Cancun Day 5

 

One thing about documenting how your day went if at the end of the day amazing happens you want to start with that.  But I will resist and talk about all the cool stuff in order.

Today was a trip to the MUSA which is an under water art exhibit basically.  There are a few most you have to dive to enjoy but one off the Nizuc point works for snorkelers.  It’s partially in the national park but the boundary is a rope and boueys so who know.

Took a boat out to a floating platform outside the “park”. From there we snorkeled in.  The first set of structure was a bunch of guys around a table.   Couldnt figure out my phone camer case.  So just captures the guys butt.  There was also a lady with her arms out stretch and a guy watching TV.  One also I guess “fell over” due to the hurricane.

Saw striped fish, camouflage fish, big fish, blue fish. A few others in our part saw a turtle and stingray.  It was a great adventure!  Water was a little murky but considering the hurricane that came though so be it.

The snorkel was super cool but this random encounter was amazing!!  After dinner at the hotel I decided to take a stroll on the beach.  All of a sudden I almost ran into the biggest turtle. She was headed back out to sea.  It was so exciting.  I walked around and saw her tracks and then notice another set further up.  So she was scoping out something.

So I decided to hang out a bit, play with my camera exposure of the moon light.  

Then about an hour later she cane back.  She was started building a nest, tossing dirt everywhere. Would have loved to stay and watch her lay eggs and cover it all back up but I read it takes up to 3 hours.  No thanks I’ll leave her at peace.

Pictures didn’t cut it since I didn’t want to use flash but video was perfect to show the flying sand.

Cancun : Day 4

 

Today was all about the tour of Chichen Itzá.  First off the tour has its advantages but it left me wanting more time at the ruins and a desire to check out leas commercialized Cenotes.

First stop was Xcajum Cenote.  It was amazing with its clear waters, clean edges down into a large hole.  Love the vine filled edges just gave it that classic look.  They said it was 150 ft deep.

Life vest was required so put that on and jumped in.  It was a little hot out so it felt very refreshing.  You could also see some little fish.  It was a little busy as multiple tour groups where there but decirle leaves you wondering what other ones look like.  Supposedly there are over 10k.

I’m going to skip over the annoying sales pitches and stores you have to stop at.  But at least they didn’t make you go in.  Just part of tour reality unfortunately.

Next stop was Chichen Itzu.  First you walk through the barge of sellers, annoying but not too pushing in my opinion.  You come out right at the giant pyramid.  It lines up with the solstices to show off a snake which due to its skin shedding cycle is an important piece of their history.

We learned about the sacrifice of breaking a guys back then cutting him open and pulling out his heart.  But they only did this to enemies or as punishment so at least it wasn’t sacrificing inocentes.  Will need to read more on this.  Went to a large playing area which had the circular rings like in the Harry Potter movies.  Wonder if they lady got the idea from this history.  Each area had carvings that seemed to explain the purpose of the area.  One part had a bunch of skulls which I guess use to be lined with real ones that were blanched kn lime before being put on display.

So if you look at this large area it’s impressive but off to one side there is a narrow path it leads to a cenote.  Cool right.. yah no it was brown water no good view, kinda wonder if a lot look like it.  Next there is another little path around the columns at the back.. walking through jungle if it wasn’t for the vendors lining the way.  You come across some over grown ruins.  Parts of it gives you a feeling of what they looked like before they were rediscovers.  

Next was another path but this time walking through the tree grove all of a sudden you come out into a meadow with numerous temples and an Observatory temple with a round telescope looking thing and all.  Lists to see back in this corner I hope to come back.

After the ruins we stopped in Valladolid to checkout the town square and a Catholic Church.  Being Sunday service was actually in session.  The church was supposedly build from brinks of a temple that had previously resided near there.  This church also is the only one to display Mayan symbols.  The snake is a live a fish stain glass.

Cancun August 2021

 

Day 1:  Hurricane Grace was coming in the day I landed so my first day was spent enjoying the hotel amenities as most items where closed as the rain and wind howled.  This pic is after the fact you can see where the tide came into the pool.

  I was staying at the Westin Resort and Spa. Not all inclusive but that is not what I was looking for as I had lots of plans to be out and about.  They had a work out class follows by a lively game of bingo.

  After that it was a cooking class where I learned how to make one killer piña colada.  They used a whole bottle of rum to go with the fresh pineapple, coconut cream, coconut water and ice.  Blend away and yum!!

The afternoon cleared out so although the waves were still large,  took a great stroll down the beach anyway.  From the night before here is a pic of a crazy kite surfer.

Day 2: the plan was to go around and checkout Cancun.  The museum of Cancun was closed and cleaning up trees from the storm still so will go another day.

