Mexico - highs and lows at the other end of the world

May 18-19, 2018: We started our 3-week trip to Mexico. The long 13-hour flight from Amsterdam to Mexico City went by quickly thanks to the entertainment on the plane. Our friend R, who was working as a volunteer in Mexico City, greeted us with excitement at the airport. We took an Uber to her apartment and settled in for the night after a long day of travel.

May 20, 2018: A bit jetlagged and hot, we took the crowded metro into the city center. We were excited to try Mexican specialties, which mainly consist of corn. The flavors were initially mild, but a few drops of different salsas, especially the Habanero salsa, made them fiery and delicious. We explored the city center, starting with the Plaza de la Constitución, also known as Zócalo. This square is home to important government buildings and a grand Catholic cathedral. Behind the cathedral, you can find the remains of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. It's interesting to note that Tenochtitlan was located on a small island in a large lake, which has now been mostly dried up and built upon by the residents of Mexico City.

We took the crowded metro, as always, to our next destination. Unfortunately, I was pickpocketed while getting on the train, even though my pocket was closed, and Elly was right behind me. My phone, credit cards, passport, and visa were gone. We were shocked and couldn't explain how it happened. The day was ruined, and we had to focus on getting everything sorted out.

In the evening, we went to a bar in the Condesa neighborhood for a Mexican beer. We witnessed a small food stall selling fruit cups with red salsa and chili powder. Unfortunately, there were also sad dogs for sale in the park under unfavorable conditions.

Afterwards, we went to R's apartment to cook dinner. We bought groceries from Walmart in the pouring rain. Walmart is an impressive store where you can find almost anything at a low price. It rained so heavily that everything was leaking. For the Mexicans, this seemed normal during the rainy season. When we arrived at the apartment and took a shower to cool off, R suddenly yelled "EARTHQUAKE ALARM" and we had to evacuate to the safer street because many buildings in the area were at risk of collapsing. It was a normal occurrence for Mexicans, but it was quite adrenaline-inducing for us. After overcoming the locks on the entrance door (necessary due to high crime in the neighborhood), we ran onto the street and a group of Mexican mothers started laughing, applauding, and whistling. They were cheering for me because in the rush, I had run onto the street in my underwear with my belongings in hand. Quite an unexpected form of intercultural exchange. After such an eventful and sometimes dreadful day, we fell into bed exhausted.

May 21, 2018: After a short phone call and contact via WhatsApp with the German embassy, we faced another shock. Although I was able to get a temporary passport, I couldn't travel through the US or Canada, which meant we had to change our flights that included a layover in New York. However, I had to file a police report for the new passport. Everyone advised against it, as the police in Mexico were not necessarily your friend and helper. Fortunately, our Mexican friend D, whom we met through R, agreed to help us. However, we were sent to three different police stations before we could finally file a report. Unfortunately, we experienced firsthand how corrupt the bureaucratic system is in this country. After these nerve-wracking hours, we walked along Paseo de Reforma, a grand avenue with several new skyscrapers and the stock exchange. We wanted to visit the park, but it was closed due to a storm the previous night. Nearby, we had a small snack and once again, we were pickpocketed. This time, a bold thief was a small and fearless squirrel that stole a whole donut.

Next, we visited Plaza Garibaldi, a peaceful square where well-known Mexican mariachi bands gather and perform every evening. There, we tasted Pulque, a thick drink made from agave, and experienced it once was more than enough.

Later, we met up with D and his girlfriend again, this time for a more pleasant reason. We enjoyed a traditional Mexican dish called Tacos al pastor, which is similar to a tortilla doner kebab. Afterwards, they took us to a rooftop bar in a hotel overlooking the city where we enjoyed the classic Mexican drink Margarita with real Mexican tequila.

