March 7, 8 & 9, 2011

Once back from Merida we rested a bit, took laundry to the laundromat and went out for dinner. 

more beetles for my VW photo collector

10 men pushing this boat to the water after it received some repairs. True team work

You never know what you are going to see on the beach - this man is giving his dog a ride on a surf board!

A little fellow making his dream castle

We could not believe this! We hired a taxi driver to take us to Merida, which he did. He stayed with family while we were there and he brought us back to Puerto Morelos. The next day he shows up on our door step with this fish which was prepared by his wife just for us! It had been cooked in banana leaves - it was delicious!

This is the view we had at the restaurant we chose for our last dinner in Puerto Morelos for 2011

After dinner we then went to our favourite ice-cream parlour

 for ice-cream

The moon  cactus is in bud, it should be a beautiful site for the next full moon. A close look will show all buds are facing South.

This lone blossom must be a moon scout

Enjoying one last drink before tomorrows flight

We made the rounds to say our good byes and farewells to the many friends and acquaintances we have in Puerto Morelos

A happy bunch, packed and out for one last meal

 before the taxi van arrives at 11:30.

Little did we know at the time that our taxi van would not arrive as planned.  With bags beside us we sat outside of our casa waiting, 11:30 came and went, still no taxi. Allan walked up the street to the Cabanas Puerto Morelos to see if Jaun, their gardener and a very kind man, could help us. Jaun immediately got on his cell phone and located our taxi driver. It seems he did not write down our pick-up info and thought he was to pick us up at 12:30 on Wednesday not 11:30 on Tuesday. He arrived about 20 min later and got us to the airport in time. There was no tip given to this guy.

We would have used the same taxi driver that took us to Merida but we had too much luggage and he has only a small car.

 This is the lineup of WestJet flyer's when we arrived at the airport at about 12:30. By the time we were booked in we had about an hour before boarding time luckily that provided us time to eat. Just under the wire - not much time to sit and wait.



Allan says he thinks this is the Moon Palace Resort - picture taken from the air as we leave Cancun airport

Isla Mujeres, this picture also taken as we left the Cancun Airport.

Our flight was on time for both departure and arrival. By the time we got our luggage, passed through customs without problems, boarded the shuttle to our hotel and get settled in it was about 9:00 p.m.. We went out for dinner and crashed into bed for a good night's sleep.

Today (March 9th) we left Toronto a little before 8 in the morning and drove to Alliston where Bob and Edith's son and his wife live. They recently purchased an old school house and have renovated it for their home. What an amazing transformation. For pictures and story visit their blog at http://elmgroveschoolhouse.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-05-09T19%3A00%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7  Their trials and tribulations are well documented

We arrived in Terra at a little after 1 this afternoon. Tomorrow we head home. A jaunt into Owen Sound gave me the opportunity to get a winter picture of the Chi Cheemaun.

March 4,5 & 6, 2011

On Friday March 4th we left Puerto Morelos by taxi for Merida which is about 4 1/2 - 5 hour drive including a stop for lunch. The following pictures were taken during this trip - returning to Puerto Morelos on March 6th.

a souvenir shop

A Cemetery, we saw several of these along the roadway

A Mexican woman carrying her wares

Thatched roofed homes and dry fences were the norm

Every town, large and small hold Carnaval celebrations, the city of Valladolid is no different.  This was our second time passing through Valladolid - it looks so interesting to me. On another visit to Mexico I would like very much to spend more time here.

Pots for sale

More dry fences - these stones are piled without cement or other bonding agents, very much like what I saw in Ireland.

 

Street vendors of every description in Merida

A wide variety of shops - no different from Canadian cities

some drive neat cars while others walk or bicycle

A city with beautiful architecture

check out this video on youtube - very interesting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v60oCp36f1Y&NR=1

These jewel-studded beetles are live and have been decorated with gold and gemstones. Each beetle is jewel-encrusted and they are meant to stay alive as you’re wearing them. These living pieces of jewelery can crawl around your neck, on a sweater or other piece of clothing, but they are given a leash so they don’t venture too far away. This is especially great since no one would want to lose their pet bug that was dripping in bling or have the creepy crawly creature anywhere else on their bodies.

Did I purchase one you ask? No I didn't - I was afraid it would die before I got it home.

This was our hotel - the Dolores Alba. It was originally a home, later transformed into a guest house then it became a hotel. A beautiful place - we would recommend it to anyone going to Merida needing a place to stay.

There was just a door into a cement wall, once inside it is another world -totally amazing

The pool area and this eating area are open - the birds fly through and eat from the floors - very unique indeed.

They have a  parade on Friday night, Saturday night and again on Sunday night, each night is has a few more floats and participants. Sunday night is the biggest night of the event.

The costumes are so colourful and everyone is having a great time!

My photography just doesn't do the parade justice so I have attached a couple of Youtube videos to give you a better idea of the excitement of the event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOStVBUBAi8    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72Wma1p-3uo&feature=related

We were able to get seats at the park at a cost of $30 Pecos each (a little less that $3.00); we sat from 6:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. until the parade arrived at our location and it was a little over 2 hours before it was finished. Just think - Saturday night would have been longer and Sunday night even longer! We were very impressed with what we saw on Friday night, however we did not have the stamina to sit through it again on Saturday night. They say the mind will only absorb what the seat will endure. Our seats could endure no more.

On Saturday we started out early in the morning to do some walking and see the sites. Their churches are beautiful inside

And the Spanish Architecture is awesome!

This is inside their Theatre

We visited the Museum of Anthropology- the artifacts were amazing to see

Following our first visit to the Chichen Itza Ruins a few years ago, I found out that many of their artifacts had been removed and placed in this museum. It was then that I hoped one day to be able to visit Merida and the Anthropological Museum to see them. I am so happy that I was able to accomplish that.

I have read and seen pictures of the Mayan's deformed skulls, it was truly amazing to see what they actually look like. Babies were born with normal shaped heads, their heads were then pressed between boards and other materials. After an extended period of time their heads were permanently reshaped.

In the Mayan culture the reshaping had to do with social status

If you are interested in this custom check this site

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_cranial_deformation and any other sites in reference to Mayan head reshaping

The pictures above and below are of sacrificial gifts collected from the centoes of Chichen Itiza. For those of you interested more information can be found at http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/maya/cbc/cbc31.htm

This is a picture of the Anthropological Museum in Merida, Mexico which was originally the Canton Palace

Edith chose this quaint little restaurant for lunch.

Things are so original, even glass in these doors - the division lines are lead.

Horse drawn carriages to take you around the square

A Mayan gentlemen weaving on the loom

After our walk/lunch/walk we went back to the hotel - the temperature by noon was 37 degrees C, a little over 98 degrees F. I nestled close to the air conditioner and had a 2 hour siesta. We were all drenched with perspiration when we got back to the hotel.

 

Night time illumination of buildings

Food and souvenir vendors lined the streets and parks along the parade route

Another Volkswagen pic for that special person's collection

Sunday morning our taxi driver was at the hotel on time to pick us up and return us to Puerto Morelos

The trip took about 5 hours so before we got to Puerto Morelos out taxi driver found this unique spot for lunch. We drove through a little town then took a right and drove for a while until we came to it. There was a thatched roof restaurant and an outdoor swimming pool.

It had been raining a bit on our way there, once settled a thunder storm moved in and it poured rain. Allan is checking for leaks in the thatching.

The Mexicans are so accommodating. One of the gentlemen at the restaurant used a squeegee to remove the rain water from this section of cement and had our taxi driver back in so we would not have to walk out in the rain to get into the car. Would you ever find that kind of service here in Canada from any one?

for more on this subject check out