 So I stopped in the shopping area Isla.  Lots of nice usual mall type shops.  Also went into the aquarium there.  That was a waste unless you do the dolphins experience that looked interesting.  You spread your feet and they would take you for a ride.  I walked about 5 miles to get up to Isla and ran into these guys on the side of the road.

Day 3:  The bus end of route is right at the Westin so when I hopped on I was the only person on the bus.  Told him I wanted to go to the ferry for las isla.  He took me strait there didn’t stop at any other spot.  Felt special although I’m sure there was a rea reason.

Caught the ferry out to the island and went to rent a golf cart. Got a four wheel drive looking one from a local shop with good reviews.  The engine on the think worked just like the cars and autotopia in Disneyland.  Little exsilersting pressing the gas.  Lots of speed bumps along the way and dang if you're not paying attention be ready for a jolt.

Drove down all the way to the southern point of the island to check it out.  Some old ruins and great cliff views of turquoise waters.  And then there are the iguanas.  They leak over the edge and just look at you.  When you walk by the stop and stare, it’s a bit disturbing.

Next stop was the Tortugagranja.  Thought it be bigger but it was interesting to see where they put the eggs waiting for them to hatch and then the different tanks to get them ready to release or recover if they are injured.

Followed by a stop at the women’s beading cooperative.  It’s jewelry made by local women and they receive a potion of the profits while the other part goes to paying for supplies and such.  Two younger ladies where in there working.  

I asked for a lunch recommendation they mentioned Mango Habanero.  Cute small restaurant but dang the shrimp where amazing.  They had a mango habanero sauce that was a perfect mix of sweet and spicy.

Last stop was Playa de Norte.  If I have time I’m gonna go back the water was pristine.  Boats were parked close you could almost just walk out to them.

On the ferry ride back saw a large turtle pop his head up.  It was super cool.  And then the bus ride back.  So there are two buses Red which is official and white which o don’t know what it is.  We’ll outside the ferry terminal there was one of each.  Everyone headed to the red one so the sales guy started being a bit obnoxious to get everyone to take his white bus.  This really pissed off the red bus driver.  He got out and was yelling at the guy.  Got back in drove and blocked traffic still yelling at each other.  Words don’t do justice to the drama you could just feel between the two.

End the evening with a great meal and beautiful moon rise.

Braga and Dom Jesus

Braga is a large town in the north of Spain.  Its near Porto which we will visit tomorrow.  We walked the old town with the most interesting site being the Cathedral.  The above was a room that had been painted.

But this is where it was really interesting.  The guy on the left was buried in one of the back room vaults but at some point his tomb had cracked and timing or elements worked out perfectly that he was mummified.  Creepy looking at that old a guy.  On the right is a picture of the two organs in the church.  They are from the 1700's and very impressive.  One is still played on Sundays.

These two guys were facing each other.  Not sure what they are but they were rather unique and I liked the style.

The cathedral was a big area with buildings.  Its like a house gone wrong with additions.  I will say it was one of the stranger layouts that I have seen.  But it all makes sense as you see behind the walls.  Who knows how many rebuilds this thing has gone through over the centuries. 

If walls could only talk.

After Braga we went a few miles out of town, up a hill of course to a sanctuary of Dom Jesus.

They has a hanging garden that looked like a cave.  it was very well laid out and served as a nice sitting area.  The church is similar to the one was saw a few days ago but even more stairs.

Here is a look down at the city of Braga from the top of the stairs.

This is the very bottom of the stairs.  You go through an archway and slowly work your way up.  Hitting stations of the cross on your way to the main staircase.

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These are the little temples that house the stations of the cross.  Similar to the last ones they have statues in them.  But different from the last one they are much more detailed and the paintings make the scene really pop.

I was tempted to take a drink from this pool the bull just looked so satisfied and after climbing half way up the stairs this was looking real refreshing.

Portugal : Ponte de Lima and Senhora da Peneda

Ponte de Lima translates to bridge across the Lima river.  This particular bridge was built by the Romans.  Its a pretty impressive bridge, the river is not super deep but its is wide.

On the main town side of the river they had a nice park with some statues in honor of their culture.  On the other side was this little church and then some other type of temple.

Next stop we went to which was actually on a different day but trying to group the Portugal pictures together.  This next stop was up in the mountains along the Spanish Portuguese boarding.  The road was a single lane road through town that were on the edge of a skinny valley.  The side we were on was Portugal the other side of the mountain was Spain.  Luckily it wasn't a busy road so we didn't run in to anyone until the road widened to a car and a half wide.

Will have to do some research on this style of sanctuary.  Its the first of its style that I remember seeing but in my next post we see another similar.  The church is at the top of the hill with fancy switch back stairs leading up to it.  And then below the switch backs are more stairs with little temples that house the stations of the cross.

The stations of the cross were statues depicting the different stages.

As part of the stairs they have statues on each level.

Nice view from the top looking down the valley and initial stair case up to the sanctuary.