11-27-08
Another beautiful day in PDC. Today I enjoyed a private beach in a small town next to Playa Del Carmen. It's called Playacar and is a short walk (15 mins or so) from where our condo is to this private neighborhood. The houses were fantastic; the architecture was mesmerizing. The water was clear and the sand was pure. Laying on the beach and reading a book, it allowed my body to relax and it allowed my mind to clear.
While enjoying this moment on the private beach a golden retriever mix found his way to me. It was an odd comforting feeling. Not knowing the dog and its behavior, at first I was stand offish and cautious. However at closer look the dog was a pet. Madu was the name on his dog bone shaped tag and his owner's contact information was clearly printed in spanish on the other side.
After Madu introduced himself to me, he quickly found a coconut and I immediately knew this was his way of asking me to play with him. So, for quite some time, Madu and I played fetch with the coconut and swam in and out of the clear blue water. The waves would often catch us off guard but the fun of playing kept us entertained.
Behind the private beach were the ruins that Emily the night before (Thanksgiving night) shared with us. Madu actually followed me to the ruins as I left the beach and headed back to the condo in PDC to meet up with my friend, Liz.
Today was Liz's last day of class and tonight she had a party with her classmates and teacher. We treated ourselves to a Mayan dinner and the food was amazing, as was the ambiance. Our server was a very attractive local Mexican guy who was probably in his early 30's and enjoyed practicing his English with us.
After meeting Liz's classmates at the bar for their celebratory night, we walked our way to the beach where the Jazz Festival was going on. The beach was crowded with people from all regions of the world. I found the conversations of the people as much interesting as I did the sound of the instruments. It was almost as if the people were making music of their own and in their own varying languages.
The scenery was spectacular...a full production of a stage with the light show and side projectors on the side of the stage and the sand beneath our feet set a beautiful night. A blissful night of paradise.
This vacation is everything and much more than what I had imagined. PDC is definitely a place I would recommend everyone visiting if the opportunity presents itself.
Tomorrow is spa day...we've decided to treat ourselves to a relaxation day of massage and pampering at a local spa. My body has absorbed a lot of sun and is looking forward to a day of lotion and spiritual healing.
Thank you for reading and I hope you're enjoying my blogging!
Love to you all.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Turkey Day in Playa
11-27-08
It is beautiful here. Last night we had our own spin of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. It was an experience going to the local grocery store (Mega was the name) and picking out the items to cook. And, as a side note...it was all improvised because where we're staying doesn't have a kitchen stocked with spices and herbs, etc. So, it is very much of a "make do with what you can" environment.
Our Thanksgiving meal included pollo (chicken) ranchera style with mashed potatoes, green beans and aquash with bread. It was delicious. We ate outside on the palaypa and the weather was gorgeous. Afterwards, we met up with Liz's classmates at her school and went for Salsa lessons. The lessons were held in a cuban bar where the dance instructor was bilingual (English/Spanish). Girls were matched with guys and even if the number was off, the instructor was quick to get guys from the bar off their bar stools and out on the dance floor to appease the tourist! :o)
The night ended with a walk along the beach where there were locals tending to their fruit stands and a game of sand soccer going on across the street. These are the places that I like best...away from the tourist trap and a flavor or more local culture and lifestyle.
Tomorrow I am anticipating going to a more private beach and visiting some ruins. Tulum is nearby which is the Mayan ruins but it is an hour drive and I'm not sure when/if I will make it there. Instead, I am giong to visit the ones in Playa that have been moved here off the coast and placed closer to the town.
It is beautiful here. Last night we had our own spin of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. It was an experience going to the local grocery store (Mega was the name) and picking out the items to cook. And, as a side note...it was all improvised because where we're staying doesn't have a kitchen stocked with spices and herbs, etc. So, it is very much of a "make do with what you can" environment.
