55 days with the family in the Yucatán, including a side trip to Belize...

Hi everyone!

That was about all the Spanish I could speak before we left... Luckily, Tom, 15 and in high school, gets by just fine! And Caroline did a year of Duolingo before we took off... Anyway, after 55 days in the American West three years ago, it’s Mexico’s turn for this second long adventure.

A quick intro to the crew:





- Oscar, 10, a sporty and lively little boy who loves swimming and basketball, - Tom, 15, a high schooler, sporty and tall, who loves swimming and American football, - Caroline, 47, a PE teacher, sporty , loves hiking and snorkeling, - and me, Sylvain, 50, a science teacher, sporty, loves traveling and always has a possible next trip in mind

We mostly travel by swapping our house to discover beautiful France and the world: 135 swaps over the last 13 years.....

Our itinerary is pretty classic since it’s our first time in the Yucatán, and we’ll make a little 10-day detour to Belize...

See you soon...

Day 1: The day of the first step in Mexico...

We arrived from our native Normandy last night at the Novotel in Roissy. This morning, up at 6:30 to walk 5 minutes and reach terminal 3, check-in, security, and waiting for our Air Transat flight (4270 € round trip/4 people/1 stop) at 9:30...

First flight was smooth until Montréal, but... no headphones!!!! Out of stock on the plane, the flight attendants are sorry, but not as much as we are!!!!! Oh well, we’ll take turns with Tom’s headphones...🙁

3-hour layover in Montréal, picnic break, games, then the flight to Cancún still with Air Transat, but this time... no screens🤪, so we try to nap as much as possible during the 4-hour flight! We arrive fresh and perky 😏 at 6:30 PM local time, grab our luggage quickly after a fast customs check, and we’re outside by 7:15 PM!!!😎 We negotiate a collectivo for 1000 pesos to reach our hotel for the night downtown: Adhara Express (great find at 85 €). A beautiful mural near the hotel:



Okay, even though we’re fresh and perky, a shower is a must. We change and head to Parque Palapas for a bite to eat, and BAM!!! Right into the local vibe—there’s a concert tonight with rap battles on stage 😎. We’ve barely set foot on Mexican soil and we’re already in the thick of it!!!



We eat at one of the many food stalls—burritos and quesadillas for 250 pesos for 4 (divide by 20 to get an idea of the price in euros). If you’re looking to eat downtown, this is the place to go!



After catching some of the battles, we head back to the hotel around 9:30 PM (3:30 AM in France). We’re exhausted!!!🏴‍☠️, but we still decide to take a quick dip in the pool—the water must be at 35°C!!!!!



Showers and BED! PHEW!

Hello Sylvain, I imagine this trip is going to be quite the adventure! 😅 I loved the Yucatán region, but for us it was only 3 weeks—so 8 weeks sounds amazing! 😍 You’re going to show me Belize, which I don’t know at all! 😊

Hi Sylvain, I loved the tone and vibe of your American travel journal, so I’ll be following this one—especially since Mexico has probably changed a lot since my trip back in the last century! First surprise: the local vibe has shifted from Mariachis to rap, so yeah, it’s definitely changed

Hi Bruno, welcome aboard—and yeah, so much has changed in the world since the pandemic. Especially prices in most countries!!!!

Hi Isabelle, Belize will have to wait for a little later!!!😉

Day 2: the day we take it easy...

We were supposed to arrive next Tuesday, starting with our first house swap, but a pretty good flight deal made us leave 3 days earlier, so we had to find things to do and a place to stay in the meantime...

We didn’t want to stay in Cancún, so I checked out hotels in Playa Del Carmen on Hotels.com, and boom—big promo for 2 nights all-inclusive right on the beach! Deal, even though all-inclusive isn’t really our thing, but 2 nights here to get over the jet lag might not be so bad 😎

Before that, speaking of easy jet lag, we woke up at 5 a.m. for the grown-ups and 6 a.m. for the kids... Breakfast wasn’t until 8 a.m., so we took a little stroll around the neighborhood, withdrew some cash (Ban Coppel ATM fee: 29 pesos), then hit the hotel gym. Showers and breakfast included, so at 8 a.m., it was a pretty solid buffet and actually pretty good.

We headed to the ADO bus terminal to book 4 tickets (400 pesos) to Playa Del Carmen, leaving at 1 p.m. Then we went across the street to Oxxo to buy 3 SIM cards (3 x 150 pesos for 1 month) before heading to Mercado 23, which we’d been told was better than Mercado 28 (apparently the vendors there are pretty aggressive and it’s too touristy...). We wandered around, past vendors selling "fresh" meat (ugh)



and piñatas (bim bam)



and fruits and veggies (yum)



and tortillas made right in front of us!



We started shopping: Mexico jerseys for the guys, an embroidered scarf for my wife.

