October 28 and 29 in Cozumel

On Wednesday, we got up relatively early to go with Tati to Punta Sur Eco Park. This is a nature reserve located at the southern tip of the island. There is an entrance fee, which goes towards the preservation of this fascinating landscape.

Fortunately, Tati knows her way around well, so we were able to leave the tourist Jeep tour behind right at the first stop. The road is a bit bumpy, but it's worth it 😎

We drove straight to the last beach, where we were greeted by a whole family of coatis at the beach restaurant. They seem to get something to eat fairly often, but they are not tame.

Of course, there was also a stand with handicrafts, including items made from corals that supposedly come from 120 meters deep. Funny enough, Tati found one just like that on the beach afterwards. Well, that wasn't the only tall tale we were told, but whatever 😇

Shortly after, we took a brief boat tour through the lagoon, where we learned interesting facts about the different mangroves, crocodiles, and other wildlife. It was a really cool tour 👍

Afterwards, we headed straight to the beach, which is really beautiful. Great cove, white sand, and we even spotted a few fish while snorkeling. The water also has a really pleasant temperature - far from as cold as the Pacific.

Around 4:00 PM, we set off and made a stop at the other end of the lagoon. The Mayans apparently built an early warning system for hurricanes there. A small pyramid with snail-shaped air vents, at the end of which large sea snail shells were attached. When the wind was very strong, they presumably whistled accordingly to warn the residents 🙏

The trip to the Eco Park was really great and of course made us hungry. So we went to El Moro. A super nice family-run place with a huge selection of seafood, etc. The food was excellent, and the family's warm nature, especially that of the chef, was exceptional.

The next day, we had a lot on our shopping list and explored the local market. Tina found things for the upcoming celebrations around Dia de los Muertos, and there were very affordable fruits and vegetables, but the suitcases (we have to pack differently due to the newly bought snorkeling gear) were too expensive for us.

On the way home, we went to get gas. Here, there is still a gas station attendant everywhere. Very important: before he starts pumping gas, he shows you the meter, which is at 0.00, and you have to confirm that before he fills it up (for 1.40 per liter) 😎 there are some really charming quirks here.

We spent the rest of the day doing more travel planning, bookings, etc.