The Best Two Years Part Tres: Chichen Itza

Part Tres

We left early Tuesday morning to drive to Chichen Itza. We had a 10 am appointment to meet an LDS tour guide named Helaman. There is basically one road to Chichen Itza. There is jungle all around you. We even saw a tarantula crawl across the road. We arrived shortly after 10; we parked and began the search for Helaman. We did not see him in the parking lot so we decided to go into the site. As we walk towards the main building we saw a BYU hat in the distance. Helaman was leading a tour of two newlywed couples. We joined the group. It was nice to have an LDS perspective. The Castillo (Kukulkan Pyramid) was amazing. It was surreal to be there. Tonio really enjoyed the Observatory and Chichen Itza in general. He had wanted to go to that place for many years and was very excited to be there (see pic below). We toured around until 1pm then, we followed Helaman to another Cenote.

Kukulcan Pyramid and Tonio

Mayan Rain God

Mayan Ball Game Court

Mayan Observatory

This Cenote is next to a hotel. It is probably the most popular and well visited one in the area. There were multiple tour buses in the parking lot. As part of our tour Helaman took us to the hotel’s restaurant for a buffet followed by an entrance to the Cenote Ikil. This Cenote had steps on one side that led to diving platforms. Perhaps the most characteristic feature of the Cenote was the multiple plants and roots cascading from the surface. The water was clear and inhabited by a plethora of catfish. There was a sea of orange life jackets filled with tourists. We stayed for a couple of ours so we witnessed many wild swarms of tourists coming and going. This was by far the busiest Cenote. Katrina braved the crowd and from multiple parts of the staircase she dove gracefully and sometimes not so gracefully. We took some pictures underwater with the help of our trusty water camera and our snorkels. Given the amount of people that were there we believe this was the place where Katrina might have acquired her exquisitely painful ear infection.

Cenote Ikil

Diving Platforms

Katrina Getting her Ear Infection

After we turned into prunes were ventured off to find our hotel. We stayed in the Villas Arqueologicas Chichen Itza Inn. This hotel was conveniently located only a five minute walk from the back side of the ruins. As we checked in we noticed an advertisement for an Authentic Mayan Massage. It indicated that the Mayan masseuse received her techniques through her dreams. We finally found our crazy Mayan Lady Massage! She scheduled an appointment for the following day. After we checked in we went to the pool (probably aggravating Katrina’s unknown ear condition).

Seats outside our Hotel in Chichen Itza

Interior of Villas Arqueologicas Chichen Itza

That night we went back to Chichen Itza for the evening show which consisted of colored lights on the ruins and a loud narration in Spanish about the Mayan history. Tonio translated part of it but he thought it was too dull to translate. He was disappointed by the show since he thought it would be more like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Rock Concert (with we attended on Nov. 18).

Chichen Itza Night, Disappointing Show

The next morning we woke up early and made our way back to Chichen Itza. We want to beat the crowd and the heat. We visited some portions of the ruins that we were unable to visit with Helaman. Among the places that we visited were the Sacred Cenote where Mayan would perform sacrifices to the Rain God. It was a very hot day. We went back to the hotel to get ready for our Mayan massage. The masseuse was accommodated in the hotel room next to ours. Tonio went first in nothing but his swim trunks. He came back drenched in oil but very satisfied. Next, Katrina went in her swimsuit and had a unique experience (yada, yada, yada, that is all I have to say about that).

Champion!

Where is my Katrina?

There she is!

Katrina at the Cenote Sagrado (sacred Cenote) -I see dead People

Feeling refreshed we drove to the nearby town of Valladolid. The town was a charming colonial style place with its typical church and main square. Unfortunately, it began to downpour so we had to take shelter in a local leather shop. There Tonio bought some honey. Why they were selling honey in a leather shop we will never know. Tonio was happy. When the rain let up we went to a restaurant that someone recommended. The restaurant was located next to a….yes you guessed it another Cenote. The food was fair the Cenote was scary so we just ate. On the way back we saw a beauty salon. Even though Katrina was about to turn 31 she had never experienced a pedicure. Tonio encouraged her to get one there. After all the walking, swimming, and sweating Katrina’s feet were due for some service. The poor worker filed and filed away. Perhaps the most incredible thing of all was that it only cost $5. Of course we tipped her greatly for all her hard work. Katrina walked away with sassy pink toenails.