Back at the hotel, pool time, showers, check-out, and back to the bus station where we grabbed a bite while waiting for our bus. Off to Playa Del Carmen—1 hour in a super comfy air-conditioned bus, then arrival at the hotel: Allegro Playacar (around 600 € for 2 nights all-inclusive). We splurged on this because half of our nights on this trip are "free" thanks to house swapping!



We didn’t waste any time diving into the hotel perks: pool, snacks around 5 p.m. with fruit but also hot dogs and fries for the guys!!!! Ridiculous!!!!, a little American football on the beach with Tom, tennis, showers, cocktail hour, then a big buffet—the boys were in heaven!!!! A little post-dinner stroll in the park



and the jet lag gently reminded us it was time for bed. By 10 p.m., we were in bed, exhausted, full, and happy!

SLEEP TIME!

Day 3: The day we discover Playa Del Carmen...

Woke up at 5 AM for the adults. The kids are still asleep... We leave them a note and go for a walk on the beach for an hour... The parade of tractors cleaning up the sargassum never stops!!! It’s really the scourge of the Caribbean from June to October... We come across sea turtle nesting squares...



We head back, Oscar’s up, but not Tom—he’s still recovering from jet lag! Breakfast buffet, first try of chilaquiles (yummy). Then it’s lounging by the pool, reading, swimming, and some are already sipping cocktails at 10 AM—the downsides of all-inclusive... We spot a patch of beach untouched by sargassum, the water’s gorgeous, so we rush to jump in the waves for an hour, then back to the pool while Oscar plays beach volleyball with some Americans and Dutch folks! Okay, but all that intense activity made us hungry!!! Time for the lunch buffet!!! Good thing we’re only staying two nights—at this rate, we’d gain 10 kilos in a week!!!🤪

Full, we head back to the room and encounter an unknown animal...



Short nap, set up the SIM cards, and some reading, then the guys get a little hungry around 4 PM—snack time😄... PIZZAS, seriously?!!!

We take a taxi to Playa Del Carmen (300 pesos round trip) to stroll along Quinta Avenida: the main street of the city with a string of restaurants, souvenir shops, and stands for local activities. A few purchases, and TOM tries some cornrows (which he’ll take out two days later because they pull too much on his head!!!!) I look for an ATM but struggle a bit because my Revolut card isn’t accepted at any Santander ATMs, which usually have low fees... I end up using an Inbursa ATM (fees: 42 pesos).

While Tom’s getting his hair done, we check out a couple of touristy shows in the square...



We take a taxi back around 7 PM. Poolside apéro, buffet... and by 10 PM:

SLEEP TIME!!!!

Full, we head back to the room and encounter an unknown animal...



It’s a coati—we’d also seen some near Playa del Carmen

Hi Sylvain,

So cool to see a new travel journal! 55 days—what luck, a real immersion 🙂

Lovely memories of the Yucatán with the family, but back in summer 2013... The sargassum was just starting to reach Tulum (just a few small patches in the water, nothing on the beaches). It’s heartbreaking 🙁

Can’t wait to see what’s next!

Day 4: The day when things get serious...

Up at 7 AM, the jet lag is fading. Those two easy days at the start of the trip were a luxury we allowed ourselves, and they really helped sync the planets, the clocks, and our metabolisms... Well, we each put on about 2 kilos with the all-you-can-eat food at every corner of the hotel and at almost any time of day!!! And most people here aren’t holding back!!! It was good for us for two days, but no more!!!

We enjoy the hotel one last time this morning: pool, beach (not much sargassum this morning) with some nice waves, then it’s time to pack up the suitcases and finally check out. We leave the suitcases in the lobby and grab one last meal at the buffet for lunch. As we’re leaving, a woman is with her eagle, scaring off the birds nesting in the hotel!😮



We call a taxi and head to downtown Playa Del Carmen to pick up our rental car. We booked through TOURACANCUN, which handles all the necessary insurance for Mexico, and we had no surprises😉 We sign the contracts—no insurance hassles—we take photos of the car together from every angle! And off we go to Chiquila! The road is pretty monotonous: 2 hours of pavement through the jungle with rope ladders above the road so monkeys can swing across!



A toll booth breaks up the monotony, a few tiny villages with lots of stray dogs, and at the entrance of each village, "topes" that you have to drive over in first gear or you’ll wreck your shocks!!!

We arrive in Chiquila around 4 PM and find the parking lot designated by our host for the next few nights. He owns several hotels, including one on this side—perfect! We’re actually staying for 4 nights in exchange for houses (we’ve done over a hundred home exchanges over the past fifteen years on HomeExchange). Just before we take the ferry, our host calls—there’s water damage in the room, and he doesn’t have any others in his hotel!!!!🤪 He reassures us, saying he’ll find a room for the first night, so we can take the ferry without stress !🙁 30 minutes on the ferry, and we get another message: we need to go to his hotel, and someone will take us to another hotel for the night. We arrive at the hotel—perfect, we can finally relax! We settle in, take a quick dip in the pool since it’s hot, then head out to explore the island a bit...



