Cancun To Chichen Itza

We left Claude and Danielle, our newest friends from Quebec, this morning and headed towards Merida, planing a two night stop at the Chichen Itza Ruins along the way.

We hadn’t gotten ten KM before I noticed two (not one but two) motorcycle Trafico cops make a u-turn and start following me. I was doing nothing wrong! I was well under the speed limit and was in the far right lane of a highway being used by many other dual tired trucks. We had our seat belts and headlights on. We were doing nothing wrong.

Sure enough, one of the cops passed me, beeped his horn and pointed to the shoulder. I stopped and he said something in Spanish. I thought I heard the word “permit” but Norma thought he was talking about brake lights. I told him we did not speak Spanish and he said “uno momento” and went to talk to his buddy, a very young, handsome guy who then came to the window. Norma asked if he spoke English and he smiled and said “a little”. All this time the other guy was walking around the car and dolly. The young guy asked for our documents and Norma gave him out Passports. He studied them and asked for my Drivers Licence, which he insisted I take out of my wallet.

His buddy came back from his inspection and said something in Spanish at which time the young guy said “OK”. I said, “we can go?” and he said “yes”. That was it. No explanation and no Mordida. We were on our way.

Not long after that we really got the “bite” when we went through the first of two toll booths. She nailed us for almost $600 Pesos ($58 CAN)! We pulled into the little Pueblo of Piste, near the Chichen Itza ruins and passed a little handicraft stand. I noticed a really nice tablecloth so we stopped. The guy was quoting US dollars so I stopped him right away and told him Pesos. He said $25 USA and then started converting it at the current rate of 13.5 Pesos to the US Dollar. I said $250 Pesos and he shrugged and said “OK”. We then found a blanket for $150 Pesos and a hammoca chair for $300 Pesos. These were all converted from USA Dollars at ten to one so we were discounting everything 35% so it was a good deal. I then noticed he was carving masks in his sleeping quarters behind his stand. I asked him how much the small ones were and was told $50 Pesos. This is $5 CAN for a hand carved and painted mask! I bought one and we went away happy and I am sure we helped made his day as well.

We are now safe and sound parked in the back of the Stardust Hotel and RV Park, a forties or fifties roadside motel about a mile from the Chichen Itza ruins. We are paying $200 Pesos per night for full hook-ups in a grass field. I found the StarChoice signal and we then watched as a busload of 30 German tourists pulled in in a very unique bus that has sleeping quarters. Well, maybe better described as single or double sleeping drawers. It is called Rotel Tours out of Germany. The bus parked, tables were quickly set up, beer appeared, a kitchen was slid out from an outside compartment and the driver (also a Chef) started chopping onions and peppers for a beef stew. It was amazing to watch. By 7:00 they all headed to the ruins for the nightly Laser light show and the park is again ours to share with a couple of dogs and a very shy cat. The excitement is over and life is again tranquil in the Puebla of Piste, Yucatan! We shall explore the ruins tomorrow.

One of the "single" suites (sent by one of the tour members. Thanks)