Thanks to Arlene for the site recommendation!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Spring Break - Wednesday to Friday
Karolina and I took a bus to Playa de Carmen to try to take a bus from there to Cobá to see the ruins there. By the time we got to Playa, it was too late to take a bus there and so Karolina decided to continue to Tulum after walking around with me to help me find a hostel. While we were walking, we came across the Germans that were on the trip to Guatemala with us. There were looking for a hostel as well and so I just joined up with them. On the Guatemala trip, I didn't really talk with them, but quickly found out they were a great group of people. There was Martin, Felix, Matthias and Marthe.
So we found a hostel called Urban Hostel and they booked a six person room for 2 nights. Since I didn't know if I'd be staying in Cozumel with Chris and Jane the next day, I just paid for one night. So we went out to eat - the waitress was very attractive... in case you wanted to know. And then Martin, Felix and I went to use the Internet at a nearby hotel. While we were using it, Martin saw the price of a room and then went to look at it. Since it was the end of their travels, they wanted a better room than what we had and decided to take the hotel room. However, the hostel wouldn't give them their money back for the 2nd day and so I had the option of staying there for 2 nights if I wanted haha.
That night we went bar hopping and tried to go to some clubs. Unfortunately, they were charging $35-$50 just to enter. I make pesos damnit! Hahah. The next day, I hung out with them on the beach until around 5:00 pm and caught the ferry to Cozumel. Found the hostel that Chris and Jane were staying in but they had gone to the beach and so I went to a cafe to get something to eat. Had some awesome Crepes and then went back to the hostel. The next day we went to the beach and then caught our plane back to Guadalajara.
On the way to the airport, we were told by people that a taxi should cost us about 40 pesos. The first taxi we came across tried to charge us like 120 pesos and was somewhat of an arrogant ass to us. We just walked a couple of blocks and the the next taxi charged us 30 pesos.
Oh, and we also came across a guy with the weirdest voice I have ever heard. It was his regular voice but it sounded like he was talking through a phone to us.
This spring break was great. It went by really quickly unfortunately but I am glad to be back in Guadalajara to catch up on things before going back to work.
So we found a hostel called Urban Hostel and they booked a six person room for 2 nights. Since I didn't know if I'd be staying in Cozumel with Chris and Jane the next day, I just paid for one night. So we went out to eat - the waitress was very attractive... in case you wanted to know. And then Martin, Felix and I went to use the Internet at a nearby hotel. While we were using it, Martin saw the price of a room and then went to look at it. Since it was the end of their travels, they wanted a better room than what we had and decided to take the hotel room. However, the hostel wouldn't give them their money back for the 2nd day and so I had the option of staying there for 2 nights if I wanted haha.
That night we went bar hopping and tried to go to some clubs. Unfortunately, they were charging $35-$50 just to enter. I make pesos damnit! Hahah. The next day, I hung out with them on the beach until around 5:00 pm and caught the ferry to Cozumel. Found the hostel that Chris and Jane were staying in but they had gone to the beach and so I went to a cafe to get something to eat. Had some awesome Crepes and then went back to the hostel. The next day we went to the beach and then caught our plane back to Guadalajara.
On the way to the airport, we were told by people that a taxi should cost us about 40 pesos. The first taxi we came across tried to charge us like 120 pesos and was somewhat of an arrogant ass to us. We just walked a couple of blocks and the the next taxi charged us 30 pesos.
Oh, and we also came across a guy with the weirdest voice I have ever heard. It was his regular voice but it sounded like he was talking through a phone to us.
This spring break was great. It went by really quickly unfortunately but I am glad to be back in Guadalajara to catch up on things before going back to work.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Spring Break - Tuesday
Monday night stayed in a very cheap hostel. They had fans but it was as hot as balls the whole night and I got bitten by mosquitos... like usual.
Tuesday, Karolina met up with us and we went to the beach Playa Norte. It has really cool sandbags all along the coast that you can jump off of and stuff. We had a great time wrestling each other off and playing King of the Hill. The food here is great.
Found a hotel that is really nice and not too expensive. Chilled out on the roof a bit and watched the sunset from there and from the beach.
Tuesday, Karolina met up with us and we went to the beach Playa Norte. It has really cool sandbags all along the coast that you can jump off of and stuff. We had a great time wrestling each other off and playing King of the Hill. The food here is great.
