Chetumal To Escarcega

We finally got away from Chetumal! It has been just over a month and it was really nice there. The weather was pretty much perfect although it did rain a couple of times. The rain, when it came, only lasted for a few minutes to an hour and then the sun came back out.

We took MX 186 that cuts across the Yucatan almost directly to Palenque. It is a little too far for a day so we stopped overnight half way.

On the way here though a couple of things happened. We went through an Aduana (Customs) checkpoint. A nice guy in uniform but very efficient. He pointed at the motorhome’s VIN tag and asked for the importation papers. This has never happened to us before. We showed him the papers for both the MH and the Mazda and he waved us through.

A few miles up the road we came to an army checkpoint. They had a pickup in front of us stopped and were really going through it. The had the seats tipped up and were searching under and behind them. It was finally our turn and we expected the same treatment. Instead a nice looking young Mayan Marine came to the window and asked if we spoke Spanish. As we do in all these cases, we said no. We have found if we tell them we know a little then they launch into rapid Spanish that we cannot follow and that makes them think we are being evasive, so we always say “no”.

He looked at our passports and with a twinkle in his eye, he said, “Good, then we can speak Mayan”! He then spoke a sentence in Mayan, we all laughed and he waved us on. This has been our experience in every case with the Mexican Army. They are alert for telltale signs but friendly to us old Canadians!

We had checked the Churches book for a place to stay near Escarcega and drove to the “Restaurante Bar Familiar Maya Campestre” at KM 52 east of Escarcega. The parking is free, all they ask is that you buy a meal at the restaurant. It was 97F when we parked. We went for a late lunch / early dinner and then retreated into the motorhome with the generator and air conditioning running. There are many chickens, roosters, peacocks and one shy dog running around so I suspect we will be up early!

Well, the sound of the Karaoke machine drew us back to the restaurant. The small place was full of locals and we had a blast. We drank three litres of beer, ate a large plate of french fries, danced with Mayans and watched a floor show of flaming baton throwing! It was a lot of fun, all for $151 pesos or about $12 dollars!  It is now 10:00 PM,  it is 81F and it is pitch black outside.  Every star in the sky is putting on a show. Life is Good!