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roni_smith

Dec 31, 2006, 1:27 PM

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Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Hi all,

We arrived home last night from a trip that took us to Merida, Celestun, Isla de Mujeres, Playa del Carmen and Akumal. I'll write some more about the trip within a couple of weeks, but thought I'd get started by saying what a pleasure it was to finally meet and spend an afternoon with sfmacaws and her partner this past Friday - what fun!

Ron, who bought a slab of the skirt steak cut today and is going to try his hand at arrachera tonight. Also have the ingredients for cochinita pibil and will cook that tomorrow.
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Planning for Mexico Move Blog

Bubba

Dec 31, 2006, 4:51 PM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Well, Roni:

I am pleased to hear how you loved the Yucatán, a part of our favorite place on the planet. However, because you committed to writing about your trip later, don´t try to cop out. We will be looking for your input and, upon seeing it will respond with our own experiences in that beautiful region..

sfmacaws

Dec 31, 2006, 5:43 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Be kind Bubba!

It was great to meet Ron and Kathy, they came over and we talked and talked and then walked down to the local beach bar for drinks. You can't tell from his picture but Ron is a BIG guy, around 6'5" I believe. Kathy is lovely and funny and well... they are both just great people.

Actually, I've never met anyone from this forum that I didn't like a lot. We made a point of stopping in Tuxpan this year just so we could meet Ed and Fran and they too were just delightful and again, we had a great time.

I tried to stop in Lerdo so we could meet Rolly but I messed up and didn't have any way to get in touch with him. Watch out Rolly, I may be back.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

roni_smith

Jan 1, 2007, 9:30 AM

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Re: [Bubba] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Bubba,

I will be writing trip reports. 'Twas mostly a beach vacation, but there were other highlights. No cop-out here, I have a finely defined sense of responsibility brought about by my father, the man of the cloth and my mother, guilt-inducer extraordinaire.

I also am pleased to say that I bought a whole skirt steak cut yesterday, marinated it, grilled it and enjoyed the most delightful Arrachera Marinada with guests last night, after which we removed the Herradura and Gran Cetenario Añejos out of the freezer for a nice toast.

Someday, I'd like the Bubba tour of Chiapas.
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Planning for Mexico Move Blog

Bubba

Jan 1, 2007, 10:40 AM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Roni:

I don´t know why Jonna said, "Be kind.". I think she thinks I always speak tongue in cheek but I am sincerely interested in your adventures in one of my favorite parts of the world.

Brigitte and I spent some time in Jonna and Mimi´s condo in Akumal and ventured far beyond on the Yucatán Peninsula from Xcalac to Celestun and Campeche and had a great time. There is nothing like traveling Southern Mexico by car and experiencing the back roads and villages which, in our previous lives, were totally mysterious to us.

Just yesterday, on local cable in Ajijic, we watched amateur films from the 30s made in the primitive villages of San Mateo del Mar and Santa Maria del Mar, Oaxaca on the sea south of Juchitan and Tehuantapec on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec where the winds are legendary. We can´t wait to go there. The two lagoons backing these villages, which are on dirt roads, are named the Superior Lagoon and the Inferior Lagoon. How can anyone with a soul resist visiting the Superior and Inferior lagoons?

roni_smith

Jan 3, 2007, 12:51 PM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Having promised a trip report, I'll get started on it. We flew into Cancun, arriving at around 10:30 Saturday morning (the 16th of December). Memory is that it was less expensive to fly into and out of Cancun than it would have been to fly into Merida and out of Cancun. Anyway, took the ADO bus from the airport to the Cancun Centro bus station, stood in line and bought tickets for the 2:30 Linea Uno bus to Merida. Could have hopped on one right after working my way to the ticket counter, but we needed time to sit down, eat something decent and drink a cold beer or two before the 4 1/2 bus ride. We filled those needs at the Sanborn's just around the corner from the bus station.

Got to Merida not long after dark, took a cab to Luz en Yucatan, got checked in and headed to the main square. Ate tacos al pastor at a place just across the side street from the Cathedral. We had been traveling since midnight, so headed back to the room after a drink or two and called it a night. I'll try to post a photo with this and see how that goes.

Tomorrow - Domingo en Yucatan, lots of walking around town, and other assorted activities.

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roni_smith

Jan 4, 2007, 6:28 AM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Domingo en Merida street performer

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roni_smith

Jan 4, 2007, 6:31 AM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Christmas lights on the main square

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sfmacaws

Jan 4, 2007, 9:43 AM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Great pics Ron! Keep them coming!

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

roni_smith

Jan 4, 2007, 12:47 PM

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Re: [sfmacaws] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Gringo couple dancing - Domingo en Merida

Mangrove swampies

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sfmacaws

Jan 4, 2007, 12:53 PM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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I recognize those mangrove swampies AND I recognize the mangroves too. Isn't that the ojo de agua that is in the mangroves around Celestun? They take you there when you take a boat out to see the flamingos and you can swim in the fresh water, dive from the boardwalk and swing off the rope hanging from the trees.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

roni_smith

Jan 4, 2007, 12:55 PM

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Re: [sfmacaws] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Yes, that is the Ojo de Agua.
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roni_smith

Jan 4, 2007, 8:08 PM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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roni_smith

Jan 5, 2007, 1:07 PM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Merida

Common area at Luz en Yucatan hotelito.

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roni_smith

Jan 6, 2007, 1:56 PM

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Re: [roni_smith] Merida, Isla, Playa del Carmen, Akumal trip

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Ok, I am writing a trip report for this part of the trip and it can be found here:

http://www.playa.info/...res-trip-report.html

It is a site I have hung out on for 3 1/2 years now, and I am not going to replicate the report across multiple sites.
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Planning for Mexico Move Blog

(This post was edited by roni_smith on Jan 6, 2007, 1:57 PM)