The program now foresaw a long transfer up to the Caribbean coast, first however
we made another turn for the market where besides I acquired a beautiful stone engraved with a
mayan figure, this acquisition and the fuel for the car practically dried up the
money reserve, being holiday the banks were closed and the casas de cambio had
very bad exchange rate, so we decided to try in the zone of Chetumal. Fortunately a few before arriving to Chetumal we stopped in a small restaurant where I changed
my travelers cheques to a good rate also because once arrived in the city we discovered that the
exchange rate was even more unfavorable, besides this the city has not liked us, so we immediately escaped
to north.
In general however for the currency exchange we verified that the banks practise
better rates and change the
travelers cheques without problems, the casas de cambio especially in the inland have worse rates but
they have the advantage to always be opened. The payments with credit card are a little diffused and in some cases was required a surcharge.
Arrived in the zone of the lagoon Balacar presented again the problem to find lodging, when
we were almost resigned to wander about for the whole night, we found along the
"highway" in the town of Balacar a small nice hotel just built, the hotel
Scala, the only problem was that the beds were practically deprived of mattress and so when
I thrown me on the bed have almost broken my ribs!!!!
The following morning in a pair of hours we reached the ruins of Tulum, the archaeological site is not comparable with those of Chichén Itzá, Uxmal or Palenque however the ruins are found on
cliff to peak on the turquoise waters of the Caribbean creating a very suggestive
landscape.
After driving for 2700 Km, some days of relax attended us on the beaches of Playa
del Carmen, I expected a tourist place but not to this level, I don't imagine what Cancun can be!!!!
After having turned some hotel we found lodging to the hotel Bananas Cabanas. The atmosphere (and the prices) of the
town are more international than Mexican, parallelly to the beach races a pedestrian zone literally disseminated of
small shop, restaurants and bars, besides probably this has been the first time
I found abroad the menů written in Italian!!!
Before relaxing on the beach we granted a last visit to the sea park of Xel-há,
it's possible to spend a pleasant day walking between the varied lagoons, to see
or take part to the dolphins show or making snorkeling, in this case you leave from a handle of the river in the middle of the mangroves and
swim for around 1 Km, visibility is not exceptional and we saw the most beautiful fishes once arrived to the
main lagoon however for a line we swum with a beautiful sea turtle . In the park are found quite a lot
expansive restaurants, however before the exit we found an excellent buffet for an expense of around 100
pesos each.
Along the highway from Playa to Tulum there are on the right two handicrafts markets, we stopped to the first one of two finding a good choice and good prices, practically half those of Playa.
A thing that I appreciated quite a lot of Playa's beach is the fact that sand also in the warmest times doesn't burn, during the whole day and the evening a sea breeze gave back pleasant to take sun and walking.
I also made some dives, unfortunately the diving Expediciones Subacuaticas I
choose has proven a little reliable, in fact I booked a 6 dives packet but the second day the owners started to say me that they need more money to pay the expenses,
than the diving places had to be changed in comparison to those we have chosen and so afterwards some discussions
I sent them to the devil, however I had 2 absolutely exceptional dives to the Cenote Dos Ojos,
only these probably are worth a trip to these places!!!
Nighlife, practically confines to a walk along the pedestrian street and to eat in one of the numerous and dear restaurants; along the beach there are some
bars where it's possible to listen music or dance but also being period of Easter vacations there was not a big movement.
After 15 days didn't remain to take back the airplane that would have carried us (sigh!!) to
home, I must say that Mexico is one of the countries that I liked more and I
want to come back as soon as possible to visit the whole rest.
