The night before we left Playa del Carmen, we wandered out a ways to escape the Avenida quinta (5th) and all of the tourist trap restaurants with their inflated prices and less than authentic Mexican food that is their norm. I am just not into the hard sell, we wanted to make our own choices instead of getting roped in. We found a great spot and ordered the barbeque for two. The sheer amount of meat that sat on the small grill that was placed on our table was staggering. There was chicken, pork, steak, grilled cactus, guacamole, salsa, chips, tortillas, some other vegetables, and even other items I am forgetting. It was bloody massive, enough for at least three dinners for the both of us, maybe a fourth. The heat and humidity have put a serious reduction on my appetite, and I have been careful since the first two nights to make sure that I order smaller amounts. A shame that we had to toss the bulk of that meat overload the next day. Sitting at that table with a hot grill had me pouring sweat like you wouldn´t believe.
After Playa, we took a bus to Tulum, which is a really special place. It was incorporated officially as a city only 3 months ago. Still pretty small and less touristed as of yet, more in line with what we were looking for.
We stayed for five days at the Posada de Los Mapaches (The Racoons Guesthouse) with Chello and her son Joaquin.
They were the most gracious and wonderful people that you could possibly ask for, and they took great care of us while we were there. Breakfast was included in the price of the stay, and Chello turned out some A-mazing morning meals. Also included was bicycle rentals, which was the perfect way to get around town. 
We went to the ruins in Tulum, which is right across from Los Mapaches. Here is an iguana hanging out at the ruins. 
You can swim in the ocean (Carribean) at the ruins after having a look around. Warm and clear blue water, a great way to cap off the visit. Lisa was excited to swim with the giant tortises in Akumal, and we snorkeled around for a few hours with the tortugas. It was a really a really cool experience which I would repeat in a second. Have to show pictures later because we used an underwater disposable camera that we will develop.
We went to a night mercado for 3 different nights at a week long Mayan festival that we just happened to be in town for. They had a bloodless bullfight with a small bull in a fenced in area where we met a charecter named Angel. He was a real talker and pretty damn entertaining. We came back the next night for a dance that went on every night till 4 in the morning with a band playing for the local folks. We met up again with Angel, which was a great "in" to the whole scene, and made for a dynamic where we were more accepted where everyone pretty well knew each other or knew of each other. I was wondering how my dance moves would go off, for the fact that I dont have a lot of experience with Salsa, Cumbia and the like. I am pretty well relegated to Techno and House music when it comes to the dance floor. Angels friend from the pueblo started talking to me and we had this great conversation that was composed entirely of me speaking only spanish and him speaking only in english. He paid me a great compliment when he told me that I dance very well, like a Latin boy, not like a Gabacho (white boy with no soul). I asked him was he serious, and he wasnt playin´, he said I watched you move and I can tell you really feel the music.
The mosquitoes in Mexico have been raining hell down on Lisa at the rate of about one bite per minute. Repellent doesent seem to do the trick. I saw the biggest mosquito I have ever seen in my life at Los Mapaches, and I had to finish him with a slap to the wall.
We also went to the ruins at Coba, and climbed the temple. Really amazing.
We also visited the Gran Cenote, which is an underwater limestone cave with crazy stalamites and tites. We rented snorkel gear here as well and went around. Pretty spooky confined cave spaces that is a little disorienting until you get used to it.
I went to the dentist on 3 seperate visits in Tulum. Not what you might picutre on the agenda for a vaction, but here in Mexico they have such a thing as AFFORDABLE dental and medical care. I could have either stayed in the US and paid only to have my teeth fixed, or Lisa and I could take a vacation and have the work done on the side. We got a referral to a great dentist and a truly great doctor named Alfredo. He and his wife own a practice in Tulum, and he did some great work for me. The approach to dental and medical here is a lot different, and you dont have the scum sucking insurance companies who put all of their work into EXCLUDING you from the care that you actually need. I will bring more heat on that subject later.
We had a little bit of a sad goodbye in Tulum when we said farewell to Chello and Joaquin,
and now we are in beautiful Campeche at the Hostel del Parroquia. We almost have the whole place to our selves due to the fact that is is low season. I don´t mind the rain once in a while that makes the hot weather a lot more bearable.
I will let Lisa take over for the Campeche segment, and sign off for now.
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