Viva Mexico!
Brace yourself for this will be a long one! Mexico!!! I was born in Mexico! Guadalajara to be exact. I moved at a very young age but the traditions stuck with our family and luckily speaking spanish did as well. One of the best things when visiting "home" is being able to practice my spanish and indulging in all the great food! I'm talking street tacos, mango & papaya filled cups drenched in lime juice with just the right amount of Tajin or Valentina hot sauce...by "just the right amount" I mean A TON! Those of you who know me well know what i'm talking about... haha! The fresh coconuts, the ceviche! Yum! I'm salivating just thinking about it!
I recently returned from a week in Playa Del Carmen. It's a bit touristy considering it's only an hour or so away from Cancun but what an awesome place! I always saw the Corona commercials and wondered if the water was really that crystal clear and the sand as white as snow. I'm happy to report that the commercials do compare. It's beautiful!
With a whole week on the beach you would imagine there would be plenty of down time but with so much to explore in Mexico our trip was full of adventure and fun. I wouldn't have it any other way!
We stayed at the Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa. It was great! You are given a cocktail upon arrival and the staff was extremely accommodating. Great start to a vacation! The room was spacious and had a great view into the jungle. I loved the natural aspect of this resort. Raccoons would come up to your table during dinner, I had exotic birds right outside my window and ant eaters that would rome the property in the afternoons. Kids were going crazy over the wildlife...Who am I kidding, I was going crazy over the wildlife! The daily shows were awesome and super elaborate! The restaurants (although we only tried 4 of them I think) were delish and considering the place was all inclusive, I had my fair share of cocktails which were equally delicious! :) It's really a great place for families or couples.
Our days were full of activities and stuffing my face with all the mexican food I could get my hands on! We experienced snorkeling with stingrays and barracudas in some of the clearest waters I've seen, taking a day long boat trip to Isla Mujeres and holding my first shark which i'm sure weighed more than I do! Our nights were full of dancing and drinking, sitting on the beach and watching the tide rise or catching another great show at the resort. Never a dull moment when in Mexico! The town was alive until who knows what time! Way past 2am when the clubs close down here in the US. Music filled the streets as people danced from one nightclub to another. The woman in there most scandalous outfits, stiletto heels and like a typical latina - largest earrings they could find. But also in typical latina style, some of the sexiest dancing you'll every see.
We danced, snorkeled, rode bikes, held sharks, ate a lot, drank too much, watched some shows, took a boat ride, practiced our photography skills, shopped and saw one of the seven wonders of the world...
My list of things to do while in the area is ridiculously long but here are a few things I truly enjoyed and think you might too!
Chichen Itza Mayan ruins - one of the 7 wonders of the world. It was a couple hours of driving to get here and we actually made the trip by accident. We were searching for Tulum (which is equally amazing) but got a little lost and ended up making the trek to the next best thing.
Ik-kil Cenote - This cenote is beautiful! 130ft deep and 85ft from the surface. This was a sacred place to the Mayans. Want to take a swim? For a few bucks, it's now open to the public.
Until next time Mexico! Looking forward to visiting again! <3
