A brief return to Cancun before heading back to Oaxaca (and Julie, back to Canada!)

 After our nine day stint in Merida, Julie and I had completed our entire, month-long tour of the Yucatan Penninsula, and came full circle, back to Cancun, where it all began. We returned to our first Airbnb there, happy to see the lovely Mexican family that ran it (the unit being upstairs, while their home was downstairs.) They had been so gracious as to store some of our baggage; we both realized we arrived burdened with way too many items. We reunited with the things we had left behind and had the monumental task of trying to get EVERYTHING to fit in our luggage before returning to our respective homes. (Julie, to Edmonton, Canada; myself, to Oaxaca City.) 

Only two events were important back in Cancun: one, paying a last visit to the beach and getting in a last ocean swim;  and two, (for myself only--Julie declined) a return to La Fonda de Las Pinatas, my favorite restaurant. There, I ordered my two favorite dishes: cheese enchiladas and chili rellenos, my loves since childhood, and surprisingly hard to find in many restaurants. Cheesy, spicy, with the most delectable flavors, these two dishes were SO ample that I got four meals out of them! I was thus truly a happy camper. 

Then, on December 17th, both of us boarded planes and headed out. Julie was able to get rapid Covid testing upon her return to Canada, shortening her period of quarantine; I had no issue at all returning to Oaxaca, other than finding the right taxi to take back to my Airbnb. (A happy return, indeed...reunited with my adopted Mexican family and all my warm clothes, needed in Oaxaca City!) 

So ends the grand adventure of the Yucatan... but not of my time in Mexico, by any means! Oaxaca City never fails to interest, to delight, and present new places to explore. 

Next post: entering 2021 in my new, "permanent" digs! 

This time around, we managed to find a LONG stretch of beach that was public (as previously mentioned, most of the beach in Cancun is blocked off and only available to hotel guests of the myriad, horrifically opulent hotels in the "Zona Hotelera"). Unfortunately, the only shade available was under private umbrellas (brought by the beach goers themselves), or huddling under the lifeguard stands. Not having an umbrella, we huddled under the stands, along with Mexicans in the same situation. 


Yes, the water LOOKS lovely and inviting from a distance...unfortunately, this time around it was loaded with algae and some weird, slimy-looking green bubbly stuff that I could only HOPE was naturally occurring and not some toxic chemical! It definitely made swimming in it less enjoyable. Moral? Don't be jealous!!!



Another solution to creating shade: a three-sided tent...brilliant! 

As delicious as it is colorful, La Fonda De Las Pinatas is a must for finding authentic Mexican food in Cancun, not costing an arm and a leg, as it would in all of the more "touristica" places! Also, the staff is VERY friendly and accommodating. 


Their desserts were also delicious... I tried both the chocolate cake AND the flan...both excellent! God help me, yes.. I have put on weight since coming to Mexico! Too easy to succumb to temptation... 


You can only see one in this photo, but the whole ceiling is covered with hanging pinatas that look like this one. So pretty! 


I was blessed with this most spectacular view on my way back to Oaxaca... at sunset, flying over Mexico City here--I flew from Cancun to Mexico City, where I made a connecting flight--much delayed--back to Oaxaca. The big plus of the delay was this gorgeous scene from the plane! 


Hard to believe that cloud configuration was even real! 

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