Let's go to Cozumel (27.02.2022)

After the beautiful impressions of "real" Mexican cities with Mérida and Valladolid, today's plan was to drive to Cozumel.

One last time in our VW Tiguan nicknamed "Paul-Uwe", we drove about 160km from Valladolid to Cancun, where the car had to be returned. On the way, we were surprised at how expensive it is to drive on the highway in Yucatan. We paid almost €17 for about 60km of highway. Another thrill during the drive was pushing the fuel tank to the limit, as we were supposed to return the rental car empty. We actually managed to return the car with 0km of remaining fuel, although in the car we weren't completely sure if we would make it. After returning the rental car, we took a transfer to Playa del Carmen, where we waited for the ferry to the island of Cozumel. The area around the ferry port reminded us a bit of Ballermann in Mallorca, with loud music, lots of young people having fun, and plenty of alcohol. It's a matter of taste, and we didn't like it, so the girls decided to cross over to the island as soon as possible.

Cozumel is about 19km away, and after 45 minutes, you reach the other side with the ferry. Cozumel covers an area of 478 km2, making it the third largest island in Mexico. Our destination today is San Miguel, the "capital" of the island, where almost the entire population of the island of 78,000 people lives. Cozumel is known for being an El Dorado for diving, with beautiful and extensive coral reefs, which of course also attract us.

Arriving in San Miguel, we strolled through the streets to our Bed&Breakfast, "Tamarindo". A chic property run by a Californian-Mexican couple around our age. The owner is fully dedicated to it, and the small property (about 10 rooms) immediately feels likable and cozy. Our base for the next two days has a pool in the center, which is very common in terms of style here in Mexico, and a small rooftop terrace with a whirlpool and a communal kitchen. The dive center is only a few hundred meters away on foot, so we have found the ideal base.

After a relaxing round at the pool, we got ready for a little walking tour through the town and dinner. San Miguel is designed in the typical grid pattern of a Mexican city, making it relatively easy to find your way around. The around 300 restaurants offer a huge selection, which is also fair in terms of price level, if you exclude the main square and the restaurants directly adjacent to it.

We followed the tips of our accommodation host and enjoyed shrimp and fish burgers in a nice garden atmosphere, and as a conclusion, margaritas with live music at one of the hotspots of the city, Thirsty Cougar (http://thirstycougar.restaurantwebexperts.com/). It probably wouldn't have been on our radar without the recommendation, but in the end, it was the perfect and fun end to a long (travel) day. Frozen margaritas in XXL format for €6 with good live music were the ideal way to round off the day, and we enjoyed the lively atmosphere in the bar. The next few days will be filled with impressions from diving.

The (two)daily twos:

Insight: We were surprised to find that Yucatan is divided into two time zones as a peninsula. The border between the states of Quintana Roo (which includes Cozumel, Cancun, and the eastern Caribbean coast) and Yucatan (including Merida and Valladolid) runs through it. Overall, there are 4 time zones in Mexico, although the central time zone, where the majority of the population lives, is the primary one, and it is -7 (winter time) compared to CET. The coastal strip where we mostly are is oriented towards the US East Coast and is also not subject to daylight saving time, always being -6 compared to CET.

Moment of happiness:

Arriving at the very charming accommodation in Cozumel after a longer journey from Valladolid by car, shuttle, ferry, and on foot. Cooling off in the pool after arrival felt really good.