Church at Valladolid Main Square

Pink Toenails

That night the pain began. Katrina woke up at 2 a.m. with a very acute ear pain. She woke up Tonio and asked him for a blessing and some medicine. After taking some Tylenol we went back to sleep but Katrina had a very rough night. The next morning we got the number for a doctor in the village. Tonio called and made an appointment. After checking out from our hotel we went to town and found the doctor’s office. He quickly examined Katrina and determined that she had an infection in her right ear. He prescribed some antibiotics and some pain medicine. It was the cheapest doctor’s appointment in Katrina’s history only $20. As we drove away we saw the Mayan masseuse riding her bike. We left the town and made our way to Playa del Carmen. Our AC decided not to come on for our two hour driving making Katrina’s pain even more unbearable.

The Best Two Years Thus Far. Part Dos: Cancun

Part Dos

We left Puerto Morelos on Sunday morning and traveled to Cancun. Tonio has a friend who lives in Cancun so we planned on attending his ward so that we could meet each other. Finding the church in Cancun was very challenging because the streets had no names! We had looked up the address on line and we even wrote directions, however, once we needed to make a right turn on a particular street we realized that not only did the streets lacked names, not even the locals knew where the street was. We became like Nephi of old, going without by faith knowing where to go. Eventually Tonio felt like he needed to make a right turn and lo and behold we arrived to the chapel and on time. Talk about miracles!

Cancun Chapel

That Sunday Tonio met with his friend Gabriel. They grew up together in the same ward in Mexico City. Gabriel is now married (his wife’s name is Zuemia) and has one child and one more on the way. After church, Gabriel’s in-laws invited us to come over to their house for dinner. We ate carnitas (roasted pork) with tortillas, guacamole and salsa. It was truly delicious. After dinner we visited for a little bit with the family. We talked about how we met each other. Gabriel and Zuemia also talked about how they met and their adventures in Cancun. Zuemia’s mother gave Katrina a little purse she made with the little things at the top of soda cans used to push them open. She is very talented and loves making all kinds of crafts like that one. Before leaving, they invited us to come over the next day to see Zuemia’s father play softball. He and some co workers played in a small local league and the final game was being played on Monday.

Gabriel y Tonio

We accepted the invitation and we took off to our hotel over the Hotel Zone in Cancun. Zuemia’s parents insisted on coming with us to help us get there (considering the difficulty that it is to navigate without road signs). They were very kind to us.

We stayed at the J W Marriott Resort in Cancun. It was a very elegant and fancy place. Given Tonio’s Platinum status our room was upgraded to the 12^th floor. The view was so incredible we could not believe our eyes. We took lots of pictures from our balcony. We thought we could see Cuba from our room!

Care for a swim?

Room with a view

That evening, we celebrated our anniversary by going out for dinner at Lorenzillos (a high-end lobster and seafood restaurant). We went there because Gabriel and his family recommended the place as one of the nicest in the Cancun strip. It was certainly nice, and pricey. However, we decided to indulge ourselves in an expensive place this one time since it was our anniversary. At the end of our meal, we were surprised by the waiters when they brought us a little dessert with a little caramel legend that said “Feliz Anniversario”. That was a nice little detail.

Happy 2nd Anniversary

Upon returning to our hotel from the restaurant we went for a little swim in the hotel’s pool. It was a really nice pool with several sections and bridges. Since it was late at night, very few people were present which made it a very romantic night.

The next morning we went down to the hotel beach. Our beach’s section had lots of chairs and umbrellas made out of “palapas” (palm tree leaves). Summer time is the slow season in Cancun, hence, the beach was quite empty. This was really nice. Katrina was working on a tan for her legs while Tonio read her a biography on Thomas Jefferson. Eventually we made it to the water and stayed a little too long. We put our snorkels to a good use and played getting “beached” (just like the whales get beached at the seashore) a couple of times. Unfortunately, the sand was not as soft as we would have liked it.

Should I be on a postcard or what?

Donde esta el salvavidas?

You might wonder how many other exciting things we did in Cancun. Well, we decided to go to a mall and watch two movies in a row. That is right. Cancun is a lot like Vegas so we did not feel so inclined to experience the party lifestyle of the city. We did, however, have a lot of fun at the mall. We ate at a restaurant called “Chocolate City”. Katrina was very happy to be there. We not only got good food for lunch but a delicious caramel brownie and a dozen chocolate covered strawberries (courtesy of the house).

Since movies are less expensive down there, we decided to watch the movies “Salt” and “Inception” (for the second time). After the movies we made our way back to town to meet up with Gabriel’s in-laws for dinner and the softball game. We had a lot of fun at the game. Prior to the beginning of the game we were told that a lady would normally come to sell her home-made tamales. When the tamal lady arrived a swarm of hungry fans surrounded her. Gabriel braved the crowd at the request of his mother-in-law in order to get a couple pieces of the precious food.