We love it from the first moment! No cars, just golf carts or go-karts, and the streets aren’t paved—just sand! Only the sidewalks are hard. Life here seems so relaxed!



Shall we go see the sea? No sargassum here—pure bliss!



We take a quick swim, stroll along the shore—it’s so nice, and the sun sets quickly, giving us a gorgeous sunset...



We grab a bite at a great pizzeria (La Pinsa, pretty pricey at 1800 pesos for 4 with drinks—we’re on an island...), then wander the streets before heading back to the hotel...



Great vibe in the streets—music, smiling people, the good life!



It’s 10 PM, showers and...

SLEEP!!!

Day 5: The day we wander around Holbox...

Woke up at 7:30—getting good at this!! We grabbed breakfast at a Cocina Económica near the hotel: 4 tables right on the sidewalk with a simple but super cheap and delicious menu. Eggs, pancakes, fruit, and juices—yum!!

Headed to the beach for a nice 1.5-hour walk.



And checked out the conditions for our "hike" tomorrow at Punta Mosquito. We asked about renting a golf cart when Jaime, our host, called to move us to his hotel for the next 3 nights. So we packed up and headed to Hotel Pelicanus in a Taxi-Kart!! We settled in, and Jaime treated us to Subway for the inconvenience—so nice!

It’s *really* hot today, so we chilled in the room during the hottest hours, reading and watching Mexican TV...😎

4 PM: back to the beach, but this time to swim!! We dipped a toe in the water—WOW, it’s *so* warm!! No joke, it’s like 35°C (95°F)!! We tried the Decathlon masks, but you can’t see a thing past 1 meter!! The sand is so fine, and the storms and wind have stirred up the water... We splashed around, played ball, rolled in the hot sand, splashed some more, and after 2 hours in the "hot tub," we headed back for a cold shower at the hotel.😏 Then we went to watch a gorgeous sunset.



After that, we ate local at Lecmu.



Tacos were a bit dry, but the quesabirrias were delicious! And all for 300 pesos for 3 of us! We ate while sitting in the central square, watching kids play basketball and volleyball—the vibe was so peaceful and relaxed...🙂 Seriously, this island is a little paradise... For dessert: Oscar got ice cream, which he dropped the second he left the vendor!!!🤪, Tom had a crêpe, and I tried a Marquesita, a local specialty: a crêpe with Nutella and grated cheese!!!

We stopped by a convenience store to grab stuff for breakfast in the room the next morning. Evening spent reading and...

SLEEP!!!

Day 6: The Punta Mosquito hike day...

Woke up at 7:30, we're on schedule! A light breakfast in the room. The toilet's clogged to start the day... 😠 Tom made a mistake—he threw the toilet paper in the bowl... No big deal, you might say! Well, yes!!!!! Here, toilet paper has to go in the trash because the plumbing is small-caliber!!!! 🤪 We let Jaime know, who’ll stop by this morning.

Off to the beach because today’s hike is in the water!😎



Sure enough, we head to Punta Mosquito via the... maritime route but without a boat😛 We start by walking along the coast on the sand, then a bunch of hotels right on the water force us to continue in the water to reach a sandbar about fifty meters from shore. You’ve gotta get wet up to your chest with bags over your head!!! Because you need water—the sun’s beating down!



We end up in the middle of the Caribbean Sea on a sandbar, sometimes with ankle-deep water or knee-deep, and then—flamingos! Magical!!!!!



Meanwhile, Tom has the bright idea to lose a flip-flop in the soft sand—we never find it!!!! After watching the flamingos, we head back with lightning in the distance... We pick up the pace to get back to the hotel before the storm, which luckily passes by.😄 Showers. Caro lies down because she’s feeling a bit off🤪... We head out with Oscar to buy some fruits and veggies and a few tacos to eat quietly in the room. Quiet time. We buy new flip-flops for Tom and rent a golf cart for 24 hours (2500 pesos).



First spin—Tom (15) takes the wheel, and we go eat at Taqueria Matéo: 3 tortas (350 pesos, amazing!!!)



We pick up Caro, who was resting—early signs of traveler’s diarrhea???🤪—and head to Punta Coco to see the bioluminescence. We drive at night; it gets dark fast in the Caribbean (7:30 PM). It’s pretty fun driving on the sandy streets—gotta avoid potholes, bumps, puddles of water or mud... When we arrive, I feel something stinging my back—we’ll check later... Not much bioluminescence, but a few glowing spots when you stir the water and sand—it’s cool. Plus, it’s a full moon, so the effect is less visible... But what a gorgeous moonrise!



We head back through town—it’s lively, bright, great vibe😉 We get back to the hotel, I take off my shirt, and Oscar exclaims: "Oh my God!!!!" I’ve got 38 mosquito bites on my back!!!🏴‍☠️ Showers and...

SLEEP!!!!

Day 7: The day of the island tour by golf cart...

Up at 8 a.m.! Oh wow!!! Sleeping in!!!! Okay, quick breakfast in the room after grabbing 3 mango smoothies and some local pastries. And we're off for the island tour in our race car!



Tom’s having the time of his life driving the beast! We pass by the cemetery—this one’s not very colorful—we follow the airfield and a small plane just takes off, we race it!!!😉 We follow the beach all the way to the "end of the road," just sand from here on out! We take videos, photos,











dip our toes in the water, and head to the *mercado* (man, I’m a poet!!!😄)—which is actually just a line of little local restaurants, fruit and veggie vendors. We grab about ten tacos to go, some mangoes, and head back to the hotel to eat in the cool. Delicious meal for barely 500 pesos total, and a quiet afternoon (reading, napping, ...)

We take the golf cart to the beach, Tom drives again, we drop off Caro and Oscar, then return the little ride after 24 hours... We walk back to the beach on foot. Swimming, relaxing, sandcastle (actually a Mayan temple😏), more relaxing—pure bliss!



Back at the hotel, I rush to shower first so I can go back out to take sunset photos...



I come back to get the group—they preferred to stay in and grab a bite: Subway for the guys, a *torta* for me, and a quesadilla for Caro. We eat in the central square where there’s been lots of activity since this afternoon: kids’ performances, diploma ceremonies.



One last stroll on the beach because tomorrow, it’s time to leave!

SLEEP!!!!!

So many great memories—the flamingos, the golf cart, the nice hot water, the houses with beautiful street art, everything was perfect... We chose Holbox when we got to Cancun to relax for a few days, and it was pure bliss 🙂

Why did the travel journal suddenly stop? I really would’ve liked to know what happened next, and I don’t think I’m the only one. Hope nothing serious happened...

Hi Philippe, No big deal, don’t worry—just a really packed schedule at the end of the year!!! Alright, back to it!

Day 8: Discovering Valladolid...

We got up at 8:30, the boys at 9! Quick breakfast in the room: cookies and fruit. We pack up, shower, and hit the road! We walk to the dock and grab tickets for the 11 AM crossing. Half an hour later, we pick up the car—intact (phew! 😄)—and head to Valladolid...

While driving in the American West is a dream, here, the road is downright sleep-inducing!!! The first stretch is an endless straight line through the jungle, passing a few villages with speed bumps at every entrance and exit. Then comes the highway (not exactly cheap: 250 pesos for 100 km), with one entrance and just one exit!!!!!!!

We lose an hour entering the state of Yucatán and arrive in Valladolid around 1:15 PM. We head straight to a restaurant: Yerbabuena—a great find! Delicious, fresh, and friendly staff. We try checking in at the Hotel Fundadores (gorgeous) at 2:30 PM—success! On the way to our room, we walk by the pool, hear a French-speaking family with kids, strike up a conversation, and hit it off. We suggest exploring the town square together when it’s cooler... We settle into the room,



a quick dip in the pool, the kids get to know each other and have fun—perfect!



We set off to explore Valladolid’s "zocalo": an austere but beautiful cathedral,



the city hall with a view of the square from the second floor,



and four stunning murals depicting Maya history.



Next, we head to Calle de Los Frailes, a vibrant, colorful street leading to the convent.



There, the boys watch young Mexicans playing soccer on the lawn in front of the convent. Spontaneously, the locals invite our boys to join in! They’re over the moon, and off they go for a half-hour soccer match!



We decide to end the day at El Patio restaurant—another great find! We feast on nachos, burritos, and chaya empanadas. Amazing value for money!



Back at the hotel, we exchange numbers, and it’s bedtime!!!

Day 9: local market day and light show at the convent...

Up at 8:00 AM—we're in town, so a bit of traffic noise wakes us up... All chill for the guys who settle in front of the TV and *Spiderman* in Mexican (so funny when you're used to the original version!). Caro and I go grab a quick breakfast and decide on a *panadería* (Tartallette) that also serves coffee, tea, and smoothies to go. Jackpot!



And it’s super good! We bring our treasure back to the hotel and enjoy it while watching *Spiderman*!!!

Off to the Valladolid market, where on one side there are open-air meat stalls...



and on the other, fruits, spices, and veggies—we head that way instead ...



It’s bursting with colors... and smells!!!! After buying some melons, avocados, and other fruits, we head back to the hotel with a half-chicken for 4 €... to round out our lunch. We pick up a knife, take a dip in the pool, video-call the family, then chat with a buddy who’s throwing a big party for his 50th. We eat in the cool of the room and watch the end of the PSG-Chelsea match, the Club World Cup final.

Off we go around 4:00 PM to a small museum on traditional Mexican outfits... Meh, just 3 rooms and not much to see in the end...





The only highlight? This pair of cowboy boots!!!!



Back to the hotel, another dip in the pool, showers, then dinner at *Idilio*: delicious food, a lovely setting, and a calm vibe.

To wrap up the day, we head to the convent where a sound and light show is projected onto the façade every evening.





It’s really pretty, it’s free, and it’s a must-see! We lose our Yahtzee game where we’d been sitting... Oh well! We head back, nighttime cathedral...



and bedtime!!!

