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Post by onlyMark on Feb 4, 2023 0:52:20 GMT
I've always disliked the European winters and saw the weather in Spain was quite reasonable. As I've never been to Valladolid I thought I'd nip there and nearby for a period of time. How embarrassing that I must have been half asleep when I booked the flights, plus with just paying attention to the flight number, I seem to have ended up a long way away. I'm now in Cancun and have rented a car rather than fly back. Any suggestions where I should go? The departure board and a local cafe near Cancun airport. Really exciting photos so far, but I do feel crap for some reason, just like having a bad cold. We'll see if I recover -
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 4, 2023 2:04:29 GMT
Not really eaten much in the last couple of days so had something fairly benign, fish tacos -
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Post by questa on Feb 4, 2023 3:12:14 GMT
Oh Mark! If it were the start of a story the reader could think it unbelievable and contrived...but this is Super-traveller who leaps mighty air lines in a single bound. The Fates must be setting you up with a new adventure, mate. Have fun and don't forget to write!
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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 4, 2023 7:38:26 GMT
So when did Spain leave Europe? I must have missed that.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 4, 2023 12:48:49 GMT
I shall add bits on now and again but it's torrential rain last night and today but I need to move on out of Cancun. Still feel somewhat icky but we'll see how we go.
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Post by casimira on Feb 4, 2023 14:23:12 GMT
The Yucatan offers many opportunities for adventure that can be condensed into a reasonable time frame for traveling especially with a rental car.
From Cancun moving north (although you might visit Tulum, the site of some small Mayan ruins sitting right on the Carribean seashore with stunning vistas) through many small villages onto your desired planned destination assuming that you have one laid out it's relatively easy to find places of interest to stop and explore. (Also, great cuisine unique to that region)
We did this back in the mid 1990's although in reverse from where you are now. We began our journey far north in Merida, a small city and capital of the Yucatan where we spent several days exploring the surrounding area and from there, we headed south zig zagging south to Uxmal where we visited the Mayan ruins.
We loved Valladolid although I suspect that all these years later since we were there it likely has become more and more developed. We met some lovely people there and felt very comfortable and safe. There are some cenotes close by to stop and relax.
I am very much looking forward to your report Mark so I can see and compare what and how that area has changed since we last visited.
I hope you feel better soon.
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Post by mich64 on Feb 4, 2023 19:33:42 GMT
Hope you are feeling better Mark! Looking forward to reading about your adventures.
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Post by lugg on Feb 4, 2023 20:33:41 GMT
I am sorry that you are feeling poorly Mark. But selfishly hoping you recover and manage to explore and post your experiences there .
PS the fish tacos look just the ticket to build up your strength again
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 4, 2023 21:16:03 GMT
Casi, I'm making notes with what you say. I'm currently in Merida - intended to visit Chichen Itza on the way after staying the previous night in Valladolid. But with feeling so crap I stayed around Cancun and was going to slip in there today - but torrential rain all day means I'll try and get that done on the way back. Tomorrow is Merida all day and then moving on.
Mich, Lugg, I can feel turn for the better as I'm getting hungry, but still runny nose and eyes and headache. Also a general lack of energy. We'll see how it progresses. I did though sleep from 9pm last night to 7am this morning with one wake up, but I still could do with a snooze now.
I flew to Mexico city which is one time zone, flew to Cancun which is another and then weirdly whilst driving today, drove back into the Mexico city zone.
Checked in to the hotel and decided to get something to eat. The hotel seems to be full of middle aged Americans. I exited my door and a woman was sitting nearby just opening a package of food. Looking for a recommendation I asked her what she had and where she got it from. She said, Burger King............ and I switched off after that.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 4, 2023 21:28:21 GMT
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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 4, 2023 21:52:13 GMT
I am confused.com.
Isn’t Valladolid in Spain? Or what?
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 5, 2023 0:08:43 GMT
Mick ~ you know how the US and Canada have lots of place names that are exactly like place names in England?
Well, Mexico has many place names that mirror place names in Spain.
Mark, that hotel looks really nice & that's a killer menu. If you feel up to it, please have a panucho for me.
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Post by casimira on Feb 5, 2023 1:12:24 GMT
Wow! You sure covered a lot of ground in such a brief time! A real road warrior, true to form despite your feeling poorly.
I recognize the lobby/entrance area of your hotel. Is it right on the or very close to the big square (zocalo?). If I remember correctly, it was a tad noisy at night and we were told by someone familiar with the city to try and take a room off of the square which we did.
Merida and NOLA were "sister cities" and some of the architecture on a couple of the main boulevards are very reminiscent of some homes here. There was a huge hemp trade between the two cities. If you look at a map you can see that "as the crow flies" they are not that far apart, and both are close to the Gulf.
