Our super cheap 260 Euro flight back to Europe goes from Cancun to Madrid. The two days we still have in Cancun we want to spend on Isla Mujeres to avoid the Cancun tourism a little bit.
September 9th - My birthday in the Caribbean
Right at midnight on my birthday we land in Cancun and are picked up by our host from the hotel. Even at night it is extremely hot here. The next day we drive directly to Isla Mujeres, which is 20 minutes away by ferry. Already on the way there, we are amazed by the spectacular colors of the water. We have never seen such colors of the sea before.
Our Airbnb accommodation is right in the middle of the island. Our host even lends us 2 bicycles. It is 7 kilometers from one end of the island to the other, so perfect for exploring the island by bike. We drive straight to Playa Norte, where we spend the day at the beach. We let my birthday end late at night in the water.
When we come back to our bicycles, we discover that one of them has a flat tire - apparently deliberately done by someone.
Unfortunately, it is too far to walk back at night, but luckily we find a taxi that takes us back for 50 pesos including the bicycles.
September 10th - The highlight of our trip
The next day I get up early to ride to see the sunrise. Julio can't be torn away from his dreamland, so I ride alone - the island is considered very safe, so I can go alone with a good feeling. I stay on the way to Punta Sur because the sun is almost rising and it might be too far to ride alone to Punta Sur. Later I decide to go there anyway - a good decision. I enjoy the beautiful views and the sounds of the waves and at this time of day I am almost alone there.
When I come back around 8:30 am, Julio is still in dreamland...
After I also took a short nap, we start the day at 11 am. We rent a new bicycle in the center as a replacement for the broken one and we drive to Punta Sur again to show Julio the beautiful place. We see many iguanas that even pose for a photo from close range.
The highlight of the day is when we discover a great spot for swimming, with extremely clear, turquoise water, and many fish. We spend at least 2 hours in the water.
In the evening we drive directly to the center and have our last dinner in Mexico. On the tourist street, we pass by some restaurants that have nothing to do with Mexico anymore, and even the (Mexican) waiters who want to win us over for their restaurant only speak English, even after we say that I speak Spanish very well. However, we get a recommendation for a Mexican restaurant from a nice waitress, which is located in a side street. The food is great, not quite sooo expensive, and a nice ending.
September 11th - Adios Mexico, departure day...
Getting up so early is unfortunately no longer an option for me today, but I manage to go to yoga at Playa Norte at 9 am. Probably the best location to do yoga - at least because of the view. Because at this time of day, the heat is almost unbearable. And during this power yoga by Michelle, you almost dissolve...
Afterwards, a quick swim in the sea, enjoying the colors one last time, then I have to make my way home. I return the bicycle right away and take a taxi back. It is a bit more difficult to find a taxi alone that wants to take me for the correct price of 20 pesos. As "Blondie", I have to pay up to 50 pesos easily. I find one that takes me for 30. When he drops me off, he only takes 20 pesos - maybe in the end, I made him feel bad with my stories that the Guatemalans are nicer than the Mexicans. Or maybe I convinced him with my language skills after all. :)
To have breakfast, we go back to the restaurant next door, where we eat delicious empanadas (cheese-filled, fried tortillas) and freshly squeezed jugo de naranja y de toronja (orange juice and grapefruit juice). How much we will miss the Mexican food....!
On the ferry ride, we enjoy the spectacular colors again with Latin American music playing.
For the ride to the airport in Cancun, our nice host from the first night picks us up again, this time accompanied by his wife, and drives us to the airport. The shuttle is not so cheap at 400 pesos, but at least cheaper than the taxis from the street in Cancun. Well, and at the airport, the mega shock awaits us. 200 pesos for a hamburger and 300 pesos in a combo. These are Scandinavian standards.
Our plane to Madrid departs at 8:15 pm.
3 months in Mexico and Guatemala are coming to an end. It was so fast and yet so long in these diverse countries where I gained many experiences and above all learned a lot. Especially through Julio, I was able to gain a real insight into the country and its culture. While at the beginning I struggled with my broken Spanish with his family, I can now participate in a conversation without any problems. Of course, I still lack many words, I still often confuse "estar" and "ser", and I still can't order a "jugo de toronja" due to my pronunciation (the tricky Spanish 'rrrrrr').
Now it's time to start new in Germany soon.
I'm curious to see what the future brings. No matter what comes, I will carry the experiences I have gained on this trip in my heart. Experiences that make me look at life with different eyes and appreciate how well off I am. Experiences that show me even more how important it is as a human being to take responsibility. With the privilege of living in freedom and with almost unlimited possibilities, it is all the more important to take responsibility with one's actions, not only for oneself but especially for others, for animals, and for the environment.
