Fifty Amps In Paradise!

The Club Nautico RV Park just West of Campeche has fifty amp service! There is a standard RV type 30 amp connector and a separate 20 amp grounded outlet in the pedestal. Most Mexican RV Parks that boast “30 amp service” have simply placed a regular household grounded outlet on their 30 amp cable. This requires the use of a 15 / 30 amp adaptor which usually heats up almost to the melting point if you use your air conditioning extensively.

With the setup in this park, I can run my ten gauge extension cord from the 20 amp outlet, through the front door of the motorhome where I connect the TV, DVD, VCR, StarChoice, computer, external hard drive and our myriad of battery chargers (cell phones, walkie-talkies, cameras) to that circuit, leaving the 30 amp service available for the rest of the motorhome. This means we can actually run the AC, microwave and coffee maker all at the same time! The fridge can also be switched to electric instead of being left on propane. Only those of you who have RV’d in Mexico will appreciate the luxury of this (properly wired to boot!) arrangement.

The clubhouse has very clean showers with tons of hot water and a steam room to boot. We may just move in here for good! Even at the full daily rate of $250 Pesos per day it would cost less than $700 CAN per month for full hookups (electric, water & sewer), gate security, private beach, pool, WIFI, exercise room and steam room! I am sure a much better monthly rate could be negotiated. Being right on the Gulf, it would be nice and cool here in the summer as well.

All is not perfect however. The slow WIFI needs some serious work and the water pressure is typical for Mexico – almost nonexistent, forcing us to keep refilling the holding tank and using the water pump.

Moon Sighting

The moon was putting on a great show last night with it’s sidekick, Venus. It is very dark here at night and the moon stood right out against the black velvet sky.

Unfortunately, I lost my telephoto lens a couple of months ago so I could not do the scene justice. But in this case I felt that even a poor photo is better than no photo.

Lunch on the Malecon

We stopped for lunch on the Campeche Malecon. It was a fun little place with tables right by the sea. While we waited for our food we were entertained by the waiter and his helper feeding some leftover tacos the birds.

Croft’s garlic smothered pescado:

Norma’s Shrimp Salad and Croft’s octopus ceviche appetizer:

Building A Sidewalk

In our travels we have seen two ways of building a sidewalk and curbs.

1) The USA / Canadian method: buy million dollar sidewalk and curb making machines, hire an operator and minimal crew and then demand that unemployed taxpayers pay for everything. The result is angry people who have even less disposable income to support their families.

2) The Mexican method: hire a hundred workers from the small town where the work is being done and use the tax money you collect from them to pay for the gravel, sand and cement that they mix on the street by hand. The result is proud wage earners, well fed, happy families with disposable income which they rush out to spend in a restaurant and on groceries and clothes for the kids. All this will be spent in the same small town with the new sidewalk and curbs.

And we wonder why we are in trouble?

Pirates!

The City of Campeche was the target of numerous attacks by pirates. They finally built a wall around the city that extended out into the bay, forcing attackers to sail right between the well fortified battlements to get to the city. Some parts of this wall still stand, serving as museums and attractions.

Jardin Botanico X’much Haltun

We visited Campeche’s Botanical Garden today. It is housed in the Baluarte de Santiago, one of the remaining bulwarks of the old city wall. It is the wrong season for flowers but we managed to find a few hiding:

The Bearded Men

“Oh, let us grieve for They have arrived! From the East They came, the Bearded Men, the Strangers from the Land, the Blonde men arrived in these Lands!” – From the wall of the Mayan Museum in Chetumal

 

When we lived in the North of British Columbia there was a saying: “When the white man arrived, the Red Man had the land and the White Man had the Bible. Now the Red Man has the Bible and the White Man has the land.”

Merida To Campeche

We got a little more sleep this morning after the Caravan left at seven or so. I made one last trip to Chiles Restaurant to send a Blog Post, check my email and say goodbye to the waitress who has been so nice to me. I gave her the Blog address so maybe she will watch our journey as well.

The road from Merida to Campeche is a nice free road with a very wide shoulder most of the way. We stopped at a Pemex for gas and since it had a huge parking lot, went for lunch in the adjoining restaurant.

We found the Nautica RV Park that is actually part of a huge waterfront complex with a restaurant (not open in the winter). It has WIFI in the clubhouse, showers and a steam room. We booked for five nights at $250 Pesos per night.