Hi Scot2021,

I was also waiting for your travel journal to continue! I’d heard that the Yucatan had gotten pretty expensive, but it doesn’t seem to be what comes through in your journal?

Hi Marie, life in Mexico isn’t expensive as long as you pick where to eat... Of course, on the Riviera Maya, it can be just as pricey as back home if you go to the first restaurant in a touristy spot...

Day 10: the day we discover our first Maya city and our first cenote...

Wake-up at 7 a.m. because today’s a big day!!! First city and first cenote...

We head to our favorite panadería, which opens at 7:30, but when we get there, no pastries are ready—the machine’s being cleaned, and they tell us it’ll be another half-hour!!! Ugh, they should just say they open at 8:00!!!!!

We decide to fill up the car instead. The gas-station attendant short-changes us by 10 pesos (didn’t notice at the time...), and since our panadería still isn’t ready, we go off in search of something to eat. We find some pan dulce (delicious!) and a café that serves juices and frappés—perfect! So by 8:15 we’re back at the hotel, wake the guys up, have breakfast, and off we go to Ek Balam...

After half an hour on the road, we’re stopped 5 km from the city to get all the info they’ll repeat at the entrance (no idea why the first stop is needed!!!). Then we’re stopped 1 km from the entrance to pay for parking (100 pesos), which is right next to the city, and finally we pay the entrance fee to the city! (1,850 pesos for 4 of us)

We do a self-guided tour with all the info about the city and see the first structures... Wow, it’s so beautiful!





The Acropolis is stunning, and you can climb it!



It’s tough! 30 minutes of climbing with big steps in the scorching sun! But from the top, there’s an amazing view of the jungle!



We head back down and finish the little tour (1.5 hours). Next up: cenote Xcanché (680 pesos for 4). Wow, these water holes are mind-blowing!



There are two platforms for jumping—2 and 3 meters—one with a rope. The first jump is tricky for the guys because there’s a bunch of fish in the water, but the urge to swim and jump wins out, and we have a blast!!!



The guys even try the zipline with a water landing (100 pesos for 2 jumps)... We stay for an hour and a half before heading back to Valladolid. We stop at the market to grab melons, mangoes, and avocados, then think about getting some chicken breasts—but they’re ribs!!!

We eat quietly at the hotel—it’s 2 p.m. The guys want to chill, so we let them watch a little movie on the laptop during the hottest hours. We go to the lavandería to wash our clothes, then wander around the shops in Valladolid.



Back at the hotel, we plop into the pool as a family, take showers, and head to Nena Nena for dinner (great choice!)

And off to bed!!!

Day 11: the day of the big leap...

Woke up at 7 AM by a Mexican family staying at the hotel who were talking super loud, humming, whistling in the hallways like they were the only ones there!!!! Anyway, we head out to grab breakfast with plain croissants, chocolate, or strawberry ones! and we eat by the pool, nice and relaxed. We pack up the suitcases since it’s our last day in Valladolid, load the car, check out, and ask to leave the car in the hotel parking lot: no problem, perfect!

Then we head to the Zací cenote, which is unique because it’s right in the city center!...



A wonder!



Not too crowded at first, then two groups of kids arrive one after the other, and—would you believe it—they’re French!!! There are more people now, but everyone gets along and cheers each other on to make... the leap. Wow, the teaser! You can actually jump 6.5 meters into the cenote, so we psych ourselves up for the jump up there...



Life jackets are mandatory, but they’re great for splashing around! Oscar, at just 10 years old, jumps three times!!! I followed, of course—I wasn’t feeling too brave up there... And Tom is totally comfortable at those heights! After nearly two hours of splashing and jumping, we shower on-site, check out some pretty massive iguanas,



then head off to eat: Subway for the boys and Asian food for us at a food court



with a huge portion for 110 pesos that’ll be enough for both of us... We buy water, ice cream for dessert, pick up the car from the hotel, and off we go—direction Chichén Itzá and the Puerta Chichén hotel, which is a 15-minute walk from the Mayan city, one of the 7 modern wonders of the world. Check-in, we enjoy the big pool and lounge chairs for a chill late afternoon: swimming, games, reading.



Showers. Hotel restaurant (not bad, nothing special). And bedtime!!!

This travel journal start is amazing! No updates yet, but I know it’s tough to write such detailed posts when you’ve already got daily life to handle. It’s wild seeing your boys—they’ve really grown since the US!!

For the cenote, where did you leave your stuff? Can’t wait to read the rest!

Hi Aurélie, at every cenote, we leave our stuff on the edge and never had any problems!

Day 12: The day we discover one of the 7 new wonders of the world...

Up at 7:00 sharp—we’re not here to twiddle our thumbs!

Today’s highlight: Chichén Itzá, the 5th modern wonder of the world... To beat the crowds pouring in from Cancún or Playa del Carmen by bus around 10–11 a.m., we’re up early! Quick breakfast at the hotel (decent, nothing special) and then a 20-minute walk to the entrance of this incredible site.