Found a hotel that is really nice and not too expensive. Chilled out on the roof a bit and watched the sunset from there and from the beach.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Spring Break - Sunday and Monday
Trip to Tulum very long - about 18 hours. We stayed in Tulum. Great fun. Stayed on a hotel right on the beach. Cat randomly came and sat on my lap at the restaurant. Slept in the next day. Went for a swim and some Margaritas. Went into town to check the bus schedules, buy fruit and check snorkel trips. By the time we got to the supermarket to buy fruit, the law permitted buying alcohol which sucked.
Went back to the beach and there was some sort of festival going on. We watched funny dance competitions and pole climbing. Tried to go to the ruins and they were closed until 7:30 at night. Returned to the ruins around 8:30 and they told us that the teacher discount was not applicable at night. Jane was pissed and started arguing with the guy. We vowed to come back the following day and get in for free.
Monday, we woke up around 8:00 to meet up with the snorkel group. We went to Dos Ojos which has a bunch of Cenotes (deposit of water usually in a cavern). An IMAX film was recorded where we dived and is apparently contains the biggest Cenotes in the world. It was really cool to do. There were a bunch of scuba divers as well but we really saw a lot of it just by snorkeling.
When we came back, they dropped us off by the ruins but I had forgotten my teacher ID... My choice was to either go to the dive office and get it and then pay the taxi or just go to the ruins and pay the entrance fee. I decided I'd go to the ruins and see if they'd let me in since they had denied us 2 times the day before. I didn't even have to say anything. I just walked behind Chris and Jane who both showed their IDs and the guy assumed I had mine.
Afterward, we ate lunch and took a bus to Cancun. Now we are on Isla Mujeres and it's great.
Went back to the beach and there was some sort of festival going on. We watched funny dance competitions and pole climbing. Tried to go to the ruins and they were closed until 7:30 at night. Returned to the ruins around 8:30 and they told us that the teacher discount was not applicable at night. Jane was pissed and started arguing with the guy. We vowed to come back the following day and get in for free.
Monday, we woke up around 8:00 to meet up with the snorkel group. We went to Dos Ojos which has a bunch of Cenotes (deposit of water usually in a cavern). An IMAX film was recorded where we dived and is apparently contains the biggest Cenotes in the world. It was really cool to do. There were a bunch of scuba divers as well but we really saw a lot of it just by snorkeling.
When we came back, they dropped us off by the ruins but I had forgotten my teacher ID... My choice was to either go to the dive office and get it and then pay the taxi or just go to the ruins and pay the entrance fee. I decided I'd go to the ruins and see if they'd let me in since they had denied us 2 times the day before. I didn't even have to say anything. I just walked behind Chris and Jane who both showed their IDs and the guy assumed I had mine.
Afterward, we ate lunch and took a bus to Cancun. Now we are on Isla Mujeres and it's great.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Spring Break - Wednesday to Friday
We booked a trip through a travel agency. The highlight of booking the trip was asking if things were included and hearing the guy saying every time "It's included." So we left from Palenque at 6AM to Yaxchilan (took a boat to get there). I really liked these ruins because they didn't seem as touristy and they were in the jungle. We then went to Bonampak which was cool too. Our bus driver was a funny guy named Marcelo and he told me some great jokes in Spanish. That night we stayed in cabins with a guy that was in traditional Mayan dress I think... We also did our laundry by hand hoping that it would dry by the next morning. It was wetter in the morning haha. Fortunately, when we were in the boat, we were able to dry some of our clothes with the wind and while we waited for the bus, we were able to put our clothes up on a clothesline that was nearby.
The next morning we took a boat to Guatemala and then waited a couple of hours and took a 3 hour bus ride to Flores - a city that is on a lake. Unfortunately, the bus there was quite dusty and turned my new white shirt to tan. The guy from the travel agency had lied to us though and everything wasn't included. It wasn't that we had to pay more as it was not that much, but more the principle of the thing. Oh well. Things like that are to be expected when traveling.
Today we went to Tikal to see the ruins there. Amazing. Huge and spread throughout the jungle. Templo V was my favorite as it is super steep to climb and when you get to the top you feel almost like you are falling. We woke up at 4:30 AM for that. Tomorrow, we are waking up at the same time to go to Chetumal, Mexico. The sad part is Jono and Belinda are continuing their travels in southern Guatemala and so this will be the last time I will see them on this trip.
