First Impressions of Cancún

View from our hotel balcony.

Our first experience with Cancún was bizarre, but should have been expected considering we were in Mexico. 

As soon as we got off our plane and went through immigration and entered the outer rooms of the airport, there were solicitors . . . EVERYWHERE! The first ones tried to get us to pay for a taxi or shuttle, then they talked about rentals and tour packages. They tried committing us to round-trip service and it was all exorbitantly expensive considering our hotel was only fifteen minutes away! 

I'll bet there were over 200 people waiting for vulnerable passengers to leave the airport. (We were the first flight of the day.) 

Local man selling trinkets on the beach.

We paid way too much for a taxi to our hotel. Not five minutes after getting settled into our room we got a knock at the door. It was the “concierge,” a young Mexican lady named Zulema, who asked to come in our room. She spent the next thirty minutes trying to commit us to attend a “presentation” so we could get discounts on tours and food. I was tired of it all. I just wanted to nap and then pay for what I wanted. 

That was the Cancún we walked into. Not what we were expecting. But beyond that, Cancún was a paradise. 

Swimming with turtles.  Snorkeling is one of the many activities available in Cancun.

Our hotel was the biggest and best I have ever stayed in. And right on the beach—with turquoise-blue water and fine white sand. 

We stayed in the Hotel Zone, which is a long strip of land that straddles a lagoon and the Caribbean Sea. It is lined with huge hotels, all multiple stories and many shaped like pyramids. 

After getting past the promotions and salesmen, Cancún was wonderful. It wasn't as warm as we expected, but it was December after all. When the sun hid behind a cloud and the wind picked up, it became a bit chilly. 

Sunset in Cancun.

We spent hours relaxing on the beach watching the turquoise water and people walking past. Two storks flew in front of us, circling above in the wind, then plunging in a nose-dive into the water, resurfacing in a split second and casually floating on the water. 

Even though the beach was relaxing, it wasn't without its share of salesmen. Swarthy Mexicans walked back and forth selling handicrafts, cigars and Tequilla. Water sports galore could be found all up and down the coast. Jenelle paid 1,300 pesos to be pulled by a boat and lifted into the air on a parasail. 

Jenelle on her way parasailing.

I took note that almost all exchanges on the coast could be made in U.S. Dollars, or pesos. Almost everyone spoke some level of English. I can speak Spanish, which came in handy once in a while.

Are things expensive? Mostly, yes. But very much on par with American prices. One could eat on a budget if they knew where to go, or picked up food from a grocery store. But a dinner in most of the restaurants could lighten your wallet. 

And she's up in the air!

We spent two days in Cancún, which was only long enough to get a taste. Would I come again? Maybe one more time, but I would prefer to spend my time further away from the tourist-trap resorts. 

Pros: Absolutely beautiful. Great place to get pampered if you have the money. Warm. Fun atmosphere. Clean. 

Cons: Too many pushy salesmen. Too expensive. Too touristy. Lack of authentic culture (which is lost any time a place caters to the demands of tourism). ♠

. . . and now she's way up there!!!

 

Eating in the Yucatán

Cochinita Pibil wrapped in a traditional banana leaf.

The purpose of this post is not to claim that I am an expert, nor that I have delved deep into the cuisine of the Yucatán. Neither is true. It is a short list of dishes that I discovered during my week-long visit to the famed Mexican peninsula. 

I had no idea what I'd find here. We have friends who have visited here three times and said they ate fish tacos for every meal. As much as I love the fish tacos in Mexico, I didn't want that. I wanted to dig deep, if I could, and find out what the locals ate away from the tourist-infested areas. 

I learned that there are several dishes that have a long heritage on the peninsula. But also, with the influx of workers coming from other areas in Mexico, there are also foods that have their origins elsewhere. 

During our stay in Tulum, I loved all the street vendors selling tacos, tamales, elotes, and even hamburgers from their carts. I would buy a barbeque taco from one vendor, a tripe taco from another, and an espaldalilla from a third. I was in taco heaven! 