May 22, 2018: After picking up my new temporary passport from the embassy, we took a city tour bus and explored the city while listening to information about the city in German. We learned that the eagle on Mexico's flag sitting on a cactus represents the founding legend of the city. According to the legend, an eagle sat on a cactus, and the first settlements were established in this sacred place, which is now within the city. Sometimes, the tour on the bus felt a bit dangerous, with low-hanging and randomly wired power cables. At 5 pm, we went to watch the daily flag ceremony at Zócalo. However, after half an hour of watching three soldiers standing around, we got bored and decided to take the tour bus to the holy site of Mexico, where the Basilica of Guadalupe stands. In 1531, the dark-skinned Virgin Mary appeared to a Mexican, leading to the establishment of Christianity as the state religion. Today, there are several churches in the area, including a huge new one with escalators and space for 40,000 people. In the evening, we had a Mexican pizza dinner with D and his companion, which was delicious and filling.

May 23, 2018: Today, we wanted to take it easy and strolled through Chapultepec Park. We relaxed in the beautiful newly landscaped botanical garden. In the evening, we went to the Torre Latinoamericana, a nearly 200-meter-high skyscraper with an observation deck at the top, and enjoyed the sunset. Then, we had dinner and finally tried the long-awaited Mexican beer Corona, while being harassed by mariachi bands. K, R's sister, joined us that evening, and we spent the next few days together.

May 24, 2018: The highlight of the day was visiting the Aztec pyramids of Teotihuacán. We took a well-air-conditioned bus to the sacred site. It consists of the massive Moon Pyramid, the Sun Pyramid, and many smaller buildings along a straight road. Standing in front of the 222m x 225m x 65m pyramid made us feel very small and in awe of the fact that it was built more than 1,000 years ago without the tools we have today. The view from the top of the pyramid was even more breathtaking. There, we met a friend of R's who taught us a bit of Maya and accompanied us through the holy cities. Afterward, we took a nine-person taxi for a ridiculously low price to the next town. It helps to speak Mexican and know people. There, we found ourselves in the "real" Mexico, where tourists never venture, but R's friend showed us his hometown with great pride and enthusiasm.

In the afternoon, we returned to Mexico City and then flew to Cancun. However, we missed the spontaneous gate change announcement, which was made only in Spanish, and ended up running across the airport to find our flight. Everything turned out fine, and we arrived in Cancun late at night, exhausted.

May 25, 2018: After a short night in the new climate, with very high humidity, we looked forward to the promised beaches mentioned in the travel guide. However, we traveled during the rainy season, and the sun didn't show up all day. Instead, it started to rain. It was a bit disappointing. This turned out to be the only rainy day, though. Over the next two weeks, we had heavy rain showers interspersed with hot sunny periods. We used this rainy day to plan the upcoming week. We went to the beach and enjoyed 1-liter cocktails and a huge plate of nachos under umbrellas. We decided to rent a car for the next few days and went to a local car rental company. The car had seen better days and wouldn't pass a safety inspection, but the rental process was extremely easy. Everything we needed to know was written on a small A5 flyer, payment was in cash, and the contract was a hand-filled form with a pencil.

May 26, 2018: We took a ferry to Isla Mujeres, a small island located 13km off the coast of Cancun. We marveled at the intense color of the sea. It was a Caribbean paradise! We spent the day there, enjoying the now shining sun and the beautiful beaches. Although we only stayed in the shade and used sunblock, we all suffered from sunburn the next day. The reflection of the white sand cannot be underestimated. In the afternoon, we continued our journey to the inland and reached our accommodation near Chichén Itzá, where we would stay for the next three days. It was a motel on the side of the road, adorned with colorful lights and playing Christmas songs everywhere. It gave us an eerie feeling, but in the end, we were satisfied with our choice. During the day, everything seemed much less spooky.