Soon i have to delete photos to be able to keep taking more haha... dang it.
The next morning we took a boat to Guatemala and then waited a couple of hours and took a 3 hour bus ride to Flores - a city that is on a lake. Unfortunately, the bus there was quite dusty and turned my new white shirt to tan. The guy from the travel agency had lied to us though and everything wasn't included. It wasn't that we had to pay more as it was not that much, but more the principle of the thing. Oh well. Things like that are to be expected when traveling.
Today we went to Tikal to see the ruins there. Amazing. Huge and spread throughout the jungle. Templo V was my favorite as it is super steep to climb and when you get to the top you feel almost like you are falling. We woke up at 4:30 AM for that. Tomorrow, we are waking up at the same time to go to Chetumal, Mexico. The sad part is Jono and Belinda are continuing their travels in southern Guatemala and so this will be the last time I will see them on this trip.
Soon i have to delete photos to be able to keep taking more haha... dang it.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Spring Break - Friday to Tuesday
Plane from GDL to Villahermosa. Delayed in GDL for an hour. Delayed in Mexico City for 2 hours. Stayed the night at "dodgy" hotel with head prints on pillows. Really warm in Villahermosa and not that pretty.
Next day we got on the first bus in the morning. Took us about 8 hours to get to San Cristobal de las Casas. Highlight - movie on bus - High School Musical 2 dubbed. Found Chris' friends, Jono and Belinda. I've been learning a lot of Australian phrases and I love it.
Rocket = Rodney
Chevy Chase = Face
Take a slash = take a piss
Checked out the center, went to some bars. Woke up early next morning and took a bus out to Agua Azul which had really blue water and lots of waterfalls. I somehow got separated from the group for about 30 minutes but then they found me. From there we went to Misol-ha to see another waterfall and randomly ran into Mary. She was on a trip with the tours that do trips with our school and I knew the main tour guide. Mary arranged it so we could ride in the bus to get to Palenque. Wahoo! We were tired of paying 2 tolls to get into every place.
Today we checked out Palenque which are huge Mayan ruins. They were incredible: hidden in the jungle. We also booked a trip to Guatemala for 2 days starting at 6 AM tomorrow. Hopefully we are going to Belize on our way back but I don't know yet. Karolina is supposed to meet up with us in 2 days for the rest of our trip.
Good parts: great travel buddies; I now have a bow and arrow. Bad parts: taxi drivers not telling us all the charges like tolls. Overall it's been a great trip and looks to continue that way =D.
Next day we got on the first bus in the morning. Took us about 8 hours to get to San Cristobal de las Casas. Highlight - movie on bus - High School Musical 2 dubbed. Found Chris' friends, Jono and Belinda. I've been learning a lot of Australian phrases and I love it.
Rocket = Rodney
Chevy Chase = Face
Take a slash = take a piss
Checked out the center, went to some bars. Woke up early next morning and took a bus out to Agua Azul which had really blue water and lots of waterfalls. I somehow got separated from the group for about 30 minutes but then they found me. From there we went to Misol-ha to see another waterfall and randomly ran into Mary. She was on a trip with the tours that do trips with our school and I knew the main tour guide. Mary arranged it so we could ride in the bus to get to Palenque. Wahoo! We were tired of paying 2 tolls to get into every place.
Today we checked out Palenque which are huge Mayan ruins. They were incredible: hidden in the jungle. We also booked a trip to Guatemala for 2 days starting at 6 AM tomorrow. Hopefully we are going to Belize on our way back but I don't know yet. Karolina is supposed to meet up with us in 2 days for the rest of our trip.
Good parts: great travel buddies; I now have a bow and arrow. Bad parts: taxi drivers not telling us all the charges like tolls. Overall it's been a great trip and looks to continue that way =D.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Santa Maria del Pinar
Don't have a lot of time to post but I went with 7th Graders to Santa Maria del Pinar. It was fun to go with them, but I liked the other trips better because this was more about group building activities and I wanted to see places. However, the last day we were there a brush fire started and I helped to try to put it out. It was crazy how fast the fire started and spread. Luckily, we were all safe.
In a couple of hours, I'm leaving for Chiapas / Cancun area. =D
In a couple of hours, I'm leaving for Chiapas / Cancun area. =D
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