What follows is my list of food that I ate in the Yucatán. It is not exhaustive, and one requirement to make the list is that I had to get some sort of picture (which often didn't happen during our night ventures). 

Chilaquiles.

Chilaquiles. This was my first breakfast in Tulum. From my short experience it seemed as if several morning dishes consisted of a variation of huevos rancheros, with primary ingredients of tortillas, refried beans, eggs and salsa. That being said, chilaquiles was a very aesthetically-looking and tasty dish. My version consisted of two fried eggs, sliced red onions, and a green salsa on top of quartered tortillas, with refried beans on the side. 

Sopa de lima.

Sopa de Lima. Lime soup is a traditional dish from the Yucatán. It reminded me of their version of chicken noodle soup, without the noodles. In spite of the name, it does not have a strong flavor of lime.

Elotes.

Elotes. Apparently this corn-on-the-cob delicacy is served all over Mexico and even in Phoenix, Arizona where my daughter lives. The ones we ate, however, I think are considered elotes locos, or crazy corn. Every evening we passed a lady selling elotes from her cart a block away from our hotel. She lathered them up with Mexican cream, mayo, cheese and other seasonings. I asked her the name of it and she said it didn't have one. It was just a family recipe. 

Pork cooked "al pastor" on a spit grill.

Tacos al Pastor. I've eaten these at home, but never the “authentic” kind like you'll find in Mexico—made on a spit grill. The pork, seasoned with spices from the Middle East and America, is then shaved off the spit and served on a corn tortilla with cilantro and onions. The seasoned meat is based on Shawarma, a Lebanese dish brought by immigrants into Mexico during the first half of the last century. That was a fascinating connection I had never known before. The spit-grilled meat is like that which we used to see at Donner Kebab shops in Europe. 

Huarache con nopales.

Huarache con nopales. I had never heard of huaraches until I saw them for sale from a cart on a dark side-street. I ordered one with “nopales” or slices of fried cactus leaves. It tasted good, but reminded me of a cross between a taco and a pizza---refried beans instead of pizza sauce and lettuce instead of cheese. It was served in an oblong shape and eaten with hands. This dish comes from Mexico City.

Gringas.

Gringas. These are basically quesadillas with meat thrown in. I normally wouldn't mention them, but I found the origin comical. It is named after two young American women in 1969 who insisted that their restaurant they ate at in Mexico City make their tacos with flour tortillas instead of corn. After accommodating the young ladies, others follow suit and asked for tortillas “like those of the gringas.” The term gringo, or gringa (feminine) is used in Spanish to denote a foreigner. It's connotation tends to be pejorative. 

Torta Milanesa.

Torta Milanesa. The Milanesa I was familiar with was an Argentine food that came via Italian immigrants. It was a very thin slice of tasty meat. Our slice of Milanesa may have been thin at one time, but by the time it came to us it was chopped into tiny pieces and diluted with lots of lettuce, tomatoes and mayo. Then it was thrown inside a thick bun. It wasn't bad, but a bit of a disappointment. 

Poc chuc.

Poc chuc. This is a traditional Mayan dish that involves grilling a citrus-marinated pork fillet over burning charcoal. The marinate is combined with achiote peppers, which is used to cover a salty taste, which traditionally was used to preserve the meat. We ate this on the upper level of a lonely restaurant in Coba. It was served with rice, refried black beans, slices of avocado, and a very hot habanero sauce. 

Huevos Motuleños.

Huevos Motuleños. This breakfast dish originated on the Yucatán Peninsula in the town of Motul, just 187 miles west of Cancún. Like many of the other Mexican breakfast dishes we encountered, it was served on crispy corn tortillas with a spread of refried beans and sunny-side up eggs. It was also garnished with ham, peas and slices of red onion. Fried plantains were served on the side. 

Cochinita Pibil.