Our Thanksgiving meal included pollo (chicken) ranchera style with mashed potatoes, green beans and aquash with bread. It was delicious. We ate outside on the palaypa and the weather was gorgeous. Afterwards, we met up with Liz's classmates at her school and went for Salsa lessons. The lessons were held in a cuban bar where the dance instructor was bilingual (English/Spanish). Girls were matched with guys and even if the number was off, the instructor was quick to get guys from the bar off their bar stools and out on the dance floor to appease the tourist! :o)
The night ended with a walk along the beach where there were locals tending to their fruit stands and a game of sand soccer going on across the street. These are the places that I like best...away from the tourist trap and a flavor or more local culture and lifestyle.
Tomorrow I am anticipating going to a more private beach and visiting some ruins. Tulum is nearby which is the Mayan ruins but it is an hour drive and I'm not sure when/if I will make it there. Instead, I am giong to visit the ones in Playa that have been moved here off the coast and placed closer to the town.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Waking up in Paradise
11-25-08
I woke up in Paradise which sits in the middle of a poverty stricken community where the natives work desperately to make a living. Twelve hour days seven days a week are not uncommon here. The tourism dollar is necessary and food on the table for your family and children are essential.
This morning, I sat by the pool and finished a book before I walked to the beach. Upon entering the beach there were fishermen delivering their catch of the morning to the shore. Huge fish; being cleaned right there on the shore in front of tourists, where of course, we had to take a few photos.
Practicing my Spanish has been fun. My friend, Liz speaks the language better and more formal than I do. However, my slang terms and knowledge of the language are equally appreciated.
We ate lunch at a true and authentic place - we walked off the beaten path and enjoyed true cuisine. After lunch, Liz showed me around her first school in Playa - Solexico. It was a beautiful campus and only a couple of blocks away from a bakery. Yes, we stopped at the bakery on our way there and picked up fresh pan (bread) and dulces (sweet bread).
We walked the beach for an hour for exercise.
I woke up in Paradise which sits in the middle of a poverty stricken community where the natives work desperately to make a living. Twelve hour days seven days a week are not uncommon here. The tourism dollar is necessary and food on the table for your family and children are essential.
This morning, I sat by the pool and finished a book before I walked to the beach. Upon entering the beach there were fishermen delivering their catch of the morning to the shore. Huge fish; being cleaned right there on the shore in front of tourists, where of course, we had to take a few photos.
Practicing my Spanish has been fun. My friend, Liz speaks the language better and more formal than I do. However, my slang terms and knowledge of the language are equally appreciated.
We ate lunch at a true and authentic place - we walked off the beaten path and enjoyed true cuisine. After lunch, Liz showed me around her first school in Playa - Solexico. It was a beautiful campus and only a couple of blocks away from a bakery. Yes, we stopped at the bakery on our way there and picked up fresh pan (bread) and dulces (sweet bread).
We walked the beach for an hour for exercise.
Vibrant Colors Welcome Me
11-24-08
A spectacular rainbow greeted me into Cancun as the airplane touched down. It was subtle and it spoke the words I needed to hear. Relax – you’re on vacation; take a break. The brilliant colors served the purpose of the reminder I needed to start my week long vacation.
Upon landing, I found the nearest ATM so I could get cash for a bus ride to Playa. While standing in line for the ATM, I hear two young American travelers conversing about how to catch a bus. So, I quickly turned to them and asked if I could follow.
Dawna is a tour leader in South America and was here for work and Nick just started his backpacking adventure and was on his first day. Together, the three of us waiting on the bus to come and a short 45-minutes later, we were in Playa Del Carmen. (Playa is 45 minutes South of Cancun.)
We started out on 5th Avenue – the main drag for Playa. It is full of travelers and small boutiques lined the street with no cars that rely on the tourism dollars. Dawna left us first as she turned left for her hostel and shortly after, Nick turned left for his next bus trip. I continued a few more streets before turning off the main strip and finding Porto Playa where I met my friend, Liz.
Tonight, we went for a bite to eat. We opted for a native Mayan restaurant. After dinner we walked the street and Liz acquainted me with the town’s surroundings.