Pre-game dinner

Champion of the Tamales

The game was pretty quiet for most of the time. However, as we approached the final innings the excitement picked up quickly. Katrina was yelling at the top of her lungs (I cannot write the things she said for decency’s sake). It was very cool to see our team win the championship.

After the game we said good-bye to Gabriel and his family and headed back to our hotel. Our stay in Cancun was very short but we did not mind it. Our hotel was so luxurious that we felt a little guilty for staying there. There is a huge gap between the hotel zone and the real Cancun that makes you come to the realization of the poverty of that area.

The next day we made our way to Chichen Itza but that is another story full of joy and pain…

The Best Two Years…Thus Far - Part Uno

Last month we celebrated our two-year wedding anniversary by going to the Mexican Caribbean. It was an experience full of excitement, drama, action, and crazy Mayan ladies. It all began early in the morning of August the fifth. We made our way from Washington DC to Cancun, Mexico via Miami. Upon arrival we were warmly greeted by the Caribbean 90+ degree weather. After getting rid of people trying to get us “free” buffets and rides we got our “luxurious” rental car (that is right, we paid more for it so it could have an automatic transmission). It was a GM compact car that is only made in Mexico, I guess we should be grateful that it worked and that we had AC (for most of the time).

Our first destination was a small fishermen village 15 minutes South of Cancun called Puerto Morelos. Our good friend Erika recommended the place and, as a matter of fact, we based most of our itinerary on her recommendations. Puerto Morelos is situated between a lagoon and the Caribbean.

Church at Puerto Morelos

Upon checking in our hotel (Posada el Moro) we made our way to the beach which was only one block away. Katrina could not believe the color of the water nor its warm, warm temperature. We spent a good hour wading our booties, enjoying of the evening Sun, and then we made our way back to our inn. Our inn was not the Hilton but it was very lovely and comely. In fact, the whole town was quaint; quite different from the extravagances of Cancun.

Caribbean Blue

You are not in Puebla anymore Tonio

Lighthouse at Puerto Morelos (evening)

That night we went for dinner in one of the most unique restaurants we have ever been: La Panza es Primero (The Paunch is First). It has a theme of Mexican wrestlers from the golden age of wrestling. Since Katrina is a big Nacho Libre fan, she loved the restaurant and what we loved even more was their Coconut Flan. We loved it so much that we went back the next two nights just to grab dessert.

La Panza es Primero

Coconut Flan! Mmmmm! Yummy!

The next morning the Inn’s owner hooked us up with a retired fisherman named Carmen to go on a snorkel tour of the second largest coral reef in the world. We went early in the morning because that is the best time to see fish and we had an incredible time. We purchase a water-proof camera in the local market and we were able to take some shots; however, our pictures do not give justice to the beauty we witnessed. We saw lots of fish, a lobster, and even a runaway turtle.

View from snorkeling boat

After snorkeling, we made our way to the Cenotes (Cenotes is Spanish for Cenotes). We went to this place called Siete Bocas (Seven Mouths). It was basically seven underground, partially flooded caves connected to each other. We bought our own snorkel and mask and we were able to see the fish swimming in them. Cenotes are very deep so there is no way you can see or touch the floor which makes the whole experience the more exciting.

Sign to Cenote Siete Bocas

Katrina after her 20 foot jump.

The next morning we made our way to the beach and got a little too much Sun. After lunch we decided to go to the Jungle Spa. Our friend Erika said that it was an amazing experience because you get treated like a king by those Mayan women. After a little bit of struggling, we finally found the Spa, it was truly in the Jungle. Upon arrival we noticed that no one came to greet us so we made ourselves at home and walked onto the property. We saw a screened room in the center of the lot where the Spa is full of people around a large table. Once we entered we were greeted by two tiny Mayan women who did not speak much Spanish. We asked where we needed to sign up for a killer massage and they pointed us to a Caucasian-looking lady sitting at the head of the table. We wish you could have seen her; she resembled the pure spirit of the 60s with long, white hair, white gown, and a very strange look, in short, a living hippie. We asked her whether we could get a massage and she replied, in a rather mumbling fashion, that they were booked. She said some other things but we were only able to make up those words. It was almost like talking to an ancient Jungle Elf speaking some forgotten language.

