Valladolid: A Visual Tour

Valladolid is a smaller colonial town that sits a 2.5 hour bus ride east of Mérida- smack in the middle of the Yucatan.  The ADO bus system has been a Godsend for Jay and I, as they do long trips like this for close to $10 a person.  The seats feel roomy until the little girl in front of you demonstrates that the seats really do recline all. the. way. back. Jay's face was priceless, but I was too consumed with the person selling popcorn and other snacks down the bus aisle moments before we left the terminal.  

As we pulled into Valladolid, we booked our trip up to tiny Chiquila, where our ferry to Isla Holbox would leave a few days later.  (We're getting smarter with the bus system, learning that if you don't book days in advance you usually have to wait hours for a bus with room.) 

Our Air BnB was walking distance according to maps.me, so we set off in the direction of a beautiful park, knowing only that there was a coffee shop and we should inquire there about our keys.  We found the park, dotted with coffee shops and restaurants around the perimeter, and Jay looked at me and shrugged.  I popped my head into the first one and said, "Buscando para mi Air BnB," and the woman delightedly exclaimed, "Chantal!"  She pulled out a large key and took us next to the cafe, to a huge wooden door with a padlock the size of two fists.  We stepped into a magical loft, complete with a chalkboard of suggestions for Valladolid and two cervezas waiting in the fridge.  Another Air BnB win, though the stairs to the loft were double the height of normal ones and we had to grip the railing like we were climbing Everest. We quickly fell in love with the quaint loft and our Valladolid neighborhood. 

The park next to us was home to a beautiful convent, dating back to the 1500s.  One night we were returning from dinner and saw a crowd of people sitting in front of it, staring at the walls, eating churros and crepes, and anticipating something.  Sure enough, moments later, a light show commenced and projectors behind the park displayed a 20-minute history of the region and Convent de San Bernardino de Siena.  Colorful images and a booming voice guided us through the history of this space, and children clapped in rapture as the stone walls became one of the most spectacular "movie theaters" I've ever seen.  

Convent de San Bernardino 

We continue to find ourselves in the middle of moments that we couldn't have crafted with the best of guidebooks and pre-planned itineraries.  Each time we pray, I ask that God continue to show us the beauty in each of these places and He's making sure we're not missing a drop.  

Take a few hours for Cenote Zaci, a partially enclosed cenote just a few minute walk from the town square.  We were swimming in the fresh waters as a short rain passed over, sparking the waterfall into the cenote to surge down onto us.  

Take a longer walk to the Zentik Project and immerse yourself in art and solitude.  

Zentik Project

I'm so glad we took the time to see the Yucatan beyond the beaches and islands.  Inland, city life has its own magic and charm, leaving both Mérida and Valladolid imprinted in our memories.  

The word for Valladolid? Unexpected- in all the best possible ways.   

Yerbabuena

Tresvanbien

For authentic Mayan food, Yerbabuena.  

For empanadas in a romantic garden setting, Tresvanbien.  

For tables directly on the street and fantastic people watching with pizza, Cafeina.  

Pit Stop: Chichén Itzá

As we said goodbye to Tulum, we directed our rental car 160+ miles across the Yucatán to capital city, Mérida. This is a predominantly two lane highway with dense jungle on both sides.  Small towns pop up every 30 miles or so, but generally it's a whole lot of sky and trees.  One of the main reasons we rented the car was to stop at Chichén Itzá (about two hours from Tulum and one hour from Mérida).  Recently given the acclaimed "Wonder of the World" status, we were excited to see this ancient Mayan city. 

As you pull off the highway, locals wave big hats at you, reminding you that you are not adapted to the climate and could potentially evaporate without sun protection.  As you pay a few dollars to park, you find yourself at the front of a Disneyland-esque opening gate and it costs 255 pesos a person to enter (about $25 for the two of us).  Once inside, you walk down a long dirt road to reach the heart of the ruins, flanked with wood carvers hocking masks, coloring clothing vendors, and -my favorite- the vendors with the noise makers that sound like a jaguar snarl.  In the heat, it's hard to really know what's happening.  The guided groups had hats and umbrellas, but Jay and I couldn't be bothered.  We forged on. 

The ruins truly are spectacular, especially when you think about how long they've endured.  El Castillo, the focal temple, is crowded with tourists trying to get the perfect angle.  Jay set up his GoPro and we proceeded to jump about 1000 times trying to get the right shot.  We were dripping in sweat and I felt like Honey Boo Boo being badgered by a stage mom, but Jay was relentless. (Considering we've been living on tortillas, cheese, and caramel, I chalked it up to a modified Cross Fit: Chichén Itzá style.)

The massive cenote is blocked for swimming, but the ancient Mayans sent sacrifices of jade, gold, and humans into its depths, so we were content to marvel from above.  Overall, Chichén Itzá echoes with history, but is a bit muted by the tourist herds and haggling vendors. 

See hats and umbrellas in the background.

Tulum Tranquility

This morning I asked Jay what single word he would give to each place we've been so far on our Mexico adventure.

Cancun...tequila.  Isla Mujeres...charm. Playa del Carmen...alive.  