We decide to hire a French-speaking guide (who we sometimes struggle to understand!) who gives us tons of info about the Maya civilization, the different structures, etc. The place is magical!



The pyramid is stunning, and the acoustic effects invented by the Maya are mind-blowing—clap your hands in front of the pyramid, and you’ll hear a bird’s cry echo back! Speaking of birds, the vultures are lurking in case any of us faint...



We spend 2.5 hours here, including a stop at the ball court...



where players had to use their hips, knees, and elbows to send a 4 kg ball through a hoop!!!



and where the winning captain was sacrificed!!! (Yes, it was considered an honor...)



We move from one structure to the next—it’s breathtaking! We take *so* many photos!!!









.......

.................

One last look at THE wonder...



Before leaving, we stop by the park and the multitude of street vendors and buy a few trinkets from Juul, the Mexican who knows a thing or two about OM and about... well, Juul, of course😄



Then we head back to the hotel for a quick shower, check-out, and head to the center of the small town of Pisté to enjoy a plate of chicken-salad-rice-pineapple for 120 pesos (5 €) by the roadside! It’s rustic—plastic tables and chairs—and we love it!



Off to Izamal. After a 1h15 drive, we arrive at Hotel Tuul (55 €/night!!!!): a true haven of peace, huge room, amazing pool, and we’ve got the place to ourselves for now...



We head to the center around 5:30 PM, following a street that’s entirely yellow!



The evening colors are stunning—Izamal, the yellow city, reveals itself...







Before heading to the restaurant, we buy some dice to play Yahtzee later at the restaurant or in the room. Last photo: the convent at sunset...



Tonight’s restaurant: Crêpes & Sweets, which turns out to be an excellent choice! Really good crêpes—such a nice change! Back to the hotel, some reading, and BEDTIME

Day 13: The day we wandered through the Yellow City...

We had a chill morning wake-up at 8:00 AM. We let Tom sleep and the three of us headed out for breakfast just a 5-minute walk from the hotel at Jardin d'Edith—a really great find!



Waffles and chilaquiles



in a lovely green setting with beautiful decor and three little cats looking for some cuddles 🙂



We brought a waffle back for Tom, who had just woken up... We took a quick dip because temperatures here range from 25°C at night to 35°C during the day, then headed to the center of Izamal on foot. We wandered through these yellow streets—it’s so picturesque—we took tons of photos.











We climbed the ruins of a Mayan pyramid (there are ruins everywhere in the peninsula—it’s amazing!)



We picked up the sunglasses Oscar left at the restaurant yesterday! Then we stopped by the market for some fruit—melons, avocados—and at Oxxo for water and chips. There wasn’t a breath of wind today, so it was really hot. We decided to have a picnic in the room while watching a movie on the laptop! After that, we hit the pool for a swim and games in the water from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM—it felt great to relax... We headed to the convent for a quick visit to the chapel and cloisters.



We went back to the same restaurant as yesterday. This time, we had burgers and a crêpe for dessert—a super light meal. We played Yahtzee during the meal and lost track of time! It was 8:00 PM, and there was supposed to be a video mapping starting in a park 400 meters away. We rushed over, but when we got there... nothing! We asked around, and it turned out to be a traveling mapping! We hurried to try and catch something, but after that light meal, walking fast didn’t help with digestion!!!! Oscar had a bit of a stomachache, so we slowed down and even gave up! We sat in the square, and some young people put on a sweet little puppet-song-theater show... We stayed for half an hour, then headed back. Time for BED!

Day 14: The day we discover the capital of the Yucatán...

Some of us got up at 8:00 AM for a workout by the pool, others at 8:30, and Tom at 9:15! Like yesterday, the three of us head off for breakfast—Tom prefers to do some weight training by the pool. We grab three big plates of fruit with honey—yum!—then meet up with Tom for a splash in the pool before packing our bags since we’re leaving Izamal. We set off around 11:30 AM, stopping by the cemetery in Hoctún... A cemetery????🤪 Well, yes! Mexican cemeteries are incredibly colorful, and death has a whole different meaning here. Día de los Muertos is an absolutely amazing celebration...





We spend about half an hour there before hitting the road again toward Mérida, which we reach around 1:00 PM—straight into traffic...😠 We stop by the Hotel Real Toledo. We can park in their private lot, but check-in isn’t until 3:00 PM. So, we grab some Chinese food at Cong Fat—huge plates of pasta or rice with chicken for just 4 €!!!! We swing by the Governor’s Palace, which is mostly green...



Then we head back to check in. The room is small, but the hotel is charming (an old colonial house) and perfectly located...



It’s hot, so we take a quick dip in the tiny pool—it feels great. After a shower, we set out to find a *lavandería* we’d spotted online, but it takes us a while, and we end up wandering around Mérida’s streets for quite a bit...