May 27, 2018: Today, we visited the Maya temple complex of Chichén Itzá. It was the most famous site, and our expectations were high. It was awe-inspiring to stand in front of these ancient buildings and wonder how the Mayas managed to build such colossal pyramids. The large ball court was particularly impressive, not only because of the depicted bloody sacrifice scenes as reliefs but also because of its size. However, there were also hundreds of vendors trying to sell useless trinkets, standing at every corner. The countless iguanas that enjoyed free reign on all temple sites were quite cute. The temperature in the blazing sun was very hot, coupled with the humidity of the Mexican jungle. We decided to take a break from the visit and swim in a cenote before continuing our exploration in the evening. We drove to the nearby village, where we were greeted by a stunning view of the cenote from above. We quickly jumped into the cold water for much-needed refreshment. Floating in a cool cenote, swimming with fish, or snorkeling while observing the clouds and birds flying overhead was one of the most beautiful and unforgettable moments. Of course, a typical heavy rain shower for the rainy season began, but we were in a dry place and enjoyed fresh mangoes. In the evening, we wanted to continue the visit and see the highly praised light show amidst the ruins. However, we were told at the entrance that we had to pay the full admission price plus a little more. Feeling cheated, we decided to have dinner at the hotel and enjoy the pool instead. While having dinner with delicious quesadillas, we were interrupted by a hand-sized tarantula, which the hotel staff removed (by throwing it into the nearby bushes about 3 meters away) as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Despite everything, it turned out to be a successful evening.

May 28, 2018: Today, we wanted to explore the Yucatan Peninsula to the north. We headed towards Valladolid and then north to the archaeological site of Ek Balam. After a short walk through the jungle, the magnificent ruins of the Maya emerged. The true beauty revealed itself after the challenging climb to the largest pyramid of the site. We enjoyed the view over the jungle. Next, we continued northward. Our goal was to find the pink-colored lakes that we had only seen in pictures on the internet. After a long drive, we arrived at Las Coloradas, where we found these fascinating waters. It was hard to believe, but they were indeed pink. The color of the water is said to be due to a type of shrimp that settled in these old shallow lakes for salt extraction, with their shells containing beta-carotene. Interestingly, when flamingos eat these shrimp, they also turn pink, otherwise, they would remain white. It didn't take long before we spotted the flamingos in the surrounding waters. On the way back, we visited the fishing village of Río Lagartos and the city of Valladolid with its old monastery.

May 29, 2018: We continued westward towards Merida, one of the oldest colonial towns in Yucatan. However, we were stopped by a police checkpoint and searched for drugs. We could feel the difficulty of communication when only one side tries to speak English. However, after a while, they let us go without paying a bribe. Being white tourists in Mexico, we stood out, and bribes are a common practice in a country where policemen don't earn enough money to support their families. Thankfully, R and K speak Spanish well and managed to get us out of the situation without paying a bribe after some back and forth discussions. We made it to the car rental just 5 minutes before they closed, and we returned the car without any further problems. We then continued with a bus from Cancun to Tulum. We were exhausted and fell into bed after this long day.

June 1, 2018: Thanks to our encounter with D in Mexico City, he connected us with someone in Tulum who organized a tour of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve for us. We took speedboats across the lakes, marveled at the mangrove forests, and enjoyed the untouched nature, which is rare to find in Mexico. This used to be a sacred place for the Maya, where only they found their way around and held ceremonies. After a while, we docked at a pier in the middle of the reserve, which had a small temple ruin (used as a toilet), and we were asked to get off the boat, turn our life jackets inside out, and jump into the water to float. What sounded strange at first turned out to be a beautiful tour through the dense mangrove forest, gently floating for about half an hour. Simply breathtaking! On inquiry, we were reassured that there were no crocodiles in the area. We returned to the boats via a long boardwalk and made our way back. Upon arrival, we found ourselves surrounded by hundreds of wild butterflies. Then, we walked through the jungle along the lake until we reached the ancient temples of Muyil, which we explored.

