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Playa de Carmen, like the other cities along the Yucatan
shoreline, basically didn't exist 30 years ago. |
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The beach at Playa de Carmen is lined with huge resorts,
and they stretch 60 kilometers up to Cancun and 30
kilometers down to Tulum - the Mayan Riveria |
Our second day with the rental car we made a trip to Cozmel. The ferry leaves from Playa de Carmen, about 40 kilometers south of Puerto Morales on a very good limited access highway that stretches all the way from Cancun to Tulum. This is a good sized city but finding your way around is easy as the streets are usually on a numbered system. It's only a 45 minute ferry ride to Cozmel. This island, like Isla Mujeres was once a Mayan town and had ceremonial temples. Mayan women almost all made the pilgrimage out to these islands as they were dedicated to the Goddess of Fertility. It was a sleepy fishing village until Jacques Costeau made it famous in the 60's as a major diving destination. It's grown enormously since then. Big resort complexes line the western shore but the eastern side of the island and the interior has been put aside as a protected area.
We were corraled by a very nice American woman to a time share resort with promises. It wasn't worth it - a very hard sell (not from her), but we got a jeep for $20 and a bottle of tequila. The jeep was a fun way to see the island. The beaches were lovely on the eastern side and we wished we had more time there. The big reason to spend time here would be to dive and as a result of my surgery, that's over for me now. Scott didn't want to go out on his own with a dive boat so he'll wait till we catch us with diving friends further south.
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| We rented a jeep to drive around Cozmel |
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The east side of the island is undeveloped except for a
few casual beach bar/restaurants. We're on
"island time" |
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| The eastern side of Cozmel, looking south |
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| And looking north. |
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| We stopped in the Rasta Bar for some refreshment |
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| And a short siesta |
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Blow holes dot the limestone rocks that occasionally
reach out between the beaches |
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Inside there are lagoons with abundant wildlife - here
pink flamingos |
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A surprise bonus on the ferry trip back to the main land,
a 5 piece band, playing 80's rock and roll. |
1 comment:
This brought back a memory. In late 80s we visited with another couple and were at that same beach bar. A young woman wanted to order a White Russian but the bartender did not understand. Our friend said "Ruskie Blanco" and she got her drink.
Glad to see the protected area is still undeveloped. Look out for those free-ranging roosters getting into your jeep out there.
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