Tomorrow I am looking forward to more of an adventure. I plan on sleeping in, to let my body rest (besides, this is vacation), and then start meandering the streets of Mexico while also finding time to place my feet deep in the sand of the Atlantic coast.
A spectacular rainbow greeted me into Cancun as the airplane touched down. It was subtle and it spoke the words I needed to hear. Relax – you’re on vacation; take a break. The brilliant colors served the purpose of the reminder I needed to start my week long vacation.
Upon landing, I found the nearest ATM so I could get cash for a bus ride to Playa. While standing in line for the ATM, I hear two young American travelers conversing about how to catch a bus. So, I quickly turned to them and asked if I could follow.
Dawna is a tour leader in South America and was here for work and Nick just started his backpacking adventure and was on his first day. Together, the three of us waiting on the bus to come and a short 45-minutes later, we were in Playa Del Carmen. (Playa is 45 minutes South of Cancun.)
We started out on 5th Avenue – the main drag for Playa. It is full of travelers and small boutiques lined the street with no cars that rely on the tourism dollars. Dawna left us first as she turned left for her hostel and shortly after, Nick turned left for his next bus trip. I continued a few more streets before turning off the main strip and finding Porto Playa where I met my friend, Liz.
Tonight, we went for a bite to eat. We opted for a native Mayan restaurant. After dinner we walked the street and Liz acquainted me with the town’s surroundings.
Tomorrow I am looking forward to more of an adventure. I plan on sleeping in, to let my body rest (besides, this is vacation), and then start meandering the streets of Mexico while also finding time to place my feet deep in the sand of the Atlantic coast.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Tasty Turkey and Spanish Immersion
A soccer friend of mine is on sabbatical this year from ASU. She is traveling to various places while on sabbatical and was gracious enough to extended an invitation for me to meet her in Mexico. After some online financial crunching and last minute deals, I am booked! November 24 I leave for Playa Del Carmen. Playa is a 45 minute taxi ride south of Cancun (where I fly into). The pics I’ve found online are beautiful.
While I am there, I will be doing a lot of Spanish immersion. Playa Lingua is a school that provides intensive language training at a reasonable price. Salsa classes are provided (that’s dancing btw, not burn your mouth tomato paste) as are culinary classes, stone carving and much more. Not to mention the snorkeling, diving and swim with the dolphins.
We’re staying at an upscale resort called Porto Playa. Check out unit #208 - that's the place!!! http://www.condohotelsplayadelcarmen.com/portoplaya/units_all.php
And the school we’re attending is: http://www.playalingua.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110&Itemid=292&lang=en
The idea of this blog actually started out from the spontaneity of this trip. I’ll be updating it daily while in Mexico with pictures and daily journals.
Viva Mexico!
Monday, November 3, 2008
My travel to Spain last year
Where to begin? Overall our trip to Europe was amazing. Even the mishaps with our airline plans placed us in situations that are unforgettable. We started on March 8 and flew from Phoenix to New York. Once we landed (late) we literally ran with our backpacks and my shoes off through the JFK airport to our next terminal. We realized that we were not going to get on our connecting flight from New York to Madrid and needed to make plans for the night to stay with Maren's brother, Matthew, in Queens. On March 9 we did make our plane from New York to now, Barcelona and we made it first class! That in itself was worth it. Reclining leather seats, personal televisions with just about any movie to select from and flight attendants at your beckoning call – we couldn't ask for more. We landed in Barcelona and truly began our European experience. First stop, the Barcelona train station…we took a train from Barcelona to Pamplona where Maren's cousin, Billy, picked us up. We stayed six nights in Pamplona and explored Pamplona, Olite, Urepel (France) and San Sebastian.
