Cozumel, Mexico

The incredibly flat coastline of Cozumel. 

 The Iberostar Cozumel Hotel.

A sinkhole that the Mayans used as a water source. 

Chichen Itza, the Mayan pyramids. 

Local girls with chicks. 

Passing my Padi scuba diving licence. 

Evidence of the recent hurricane.

Great week.

March 11-17, 2006

I decided to go to Mexico for a week by myself. I booked the Iberostar Cozumel Hotel. The trip got off to an interesting start because as we were about to land the plane had to abort and circle around as there was a small plane on the runway!

The resort was beautiful and I had a room on the second floor of a small building. There were lots of activities to do here including tennis, water games, nightly entertainment and a variety of restaurants.

This was an interesting week as I was booked at an all inclusive resort and most of the people there were couples. I talked to a couple from Dallas. The husband was a retired state trooper. We took a Jeep tour of the island. I drove and they were my passengers. We stopped along the coastline for scenic views and at a restaurant where we could play beach volleyball. There I met another young couple. Later in the day when we stopped at a small Mayan village, he asked me to take a video of him on his camera while he proposed to his girlfriend!

I spent the week snorkeling, swimming, running, playing tennis and exploring. I arranged to play tennis with one of the hotel workers. He was a good sport but I beat him handily. He hooked me up with a young American and we played a couple of times. The first day he was rusty and I won, the second time it was no contest, he had found his game and I had lost mine.

I went for a long walk along the beach from the resort. It was obvious the amount of destruction the hurricane had caused earlier in the year. There were wrecked buildings, boats high and dry and fallen trees. 

I wanted to try scuba diving again and found that I would have to pay for the introductory course again (which I had taken already in Cuba), or I could take the course that would get me my Padi licence. Since I had the time, I decided to take the course. The instructor was a good guy and there was a young American woman who took underwater photos as well. I had to study a booklet and take a test and then perform the required elements underwater. I enjoyed the course and the diving. 

I took a tour to Chichen Itza, the Mayan ruins. I had to take a ferry to the mainland and then a long bus ride. On route we stopped at a natural sinkhole. Apparently there are a number of these around the Mayan Pennisula and they were a water source for the Mayan civilization. There were masses of vegetation and vines growing down into the opening to reach the water. We were allowed to swim in it. Beautiful place.

The actual site of Chichen Itza was amazing. This is one of the sites where the Mayans built large pyramids and cities. Most of the city has decayed away as the houses were made of wood, but the stone structures still stand. There was a sports area where the Mayans competed with other cities and the victors of a game got to live and play on while the losers were executed! There was also a tall building where the leaders would sacrifice people to appease the gods. We had a tour guide and he told us lots of interesting information about the civilization.

I enjoyed my week and found that I quite like travelling by myself. I would definitely do it again.