accent is the hardest to understand, but I am managing, although it sometimes takes me awhile to unravel what she is saying.  At least she doesn’t speak as rapidly as other Argentines I have known.  I am the only student at my level so, instead of having four hours of class in a group and two hours of private lessons, I will have four hours of private lessons per day.  This is actually great because I can steer my studies in the directions that interest me and still have more time to explore Playa del Carmen.  Unfortunately, they are building a new apartment complex next door to the school and the jackhammers were so loud that we could not hear each other.  Finally, we gave up and went to the park.  If this keeps up, I will get tan without ever going to the beach.  We studied for a couple of hours, went out for lunch, and then studied for another couple of hours in the shade at the restaurant.

When we got back to the school, my landlady arrived with her car to collect me.  This was a pleasant surprise and a good thing because it turned out that she does not live at the address I was given.  Her name is Rosa and she has a teenaged son named Allen.  They are very friendly.  The house is new and attractive.  I have a large room and a spacious bathroom of my own.  All I wanted, however, was a nap.  I slept for the rest of the afternoon.  Rosa and Allen arrived just in time for dinner and we had tasty chicken tamales.  There is internet here in the house, although it is not working at the moment.  Hopefully, I will be able to get that straightened out tomorrow.  Rosa has provided me with a bicycle and there is a bike path down the center of Avenida Juarez that I can take most of the way to the school, so I will only have to risk my life for half a mile or so in each direction.  I plan to run down to the beach in the morning, before breakfast.

THIS YEAR, MEXICO

This has already been a busy year.  It's the 2nd of March and I have already remodeled four bathrooms.  I bought a rental property and have been renovating it and we have finally started on the addition to our personal residence.  There will not be time for an extended journey, this year.

I cannot, however, go a full year without some kind of travel.  I had a timeshare week to use, so decided to go to Playa del Carmen, since Scott couldn't come and he doesn't like Mexico.  It seemed a shame to pay for airfare and only spend one week, so I am also spending a week in an intensive Spanish program and, at least theoretically, living with a local family.  The details of that are a bit sketchy.  I'll just have to see when I get there.

Cheap flights out of San Francisco all seemed to involve spending the night in an airport somewhere, so I decided to drive to LA and fly from there.  This gives me a chance to visit friends, save some money, and arrive in Playa del Carmen during daylight without having to sleep on the floor in LA or Houston. I will fly to Cancun and take a bus to Playa del Carmen.  Fortunately, my destination is within walking distance of the bus station.

The Blue Note is Sold!

I sold the Blue Note today.  I figure it is a good way to start the new year.  Any body want a Santana 35 or a Datsun 1600?  I plan to further lighten my load in 2013.