For Tulum, we settled on "soulful".  Tulum is a city of consciousness, thoughtful down to every last detail.  Shops, food, beaches, and architecture are all works of art, each designed as an opportunity to slow down, marvel, and connect.  Gone is the touristy neon of Playa; in its place are dusty mauve pillows, seas of soft white and beige linens, and shabby chic, rustic furniture for sun-streaked travelers to curl into as the evening breeze picks up.  Lanterns drip from trees and the bicycles with wicker baskets are the preferred mode of transportation.  You can get coconut or almond milk in your coffee, vegans are in Heaven, and an alchemist from Paris is nestled smack in the middle of it all.

Yogis mix with divers, with fishermen, with DJs, with chefs, with dreamers, with writers, with children, with languages, with sea salt, with love.  Tulum is more than soulful.  Tulum is soul-overflowing. 

There are two distinct segments of Tulum: the pueblo and the beach.  Our hotel is in the former, and the town boasts more affordable prices and a taste of local living.  Xscape is run by the most helpful, excited staff who eagerly greet us each day.  We've found Mexico welcoming and warm at every juncture. Burrito Amor is a few blocks away, and the home-made coconut tortillas keep us coming back.  Try the pulled pork and pineapple burrito.  

Beauty in simplicity: Xscape Tulum

Home is wherever I'm with you

A few miles from Avenida Tulum is the narrow street that divides the beach from the jungle.  Miles of boutique hotels, restaurants, yoga studios, and shops mosaic Zona Hotelera.   My family stayed at the El Paraiso Hotel, opening their cottage door to sand and hammocks.  We took a boat from their shore to snorkel with turtles, string rays, and electric colored fish; our captain stopped at a shoreline cenote where the cool, fresh water gurgled up against the ocean.  You can feel the difference between the fresh and salty water and the combination seems to wash away worries.

The Azulik Hotel is the crown jewel of Tulum, inviting travelers to be awestruck in the treetop hammocks of Kin Toh (the restaurant), tip toe barefoot through water features in Zak Ik (the boutique), and consider different perspective in Ik Lab (the art installation).  Like many spots in Tulum, the Azulik has created space to just "be". 

"Shopping" at Zak Ik 

Where's Jay?

Where's mama?

Ik Lab, Art Instalattion

A table with a view at Kin Toh, Tulum

A change in perspective at Ik Lab, Tulum

Casa Jaguar 

My brother and Jay loved the beachfront Ahua Jungle Gym with Flintstone style weights and contraptions, Raw Love has rejuvenating smoothie bowls and vegan pad thai, and Hotel Sotavento's Mexican pizza with carne asada is non-negotiable.  Casa Jaguar shone with craft cocktails, the red snapper catch of the day, and ossobuco; my sister is a churro connoisseur and gave them top ratings.  Jay's quote of the trip is, "Where is the bad food? We can't find bad food!" My mama hasn't found a guacamole that doesn't make her smile, and my new favorite Spanish word is "totopos", because we always need a few more tortilla chips. 

Raw Love relaxation

Jungle Gym gains

Raw Love vegan Pizza and Vanilla Smoothie Bowl

As we stay goodbye to our visitors, we welcome the second half of our trip.  We have a few more soulful days in Tulum, then head west and inland to the capital of the Yucatan: Merida.  Thank you to everyone following our journey.  Leave us questions in the comments or shoot us a message if there are things you want to hear more about.  

First Stop, Cancun

We kicked off our month in the Yucatan with a quick stop in Cancun. If you don't know how Chantal and I like to travel, we like to stay out of the tourist traps in general. We steered clear of the all-inclusive resorts that Cancun offers, and opted for a convenient location for a day en route to our second stop, Isla Mujeres.

After minor delays in the airport, a quick ADO bus ride, and attempted taxi negotiation, we landed at Hotel Del Sol. This is not your 5-star hotel with pools and jacuzzis, but it has air conditioning, a great rooftop deck, and 24-hour Mexican music videos on the television. More importantly, it's right across the street from Puerto Juarez so we'll have an easy transition to Isla Mujeres. There's an OXXO convenient store across the street and a local restaurant called Mandinga. It's a cheap taxi or bus ride into the city, but generally a quiet area with more locals than tourists. 

View from Hotel del Sol rooftop 

El Meco

I woke up the next morning to Chantal saying, "I have a plan!" Here we go, Day 1 is about to get interesting. There are ancient Mayan ruins 2 miles away ("1 mile-ish" according to Chantal), and we "adventured" our way there on foot. 30 minutes later, we showed up to El Meco drenched in sweat, payed 55 pesos each, and walked around the Mayan pyramid and other ruin buildings. Massive iguanas inhabit the area, and at one point Chantal and I felt like we were getting surrounded. The site was basically empty, and it is a rare, must-go if you are in Cancun and want to get out of the tourist areas.

This day also happened to be World Cup Semi-Finals, and I really wanted to watch the Croatia vs. England game. After asking local taxi drivers, we landed on La Taberna in downtown Cancun, which reminded us of a Mexican Hooters. It was packed for the game and tequila was flying as Croatia won 2-1 in extra time... Go Croatia, beat France!

We enjoyed the rest of the day by wandering through downtown Cancun, exploring our way all the way back to our hotel. Day 1 complete, with 9 miles clocked.

Street art in Downtown Cancun

The streets of Puerto Juarez

We'll be on Isla Mujeres until Monday, so check back in- we'll be diving and hopefully seeing the whale sharks!