Cochinita pibil. Of all the dishes listed above, this is the one that I ate twice. The first is featured as my cover photo and was served in the traditional banana leaf. As this is a true dish of the Yucatán, I knew before I came that I would be seeking it out. I wasn't sure what to expect, but had envisioned in my mind something similar to a suckling pig (cochinillo asado) that I had eaten 20 years earlier in Segovia, Spain. 

When it came I quickly learned that the two looked nothing alike. (The suckling pig was served with the ears and snout still attached.) I don't even know if what I was served in Mexico was two weeks old or two years, but it tasted good. 

The second time I ordered it was during my last full day in Tulum. It was at a restaurant called Cocina Yucateca, which had been closed during our entire stay, but had now reopened. I noticed that there were only six items on the menu, which I felt was a good thing. It appeared to be a family-run business. On the menu it was simply listed as “cochinita.” 

Unlike the first time, it came without the banana leaf. The slow-cooked pork swam in an orange broth of juices and other flavors. On the side was a serving of white rice and red-pickled onions. I forked a scoop of the tender meat onto a corn tortilla, then topped it with a pickled onion. I was in heaven! The sweetness, the smokiness, the tenderness—all combined into one savory bite! 

This was a great way to end our trip. ♠

Tulum

By the time we got settled into our hotel, the streets of Tulum were coming alive. 

We walked down Avenida Satélite through billows of fragrant smoke coming from vendors setting up their carts. For my first sample I bought one taco de barbacoa for 13 pesos. I squeezed a lime wedge and poured a line of habanero salsa. The small taco had a robust smoky flavor and was the perfect beginning to a night of sampling. 

Further down the street a lady served a homemade corn-on-the-cob. She smothered it in Mexican cream, mayo, cheese and other seasonings. It was a messy eat, but delicious. I had two people stop me and ask where I'd bought it. 

Street food in Tulum.

Tulum was a welcome change from the tourist-trap of Cancún. Yes, the beach in Tulum is increasing in tourism all the time, but the pueblo, located ten minutes inland, still retains an authentic Mexican flavor. 

I couldn't believe the chaos and noise when we walked around town. Police drove with their lights on. We constantly heard sirens in the distance. Music blared from the streets. 

We watched girls dance in traditional Mayan regalia, twirling sticks of fire as they spun around. While they danced, four boys kept a fast beat on the drums. 

Tulum reminded us a lot of Thailand. Worn down, kind of dirty, but full of life. Lovers, bicyclists and stray dogs all shared the sidewalk. 

Fire-dancing on the streets of Tulum.

We casually strolled the street, occasionally popping into shops. Most of these shops sold typical Yucatan souvenirs, including leather goods, Mayan effigies and ceramics. 

There were so many sirens and people on the road that I had to ask a shopkeeper what was going on. He said that tomorrow (the 12th of December) was the Day of the Virgin. During the preceding days people make pilgrimages from one town to the next to honor the Virgin. 

All evening we saw different processions of families slowly moving along the main road, some in cars with lights and sirens, and others walking in front or behind. Some cars had a statue of the Virgin Mary on top, while others were covered in balloons. These individual, but noisy processions unfolded all over town and well into the night. 

As we came to the town square we found it decorated with a tall Christmas tree and nativity. This was the only sign of Christmas during our entire visit. 

Along the adjacent street were more street vendors. Once again, I couldn't resist. I had to buy another taco, this time tripe. We also tried a marquesita, a typical Yucatan dessert made of a crispy crepe and filled with cheese or sweets. 

What a wonderful evening for our first day in Tulum! I didn't know what to expect, but it far surpassed anything I had conceived in my mind. 

Cancha Maya, a city park in Tulum.

We expected the same thing during our second evening. Instead, we got the normal Tulum. 

Don't get me wrong. It was still alive and vibrant, but no more processions, no constant blaring of sirens, not as much noise. The celebrations from the Day of the Virgin had come and gone. 

Police still drove up and down the streets with their lights on (that must be a thing here). Street vendors still sold their food, but there weren't as many as the night before. 

