8 Dec 2015-2 Jan 2016 Happy new year 2016!!! Quintana Roo - Tolum, Puerto Morelos, chicheniza, Isla de Holbox, Isla Mujeres

Quintana Roo - Tolum, Puerto Morelos, chicheniza,

Isla de Holbox, Isla Mujeres

In Tolum is a beautiful beach with a Maya's archeological site. I was so tired of visiting the other archeological sites that I decided by then not to visit this one anymore. As soon as we got off the ADO bus station on the way from Palenque we've been asked by taxi drivers 80MXN (5$) for a 4 km drive. Sometimes they make absurd prices for foreigners. Luckily while I asked for information how to get to the beach one of the locals offered us a ride as he was going there anyway. It turned out that he was from Mexico City. He completed his phd in archeology in Spain, then he decided to move back to Mexico. He moved to Tolum where he is completing his diving course in order to take tourists to the caves under the water in cenotes - natural lakes created from a river above the sea. His cousin who came to the beach with us was studying a contemporary dance in Mexico City. That was such a causality to meet those two opened minded Mexicans in a little sea town of Tolum. Initially we went to the camping by the sea immersed in a middle of the bush, we didn't like the  way we've been treated by the forefingers who run that place therefore we moved on. We thought about free camping but we found a little camping with only two tents by the sea as we usually settle in anyway and only 3$ per person therefore we took it. It was near by the Maya's ruins but still the site wasn't accessible from the sea. The trees were very convenient to hang the fabric on to and practice my aerial dance. Unfortunately I fell sick after eating some not so fresh food or rather drinking liquids containing the contaminated ice. I've been told by tourists that lots of them have stomach problems. In Cuba we were drinking a tap water on constant bases so I though it could be OK to do so over here. Apparently I was wrong. The first night and the following day I was dying in spams lying on the beach and sleeping. I was so tired and in pain that couldn't move. The next day I felt much better so I started eating and everything came back to normal. Started taking over my regular routine of my life by the beach, morning swim, run and yoga practice. I climbed up on the silks, we took few pictures which actually were not too bad. The light was good in the morning. The only inconvenience over there was that the little town was 4 km away from us and the camping restaurant was so expensive, like 5 x more than the local ones. It was a pain to walk to the town each time for a food. Beside the fact that the beach was amazing we couldn't access easily the food so we kept on moving. We avoided crowded  beaches in Playa de Carmen which we visited only for a half day, as well as Cancun. After we met a nice Argentinian/Columbian couple they recommended us to go to Puerto Morelos which was 70km away and had got a little town with locals next to the beach. So we did, we went to Puerto Morelos where we free camped by the sea. It was a chilled touristic area but not only with foreigners but also with local tourism. The prices were accessible and the food was traditional Mexican. We found this local Taquerîa where we had full breakfast by 3$ each. They make the Mexican breakfast with scrabble eggs, ham, cheese and frijoles (beans), it's pretty spicy but tasty. All is served with tacos instead of bread. This is the best culinar speciality of Mexico however you need to be careful of not overeating it as you can get easily fat. They don't have vegs on their manu, they serve vegs, fruit and fresh juices for tourists. As I was unsatisfied that I didn't get chance to see the Tulum's ruins because in first place I didn't want to, after meeting unexpectedly the guy from Tolum - Alberto he invited us to cenotes. He was on a diving course there. He drove us there in direction of Tolum. We escaped from the mosquitos and cenotes (underwater caves) and took collectivo ( a local bus) and went to Tolum where we've stayed before for few days and finally visited the ruins. Those are the only Maya's ruins by the sea. Very beautiful view, very hot so it was nice to jump into the sea to refresh. After a weekly stay in Puerto Morelos which was pretty authentic and nice we took a ferry and went to Holbox Island. That would be a great choice if we weren't eaten by mosquitos and sand flies on daily bases. When you live by the sea in a tent it's not easy survive with the insects. This island was almost virgin with a few tourists and Cabañas (bungalows). It was still untouched little island where there were no asfalded roads and no cars, only the golf cars and motors. The main transport was by foot or bike. It was nice to walk bare feet. We found a nice local economic restaurant with a very good quality food. We attempted it twice a day for the combined breakfast (5$) and a fish and sea food including lobster dinner (10$ each). It was more or less like in Cuba. For breakfast the fresh juice or coffee, fruit salad, eggs would be served. They make chaquiles, which is a special Mexican dish with eggs or chicken with a bit spicy sauce served on base of nachos (fried tacos). If it was made properly it was very tasty. In that restaurant run by Rosy was really good. The ham and cheese pancakes as well as the vegs omelettes were also great. The Xmas lobster and mariscos (seafood) soup was amazing. The only mistake was a Yucatan style fish which I guess wasn't fresh. After that I fell ill. I've got used to that terrible stomachache and cramps, nausea and tiredness so I could handle it better. Usually the first 24 hours are the worse and after that you still have  diarea but you can function at least. All my daily routine of running by the beach swimming  and yoga were disturbed again. The Fact of feeling unwell with the stomach, after a constant mosquitos and sand flies tourture even if the place was a paradise, we were exhausted, in pain and ready to go. The next destination was Isla Mujeres (island of women) even smaller island than Holbox but more populated and with lots of constructions. Plenty of tourists with asfalded roads. We've managed to find a nice hostel after our Jewish Polish American friend's advice (David met in Holbox). The Poc-na hostel is a 40 years hostel situated by the beach. There is a rocky side of the island which is chilled and away from American tourists. This is the place where we are camping. They do the free activities for guests. One of which is yoga. After I attended one session it turned out that the Italian teacher Nadia couldn't deliver classes for the next 6 days until the new year 2016. She asked if someone was a yoga teacher and could take it over. It was just a perfect timing. At least I don't have to pay for my stay and the food prices are discounted for me as a staff member of poc-na. 

