After a few too many drinks last night with our new friend Leni, who turns out to be from Bournemouth, we all (including leni) decided that we would head down to Coba (around 40km east of Tulum) for a day trip to visit some mayan temples. The trip down on the coach was pleasant and upon getting off we proceeded down past a crocodile infested lake (where our first crocodile of around 6 foot was spotted) to the entrance to the Ruins. Set in the heart of a little Jungle the ruins looked fantastic and some incredibly steep!! We decided that we would climb up one of the ruins to scout around the view from the top. The temple was taken at pace with a bit of a run up and at the top, puffing and wheezing and with rather achy legs we saw what was all the fuss. the view over the ruins and the jungle were absolutely amazing with the whole canopy of trees reaching out for miles around us, and pinacles of mayan temple protruding through!!
The walk back down the very steep temple was rather sketchy especially with the jelly legs from the climb, however at the bottom we perused the rest of the site and sat and had a rest on a mayan temple.
Our bus back to tulum left at 1pm so we headed to a small cafe to pass the time where we drank some lovely water melon juice and surveyed the crocodile infested lake for any signs of activity!!
On the walk back to the coach Simon and I found a small stand selling whole barbequed spatchcocked chickens. That was a chance we were not going to miss, so we invested in a chicken and had a stonking munch on the coach ride back to Tulum. On arrival back to Tulum it was time to leave yet again, so after collecting our bags and paying our room charges we headed to the bus terminal to catch a bus to the next stop, Valladolid, a small colonial town west of Tulum.
Upon reaching Valladolid we found a lovely little hotel with TV´s and en suite bathrooms and air conditioning all for 300 pesos a night (so 15 pounds shared 3 ways)!! We met up that evening with Simon's friend from work Anika and proceded to a small mexican restaurant where on the way we came across homosexual dogs and a very drunk mexican man who seemed to like simon's arm!! In the restaurant we came across a dink we had never had before, a mi chelada, which consists of salt, worcester sauce, lime and a beer all in the same glass. It is something which must be tried, but most likely only once!!
An eventful day all round.
Muy Bueno
Howard, Simon and Fran