The streets still filled with people, a steady blend of pure-bred Mexicans with Mayan faces, and frequent tourists, most of them young and hippie-like. 

Block after block was lined with souvenir shops selling all sorts of Mayan handicrafts such as masks, calendars, bags, purses and such. One shopkeeper showed me the obsidian knives that were replicas of those the Mayans used to kill their sacrificial victims before tossing their corpses into a cenote. 

Tulum was a pleasant surprise. 

Road decorations.

Tulum the town (or pueblo) shouldn't get confused with Tulum the archeological site, or Tulum the beach (or hotel zone). All are within ten minutes of each other and create a triangle when pinned on a map. I chose to stay in Tulum the pueblo because it would be cheaper and I also felt it would be a more authentic Mexican experience. 

Until a few decades ago, Tulum was a sleepy village just two hours south of Cancún. The nearby beaches and their proximity to impressive Mayan ruins have since put it on the map. The village has transformed into a bustling little town, bringing in Mexicans and expats alike. 

I was excited for our trip to the Cancún area, especially to see the world-renowned beaches—but I also wanted to experience a truer Mexico and I bet on Tulum to provide me that. 

Mural on side-street.

We had seen Tulum come alive at night, but what was it like during the day? Thus far we had spent all our days outside of the town on various excursions. It was now time to find out. 

I began a walking tour on a small side-street across from our hotel and strolled west, eventually marking a large circuit of the town. I avoided the main street where we had visited many times at night. At one point I got lost, but eventually regained my bearings. 

Mural across from Cancha Maya.

Most of the streets were pretty empty, with an occasional passerby. Bags of trash sat outside the doorways. Graffiti adorned cement walls. Through iron gates I could see living spaces, littered with personal belongings and sometimes with billows of smoke from a backyard barbeque. 

From time to time I would pass a tiny store on the bottom level of a building. Some people converted the front of their homes into miniature restaurants, selling tacos or tortas. 

Cemetery of Tulum.

On the opposite side of Tulum from our hotel is the city cemetery. I usually try to visit different cemeteries to get a feel of how they bury their dead around the world. I was shocked at what I saw. 

The graveyard of Tulum was a chaotic array of tombs, crosses, cinder blocks and trash. Many of the graves looked like tiny houses, being rectangular in shape with sloping roofs. Most of the death dates were recent, although none of the tombs looked new, making me wonder if they were reused. 

A walkway went through part of the cemetery, but to get to most of the graves I had to squeeze through. There seems to be no pattern to the layout. Just a patchwork of tombs crammed together. 

But what caught my attention was the amount of trash scattered about. It was as if no one was maintaining the final resting spot of their loved ones. I know that most of the municipal cemeteries in the United States are very clean and well-maintained. This was different. 

Typical shack on outskirts of Tulum.

Dog wandering on rooftop.

The further away from the city center, the more humble the living quarters. Many could merely be described as shacks. Tiny homes built with whatever materials were at hand. Roofs were sometimes thatched, or covered in corrugated sheet metal, held down with tires. Roads became dirt and dogs roamed freely everywhere, including sometimes on rooftops. 

The people here had a distinct look to them. They didn't look like the type of Mexicans just south of Yuma. They were darker-skinned with more of a native look to them. I'm sure that Mayan blood runs thick. 

Eventually I found my way back to the main road where street vendors prepared their carts for an evening of cooking. I crossed Avenida Satélite to our hotel and found my wife safe and well. 

Another Tulum street.

One of my favorite activities every evening was to go out on our third-story balcony and watch the surroundings below. It was a nice place to relax. I had a view of the rooftops and could see into the courtyards. Across the street was a family selling tortillas from their home. Cars parked on the little side-street, but we could hear traffic from around the corner on the main road. Occasional honking. 

At 11 pm the gentle breeze was still warm. Fans blew from nearby air conditioners. Two girls and a boy rode past on their bikes. A dog barked. It seemed a perfect night. ♠

 

The view from our balcony.