New Years in Cancun

I love Contiki trips but they jam so much adventure, fun and culture into such short periods that when your done you need a vacation from your vacation! Luckily we decided to extend our trip one more day so that we could relax and enjoy the white sand beaches of Cancun.

We wasted away the final day of 2015 on a white sand beach in Cancun.

After some well deserved rest we got guzzied up and ready to ring in the new year Cancun style!

We headed to a massive beach party and concert. Chelsea and Sarah were leaving on an early bird flight that morning so we took advantage of the few hours we had left and danced the night away. At one point we even made it into the VIP section thanks to some fancy Mexican VIPs. We stole their SWAG and some free drinks then ran away from them. After the ball dropped I said my goodbyes to Chelsea and Sarah who had to get to the airport. I stayed and danced with the other Contiki people who were there too. Around 4am the party was still going hard but I was ready to go. drunkenly I thought it was a good idea to walk home alone…but somehow I managed to make it. I fell asleep on the bathroom floor and woke up the next morning feeling very hung over. But it was worth it. It always is.

I spent my last morning in Cancun sweating off a hangover in a beach chair eating tacos. Good vacation? Yes. Oh yes.

 

Yucatan Highlights – Day 5 & 6

I don’t have any photos from day five of my Mexican adventure because we went zip lining and cave diving and I wasn’t going to risk brining my phone. But here’s a video that is axactly what we did!

Zip lining was so much fun and flying into the caves was exhilarating (and refreshing). However, repelling into the cave to terrifying! I’m glad I did it though. The whole adventure was physically exhausting and we all passed out on the ride back.

Dinner on night 5 was less than exciting. A majority of our group was really sick with the Mexican flu (don’t drink the water). Plus our dinner was not very good. But it was relaxing and nice to catch up with the few who felt like hanging out.

 

CoCo Bongo

It was expensive. It was crowded. We danced on the bar. Nat fell off. Enough said.

 

Cure for Hangover – Yucatan Highlights Day 4

It was rough going this morning as our group met up. Many people decided to sit today’s excursion out due to mixture of hangover and the Mexican flu. Although I would’ve been happy staying in bed all morning I rallied and made sure to catch the bus to Tulum!

Tulum is a Mayan archaeological that overlooks the sea. It’s cliff top fortress is absolutely breathtaking and the ocean breeze was welcoming under the hot Mexican sun. We even got to see where the sea turtles nest on the beach (we couldn’t go near it, but we could see).

Next stop Playa del Carmen for some much needed rest and sun bathing.

 

Hangover Cure

Chocolate milkshake

 

 

Cancun goes hard

If you’ve been following my blog then you know I LOVE TO DRINK. After all alcohol is universal, so I always make a point to sample local spirits everywhere I go. Cancun is a party city. The club and bar options are endless.

For our first night in Cancun we started it off at the loudest, silliest, wildest restaurant I’ve ever been Carlos and Charlies. The atmosphere was great. But maybe if the staff spent less time dancing and telling jokes are food would’ve come faster? Or maybe they delay the food so you’ll buy more drinks and shots? The food was so so but the drinks were excellent. I had a mile high margarita and a variety of shots bought by our table.

 

Feeling nice and warmed up we walked just across the street to the famous Mandala Disco. Our group decided to be VIP. So we paid a flat fee and had open bottle service and boy did we take advantage of that! We free poured our own screwdrivers, rum and cokes and what ever else we could get our hands on. The bottles were literally flowing. We danced and danced. Every now and then they would have free shots on the stage. So of course we bummed rushed to get those as well. Towards the end of the night when things were getting a little blurry they had a stripping contest. That was an eye full. But hey, it’s Cancun! I actually don’t remember how we got home that night, but somehow we managed. But not before everyone accidentally drank the mexican tap water….

 

Chichen Itza – Yucatan Highlights Day 3

Tensions were high this morning after learning that my travel companions and others on our tour had been robbed.

After a brief counseling on the importance of keeping your money safe and bags locked we boarded our bus and put on the day song and drove towards on of the 8th wonders of the world Chichen Itza!

These ancient ruins are a must see. We had a guided tour that disproved some of the urban legends surrounding the Mayans and showed us some secrets of the sacred grounds (like the bird clap). Afterwards we had a ton of time to roam around, chase lizards and shop the flea market.

Bursting with new found knowledge of Mayan culture and dripping with sweat from the Mexican sun we were ready to cool off. Luckily around the bend from Chichen Itza is a refreshing cenote where we got to jump off ledges and swim surrounded by lush jungle foliage and towering cave walls. 

 

 

Robbed – no bueno.

Last night our members of our Contiki group were robbed.

A large group of us were hanging out on the roof top deck of our hotel when two fellow travelers came up and revealed that a cash had gone missing from their suitcases. After that several other people went to check their belongings and discovered they were also missing money. No one was robbed of everything. Only several bills here and there. We think the thief did this thinking no one would notice such small amounts missing. But for my travel mates who were on tight budgets every penny counted.

Our tour manager Abe did the best he could to console everyone but there was no way to tell when and where the crime took place. We all suspected our bus driver. The bags were on the coach for a long time during the day unmonitored.

Our suspicions were raised the next morning with the bus driver showed up late and looked like he had an all night rager…

The moral of this story is: DON’T LEAVE CASH UNATTENDED & ALWAYS LOCK YOUR SUITCASE!

 

Merida, Mexico -Yucatan Highlights Day 2

Up early for our flight from Mexico City to Merida!