Our parking space is very exposed and there is a strong wind blowing off the water tonight. We found the StarChoice signal easily but I had to use rope to tie the tripod down to the car dolly. I would not be surprised if it blows out of alignment tonight.

Taken from in front of our RV:

A visiting Armadillo

Caravans

I have made a few not-so subtle comments on RV Caravans in the past, so by now you probably know how I feel about them. The latest one pulled in here yesterday afternoon and set up. I spoke to a couple of the participants and so far, my mind has not been changed.

One couple have traveled the USA in their RV for years and only chose to join a caravan for Mexico because of their perceived “language problem”. Language can be an issue, but not an insurmountable problem. Mexican people are very forgiving and helpful if only you show them that you are at least trying to speak Spanish. Most of them know at least a little English and will soon get the idea of what you are trying to ask for. This interaction with Mexican people is one of the main reasons I like being here. If there was a translator jumping in every time we needed something the experience would not be the same at all. Carry a Spanish English dictionary. Learn please, thank you, how to ask where the bathroom is and how to read a menu. The rest will fall into place.

I was talking to a guy from Alberta and asked him how he liked Mexico. He thought about it for a minute and answered, “I don’t know. All I have seen so far is the back end of the rig I follow”. He does not tow a car so is therefore dependent on rides from others to go on the side trips. He cannot stand air conditioning so he begs off many of these side trips in other peoples cars. He has not seen much of Mexico at all.  They are on day 14 of a 45 day “tour” for which they are paying many thousands of dollars. I am sure their caravan fees alone for the 45 days will far exceed our total costs for six months in Mexico. On top of this they still have to pay their own fuel costs, insurance and for all but a few meals.

Your days are all organized but little information is given for the activities. Today for example, they are going to Celestun. Very few of them knew the purpose was to see the flamingos. We asked one person where they were going. His answer was, “Who knows? I just climb into the back of someone’s car and they take us somewhere” . Not my idea of seeing Mexico!

The activities whiteboard in the “Wagon Master’s” window says:

Welcome to Marida (wrong spelling is theirs)
8:30 Celestun – plan on all day
5:30 Briefing in patio area
6:30 Dinner – carpool

There. Your day is decided for you. All you have left to do is figure out when you can get a bathroom break. Where are you going tomorrow? Who knows? It will be a surprise.

Some people are concerned about the damage being done to their $250,000 (plus) motorhomes by the topes and roads in general. I would probably be concerned be as well if I had a $250,000 rig. Personally, I think it is rather silly to bring one of those down here even if you never stray from the Autopistas or toll roads. If they had done any research at all, they would have come to the same conclusion before they left. If nothing else, I think it is simply disrespectful to bring a rig down here that costs as much as many Mexican people will make in their entire lifetime. Others are also concerned about the damage their newer diesel engines may suffer because the required Ultra Low Sulphur fuel is not available in Mexico and won’t be until 2010 at the earliest. This fact is easy to discover by simply having your grandchildren show you how to do a quick search on the Internet. If you can afford a $250K motorhome then you can afford to park it somewhere safe in the USA and buy a $25,000 Class C to travel Mexico. Odds are, nothing will happen to it. When you get home you can sell it and call the money you lost (if any) the cost of seeing Mexico and a parking lot ding will not ruin your holiday. It would be a better investment than mutual funds these days. I am not sympathetic. Does it show?

One of the jobs of the tour organizers seems to be to keep their customers away from people like us who may give them the idea that they could do this on their own. We are never invited to their socials and if we are noticed talking, one of the organizers will usually wander over to “steer” the conversation.

The most common statement made by caravan members we do talk to is, “You have more guts than I do. Do you feel safe?”

Well, they left this morning. Their destination is Chichen Itza, two or three hours down the road towards Cancun. They were knocking on the door of the rig next door to us at 6:30 to get them up and moving and they pulled out by 7:30 am with lots of commotion, loud talking and noise. They made it very hard for the rest of us to sleep. We will pull out at a much more civilized 11:00 am after saying goodbye and exchanging email addresses with our new friends Ken and John from Lake Chapala.

Before the hate mail starts let me say this. Perhaps Caravans are what you want. If you fear the unknown and believe the horror stories we all hear, then caravan travel is infinitely better than not seeing Mexico at all. All I am saying is that caravans are not for us. We like to make and change our own schedule as we go. If we like a place we will stay longer and if not, we leave early or not stop at all. We like picking our own restaurants and making our own mistakes along the way. Our route is made up by talking to people along the way, even caravans. This is what makes it Croft’s Mexico.