We finally find it as the sky darkens... 5 kg of laundry washed, ironed, and folded for the next morning—all for 5 €! We head back to the hotel in a light drizzle, stopping first in a toy and decor shop to take shelter, then, when the downpour starts, we duck into the cathedral—the oldest in the Americas! Photo before the downpour, hence the blue sky😏





We step back outside, walk 100 meters, and—another downpour! We take shelter in a shoe store, where Oscar finds the perfect back-to-school shoes😄. A trendy pair of sneakers for 23 €... Though I’m a little skeptical about how authentic they are!!!😏 We head back to the hotel. Tom hasn’t been feeling well since we arrived in Mérida, so he stays behind to rest while we grab dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant (pita + salad). Afterward, we head to the main square, where there’s a Pok ta Pok show—a Mayan ball game. The preliminaries drag on a bit, but the actual game is surprising: the goal is to get a ball through a ring using only your hips!!!



We walk around the square—the buildings are all lit up, and it’s beautiful!





Then it’s back to the hotel for some ZZZs!!

Day 15: The day we wandered around Mérida...

The hotel isn’t super soundproofed, and since we’re downtown... Bam, we’re up at 7:00 AM. We’re not here to split hairs, we want to get moving, but breakfast isn’t until 8:00...🏴‍☠️ We take a quick dip in the pool, shower, and finally have a decent hotel breakfast before heading out to wander along Paseo de Montejo, Mérida’s Champs-Élysées, with its gorgeous colonial mansions.





And some stunning buildings like this roundabout...



We head back toward the main square, stopping first to pick up our laundry at 12:30 as planned—but it’s not ready. Oh well, we wander the streets and stumble on quirky sights like this Mexican-style tuned-up car.😏



But also some beautiful street art murals...



We’re in the city with no breeze today, and we’re roasting—it must be 40°C... We decide to grab a bite to eat in our room and watch a movie on the laptop during the hottest hours. Pizza it is! While waiting for the order, I go to pick up the laundry—we’ve walked kilometers today!!!🤪 We’re back at the hotel by 1:30 PM, take another dip in the pool to cool off, and chill in the room for two and a half hours. We resurface around 4:00 PM, explore a few nearby streets, and honestly, Mérida isn’t blowing us away. We check out some shops for souvenirs and meet some people!



We do a little grocery shopping and spot Tang!!! You know, that powder you dissolve in water from when we were kids—with 0g of orange in it!🙁



Passing by the square, we come across a wedding...



Back at the hotel, another dip in the pool—real fish this time!!! Showers, then we get ready to head to Mercado 60, a restaurant that’s basically a food court with tables, chairs, live music, and different food stalls...



For us, it’s margaritas, guacamole, tacos, and salads!!!😛



Guaranteed fun vibes, and we even have a little wild salsa session with Caro.😎 A lovely family evening—we head back. Bedtime!!!

Day 16: The day we hit the road again toward the heart of the Yucatan...

Woke up at 8:00 AM this morning, nice and easy, with breakfast included at the hotel—decent spread with chilaquiles, omelets, or croquettes for Tom, who’s still not feeling 100%! Packed up the bags and took off for the Mayapan ruins, which turned out to be... closed!!! Oh well, a conflict between the local community and the government over revenue sharing is keeping the site shut... So we headed to the Su Hem cenote nearby instead, which the guys were more than happy about—they were gonna have a blast 😉 A trapeze lets you swing over the cenote before diving in!



Come on, just go for it!!! Easier said than done!





We stayed for an hour and a half. The road to get there is a rough path with big rocks over 1.5 km, so we had the place... all to ourselves!!! We left the cenote around 1 PM, drove through villages with houses built from whatever materials were available, kids playing barefoot in the street—this is the real Mexico... We got back on the "main road" and headed to Muna for some food. We stumbled upon a market: 3 mangoes, 4 bananas, 4 avocados, 1 melon for 4 €!!!! And 2 plates of chicken, rice, and salad for 10 €—then off to the hotel. We ate in the room and chilled by the pool until evening! Gotta say, the place isn’t bad at all!



Showers and dinner at Dona’s, who made us 4 huge empanadas right in front of us!



There are only 2 tables in the "restaurant"!!!! She talked to us a lot, though we didn’t understand everything. She showed us tons of photos of Canadian, American, and Korean tourists who’d stopped by! Anyway, it was a great slice of life! Especially since outside, it was pouring!!! A massive storm: lightning, wind, and rain blowing into the restaurant—along with a huge toad!!!

We headed back and crashed!!!

Day 17: The day of the big crush—visiting the city of Uxmal:

Up at 7:00 AM, a quick breakfast to hit the road fast toward the city of Uxmal... As usual, we arrive early to avoid the crowds, even though we're far from the Cancún coast... A group of very loud Dutch folks with spoiled kids running wild without much correction are staying at our hotel and getting ready for the visit too, so we hurry to avoid them!!!😏 Not many people when we arrive—no vendors all over the place like at Chichén Itzá—and the first pyramid is ma-gni-fi-cent!!!