We enjoyed the food immensely. Try the sopa de lima (I see it was offered on the menu you posted) sounds like just the ticket for what ails you but then again you don't seem to be lacking an appetite from the pic you posted of your meal.
Progresso and Celestun are just over an hour away from Merida. There you will find fresh seafood caught right there on the Gulf.
Again, I hope you feel better soon.
Thanks for putting forth the energy to share this with us despite feeling poorly.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 5, 2023 2:29:59 GMT
Mick, I pretended I got on the wrong plane. Ended up in Mexico. As Bixa says, there is more than one Valladolid, Merida etc.
Bixa, the panucho and that ilk need to be tried at length as they appear to have slightly different tortillas and toppings. I tried a couple of empanadas de queso tonight as I still don't have much of an appetite but needed something otherwise I'd be going to bed hungry. They were quite nice but I may go back to this same place as above and try the panuchos tomorrow. I think it's a pretty comprehensive menu and has lots of stuff on it for me. My kind of food.
Casi, I've not gone far at all yet in comparison but then again, it's not the best way to travel because I am aware I only touch upon the places I go. I'm not really one for spending days and days in one place when I travel by myself because a big part of my enjoyment is the travelling - usually driving, plane travel not so much. It looks like if you are saying the sopa de lima is a good thing (which is actually one thing I've previously noted to try) then it looks like I need to go back to the same place twice tomorrow. If the weather is ok I'll be heading the day after tomorrow via Uxmal to Campeche so your suggestions will have to wait until next time I'm afraid. The hotel is eight or nine blocks away from where you are thinking. Probably looks similar to a few.
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Post by kerouac2 on Feb 5, 2023 7:44:07 GMT
The food should cure you in no time.
Is it high season or low season for tourists right now? (Looks kind of intermediate to me.) I wouldn't ask the question about Cancun of course.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 5, 2023 12:45:10 GMT
I'm here past the time of a high season, Christmas and New Year, but long enough past it that tourists are coming back again whilst it is quieter. So I suppose mid season(ish).
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Post by casimira on Feb 5, 2023 16:03:12 GMT
This is around the time of year that we were there, and we did not encounter a whole lot of tourists. We did meet a lovely couple from Milan who we ended up spending some time with while and Merida and later we encountered them while we were in Tulum and again in Playa del Carmen. We rented bicycles and spent time exploring the Carribean coastline which at that time was not even close to being as developed as it has now become. I stayed in contact with the young lady for a period of time and she and her husband urged us to visit them in Milan.
(I wonder if some of the tourists are there because of it being Carnival season. We did learn that they do celebrate it on a smaller scale, but it may have since become more prevalent all these years later.)
I'm looking forward to reading and seeing where it takes you as you continue your journey and your report and impressions.
Thanks for the update as you move onward.
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Post by lugg on Feb 5, 2023 19:12:08 GMT
Mexico is just so colourful - really why I want to go back. Someone mentioned Progresso ( Casimira? ) I went there years ago but cannot remember much except that I went canoeing through mangroves and got bitten to buggery.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 5, 2023 19:23:05 GMT
I've had a wander around the town just now. Walked about six or seven km but it felt like sixty or seventy. Mind you, I was stopping and starting regularly to take photos. I'm glad it was flat. My first impressions are good, it's not thronged with tourists and I've not been disturbed by any touts for bars/restaurants or tours or anything, though I have seen them. Maybe they don't like my face. Which is understandable. I like there is plenty of life, colourful and I hesitate to say it but knowing Colombia quite well, it has similarities in the feeling. It helps there is music on the streets, food as well there and every plaza has it's share of stalls and stuff. Yes, I do like at times the sterility of a European park or square but I appreciate a place better if it has some character. The food is quite different to Colombia, though as expected has similarities as well. At the moment I'm preferring Mexican food - and on you advice Casi (I was going to have one anyway but you told me I should.....) I had sopa de lima (lime soup) for brunch. I asked if it would make me feel better and was told I'd be turbocharged this afternoon. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think she was exaggerating - Was very tasty and something not too spicy so as not to upset me.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 5, 2023 19:29:41 GMT
Lugg, how long ago was it when you were here? Just to note for mossies I have a supply of this stuff. Best thing in the world - "We heard about this stuff from other hikers. Apparently the Colombian army use it for protection in their jungle missions. We used this when we stayed in the Costa Rican jungle and there were thousands of mosquitoes – we could see dozens each morning hovering around our mosquito net drooling. It is a small white block of soap. Just add water, lather up and rub on where you want to protect. We would coat ourselves once in the morning and once at night while in the jungle. Results: This stuff totally works and is our favourite repellent for intense mosquito activity, like hiking or anything in the jungle. Because it is soap it stays on if you sweat which is a real bonus, you can just rub it around again. It has no odor and once it is on you can forget about it."