Attitudes

I like the attitudes of Mexican people. I like their attitude towards children, the elderly and each other. They take people at face value. If you are a good person then you are accepted and they seem to have the ability to look deep into your sole to decide if you are a good person. Men hug in Mexico. It felt strange at first but I like it. You meet friends for lunch and everyone hugs with the men giving each other a slap on the back as they hug.

Family is much more important here than it is NOB. Young children seldom cry as they are looked after by parents and older siblings. It is not at all unusual to see a teenager out on a date with a younger brother or sister in tow. City squares or Centros are alive with families at night. They sit, laugh and walk together. Just like a family. It is nice to see.

I like the Mexican attitude, at least what I see of it,  towards gays. I may be wrong but gays do not seem to be treated any differently than anyone else. Some of us may consider ourselves “enlightened” but there is a noticeable difference between what happens here and in the States and even in Canada (where even more of us consider ourselves “enlightened”) when gays appear on the scene. Here, no one even seems to notice. Heads do not turn. They are just people and are therefore subject to the same “good person, bad person” test as the rest of us.

I do detect a difference in the way Americans are treated compared to Canadians. I think this is a result of the way Mexican people have been treated in the USA. I hope this will change with Obama in the White House. I feel it will as Mexicans are hopeful of the new Administration. This difference in treatment does not seem to extend to the expatriate community. Maybe Mexicans feel that people who have moved to Mexico have given up any of the unpleasant attributes of their nationality. They moved to Mexico for a reason and are being given a chance to start anew.

Mexican people are not as respectful of the rich and their wealth as many would like. Park your brand new half million dollar bus in a grocery store parking lot and it just may have a parking lot ding in the side or a buggy against it when you come back. “Things” and “stuff” do not mean the same down here as they do NOB. Even Mexicans who can afford a new vehicle do not seem to mind letting their kids sit on top of it to watch a parade. It is just “stuff” and the roof can always be repainted cheap. It is far better to have happy kids than a pristine roof. Not a bad attitude.

Down Day

We are having a down day today watching Scotties Tournament of Hearts Women’s Curling from Victoria, BC. We both curled when we lived in Terrace and have a fine enough knowledge of the game that we enjoy it very much. It is also nice to just do nothing for a day.

The Canucks play hockey later today so maybe I will watch that as well. Just one of those days…

Edit: I watched the Canucks last night. Good game although I hate the shoot-out idea.

We went for breakfast at Sanbourns and are going home to watch the Oscars or whatever it is. I love these vegetating days!

Dinner Out

We do not go out for many fancy dinners. It is so easy and cheap to buy good food and prepare it ourselves that this has become our favourite way of giving ourselves a treat. However, every once in a while we want to see how the “Other Half” of Mexico lives so we found Trotter’s Steak House and treated ourselves. Norma had Rib Eye steak and I had Sea Bass from the Gulf of Mexico with shitake mushrooms and roasted asparagus. We washed it down with a glass of wine and finished with a shared piece of very decadent chocolate cake. The cost of $750 Pesos (plus tip) was enough for a few days groceries but what the heck. Life is short.

Changes In Latitude, Changes In Attitudes

Just like in the Jimmy Buffet song, as you travel South you find attitudes changing for the better. Down here you do not find the hustle and bustle of everyday life, at least in the part of it that affects us. Gone is the worrying and clock-watching. Everyone and everything is much more relaxed. If it doesn’t get done today, who cares. It may get done tomorrow and if it doesn’t, so what? The world slows down as you approach the Equator. Nobody is up tight. You begin to learn the complicated meaning of the word, “manana”.

We have run into many people who have given up on the stress of living in the USA and Canada and have moved to Mexico. They all seem to be very happy with their decision and it is not hard to see why. Like any Country, Mexico is not without it’s problems but life down here is much easier, much cheaper and much more tranquil.

Swiss RV’ers

We met a very nice couple from Switzerland who have been traveling Central and South America for the past five years in a very heavy duty diesel powered RV. We had a very interesting conversation with them about some of their adventures along the way.

