Que Viva Mexico

In May, with my partner Paola, we finally went to the American continent, more precisely to Mexico, where we stayed on an "all inclusive" basis at the Real Playa hotel in Playa del Carmen. I don't want to steal too much of your time, so I'll limit myself to giving you just a few tips. The hotel is nice, in typical Mexican style, about 700 metres from the sea, which you can reach with a nice walk or with the hotel shuttle. The staff are helpful and kind, the food good and varied (there are 2 restaurants). Right away we formed a group in the hotel of about ten boys and girls with whom we did 3 excursions; the first completely on our own to Tulum using local transport, a bus caught at the bus station at the end of 5th Avenida (about 2-3 euros), the most important street in Playa del Carmen, full of shops, bars and restaurants.

The Maya site you will visit is beautiful, right on the sea, with a lovely beach nearby that you can enjoy after visiting the site. The second excursion was done using an agency found in the centre of Playa del Carmen at a cost of 45 dollars, with a visit to the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza with a guide, then to the colonial city of Valladolid, and finally a swim in a turquoise "cenote" (karst pools that form underground). Lunch is included. It is really worth doing this excursion, as the Maya ruins are extremely fascinating and not to be missed.

The third and last excursion was done with the hotel's tour operator (90 dollars) and was particularly beautiful because first you briefly visit a Maya community that still lives as it did centuries ago in the forest, then you go on to see the howler monkeys in the trees and a good-luck Maya rite takes place, presided over by a local shaman. Afterwards you go canoeing on a lake, again within the forest, cross the lake itself strapped to a zip line, and descend a rocky wall of about 10 metres, then finally have lunch with typical dishes of the Maya tradition. In the afternoon you go for a swim in a cenote and finish with a visit to a beautiful and recent Maya archaeological site, Coba....as if that were not enough!! Let's not even talk about the sea, which is simply marvellous, warm water, turquoise, white, fine sand....what a spectacle.

I recommend haggling for anything and in any shop; it is really common and for Mexicans it is almost a duty. For money you can pay in dollars, euros or pesos. I also recommend buying the little gifts in wood, stone or other materials directly from the Maya and not in the shops in the centre, as they cost less and above all this way you can help enrich the very poor Maya communities. Thank you Mexico!! For any information just write. Aldo