Homestead 2

Our last night in Florida was in Homestead. Bill and Jill were host and hostess.

Key West 3

This was our last full day in Key West. We thought we might take it easy. Instead we walked everywhere.

I had to add that many of the bikes have
beer holders on the handle bars.

Here and there you find houses made of cypress.

Everywhere we go, we have to visit a cemetery.

The old car just seemed to suit the old home.

This place is called the Octagon House.

Deb found another tree,

Next morning we went to pick our rental car.

Key West 2

The next day we got away from the harbour and explored the Old Town. We loved what we found.

Many people get around by bike

Many of the bikes are customized.

This is the studio where Ernest Hemingway wrote for ten years.
Pauline (one of his wives) locked him in (at his request).

The water trough was once a urinal at Sloppy Joe's Bar

Triple D recommended that Deb have the
Lobster Roll at DJ's Crab Shack.

More Bikes

Just some gold at the Mel Fisher Shipwreck Museum

They say the sunsets are great. They kind of bombed.

Apparently Robert the Doll is haunted, and he is very famous.

Key West 1

The drive to Key West took forever. Who knew that today would be the day for a Miami to Key West relay race. Oops

The Conch Train, the first tourist thing to do.

This is the Customs Building (a museum now).
It is one of the only brick buildings around.

Roosters are protected, They are everywhere.

Cruise boats come in most days.

Bill was our driver - many thanks.

Our first night was in a teeny room, the second in a suite
with a turret bedroom.

Rent a bike, rent a scooter, or rent a golf cart.

The southernmost point in the continental United States

Homestead

Bill and Jill picked us up at the Miami Airport and drove us to their park in Homestead.

Bingo was on the agenda. The pointy thing is a
good luck pig.

Somebody's birthday, so let's celebrate.

The glasses add to the party
atmosphere.

Playa Del Carmen

We still had a car today, so we started heading toward Cancun. Our intention was to travel through Cancun and to take a ferry to Isla de Mujeres. We didn't make it, instead being sidetracked into Playa del Carmen. I think this was a lucky happenstance.

We were not crazy about Cancun, but we found we rather liked Playa del Carmen. It is full of huge resorts, but at least you can walk the beach and stop here and there to have a beer. A few blocks off the beach was a pedestrian street with heaps of little shops and hotels. Starbucks and MacDonalds was there, but so were little interesting restaurants and hostels. We enjoyed our walk.

Ferries to Cozumel in the background

A parked ferry

Huge All-Inclusives

Boats and Pelicans

Reminiscent of Puerto Vallarta

Tulum

A rental car took us twenty minutes down the coast to the small town of Tulum. The town is on the highway and it looks quite lovely. We, however, hardly slowed down for a look. Instead we headed straight to the Tulum ruins.

On one level, Tulum is just another rocky ruin. If you've seen one, you've seen them all.

Dig a little deeper, however, and find a number of elements that are unique and quite fascinating.

This was a Mayan city, which means that the gorier things never happened here. There were no human sacrifices and the winners of the ball game survived. The Toltecs who came from the area of Mexico City only conquered as far as Chichen Itza. This was a city of agriculturists and astronomers. Only about three hundred elite lived in the city proper, but thousands were spread out around the city.

Inside the wall are a number of towers and temples which are dedicated to astronomy. Two separate towers accurately identify the spring and fall equinoxes. On exactly March 21, the rising sun shines precisely through a hole in one temple. and the same happens in another temple on September 21. 

This was a walled city, so you had to pass through
a Mayan Arch to enter.

The first building we encountered was aligned to
identify one of the equinoxes

The main temple had one hole on each side of centre.
The sun shone through one on the summer solstice,
and through the other on the winter solstice, thus
identifying the longest and shortest days of the year.

Columns indicate that this building has a thatched roof,
probably a residence.

The main temple

Debby found another great tree.

When we left the ruin, we drove down a long winding road to the shore. We had been told that we would eventually find some wonderful restaurants and resorts. This is where the movie stars go to find luxury and privacy.

The first thing we found was an unidentified photo shoot.

Then we found our own restaurant.

It was called Le Zebra and it was wonderfully luxurious
and decadent.

The live music was Latin Jazz and it was wonderful.

Lunch was amazing and it wasn't too expensive.

When we got back to our room, we looked up Le Zebra on the internet. We discovered that some of the rooms rented for almost 800 USD per night.

Akumal

Okay, I have finally started my holiday. The place reminds me a bit of Byron Bay in Australia, without the town, only the beach.

Our room is on the second floor. If I look right from the balcony (as I sip a cool drink) i see the pool and waterfall. If I look left I see the beautiful sand beach. I have arrived.

Deb at Ease

The pool looks very refreshing.

The beach is just over there.

The fishing boats are moored just outside the swimming area.

We saw the swan, but then couldn't find our second towel ..... Duh!!!