They are now heading north and intend to travel to Alaska via Calgary and Terrace and return via the Marine Highway to Port Hardy. We were able to give them a few tips on things to see along the way and have invited them to stop at our house on their way down Vancouver Island.

They are not doing a Blog but intend to write a book of their adventures when it finally ends. They are not sure when that will be!

Reconciliation?!

We are having a lazy day today and I have just been reading more on the history of Merida. Once again I came upon something that set my blood boiling. On the Plaza Grande is the Cathedral de San Ildefonso, a church built in 1561 containing the Cristo de la Unidad or “Christ of Unity”. This was intended as the Church’s “symbol of reconciliation between the Spanish and the Mayan people”.

Ironically, this very church was built with Mayan forced labour using the very stones ripped from a Mayan Temple that previously occupied the same site. The stones were stripped of any carvings indicating their previous use before they went into the construction of the church. Not satisfied with merely killing, enslaving and infecting the Mayans, the "Christian" conquers attempted to remove all traces of their culture from Mexico and to replace it with their own.

Reconciliation!? What nerve! First rebuild the Temples destroyed and stripped to build your own idols. Return the shiploads of gold artefacts stolen from these temples. Return the Galleons full of silver mined using slave labour! Compensate for the systematic elimination of the Aboriginal population of 25 million when the Spanish arrived to the fewer than one million by the time they left. Millions died, either by the sword or infected with smallpox and syphilis. Give the Aboriginal People of this country their traditions and dignity back. Do all of this and then and only then will you have the right to talk of reconciliation!

I understand several countries in South America are currently exploring avenues to sue Spain for the damage done to their countries by the Spanish invasion and occupation. I wish them every success in this endeavour. It is time the schoolyard bullies of the world learn there are consequences for their actions.

Bank Card

Good News!!! The backup card works. It has a lower limit of $300 but a phone call fixed that. Now I can get cash! Very few places take credit cards in Mexico so I would be stuck without an ATM card. From now on I will always carry two!

It Ate My ATM Card!

We stopped at a WalMart for a few groceries and I went to the ATM to replenish my cash supply. As usual I asked for $4000 Pesos. The machine whirred and clicked for a longer time than usual and then a message appeared telling me there was not enough cash in the machine to give me all I wanted and that I should count the cash carefully and compare it with the printout. It then handed me my cash and printed the slip. It said that it had given me $3400Pesos and when I counted the cash, it agreed. All this time I guess the machine was waiting for me to take my card back which I was too busy to do. By the time I noticed the card sitting there, it was being drawn back into the machine and I was too late!

I remember reading that this happens because the machine has decided that I have walked away without the card and it is going to keep it. No amount of crying or button pushing is going to reverse this decision. And it didn’t!

This could have been a disaster but luckily for me, I had convinced my Credit Union to issue me another ATM card before we left Canada just in case of this type of emergency. The replacement card was hidden in the RV. Of course I had forgotten where I hid it but eventually came up with it. I then called my Credit Union to cancel the confiscated card. Now I have to find an ATM to test this card which has not been used for many months. I am sure all will be well.

ON EDIT: I just checked my bank balance on line and I see the HSBC ATM charged my account for a $3400 DOLLAR withdrawal! I called VanCity and they said that would be impossible because of my daily withdrawal limit. They are “checking into it” but warn me it could take a couple of months! Ouch! I still have not tested my replacement ATM card….

Someone ... I think my niece in Mazatlan told me she never uses one of the ATMs that you push your card into. She will only use the one with a scanner that you slide the card past and keep it in your hand. I think I have just joined this team.

Edit, Edit! I just checked my account again and the amount is straightened out! It is so nice to have human beings working at the bank! A computer would have taken months!

Celestun Flamingos

If you ever find yourself in Merida, Yucatan, do not miss the two hour drive out to Celestun and it’s beautiful flamingos. There were thousands of flamingos there, more than I have ever seen in my life! It was breathtaking! 

We drove out to the coast this morning and found a nice restaurant on the Gulf to have lunch. Norma had crab cakes and I had Shark Chile Relenos. The crab was very good but I probably will not order Shark Chile Relenos again. They were quite “fishy” tasting.

The trip up the salt water inlet by boat goes through some great scenery and wildlife as well as many fishermen working the shallow water. The one hour trip was not cheap, costing $660  pesos ($65 CAN) plus a $100 peso tip I gave him because he threw in a couple of side trips on the way back, taking an extra fifteen or twenty minutes. Our side trip took us through some Mangrove swamp and past a huge (3 foot by 4 foot) termite nest hanging from a tree.

The flamingos first appear as a pink line along the shoreline that gets bigger and bigger as you approach. Eventually some individuals appear and then the flock. It stretches right across the end of the inlet. We got a little too close to one group, sending them into the air right in front of us. It was quite a sight.

Flamingos

Termite Nest

The Good Cop

We got a little lost on our way to the flamingos today. The road took us through the small town of Hanucma. A sign pointing to Celestun directed us down a street but there was no sign telling us where to turn off it. The road eventually turned to dirt and ended. I made a u-turn and headed back to find the turn. Just about the same time as I realized it was a one-way street and I was going the wrong way, a Trafico on his motorcycle appeared coming towards me. He motioned for me to stop and told me I was going the wrong way. I used my best Spanish to explain we were going to Celestun and were lost. He told me to turn around and follow him. He lead us all the way through the town onto the highway to Celestun and motioned for us to stop. I thought, “Well, here it comes, the bite”. Instead, he pointed down the highway and told us to be on our way. That was it, no ticket and no bribe. Just a big smile and a handshake. Very Mexican. That make two positive experiences with Traficos out of three.

I was expecting this mistake to cost me a little money. There was no doubt that I was doing something wrong. Yes, the route was poorly marked and there no “one way” signs but I did eventually notice that what signs there were were facing away from me. Like most other Mexicans, this cop was very friendly and helpful. I am changing my attitude about Traficos.

Progresso

Progresso is a small seaside town thirty kilometres North of Merida on the Gulf of Mexico. It is a nice little town and a quick way to escape the heat of Merida. We followed the coast another fifty kilometres along the Gulf before returning to Merida. This area is full of very expensive waterfront houses, many with Canadian flags flying and a nice new all inclusive hotel that was almost deserted. There is very little public beach access once you get away from the town of Progresso.

We found a very nice but tiny bakery on the way home and stocked up on bread and goodies for under $20 Pesos.

The beach

Seaport and fishing fleet

Palapa Restaurant

Museo Regional de Anthropologia

Along the Paseo de Montejo, in the former mansion of General Francisco Canton Rosado, is the Museum of Anthropology. It is a grand mansion in every sense of the word and is worth a visit for that alone. It does, however hold an amazing collection of treasures from surrounding Mayan cities. Here is a sample:

El Palacio Canton

Some nice colour survived here:

Mansions of Paseo de Montejo

The Paseo de Montejo is a wide boulevard where European architecture and social influence can be seen in the grand mansions built along this street by Merida’s affluent around the turn of the Twentieth Century.

During Merida’s heyday, when the export of sisal created a financial boom where Merida had “more millionaires than any other city in North America”, many of the city’s rich built their homes along this boulevard. Most of the buildings have been restored and are now occupied by Government agencies or private business. The outsides of the mansions however, retain their original glory of the late nineteenth and early twentieth Centuries.

Jipijapa (Panama) Hats

Merida is well known for two products, Hammocks and Jipijapa Hats. Today as we were walking the Plaza Grande we found the Casa de las Artisanias. This is a Government supported outlet for all the Mayan handicrafts produced in the Merida area. Everything is authentic. Jipijapa, or “Panama” hats, as they were re-named by the Americans, are made from jipijapa palm leaves and the “real” Jipijapa Hats are manufactured in underground caves where the high humidity keeps the fibers pliable for the very fine weaving required. These hats are the real thing!

The asking price was $950 Pesos each and Norma took it upon herself to see how far she could talk the salesman (also a genuine Mayan) down. They countered each other for several tense minutes until they agreed on $1300 Pesos (about $120 CAN) for the two hats. I think she got a pretty good deal. And I got an authentic Jipijapa Hat!

His

Hers

The beaten-up Mayan salesman.

Merida

Merida, the Political and Economic Capital of the State of Yucatan was once the grand Mayan City of T’ho, conquered by the Spanish in 1542. The Spanish occupiers immediately set about tearing down the ancient city, using blocks from Mayan pyramids and Temples to construct their own city and then, just to rub it in, a Cathedral which they then used to “convert” the Maya to the wonders of Christianity and the Inquisition. Other tokens of the Spanish visit were smallpox, syphilis and genocide.