Yummy Chicken Tostadas

We arrived around 10am and headed right out for Brunch at La Chaya Maya. Our tour manager recommended a Mexican specialty dish. For life of me I can’t remember what is was or was called. I do remember it being horrible. Luckily one of my friends order something else and we all shared hers while we  sipped mysterious green aloe drinks.

After our group brunch we were able to drop our bags at the hotel and then had free time. So Chelsea, Sarah and I decided to walk to the zoo. The Merida zoo is free and actually very cool (although if they probably do not meet most animals rights groups terms for animal capitvity). They had soooo many tigers. I think maybe 100, in all different shapes, colors and sizes.

 

After a few hours, several bottles of water and pounds of sweat we headed back to the hotel and freshened up for dinner.

We met our tour guide and walked to the city center for a short historical tour. We saw the famous cathedral of Merida and expereinced the busy and vibrant marketplace.

Then in groups of four we boarded horse drawn carriages for a bumpey ride towards our resturant.

Dinner at El Refugio Fonda was probably the best meal I had in mexico. There was free sangria and a buffet that featured Merida specialties like Tortilla Lime soup and Mole. 

Plate stacked high.

 

 

 

Mexico City isn’t scary, it’s amazing

When planning for my trip to Mexico I was met with much concern from friends and family. Mainly because I was not going straight to the touristy beaches of Puerto Vallarta and Cancun. I started my trip in Mexico city. As a woman traveling alone (I met up with a group later) I was warned to stay vigilant, cary pepper spray, don’t stray from the beaten path, ect. Honestly I was nervous about Mexico City. Recently the news has been flooded with horror stories about kidnappings and murders in Mexico. So entering the city I was certainly on guard.

Mexico city view from my hotel

But from the moment I touched down in MEX I felt nothing but compassion and kindness from the citizens I encountered. I quickly found that residents of Mexico city want to erase the stigma surrounding their historical, cultural and vibrant home. I felt safe walking around. I easily navigated the well kept streets and was helped by several friendly people. I also noticed there was a large police presence. Knowing around every block I could find a blue light or standing police officer eased my nerves.

Before traveling to Mexico I made friends with two others from my tour. We made plans to meet up for dinner. The three of us wandered through the city center and found an amazing Mexican Seafood restaurant called Chuchito Perez Roma. After struggling a bit with the language barriers we managed to order Mojitos, beers and lots of tacos! I sampled duck, chorizo and steak tacos. The food was so fresh and colorful. The waiters were hilarious and very patient with our terrible Spanish.

After dinner we explored the city a little more before heading to the rooftop of our hotel for a night cap.

Where did I stay?

Best Western Royal Zona

Where did I eat?

Chuchito Perez Roma

Yucatan Highlights of Mexico Day 1

This morning I rose before the sun and met up with my Contiki Tour group. After meeting our tour manager and tour mates we headed out to see Mexico City!

We hopped aboard our coach and began with a historical tour of the National Palace and historic city center. Then we journeyed through the Coyoacan barrio. Coyoacan is a relaxed, colorful and historic neighborhood. It’s lined with old mansions, fountains and beautiful squares. There we also saw Frida Kahlo’s famous blue studio.

We ventured briefly through the markets and sampled authentic Churros. I had a nuttella filled and pear filled churros. They were warm, gooey and crunchy. Muy Delisiouso!

Next stop was a river boat tour of Mexico’s famous floating markets. We rode through the markets on a vibrant and colorful pontoon boat. We saw merchandisers selling ponchos, flowers, food and beer. It was interesting to watch people bid and barter over products. We were there on a national holiday, so the market was pretty empty. I would love to go back to the market on a busy day to see it in full action!

Afterwards we boarded the coach again and rode about one hour towards our final destination, Teotihuacan. Before reaching the pyramids we feasted at an included buffet and were entertained by a crazy and very bouncy dance show. After the show we were invited to a tequila tasting. We were offered multiple shots of various types of pure Mexican tequilas. It’s always a good idea to get tipsy before climbing ancient ruins. Right?

She’d win a twerking competition

Finally we made it to the famous Sun and Moon Temples of Teotihuacan. We were free to roam the grounds and hike up the humongous pyramids. Teotihuacan is one of the last remaining ancient pyramids that you can still climb up. I highly recommend you make the hike. The view from the top is absolutely breath taking and completely worth the effort.

Starting my trip to Mexico by visiting Teotihuacan really set the tone for my Mexican adventure. Mexico is full of so much history, culture and color. 

On the ride back to Mexico city the coach was absolutely silent. Everyone was exhausted from climbing up the pyramids. Once we got back to the hotel I met my new roommate Gina, got dressed up and ready to see Mexico city at night!

We attended another fully including dinner. Every thing was delicious. We had tacos, stuffed chilis, rice, grilled chicken and agave water. Later the group dispersed. My friends Chelsea, Sarah and I decided to wander around for a bit longer. We stumbled upon a bar that specialized in Alcoholic Ice Cream! It was set up like a typical ice cream parlor, but all of the flavors are infused with liqueurs! I had Mint Chocolate Chip and it was spectacular. We all even felt a little buzzed afterwards. I think a ice cream bar would do fantastic in the states. I know I’d be there number one customer!

My first day in Mexico was jammed packed. We saw beautiful architecture, artisan sculptures, sampled tostadas and tequila and were mesmerized by extreme vistas.

Mexico is so much more then I imagined.

Contiki perk: The only thing I paid for all day were the Churro’s and bottled water. All of the meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) and entry to Pyramids, floating markets and tequila tasting were included in the total cost of my trip with Contiki!