Mexico - Cozumel Island and Valladolid with Chichén Itza

Cozumel

Next stop in the Quintana Roo state on the Yukatan Peninsula is Cozumel. A stronghold of mass tourism, but still a very beautiful island, significantly larger than Caye Caulker for example. To explore the island properly, you need a car or a scooter. Large holiday resorts for the huge Mexican families are scattered around the island - banana boats, water castles, miles of parasols, all inclusive. I stay in the main town of the island where the ferry drops me off after almost an hour of travel. The hostel is cozy and offers me enough time to work on the blog. Snorkeling and diving around Cozumel is also excellent, as the same reef that lies in front of Belize also passes by here. That is also my main concern - to experience another beautiful snorkeling tour. The reality is a bit different though. There are many boats and providers that overwhelm you upon arrival. And the tour itself is also a bit disappointing. A large group and only a few fish can be seen at quite a depth, a turtle briefly appears. In the end, there is a stop with giant starfish. That's it. In the shallow warm water, there are some snacks, fruits, and beer. The non-swimming Mexicans are happy and satisfied to finally take off their life jackets, after being dragged through the water by the guide with a lifebuoy before - poor guy. I have never seen the trash heap that this agency generates in just a few hours before. Disposable snorkels in plastic bags, chip bags, beer bottles, plastic bottles - everything goes into a big bag. And it is the same with other agencies. And of course, there are enough experts who can't even manage to throw their trash in the bag. I'm glad when I can leave the boat again. I spend the rest of the time on the island mostly in the hostel. But I still go out for food and to watch the sunset.

Valladolid

With the ferry, I return from Cozumel to the mainland and then continue directly by bus to Valladolid. The good thing about the Yukatan Peninsula is that it progresses quickly here. Everything is flat, the roads lead straight towards the next city. And so, you really only need 2 hours for 200km instead of the usual 4 hours. No mountains, no curves, I haven't had that on my trip before. The only pain you have to endure is the air conditioning, which is always set to Arctic. These damn modern buses! But by now I'm used to it. Sweater and scarf are always within reach at 35 degrees in the shade. Valladolid is rather quiet. No big surprise, it's hot, the city is not particularly big or beautiful, but it's still enjoyable around the plaza and on the way to the former convent. However, most tourists come here to visit the most famous ruin in Mexico - Chichén Itza. That's also my intention, but only for the next day. On day one, important things like sleeping in and doing laundry come first. And I inform myself a bit about the city and stroll through the streets. I also needed an internet café again. And then I suddenly stood in front of the 'Casa de los Venados'. This is a colonial house that two Americans bought as a ruin 20 years ago and have since renovated extensively. But not only that, they are also avid collectors of Mexican art and have now collected over 5,000 exhibits in their house. From eccentric to gigantic, filigree, and classic, there is something from almost every state. The house already appears a bit cramped but fascinating, and there are really beautiful pieces. And the two actually still live there. So, it doesn't feel like a museum, it feels very lively. That was an interesting experience.

To recover from the heat, I took a long nap in the afternoon. In the late afternoon, I visited an apiary. They specialize in showcasing the honey tradition of the Maya. There were several old bee species from this region to see - very different species. Bees that don't sting, very small bees, bees that don't fly, bees that don't produce honey. And of course, there was honey to taste in the end. However, the majority of honey on the Yucatan Peninsula is now produced by the high-yielding European honeybee.

In the evening, I went to the light and sound show at the former convent, where the history of the city was portrayed. They really like light shows in this area, as I would later find out.

The next morning, the time had come to go to Chichén Itza. But the departure was abruptly stopped. First, I had to find someone to open the prison door to leave the hostel. Half an hour later, we finally started. And Chichén Itza was impressive, especially the central pyramid. However, I still don't understand why this place receives so much more attention than, for example, Palenque or Tikal. The rest of the complex is rather average, just much more touristy and expensive. It's simply good marketing! The location is also easier to reach than the ruins hidden in the jungle. After about two hours, I'm back outside and return to Valladolid. I actually wanted to visit the surrounding cenotes in the afternoon, but I was too lazy and gave in to the heat again, and did nothing instead. The next morning, I continued on to Mérida.