Merida is also a major centre for maquiladoras, “special” zones set up by the Mexican Government many years ago to attract foreign capital. These areas are exempted from normal Mexican laws regulating workplace Health & Safety, minimum wages, hours of work, Union membership and taxes. Foreign enterprises  (mostly American) import parts and export finished products, with Mexico providing only the labour to assemble the goods. These maquiladoras were a major battle many years ago when I was involved with the Canadian Labour Congress and the BC Federation of Labour. It was a battle unfortunately lost and these present day workers are suffering.

There, I got two major peeves off my chest. More positive posts on this beautiful city and surrounding areas will follow as we get out to explore!

Sewers and Mexican Soap Operas

When we arrived at the Rainbow RV Park here in Merida at about 2:00 in the afternoon there was nobody to check us in or take our money. We selected our own shaded spot and hooked up. There are two houses on the property but no one was home. This IS Mexico, so you do get used to these things and we just figured that somebody would eventually notice us.

The park is conveniently located across the street from a Liverpool Store and mall where Internet is available at a Chillies restaurant. The site we chose however has no water and a broken, unusable sewer connection. By the time we noticed this we had already aimed the StarChoice dish and did not want to move. We shall survive by stretching our hook-ups over to the next site that hopefully will remain unoccupied. Another problem is the electric service. Every three sites share a 20 amp breaker so if a neighbour is making coffee the same time as you, the addition of one more draw will trip the breaker. It is frustrating but the sight of our hook-ups using up two spots and our sign on the third saying “No Sewer, No Water” will hopefully prevent a newcomer from hooking into the same circuit. When we have the circuit to ourselves, we can actually run the AC on “Low” while we watch TV. This is a blessing in the humid, thirty degree Celsius Merida evenings.

Talking to our neighbours who had been here for some time, we heard of the local Park “saga”! It appears there is a divorce in the works and the conflict includes the RV park. “He” looks after the park and is actually in the process of enlarging it. He is also going to build a wall separating the property and is going to build a new entrance to the park that is away from “her” house. We were warned to be careful who we pay and to make sure we get a receipt because if we pay one of them, the other may come around later to collect as well.

Sure enough, there was a knock on the door at seven this morning and “she” was here for “her” money. We told her we were still in bed and to please come back later. She told us “No, no, you must pay now!” She was well dressed and driving a new Ford Explorer, perhaps on her way to work or perhaps on her way to see her lawyer…

We got up, found our glasses, found my wallet, figured out what seven times $250 Pesos was (not an easy task at seven am) and told her we had to have a receipt. This is an unusual request in Mexico but she handed us a receipt book and told us to fill it out ourselves which we did and then made sure she signed it.

Now we wait to see if “he” comes around to collect as well. It is a Mexican Soap Opera in which we have become unwitting bit players!

"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

- This could be the name of my Blog but it is already taken by my friend Rae.

Chichen Itza to Merida

We packed up and got away from Chichen Itza around eleven this morning after a failed attempt to find an Internet connection. I walked over to the little Internet Cafe across the street to see if they had WIFI. The waiter assured me they did so I ordered a coffee and fired up the laptop. It needed a password so I asked the waiter but it appeared that nobody knew the password. He finally came up with a code that did not work. It had 11 digits where what is required is a Hexadecimal number containing 10 digits. He searched some more and found another number that did not work. He then made a phone call and we got the right password. I showed a good connection but no Internet! He made another phone call and a young man who spoke English came in to tell me the Internet was down in the city. This took almost an hour and two cups of Cafe Americanos.

We finally got onto the cuota to Merida and with only one stop to pay a $185 Peso toll, we arrived in Merida and found the RV Park. There was nobody in the oficina so we chose one of the only shaded spots and hooked up. There is a caravan in right now so the power is very low. We cannot even run the AC on low and it is very hot and humid here. My indoor/outdoor thermometer reads 34 outside and 33 inside! There is no Internet here either but there is a large mall down the street that will have an Italian Coffee Company with free WIFI. I will walk down there later. In the meantime, I need a shower. Hot or cold, I don’t care.

After my shower, a pickup pulled in and there were fellow Bloggers, Jonna and Mimi! They could not stay long but we will see more of them before we leave.

Chichen Itza Light Show

I went back to the ruins after dinner for the seven o’clock light show. I used my monopod and shot at ASA 1600 but the results are still blurred. It does give you the idea anyway.