Daybreak on Sunday was a lazy 7:00 AM occurrence, and we’d already had a couple of hours in before the sun crested through the clouds. Beautiful morning! We enjoyed coffees poolside and watched the ambitious dog walking type make their way past the beach in front of us. Breakfast was up by 8:00 AM with eggs, torta de papa (potato patty) and chorizo sausage for all on deck. It was really a laid back kind of morning as we put clothes away, located toothbrushes and figured out shower taps!
Casa Tykel is going to be perfect! With three bedrooms, two baths, fully outfitted kitchen, dining area, terrace and pool, this beachfront rental is everything we could have asked for. We own the ground floor and spent the first night with patio doors open, refreshed by a light easterly breeze and rocked to sleep by the sounds of rattling palm leaves and surf on the sandy shoreline. Almost hypnotic. Indoors the Wi-fi chugs along with ease and, should we feel the need, heat pumps in most rooms for A/C. This will do just fine!
By 10:00 AM we were off and running on our way to town to explore Puerto Morelos. Settled originally as a tiny fishing community, the area came to prominence as a major shipping area for a wood byproduct “chicle”, an ingredient for the making of chewing gum (chicle… Chiclets… Huh-huh). Today the coastline draws tourists from far and wide to enjoy beachside condos, a small resort industry and superb snorkelling along a portion of the MesoAmerican reef, designated an underwater National Park.
It’s probably a 2 km hike into town, and our first stop was the main square / plaza where all roads seem to converge. We were determined but pretty warm by the time we arrived. Sunday morning church bells rang as we sat on the park benches finding some shade… Had to be pushing 30°C away from the ocean breeze. The properties we passed in Puerto Morelos presented more and more affluence as one got closer to the water… Which makes sense for here and most everywhere. Streets became cleaner and the buildings more ornate and grand as we approached the “leaning” lighthouse, twisted by a previous hurricane.
The decision was made, after the warm walk, that refreshments were in order. A round of Pina Coladas at “Pangea“, an ocean view eatery/bar near the town square, seemed to smooth out any immediate failings from the walk in. Great views, glorious breeze and shade overhead… Perfect. That saw us rally, check out a few of the local vendors/markets and land at “Cancun Billy’s” for nachos, couple of cervesa and Monica’s Mac & Cheese. Nachos were excellent… Really kind of got us moving again.
Then to the taxi stand and once again we were whisked off to the Chedraui, where there was unfinished business. We were far more efficient this trip… Loading up on veggies, meats, fruit, and snacks while restocking the bar with beer, wine, and mixes. It was a fun time, with everything from tunes and a dancing “chonchon” (pig) to the ladies pedalling beer and wine. With Monday being a foodie day and the weather a bit warm for big meals, we think we’ll be set for groceries for a couple of days at least.
Post shopping saw us hail a cab out front, and quickly make our way back to Casa Tykel to store our supplies and settle into the warmest part of the day. I did some web updates at the counter, Eileen rested her eyes and Monica and Janie spent 1/2 hr swimming. A real “camp” kind of afternoon with a whole lot of nothing going on! Janie and Eileen put together fajitas for supper which were scrumptious and Monica and I did a couple of kilometre stroll up beach towards Cancun. Weddings, haciendas, resorts and villas lined the route. Warm water and a huge pink moon graced the walk home. Great day in Puerto Morelos!
Sounds like the makings of an awesome week.
Hey Mark… Hope all is good at home! We’ve had a great couple of days getting situated and making ourselves at home here in Puerta Morelos. Love how it’s so close to all the necessities but still feels out of the way and private. I hear there’s a potential storm brewing Tuesday / Wednesday… Hope it doesn’t amount to much! Enjoy the break!