The last night of staying in that hostel I met an interesting person Simon. Him and his other couple of friends were sailing on their 37" Jenault from Guatemala to Cuba. As their encountered the difficulties to sail against the current, they anchored by  Mexico. They spent on Isla Mujeres the  New Year's Eve and they are ready to sail to Cuba 4th of January. As they are running out of money they advertised for somebody to join for only 150$ one way trip. They are making a documentary movie about the sustainable living on the boat. They are from Holand. Whoever is reading this blog and would like to supper them please check out their website: www.frisse-wind.org 

It's in Duch but you can translate it on Google translator. It's such a great idea to travel around the world on a sailing boat and trying to self sustain the boat and yourself. Good luck guys and have a great wind!!!

30nov-7dec Mexico

Oaxaca - Tuxctla Gutierrez/Hierve el agua / Monte Alban

San Cristobal: Cascade De Chiflon /Lago de montebello/

Ocosingo/Tonina/

Agua Azul/Palenque 

After such an amazing experience of waterfalls in the same region of Champas we took a public transport (collectivo) and ended up in archeological side of Maya's - monte Alban. It was a definitely tour worth of the visit. We spent like 100 pesos (5$)in total for the whole trip and the entrance in opposed to 400 pesos (20$) charged by the agency. Then we moved on to San Cristobol which was supposed to be a nice village. It turned up to be another Touristic crowded by Mexicans town. We found a posada to stay in but the sheets weren't cleaned. I felt really sick by the idea of sleeping in someone else's bed sheets. It spoiled my whole experience of the town and pseudo colonial house. I really didn't want to stay there any longer. In fact we stayed there only for one night. We went from there for the excursion (200pesos each (12$) and we visited such a beautiful national park with a waterfall called Chiflon. The place was fantastic, the only time to explore it was missing. I was whiling to go for a swim but we didn't have enough time to do so. Also the weather wasn't great. It started raining at the end of the tour. A really nice part of it was a 'tirolesa'. We've got tighten up to the wire and dragged all the way down to the southern side of the river.  It was such an emotional experience to see the waterfall underneath. Definitely worthy of doing it. Eventually we went to another one of the greatest wonders of nature - a lake of Montebello. It was one of over 60 lakes located in south east of Mexico on a border with Guatemala. In fact we could see from the other shore for the lake the other country - Guatemala which we are going to visit later on. We came back to San Cristobol at 9pm, took a walk arround the town, and in the heart of it we joined in the religious prossecion of Guatemalas goddess. We followed up the proseccion with musicians and claimed up the hound reds of stairs leading up to the highest church I have ever seen. We bummed into the Mexican family which we met on the tour. We had got a lunch with them and exchanged few customs about the cuisine and the way of living other there. There were s middle class family from a different region more central. They style life was very much like ours - European's one. We kept bumping into them while we were wondering around the streets of San Cristobol and eventually we made a nice and friendly connection. We will en exchanged our mobile numbers. The invited us to their house and it would be great to take such an opportunity and visit then but unfortunately we are heading in the opposite direction. We exchanged the invite but it would be a mission impossible for them (5 members) family to travel to Europe. Nether the less we enjoyed their company. It was a first family we made a friendship with since we arrived in Mexico. We've been here only for a week but it seems like we've been traveling for ages. We visited all the most important sites in south Mexico and still heading to south east to rest by the beach. For now it is a very much mountain, rainforests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and archeological sites experience. The nature here is amazing. 

After wondering around the city over the night we took the bus and ended up in Tonina. Another archeological side of Maya's temple. It wasn't on our list but after we've met a Greek guy who was married and divorced to a Mexican woman, we were recommended to visit Tonina as apparently it was the quietest place. In fact it wasn't easy to get there by night and by public transport but definitely worth of visit. We ended up at 5am in this quite village with only one place which was renting out the bungalows. We didn't have to wake up the owners as their sons were already there to open us the gate and invite to one of the bungalows. I must say it was exactly something I was dreaming of after staying in crowded and hectic towns from which we could go to visit the nature, this was actually the place immersed in the middle of the nature. There were no cars, no people shouts, but the sound of the Forrest. The bungalow was very primitive without hot water and without fresh bed sheets. But I've got used to it and just asked for the fresh ones. Likely we had our own sleeping bags therefore we use them in the energy cases like this. The archeological site of Tonina was so far the best Maya's ruins we have seen. On top of that we entered the site for free and we literally were accommodated 5 minutes of walk away from the ruins. There was no foreign tourists, only the Mexican ones. The site was big and impressive. We climbed up few high temples with mind blowing views. It was a silenced, immersed in a middle of the nature Maya's territory. We were part of it even few ages ahead. 

