A few pictures of the
ruins
Tulum
is 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Cancun and 63 kilometers (39 miles) from Playa
del Carmen down Hwy. 307. Once out of Cancun or Playa, the drive is easy. Excellent
road. The first intersection you come to is the road to the ruins. The second
will take you to Coba if you turn right or to the Boca Paila road if you turn
left. If you continue straight, you will come into the Tulum Pueblo. I usually
stay off the Boca Paila road so will be going left at the next intersection.
It's February and I don't have reservations. I am hoping one of the places I
like will have a room open.
If you look on the map to the right, you are at
the red X in the photo above. This is one of my favorite areas in Mexico.
The scenery and beaches are spectacular. There are so many things to see and
do. Lots of places to stay and so many excellent places to eat.
My first stop
is at the Stop and Go at the next intersection to pick up some Dos Equis and
some ice. There is a wholesale cerveza depository in Tulum but the prices
here aren't to bad.
The road down the coast has some great views of
the Caribbean. Make sure to watch out for the topes. I stopped at 3 or 4 places
and they are full. Decide to go a little farther and try the Cabanas Tulum.
Not the fanciest of places but usually they have a vacancy. I wasn't disappointed.
After a little bartering, I get the price down from $60 US a night to $40.
When you walk into you room, you might wonder what all the candles are for.
Most of the places here don't have electricity full time. Usually, from sunset
till around midnight. Not a big deal. Bring extra candles and a flashlight.
The hot water is normally solar heated.
Parking at the Cabanas
Tulum
A
Norte had been blowing in for a few days before I arrived. The surf is up and
there are fairly high winds. I made the mistake of leaving the top down on the
Jeep and had 1/2 " of sand on the inside in the morning. I also left the
shutters open on the cabana and had sand dunes on the floor.
View of the beach from
the patio
Found this little guy sleeping on
my patio, trying to seek refuge from the blowing sand. He was friendly and
wanted to eat my jalapeno chips. He became my mascot and followed me around
for a few days.
I
go out of my way to eat at Los Pepe's. It is a local place a few blocks West
of Hwy. 307 when you enter the Tulum Pueblo. They have the greatest shrimp cocktail.
You must get 50 shrimp served in a large old fashioned sundae glass. The sauce
is mild and full of chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and avacado. A cold
Dos Equis and some crackers, you are set to go.
Palm trees blowing
in the wind
This
is my fourth time at the Tulum Ruins. The ruins aren't that large. Everything
can be seen in 1 to 1- 1/2 hours. I keep
coming back for the view. Climb the pyramid and look out over the ocean. Spectacular.
Bring
your swimming suit. This is a perfect opportunity to cool off from the heat.
The water is warm and the beach is great. All sand.
Tulum
Pueblo isn't that large. Lot's of people walking up and down the street. There
are small shops, produce stores, street vendors, and restaurants. Grab a beer
and walk around. Most everything is off of Hwy. 307. You can venture further
West and get back into town. Most of the streets are gravel with some major
potholes. A little exploring is fun.
The
beaches in this area are fantastic. White sand and clear turquoise water. You
can walk for miles and not see anyone. Great for beach combing and swimming.
Reminds me of the East side of Cozumel only 100 percent better. You can camp
on the beach at this hotel if you like.
My
stay in Tulum was only for a couple of days before going down to Xcalak. That
is about a 3 hour drive. I was having problems with my Jeep. It was backfiring
and I couldn't get it above 20 kph. I didn't have any tools and had already
checked out of my hotel. I wasn't sure what to do. The Jeep was rented in Cancun
(an hour and a half from Tulum.) My options were to find a mechanic here or
try the rental office in Cancun. Either way, I was wondering how long it would
take to get the Jeep fixed. I opted for the office in Cancun. I made it to the
Stop & Go where there was a phone. The phone wouldn't take money and couldn't
get the credit cards to work. I went inside and talked to the owner (I knew
him from previous trips.) He told me I needed to buy a phone card. I did that.
He came outside with me and made the phone call. The rental office said they
would get someone from Akumal to come out and fix the problem. The mechanic
would be driving a white VW. The only thing left to do was wait. You are on
Mexican time now. I went back inside and bought a six pack of Dos Equis and
went out to the car to wait and have a few beers. I hadn't finished my second
beer when a white VW pulled into the parking lot. My hopes were raised. I explained
to the mechanic the problem. He said " I fix." I am thinking, things
are going good now. He has to have spare parts and everything else. My hopes
for a speedy repair died when he opened the hood of the VW and pulled out his
tool box. It was a little red fishing tackle box containing a hammer, a screwdriver
or two, a pair of pliers, a few wrenches, and a file. He began working on the
Jeep. A trip or two into town to pick up some parts and we were ready to go.
I was impressed. It had been under 2 hours and I was on the road again. It takes
me longer in the states to get a tow. I gave him a big tip and the rest of the
beer. All were happy.
