3 Tulum - hotel Don Diego de la Selva, same room as the first time years ago
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5 Our favorite beach place was closed, and it was raining, so we ventured to Sian Kaan Biosphere towards Punta Alen
6 Old bridge in Boca Paila
7 Laguna from the bridge
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15 the blue water looked so inviting Pavla decided to try for a paddle. Some locals were shouting from the bridge not to do because of some unspecified danger, but it wasn't clear if the danger was real or just something perceived by them as such. The following video captured the conversation and Pavla paddling off to the blue waters. Turns out there are crocodiles living there, as documented in this article http://www.theyucatantimes.com/2014/08/12-foot-crocodile-almost-snacks-on-tourist-in-riviera-maya/
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17 Pavla launching her paddleboard and getting distracted by shouting from the bridge.
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19 Driving further into Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserver
20 I was little on the edge after ignoring the warning about dangers of the lagoon, and on two occasions there were unexplained splashes behind me as I was paddling around. Once safely at home, I searched the pictures and video for previously unnoticed eye looking at me from the water, but if that was happening, it had not been captured. Except for the strong wind picking up right around my turnout point, the paddle was fairly uneventful. There was a big bird's nest with little bird babies (osprey?), and several rays in the shallow water. And, of course, those unexplained splashes...
21 Mangroves are fascinating, so full of life.
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25 While I was happily paddling with crocodiles, Larry was reading a book and looking for iguanas.
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27 Mostly empty beach in the preserve. The last time we were exploring the area maybe 10 years ago, the beaches were littered with plastic bottles and other plastic trash delived by the sea. That wasn't the case this time, and I am hoping it means that Mexico is getting its act together when it comes to trash collection and recycling, not just that the currents deposited it somewhere else this time. From my overall observations, it just could be the first, which would make me really happy.
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31 Back to the developed beaches in Tulum. We stopped for lunch and ordered beer. All they had was Corona and Victoria, and when it arrived, it wasn't even a real Corona. It was Coronita, a pitifully tiny bottle. At full price, of course. This place is off our list!
32 Larry is not happy with Coronita either.
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34 Going for a walk
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37 And finally SWIMMING
38 Public beach in Tulum
39 After frolicking in the waves for as long as I wanted to, with nowhere to go, who wouldn't be happy
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41 Later afternoon light
42 Unfortunally for us a bus full of mexican tourists got there just before us, and they filled up the churche where the cross is kept, and were listening to lenghy explanation. We walked around, looked at the cave where the cross had been hidden, and didn't wait to be able to get to the church. I would be curious to know whether the tourists saw this as part of their proud history (we had talking cross that helped us with our battles), or as part of the Mayan history (the Maya had a cross that helped them fight us in some battles, but then we won anyway). Every nation must have those parts of history that are little awkward.
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46 We drove through Felipe Carrilo Puerto several times, but never had time to stop and look around. I remembered that the town was associated with the Caste War started around 1850. The legend says that a talking cross was giving Mayans tactical advise during the war. The fact is that they were on the winning side for very long time for a movement that, like others where the cards are not distributed equally, was sure to be lost in the end. The puzzling part to me is why the Maya believed that a cross, the symbol of the oppressor's imported faith, would be helping them, the oppressed, against the cross waving oppressor. Anyway, we finally had some extra time to stop and look for the talking cross.
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50 Swimming in the lake is like drinking really good wine. Pure joy.
51 Hotel Laguna Bacalar. Funky and glorious at the same time. The views are incredible, the rooms are very plain, and the food is awful.
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54 Paddleboard time!
55 Next stop - Laguna Bacalar
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60 After a morning paddle, there is also a mid day paddle
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72 Pizzeria in Bacalar. So good. Too bad the charming Italian owner was standing outside smoking, having the fans pull the smoke right into the restaurant.
73 Pueblo Bacalar
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75 Alarm set for a sunrise paddle. Foggy morning.
76 Sunrise paddle on laguna Bacalar
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113 Our room at Hotel Laguna Bacalar. Amazing views and a private balcony were nice.
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118 Reading by the lake
119 Definitively a very dead crocodile. This would have a been a very bizarre experience no matter what, but after my paddling with the crocodiles in Tulum, it seemed almost ominous.
120 Walking down from the outdoor bar with couple of cold beers, I noticed this floating in the lake, seamingly following a little tourist boat. I passed Larry his beer and said "please tell me that what I am seeing is an inflatable toy in a shape of a crocodile and not a crocodile". Not such luck, we were looking at a dead crocodile floatign behind the boat by some accident of the water current.
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122 So I jumped on my paddle board and paddled over to have a closer look. No kidding, it WAS a dead crocodile!
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128 Watching sunset from the roof.
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134 We decided to stay in the hotel for dinner to avoid driving and to watch sunsest over the lake. Sunset was glorious, food was really bad. Larry's fish was a frozen Costco like filet, served with a canned pineapple. Pineapples are THE produce of the area, you can see piles of them sold by the road, there is even a factory or packing plant with a huge pineapple in front.
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139 This sink in our room. The little baby fishes and sea horses forever captured as a sink decoration felt slightly odd.
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144 Another spectacular sunrise paddle
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163 There was a pineapple on each table to keep the table cloth from blowing away. And the hotel served canned pineapple. That's justa crime againt good taste.
164 A neat mural
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166 Larry is contemplating today's drive to Chiapas. A long, hard day ahead.
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169 Breakfast at an artist ran caffee
170 Passing the bat cave that we visited few years ago with the French hitchhiker while we were all staying in the lady's cabana before going to Calakmul ruins. Good memories. Now off the Chiapas!