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 5, 2023 19:50:59 GMT
Had a bit of luck this morning. I dumped my car on a back street yesterday near the hotel. Just managed to squeeze in a space. No restrictions I could see. Walked to it this morning, early, to grab my water bottle. Saw the whole street empty of cars apart from one about a 100 metres away. But, with that car was the police and a tow truck. With alacrity I jumped in mine and drove round to what I saw were spaces just outside the hotel. Asked the receptionist if it was ok there and he said fine. Told him about round the corner and he said there is a fun run and walk along that street today and no cars should be there from 6am. Got away with it as I was only half an hour or so past that time anyway. Not something I would have been in the mood or energy to sort it out if I'd left it there and found it missing tomorrow morning.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 5, 2023 20:05:40 GMT
Lugg, how did I not know (or forgot?) that you'd been to Mexico? Gosh, I hope you make it back one of these days -- we could have tons of fun.
Mark, that soap stuff sounds terrific. I'm going to hunt it down, as it sounds like something really useful to have on hand.
Mérida is such a nice city & it's great that you're getting to enjoy it in a cooler season.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 6, 2023 3:10:44 GMT
Not sure of its availability in Mexico. It's all over Colombia but Mexico....? No idea. The temperature is ideal at the moment for sure. Had an evening walk round, still tired so going to bed now but I'll leave you with a couple of pictures - I promised I'd have panuchos. Yep, good stuff -
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 6, 2023 3:54:37 GMT
Ooooh ~ atmospheric colonial church, fabulous full moon picture, and a nice plate of food.
When I was introduced to panuchos @50 years ago, they were stuffed tortillas. Apparently it's becoming more & more common -- even in Yucatán, as you show -- to pile the filling on top instead.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 6, 2023 13:10:11 GMT
I looked at quite a few places as I was walking past and they have the photos of the food for the tourists (and currently me for now) and they were all open. I'm off from here this morning and will report back later.
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Post by casimira on Feb 6, 2023 13:14:02 GMT
Mexico is just so colourful - really why I want to go back. Someone mentioned Progresso ( Casimira? ) I went there years ago but cannot remember much except that I went canoeing through mangroves and got bitten to buggery. 'Twas I Lugg. We visited both Progresso and Celestun. While in Progresso we rented a skiff and navigated through the waters zigzagging through thick mangrove swampy terrain. There we saw several flocks of flamingoes on the small sandbars. Such vivid colorful contrasting the drab shoreline. We hid out in a small grove and remained still which allowed us to see other tropical birds (2 or 3 different species of parrots) perched in the mangrove trees. We didn't encounter any mosquitoes or other pesky insects. I think it had to do with the time of year we were there, (Early February) and a cold front had moved in. At that time the area was sparsely populated but I suspect it has been developed over time.
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Post by casimira on Feb 6, 2023 13:42:50 GMT
I'm glad you tried the sopa de lima Mark. Your pic reminded me of how hearty and tasty it was. (one bowl of it with a side dish was enough for me.) I can see that your appetite was not affected by your feeling poorly.
Stunning pics of the Full Moon and the Colonial era church which there are many but I'm sure the one you posted I remember well because of its location being so close to where we took lodging.
So, back on the road today you go..
I'm looking forward to seeing where you go from there.
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Post by lugg on Feb 6, 2023 19:02:00 GMT
Lugg, how long ago was it when you were here? Lugg, how did I not know (or forgot?) that you'd been to Mexico? I am not absolutely certain but I know it was before digital photo days ( or at least mine) as all my pics of that holiday are of the hard copy type. I think maybe 2003? I know it was August as my children were on their Summer holidays. It was not a proper visit to Mexico really just a taster. It was on a cruise ship that left from Florida across the western Caribbean. In Mexico we stopped at Cozumel, then somewhere else in Mexico lower down the coast before moving on our way to Belize city Progreso was the last stop on the way back up the Mexico coast before heading to a Caribbean island and then back to Florida. My sister jogged my memory today talking about a fantastic fish meal we had had there after canoeing around the swamps. We both always said one day we would go back to Mexico to explore it properly - maybe 2024? PS thanks for the mossie repellent info Mark - will seek it out
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Post by lugg on Feb 6, 2023 19:06:17 GMT
Glad to read you are feeling better Mark - great photos
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 6, 2023 19:26:31 GMT
We both always said one day we would go back to Mexico to explore it properly - maybe 2024? Ohhh yes, please please please please!
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