MEX > CUN

It’s been a few days since I’ve blogged! Getting settled into Playa del Carmen has taken some getting used to. We got an Uber XL to the Mexico City airport, and after paying 100 extra pesos to have Archer fly in the cabin, security was a breeze and we got coffees and waited for our flight. Watched a little Ted Lasso and before we knew it we were touched down in Cancun. Misha strapped on his baby carrier and was a hit at the airport.

We got a private car to take us to Playa since we had Archer to take with us, and we were quoted 10 minutes wait. After about 40 we finally got our car and headed to our destination, about an hour away.

We were dropped off and checking in was straightforward. We quickly dropped our bags, checked out the pool, then went out for food since we all hadn’t eaten.

Google said there were vegan tacos around the corner, so we went for a walk. Walking through the neighbourhood we saw so many dogs in yards, and none of them were friendly. Snarling at the gates, archer really got them riled up. I just wanted to say hello but these dogs were not meant for companionship. I saw one sweet girl, a smaller white pitbull getting a bath. And when she snarled at me her owner slapped her in the face to get her to stop. Terrible.

If the dogs were happy guarding us from the gate, they ran up to their rooftops to show us who was boss.

We got to the vegan tacos spot, but failed to notice this was a ghost kitchen, so once we finally found it we were met with a closed residential gate and very angry guard dogs. After texting with them we made a plan to order later.

There was a wine bar around the corner so we thought we’d try that out. Again, a closed gate. But I peered in and someone motioned to come in. This seemingly backyard operation in a very rural area was absolutely gorgeous. We got cocktails and they were refreshing and delicious. I had a tamarind mezcalerita. Nothing vegan there, so I had fries and Misha and Alanna both had really fancy tacos. We were not at all dressed for this place!

Next we went home, stopping for some tequila and fruit to made drinks with at home for the pool. I bought limes, mangoes, and some mystery fruit, plus some soda water. Finding tequila took a little more exploring. We found some behind bars at a convenience store. For only 100 pesos for a two-six we should have inspected this bittle more closely.

We wandered back through the garbage filled streets and raging guard dogs. We saw some gorgeous graffiti and convinced ourselves we were in the art district.

Back at home I made us a drink of all three fruits, tequila and soda and we sat by the pool. After round one and feeling no buzz, I went back to the apartment to make another and noticed.. this tequila was 25%! We were scammed haha. I poured us much more for this round and combined it with beer for a beerita. That did a little more of the trick.

We got ready and around 8pm we walked the 25 minutes down to fifth Ave. I mentioned my feet were a little sore wearing my sandled that had a little material around the heel. Whatever, I carried on. About a third of the way there I told the crew I needed to stop. I shon my flashlight against my feet and the backs of both heels weee filled with blood and blisters. Damn! I pushed through until we got to fifth, grabbed some bandaids and thought that felt good to go. But the intense humidity was not my friend. Everything was rubbing and the bandaids weee flapping away in just a few minutes.

We had wandered into a mall and I checked out some of the first shoes I could find. I found some very cute, kind of braided slides that I would have picked up anyways. When I put them on it felt like I was walking on marshmallows, and my heels were free to breathe. Sold! And I got a cute souvenir out of the deal.

We wandered down fifth taking in the sites, the tourists and the nightlife.

Starving again, we found Falafel Nessya, a whole in the wall I had searched out before. We each got a very cheap meal and sat down to wait for our food. I was sweating everywhere. I’ve never felt such intense heat. The dogs at the neighbouring table inside the tiny restaurant were barely a distraction to how uncomfortable I was. I went to the washroom just to splash water on myself and towel off. I was not handling this well, said Misha. I couldn’t argue! Alanna and I both couldn’t finish our meal we were so hot and bothered. But it was damn good.

After dinner we walked just around the corner and already felt more of a breaks. We stopped for a cocktail at Yum Yum and we all enjoyed our choices.

We then tried to hit up OXXO for a beer but they stopped selling at 10pm. So we found a different store to grab a beer and head to the beach for some more breeze. Misha and I got a Tulum Lager, very craft style label and made from sea water. I casually used it to cool my skin as we walked towards the beach.

Once there Misha and I realized we couldn’t get ours open. We were standing under one of those wooden lifeguard stands you see on the OC, and some locals reached down towards us to grab our beers and help us out. Once opened, they invited us up, and we chatted with the two of them for the next half an hour or so while we took in the breeze and the ocean air.

We called it early around 11pm. Our walk home in my new shoes seemed easy. It felt like the jungle, and oh how we weren’t in the city anymore. Thank goodness one of us was looking down when we came across a scorpion!! It wanted nothing to do with us and hid in the shade of a street sign’s pole. Absolutely terrifying!

I looked through my bedsheets before climbing into bed, AC turned on.