On March 15 we took an overnight train back to Barcelona and spent the day exploring Barcelona. On March 16 we took an overnight train from Barcelona to Genoa, Italy where we would then catch another train to Cinque Terre. We arrived in Monterroso on March 16 in the afternoon and headed to our hotel (Hotel Souvenir, suggested by our friend, Megan). On Saturday, we trekked Cinque Terre and it was absolutely worth the sore legs that I still have! J Everyone who told me about their Cinque Terre trip was right, it is a phenomenal trek with beautiful views and definitely worth the experience. This was one of my most enjoyable moments of the entire trip.
On Sunday, we trained to Milan to make our flight when we were told that 23 flights to the US were cancelled two days prior and they are still filtering through all the passengers. It wasn't looking good for us again. In our state of panic and anxiety, we agreed to go anywhere on our Eurorail pass to another airport that would give us better departure options. We ended up on another train (we've never trained this much) from Milan to Zurich, Switzerland. The train ride was 5 hours on a high speed train with 5 stops along the way. The views from the train were breathtaking. There was snow everywhere once we got into Switzerland. We passed several lakes and villages tucked away along the mountainside. We believe that we also saw the Matterhorn. This was another one of my most enjoyable moments of the entire trip.
On the train to Switzerland from Italy, we drank a bottle and a half of wine and ended up sleeping in a corner of the Zurich airport. It was like we were living the Tom Hanks, Terminal movie. And let me tell you, it is nice to find a free luggage cart and seeing a McDonald's or Starbucks was comforting. In the morning when we woke up, still curled up in the corner of the airport on the floor with our luggage around us and reminisce of the wine we drank, we decided to go outside in the snow. Why not, right….we had to make the most of it and when else would we be in the Swiss Alps?
On March 15 we took an overnight train back to Barcelona and spent the day exploring Barcelona. On March 16 we took an overnight train from Barcelona to Genoa, Italy where we would then catch another train to Cinque Terre. We arrived in Monterroso on March 16 in the afternoon and headed to our hotel (Hotel Souvenir, suggested by our friend, Megan). On Saturday, we trekked Cinque Terre and it was absolutely worth the sore legs that I still have! J Everyone who told me about their Cinque Terre trip was right, it is a phenomenal trek with beautiful views and definitely worth the experience. This was one of my most enjoyable moments of the entire trip.
On Sunday, we trained to Milan to make our flight when we were told that 23 flights to the US were cancelled two days prior and they are still filtering through all the passengers. It wasn't looking good for us again. In our state of panic and anxiety, we agreed to go anywhere on our Eurorail pass to another airport that would give us better departure options. We ended up on another train (we've never trained this much) from Milan to Zurich, Switzerland. The train ride was 5 hours on a high speed train with 5 stops along the way. The views from the train were breathtaking. There was snow everywhere once we got into Switzerland. We passed several lakes and villages tucked away along the mountainside. We believe that we also saw the Matterhorn. This was another one of my most enjoyable moments of the entire trip.
On the train to Switzerland from Italy, we drank a bottle and a half of wine and ended up sleeping in a corner of the Zurich airport. It was like we were living the Tom Hanks, Terminal movie. And let me tell you, it is nice to find a free luggage cart and seeing a McDonald's or Starbucks was comforting. In the morning when we woke up, still curled up in the corner of the airport on the floor with our luggage around us and reminisce of the wine we drank, we decided to go outside in the snow. Why not, right….we had to make the most of it and when else would we be in the Swiss Alps?
New Blog Creation
Welcome!
In an attempt to release my creativity online, I've created this new blog - Travels & Treasures. Please enjoy visiting my blog as often as you would like. I will do my best at updating it with my personal travels and the treasures I gather along the way.
In response, I would like to ask each of you who visit to let me know what you think, what you would like to see next or comment on some of your own personal travels & treasures.
Ciao for now!
Jarrett
In an attempt to release my creativity online, I've created this new blog - Travels & Treasures. Please enjoy visiting my blog as often as you would like. I will do my best at updating it with my personal travels and the treasures I gather along the way.
In response, I would like to ask each of you who visit to let me know what you think, what you would like to see next or comment on some of your own personal travels & treasures.
Ciao for now!
Jarrett
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