Mexico

We went to Playa del Carmen the last week of January. It's about 40 miles south of Cancun. It survived Hurricane Wilma MUCH better than Cancun did. The Friday night before we got there, there was a fire at the Blue Parrot beach bar (caused by firedancers under a grass palapa roof, go figure). The Blue Parrot was 2 hotels north of where we stayed. Right next to us was La Pirata beach bar, which was also pretty much gutted during the fire. But it's being rebuilt with zest.
We stayed at the Hotel Colibri which has an entrance on 1 bis which is a street parallel to 5th ave that only runs for a few blocks north of 10th St. The Colibri was really nice, the room was spacious, inexpensive, the desk help were pleasant and spoke English.



A lot of Mexico is all about the food. Here's a healthy breakfast at Cafe Tucan on 4th or 6th (can't remember), west of 10th. Mmmm, Nutella crepe with fruits with a smoothie of strawberry, kiwi, pineapple.

And the settings are so beautiful. Here is La Cueva de Chango on 38th (remember when you couldn't go north of about 24th?), between 5th and the beach. We had breakfast there one day. We had coffee and fruit with yogurt and granola and she had eggs and potatoes and i had cheese empanadas with avocado and black beans and the whole thing cost about $12. If that. I should have taken more notes in the field this year.

This is the view from our balcony at the hotel. Tough to take, huh.
One morning (I think it was Jan. 26 or 27), this guy gets down on bended knee on the deserted beach early in the morning and obviously asks his woman to marry him. I couldn't get my camera on it fast enough but the one above is a shot from seconds later. They hugged for a long time.
Here is a closer view of them. Mmmmm, love. If you know them, tell them I will send them a copy of this photo.

The aforementioned (earlier post) guy from NYC is pictured here as well as the Canadians we drank with daily.
The day the cruise ship was in was rainy and windy. The picture below is titled Bad Day at the Beach. The implication of course being Is Better than a Good Day at Work. Which is true.

One night we ate at La Chopiraza which is on 5th between maybe 14 and 16 (?) upstairs. We had nacional ribeyes and a Caesar salad prepared tableside that was delicioso. This picture is of Ula Gula which is directly across the street. We ate there the last night we were in Playa and it was muy fabuloso. We had the pear gorgonzola salad and mascarpone cheese ravioli with grilled mushrooms. Mmmmmmmmmm.

Some morning we ate the breakfast buffet at the Glass Bar on 5th. It was an Italian restaurant by night. They made us omelettes and we got our fruit servings in.

Plus the coffee was really good. Although, I don't think there IS any bad coffee in restaurants down there. Every morning we got a cup at Java Joe's on 10th St. west of 5th Ave. The last morning there, it was fruit, yogurt, granola with toast at 100% Natural, another beautiful garden setting, right on 5th (once again).

Lastly, the reasons to go to Mexico in January: