Mexico - Vallodolid, The gran carrida (well almost)

Well, I was hoping that for my first entry on our blog I would be able to tell you about a crazy Mexican bullfight, and, for a brief moment, I thought that might be the case. After deciphering the signs around town and finding a cab to take me out of town to the plaza de los torros (bulls) la victoria for a reasonable price, I was amazed to find myself the only gringo at the arena, which, for those of you in the know, is something akin to the Cheney Rodeo Grounds - a real rural venue for the local show. I´m talking guys riding in on horseback, loads of shitkickers and cowboy hats and plenty of cerveza to go around. Had she gone out thre with me (and lucky for her she didn´t), even JeeHeon may have found it a little interesting. Then, out of knowwhere, the skies opened up and let loose with a torrential afternoon rainstorm, and not the kind that let´s up after a few minutes - it just kept raining and raining and raining. So, instead of watching the skillful and brave matadors of Mexico, I got to stand around under the beer tent for a couple hours with everybody else trying not to get soaked, except unlike everybody else, I didn´t really have much appetite to drink as I´m wondering how in the hell I´m going to get back to town with not a cab in sight. On a good note, at least a few local guys brought their instruments and entertained the crowd during the storm. Finally, I decided I better hoof it back or I´d be stuck in rural mexico in the dark and pouring rain. Took me just over an hour to make my way back to our hotel on foot. Hopefully I´ll have a bit better luck next time.

On a good note, JeeHeon and I did manage to have a good time in Valladolid (in the central Yucatan). We visited the famous mayan ruins at Chichen Itza and a local cenote (pools of water formed by underground springs that provide the soul source of water for the Yucatan state). Some pictures are below, including some eerie carvings of what appear to be grinning human skulls (think human sacrafice).

Mexico - Campeche

Campeche is a pretty city with colorful ´colonial´buildings and narrow streets.

This is the center square with a cathedral at dawn. There is a couple making out at the bottom of the picture:

This is the view from the hostel (that´s right, a hostel) balcony at 2:30am. The heat and mosquitos have turned me into an insomniac. Why I have eight moquito bites while Bill has none, I do not know.

This is the same street next morning - it´s May 1 (Labor Day), so there´s May Day parade around the square. Right now there is music and drums in full volume.

Mexico - Tulum

Tulum is famous for its very hippy "eco-friendly" beach huts - electricity from sunset to 11pm only and there is a nude beach somewhere. Bill talked me into staying at one.

Our beach hut:

View from the hut:

It was fun during the day, but at night time, as I got into bed, I realized I was laying on the most disgusting bed ever since college. The sea breeze had made the sheet (and every else in the room) soggy and slimy with salt water, I could smell the twenty people that have slept on this bed before me and there was a big stain in the middle of the bed. WAAAA... Mommy!

"I´d rather be at the Hyatt":

For marital harmony, we changed hotels the next day.

Mayan ruins located on a cliff overlooking the sea in Tulum:

This crossed the trail in front of us on our walk to the ruins:

Mexico - More Isla Mujeres

Here are some more pictures of Isla Mujeres:

We could be laying on the beautiful Carribean beach, but no, we are couped up in a hot, dark internet cafe again. We are having internet withdrawal. On a good note, it`s only $1.5 per hour and there`s free coffee!

Mexico - Isla Mujeres

We flew into Cancun, took a shuttle to the port and then a ferry to Isla Mujeres. It is a small, manageable island, with beautiful beaches. Spent the first day sleeping and doing nothing - going from Seoul to San Diego to Mexico in less than a week is giving me the worst jet-lag ever. I spent 1am to 5am last night watching episodes of Friends dubbed in Spanish.

On the ferry to the island:

Found a hotel for $35 per night - it is very clean and has a TV.

View from the hotel corridor:

On the street:

Dinner!:

Bon Voyage

Finally off and running, and feeling a lot like college kids. Next stop - Mexico (hope we can find a hotel when we get there, because that´s one thing that sort-of fell through the cracks.

USA - San Diego

We were in San Diego for the weekend for Heather's wedding - it was a beautiful ceremony and a fun reception. Too much fun, in fact, that Bill and I spent most of the night crawling around the hotel bathroom. We are never drinking ever again.


That's me on the far left.

Early morning tomorrow, the 'trip' officially starts and we are off to Mexico! I can't believe I am starting the trip with a huge hangover. I had imagined that we would be excitedly discussing the trip and reflecting on how it came about (somewhat like a scene from 'Before Sunrise'), but instead I am mostly concerned with bodily functions and locating a toilet.

Bonus Item: "Point It" book - it contains pictures of various every day items (food, transportation, etc.) and you point to it to communicate! Given the level of our Spanish skills, I predict this will be very useful. Gracias, Lillian! Buenos noches! Bano!