We had got a nice local Mexican breakfast fried eggs with vegs and beans with tortillas cooked by a local lady. Later on we had got a nice chicken stock more or less like the Polish one with some pork and tortillas. We spent a couple of days there and after a huge fight we left the place and moved on to Agua Azul. Agua Azul is such a wonderful natural reserve with springs and water falls. The esther wasn't great therefore the water was muddy and brown. However the rain forest was pretty and it was nice to be immersed  in the jungle with indigenous. The hotel was very average (only 250 mex pesos~25$) but we didn't really have a choice to get to any better one. It looked like foreigners weren't staying there, just visiting on the tour. One night over there was enough. We jumped on to a little track and went to Palenque. The journey was ethnically interesting with all the indigenous villages around and people living in very poor conditions. They looked clean and happy. When you travel your mind keeps wondering around and questioning your own life's values, we naturally judge  others but actually we don't know what reasons are behind someone's choices. We need to accept ourselves the way we are in order to accept others. The trip took a couple of hours (40 MHN ~ 2.5$) and eventually we arrived in Palenque - the Maya's archeological site. It's a very Touristic place, therefore there was no need of staying too long. We went to the national park to visit this famous Maya's temple immersed in the jungle. The main aim for me was to see the monkeys and tigers but to be able to enter in the reserve you need a guid. Well, we had got the youngest guid ever, it felt like we were supporting the children labour abuse. The 9th year old boy was impressive and his knowledge about the bush, flora and fauna wasn't too bed either. Of course he was trying to make his living by using tourists but we found it so touching. Somehow   seeing this little boy dressed by Indiana Johns who was taking us around little area  of the jungle made us feel welcomed and honoured by using his guidelines. He even have us s little stones as they were the remains of ruins. Of course there were just a normal stones but he gave us something which would remind us of himself. Then we discovered a little natural swimming pool wth the entrance from the Maya's temple stairs. It was a nice experience to jump in to the Mayas swimming pool and refresh;) after a day trip we took a bus and went to Tolum. 

Central America 28th Nov-29th Feb

28th Nov - 29th feb Mexico City 28th - 30th Nov The preparation time before taking off from London was as usual very hectic and mad. Ive got to sort out the outstanding paper work bombarding me from all the possible fronts. Eventually have managed to get on the Air France London-Paris-Mexico City. The Mexico City didn't seem to be particularly warm during the night and in the morning. It was good to have some warm clothes from London. During the day from noon on the temperature would increase double. It was pretty hot. The people and the city looked very welcoming and pleasant. The best part of Mexico City's experience was a visit of the house of the most famous Mexican painters: Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Such a wonderful house and courtyard to creat the art in. That was an amazing and very moving experience to be in the place where Frida created her paintings in such a pain and sufferance. She had got one shorted leg than the other therefore her spine was screwed.a part from special shoes she was wearing, she had to wear the special corsets all her life. At the end of her life's course she had got an leg amputated, one year later in 1954 she died. Her life wasn't easy but she maintained a very positive and joyful spirit. She was sexually very active having male and female partners. She was taking inspirations for her paintings from her own life. Her paintings were about 'I' not about 'we' what was the most characteristic during the Surrealism movement. She was famous for her self portraits talking about her pain and life which was mirroring the others lives. "I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best." We visited also the "plaza revolucion" but nothing really impressive. The underground was pretty confusing with a very poor indications, we kept taking the trains in a opposite directions. After living 11 years in london with the biggest underground in the world I felt like I have never experienced the metro before. They need probably more time to improve the service in terms to put more indications for the directions. First couple of nights we spent in a proper hotel (El Ejucutivo) Calle Viena No 8. It was a 100$ per night hotel but with the 'ebookers' discount we stayed for 2 nights in a king bed room for 60£. Such a good deal. Two nights spent in a Mexico City were just enough and pick up a bus to rich the spectacular wonderland of Hierve el Agua. It's a set of natural rock formation in Mexican City of Oaxaca with wonderful waterfalls and fantastic natural pools. I've swam in one of those in the fresh over-saturated with calcium carbonate and other minerals water. It was really refreshing and mind blowing experience, definitely recommend to everybody. We visited the biggest tree in the world "Arbol Del Tule" and the Zapoteca independent city 12/13c Mitla -place of the death. It was so hot and I couldn't really follow the guid. I just wanted to hide in a shade. 

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