I woke up early yesterday morning to bike to the ruins at Tulum - and its beach - at the opening at 8 ayem. The ruins themselves are not that impressive, but the location on the Caribbean really is very lovely. Had a quick swim in the Caribbean then biked to town for huevos rancheros, and packed my bags to move on.
From there I grabbed a combi (like a public bus but it is a big white van) to Hidden Worlds Cenote Park for some cave snorkling - very cool. We entered two water-filled underground caves, artificially lit and full of tetras. It is like swimming in an aquarium, but while dodging stalagtites and stalagmites - and the occasional bat! I grabbed another combi up to Playa del Carmen, then got the ferry over to Cozumel - my last stop. I think I have picked out a dive shop. Pretty cool that they are making me dive with a private dive master for a refresher course, then day two I can dive normally. Water is unseasonably cold - last night it was like 15 C in the air, which is really quite cold for the Caribbean. But I am here, and that is why they make wetsuits.
On a culture note, I am really glad I made Cozumel my last stop. Full of cruise ship tourists, moped hawkers and awfully expensive gift shops, it is a rather garish place. People seem really surpised when I speak to them in (admittedly poor) Spanish, but pleased nonetheless. Oh, and paying in US dollars is a total ripoff here, the common conversion rate is 40% less than what you get at a bank.
(Here is a look at the cenote at Hidden Worlds - really a cool place!)
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