PDC Wiithout Plans

Waking up this morning was a slow start. We were hungry, and trying to sort out the best way to get around Playa without the ease of Uber. In the guidebook at the Airbnb there was a taxi app recommended. It was like Uber in its beginning stages! I requested a ride and before we knew it we had someone at our door ready to pick us up and drive us for 10 minutes. $4 USD.

We arrived at the Pitted Date and the server was as sweaty as I was. It was a huge menu. We ordered chilaquiles to share which seemed like breakfast nachos. Misha got Banana Sushi, which was banana wrapped in a peanut butter power ball type wrap. Alanna got the bomblette with their house-made egg, and I got the cauliflower baja tacos and the huevos rancheros. Our meals were beautifully presented and so, so tasty.

Everything was so good we decided to order dessert, the macadamia cheesecake. It was still frozen in the middle unfortunately so we didn’t get the full texture experience, but the flavour was nice.

After lunch we went down to the beach to stock our feet in the water. The water was like bath water temperature, not super refreshing but the breeze was nice. Anyone who knows me knows I have a mild fear of going into the ocean, and especially going in without shoes on. The seaweed around my ankles was something to get used to! But the water was so clear I could at least see that I was stepping on anything. There were no crabs to be seen anywhere.

A fishing boat was coming in, and these massive birds knew it. We watched as the fisherman unhooked their fish and threw them up into the air for the birds to catch. These birds were huge; we figured they had the wingspan of a human! In the air, they would sometimes catch a fish at the same time and play tug of war. It was really neat to watch.

After this we parted ways and I walked up towards the Sunday market. I grabbed a popsicle on the way, and resisted the urge to use it to cool off my skin. The market was a locals market, and it was crowded. I just spent a few minutes browsing, then wandered back into the hot sun to walk back towards Playacar.

I wandered back down towards the beach and ended up on a very luscious green street by accident. I saw a sign for local craft beer and I couldn’t have been more ready for something cold!

Turns out this is local beer brewed in Playa del Carmen, and it was delicious! The IPAs delivered on all their fruity notes. But after I was done the first one, I noticed the second one was already warming up, and by the time I got to my last flight glass it was room temperature!!

I found my way back to the beach and stuck my feet in. There was a local teaching his pitty cross pup how to play fetch along the beach it was so cute!

I was getting hungry again and found my way up to Coral Vegan Pizza. It was about time I strayed from Mexican food for a moment. I ordered a half and half of a chorizo and lime pizza, and a sun-dried tomato and olive pizza. Both were amazing and crazy gooey cheesy. I saw the manager/owner putting her invoices in at a table close to me so we chatted pizza!

I was close to Walmart and figured I could stock up on the essentials I needed for the rest of my trip. I got almost everything I needed with the exception of wine; apparently liquor sales are stopped on Sundays after 5pm? Some local bylaw. I was even stopped for buying vanilla! It counts as a part of the alcohol. Darn!

Getting a ride home proved challenging. The app is terrible, and flagging one down was not working as most of them said they were booked. When I got one to stop it was either 3 times as much as the app was charging me, or, “I’m not going that way.” Uhh, I think I’m paying you to go whichever way I want amigo! Finally I found one who quoted me just a little more than the app. Done!

At home I grabbed one of the beers I had carted here from Mexico City and hit the pool for a bit of relaxation before bed. I tried to sort out my coming days, but the taxi situation has put me off and so I decided to worry about it tomorrow.