The grand pyramid is stunning and has the unique feature of being... rounded on the sides!





And what’s hidden behind it is amazing! The Puuc style dominates here, with the lower parts of the structures very plain and the upper parts intricately worked—gorgeous!



We love it! The place is peaceful, serene, zen, not too crowded... We walk around, revisit different spots—the Nunnery Quadrangle blows us away!



the ballgame court, iguanas everywhere, the Governor’s Palace overlooking the whole site—life here seems especially sweet...











..........

............................. We head back toward the great pyramid, and other details catch our eye!



One last look at the majestic great pyramid...





It’s 10:30 AM, the Dutch are here, and we can hear them! The kids are running all over the place—we’re so glad we arrived early!!! 😉 We LOVED the tranquility and beauty of the place...

We leave the city and head across the way.



A chocolate museum! Yep, chocolate originated in Central and South America. The Maya and the Aztecs used cacao beans to prepare ritual drinks called *xocoatl*. This little museum does a great job explaining the history of chocolate, and we even get to taste the famous drink—it’s bitter and made with spices! The kids didn’t like it, but we loved it. 😛





Not only is it a chocolate museum, but the family that owns it started taking in injured animals from the surrounding jungle, and part of the property has become an animal sanctuary. There’s a jaguar that was found toothless in the jungle!!!! And several spider monkeys that we can feed—much to the kids’ delight!







We take off around 2:00 PM, stopping by the shop to buy some powdered chocolate made on-site—we’re still enjoying it today! 😛 We head to the small town of Muna to grab some groceries because our stomachs are growling!!! We pick up tons of fruits and veggies for next to nothing, some chicken, rice, and that’ll be our two meals for the day! We have lunch, some quiet time, then hit the pool—but a huge storm rolls in with torrential rain. Everyone takes cover, we play pool in the hotel lobby, read, and once it clears up, we’re back in the water! Splash! The iguanas come out for some air too...



Showers, dinner in the room, and BEDTIME!!!!

Day 18: The day we rediscover the sea in Celestún... Sleeping in today with a wake-up between 8 and 9 a.m... Quick breakfast at the hotel, we enjoy the pool a little longer, pack up the suitcases, and off we go to Celestún. After a 2-hour monotonous drive with a ribbon of asphalt cutting through the jungle, we reach the sea on the Gulf of Mexico side this time. The water is just as beautiful, and best of all, no sargassum on this side!😎 We settle under a palapa on the beach to enjoy the day’s catch—fish, crab, or chicken—we’re loving it!





Oscar’s complaining about his ear... after all those hours swimming, it’s looking like an ear infection...🏴‍☠️ Caro takes him to the doctor (25 € for the visit), who confirms the ear infection. Meanwhile, Tom and I hunt down and find a *lavandería* to drop off some laundry: 5 kg for 100 pesos—washed, dried, and folded! We head back to the hotel, nap, read while waiting for the patient... Then off to the pharmacy and a few quick shopping errands to grab food for a quiet dinner in the room tonight, movie included!

But before eating, we dash to the beach 500 m away for a good sea swim (Oscar has no fever and wants to go in the water—but not underwater!!!) and a gorgeous sunset...





We take one last quick dip in the hotel pool, showers, dinner, and a movie!

BEDTIME!!!

Day 19: A day of kayaking discovery in the mangrove...

What a big day ahead!!! Up at 5 a.m. Phew, Oscar still doesn’t have a fever, just a little earache... This morning, we’ve got a meet-up with the "Guardians" of the Celestun reserve who protect, restore, and nurture the mangrove. They organize kayak trips deep into the mangrove—we pass through tunnels of vegetation.

We learn to recognize the different types of mangroves: red, white, or black.



We spot quite a few birds: spoonbills, vultures, falcons, and especially, our guide takes us to a spot—a sort of water "clearing" you can only reach by kayak...



where tons of pink flamingos take refuge!



It’s magical!



A pure moment of suspended time in the cool morning air—an unforgettable memory! We head back to eat on the beach at noon: the grilled fish is still just as good. Some of us are feeling a bit sluggish after the meal...



For others, it’ll be in the car on the way to Isla Arena...



We’re in for 8 km of totally wrecked road!!! A rocky track at 20 km/h—8 kilometers feels *long*!!! We arrive safe and sound around 4 p.m. after taking one last road that crosses the sea...



and we settle in at the hotel, which we won’t leave until the next day since this place is special: it’s a crocodile farm!!!



Four rooms—we’re the only ones here, so we get a free private tour. They’ve got 600 crocs!! From a few months old to 20 years... The owners are adorable and offer to take us on a walk after dinner to see the fireflies and bioluminescence...



It’s magical all over again: fireflies blinking everywhere in the mangrove, and bioluminescence in the water. They’re also experts on the night sky, and we gaze at the stars with the sound of pink flamingos nearby... What an amazing day, what a perfect evening...

SLEEP TIME!!!