Disappointed, we made our way back to the Cenotes. This time we went to a Cenote called Verde Lucero (Green Star) which is considered an open Cenote (meaning it is not underground but rather like a swimming pool). Katrina loved this Cenote because there was a zip line people could use to jump into the water. The Cenote also had a rope where people could sit or hold on to since, like any other Cenote, there is no way you can touch the bottom. A great thing about this Cenote was the amount of sunlight it gets. Thanks to it we were able to see a large number of fish of many types including the Kat Fish, ha ha, ha. In addition to the zip line, there was a 20 foot tall platform from where people could also jump. We saw the cutest little fat boy (maybe 5 years old) jumping into the water over and over again. Each time he would scream in the funniest way to his dad asking him to catch him. Katrina of course, jumped at least five times. Tonio only did it twice since he needed to keep the car key safe.

Just looking pretty

What is happening hot stuff?

We left Puerto Morelos on Sunday morning (our anniversary) to go to Cancun. But that is a story for another time… Stay tuned for Part Dos.

Bye-bye Puerto Morelos

Eric's Graduation

In May my brother, Eric, graduation from Penn State University with his PhD in Rural Sociology and Demography! His wife, Alisha, received her PhD in the same field in August 2009. We are so proud of them. My parents and Mike flew out for the festivities.

Eric and Alisha

Mom, Dad, and the Grad

Sibling Support

Eric and the Nittany Lion

Eric planned for us to eat dinner with an Amish family. We even stayed in their cabin. The father of the family is Jonas Yoder. For an Amish guy he is very business savvy. I have dubbed him the Donald Trump of the Amish. He hosts dinners in his home about three times a week. He has groups from 5 up to 45. When the group is small he will ask you a lot of questions. We talked about a variety of subjects including current events. We asked how the economic recession is affecting them. He said that many people should have lost their homes to foreclosed but the bank has let them keep their homes because nobody else wants to buy a house without electricity. On Sunday morning we talked about religion. We sang a few hymns in English and German. As you leave he gives you his business card. He is very personable and quite a character.

There is always a smorgasbord of food. I don't know how his wife cooks for so many people. They serve something called "chow, chow" it is kind of like Five Bean Salad. Breakfast was equipped with rhubarb juice and their homemade sausage.
We stayed in their hunting cabin. We were surprised that it had a fine shower but the toilet was an outhouse. There were bear rugs on the walls and a propane lantern chandelier. It was a memorable experience.



My dad loved it.


Propane Chandelier

Two Bears

Pastoral PA

Take Me Home Urban Roads

Antonio has been traveling all over the country for the last three months. Three weeks ago his job took him to Falling Waters, West Virginia and since I was out of school I came along. West Virginia is truly Wild and Wonderful. I took my road bike and rode every day. The first day I just started riding without knowing beforehand where I should go. I rode 8 miles and was nervous about having to retrace my steps back to the hotel. Luckily I saw a Burger King sign in the distance and I knew that I was home free (because the Burger King was next to my hotel, not because I consider Burger King my home). During the next few days on my bike rides I rode along side three young deer. I also started a road kill count: two possums, a turtle, a squirrel, and a rabbit. I really enjoyed riding a total of 42 miles on those country roads.
One evening my beloved husband and I went to the Antietam Battlefield in Maryland. This was the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. During the first weekend in December a candle within a bag is placed for every person who died. It is a humbling sight. On our way back to West Virginia we crossed the Potomac River and saw this enchanting Bavarian Inn. It was an old mansion that has now been turned into an inn and new buildings have been added designed after the typical European tudor style. We decided to stop in for some fine dinning and Antonio ate a delicious bacon wrapped pheasant. Our waitress was attired in a traditional Bavarian Dirndl (dress).

Antietam Battle Field


The Bavarian Inn

On our drive home we stopped in Shepherdstown, WV. We ate at the Press Room restaurant located on Main street. It was very good and we were impressed by the quality of restaurants located in this little town. Also, we learned that every Thursday night at O'Hurley's General Store there is a gathering of local musicians. We decided to attend since addmision is free. It was a hodgepodge of banjos, fiddles, mandolins, guitars, flutes, bagpipes, harps, and unidentified instruments. One old lady kept insisting on choosing the song selection because she was the oldest one there. She had quite the high pitch voice. She forced another older woman with a voice deeper than the dead to do a duet of "Summertime". I have never heard someone go so low nor so high. They play a mixture of folk and Celtic music. Overall we had a blast. It was so refreshing to see such a lively group. Antonio became enchanted with West Virginia. He wishes someday we can move there.


O'Hurley General Store