In the afternoon, things got very exciting for us. We left with mixed feelings for our next hotel. We had booked all our hotels, including this one, through a well-known hotel booking app. However, we suddenly realized that the prices were quoted in US dollars instead of Mexican pesos. The travel company had changed the currency overnight without notifying us, and since the currency symbols for Mexican pesos and US dollars are exactly the same, we didn't notice (the peso symbol appeared first). So, instead of paying 75 euros for 3 nights, they asked us to pay 1,400 euros (we usually paid about 20 euros for a room). We couldn't reach anyone by phone despite endless attempts, so we had to resolve the issue on-site. After many discussions and tears, we managed to negotiate with the hotel, and we only paid 550 euros for 3 nights. This included one night in the super luxurious honeymoon suite with a jacuzzi, champagne, massages, bicycles, and everything our hearts desired (which we accidentally booked), and two nights in the lowest-category room of the hotel. We had no choice but to enjoy life to the fullest, so we had a beautiful and fun evening in the jacuzzi. Then, we had to say goodbye to K and R as they returned to Mexico City.

June 2, 2018: A bit hungover, we enjoyed a really good breakfast with fresh juices, fruit, chilaquiles, and toast with strawberry jam. The highlight was the view of the sea. After breakfast, we enjoyed the included massage and then went into town to get money as we had to pay for the hotel room in cash. After some difficulties, we finally gathered the necessary amount of 12,000 pesos, paid our bill, and enjoyed the remaining time in this really good 5-star hotel.

June 3, 2018: Today was all about relaxation and rest, as we had to take advantage of staying in such an expensive hotel. In the afternoon, we took a walk along the beach and were shocked by the massive amounts of seaweed piled up everywhere. The second-largest coral reef in the world is located off the Riviera Maya, and here, as well as in many other places in Mexico, we can see the devastation caused by environmental pollution on an ecosystem. The coral reef is dying at an alarming rate. Although we found beautiful large corals on the beach, there were also lots of seaweed, which didn't smell very pleasant. Swimming was not possible due to the massive amount of seaweed. It was clear that tourists were staying away, and this former paradise was suffering. We also saw barriers on the beach indicating turtle nests.

June 4, 2018: It was time to leave this luxurious 5-star accommodation and stay somewhere more down-to-earth. So, we returned to Tulum, grabbed the rented bicycles (all for just 20 euros per night), and headed to the Grand Cenote. It consists of two large pools with abundant fish and even turtles. It was simply a dreamlike place that you must see, and bathing with turtles is an experience you won't forget quickly. In the evening, we enjoyed sunset specialties we had caught from the local supermarket.

June 5, 2018: We took a bus to the archaeological site of Coba. There, we encountered one of the most beautiful ancient sites of the Maya. Even though we had seen several sites by now, Coba had its own charm with its vastness amidst the dense jungle. Walking alone through the jungle and suddenly coming across a huge pyramid or a former ball court was a special moment. The view over the jungle after a strenuous climb up the steps of the ancient Maya structures was particularly fascinating. In the evening, we returned to our favorite spot on the beach.

June 6, 2018: Today, we finally visited the highlight of Tulum, the Tulum archaeological site. It is located directly on a cliff overlooking the sea, creating a beautiful backdrop. Admittedly, compared to other sites, Tulum was small and not as impressive, but the view of the sea and the beach at the foot of the old site had its own charm. We even had the chance to see Lucy, the coatimundi, the living mascot of the archaeological site. Afterward, we changed hotels in Tulum once again. In the evening, we had another encounter with wildlife. My toothbrush fell next to the bed, and when I went to pick it up, I found a hand-sized black scorpion. The lady at the reception was fascinated, as she had never experienced such a thing before.

June 7, 2018: As my stolen passport no longer allowed us to enter or transit through the US or Canada, we had to change our flights, which fortunately was relatively easy but came at an additional cost. So today, we took a bus from Tulum to Cancun Airport. It was time to leave Mexico. Despite the skeptical looks from the security staff at the airport due to my temporary passport, we managed to leave without any complications. They also sorted out the stolen visa issue and issued a new one immediately. The flight to Berlin-Tegel via Amsterdam went smoothly.

Looking back, it was a very nice vacation. Although many things went wrong at the beginning and the subsequent organization dragged on throughout the entire vacation, we saw some truly special places like the Mayan pyramids that we will never forget.