We went into this vacation with several “wants” in mind… A “new to us” warm weather destination by the ocean, control of our own accommodations / meals, a wide range of attractions, and real opportunities for a rich cultural experience. Mexico fit the bill… Even with the idea of a “Wall”. Janie had an interesting notion in regards to this vacation. She said, “There is value in having faith”. We knew very little of the language, our knowledge of the culture “stereotypical” at best, and really had no contacts (beyond our emails with Vero) on the ground. Instead of the all-inclusive, where all is provided, we were challenged with interacting, meeting new people, asking questions and finding our way. There is much value and learning in managing some risk, making mistakes, and asking others for help.
While out and about, I noted that the people of Puerto Morelos showed great pride in their culture. Parades, dancing, teens with roller skates/skateboards in the community square… It was all so very welcoming and normal. We very much enjoyed the people we met in Mexico. Being on a seven day vacation, the bulk were connected to positions within the service industry. All were courteous, most helpful and proud of the services they offered; Juan (our transportation contact), Manuel (our Chichen Itza guide), Joachim & Kevin (our snorkelling guides), Thomas (Boca Del Puma taxi driver), Jose (at Casa Tykel) and the many we met in stores purchasing groceries, dining in eateries or shopping for wares street side. There was definitely a strong sense of community.
Puerto Morelos, and the condo space we rented, proved the perfect location for us. We weren’t looking for the Hotel Zone experience in Cancun, nor the cut out resort experience on Playa Del Carmen. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve done all-inclusives and really enjoyed them. However, this time around we were angling for something different. We chose to manage our own time, eat authentically wherever and whatever we wished, and come / go as we pleased. We enjoyed the kitchen as much as the pool deck… And had great fun shopping at the SuperChedraui and preparing meals at home. It was so peaceful there. I think we really lucked out as most of the other rentals were unoccupied during our stay. In so many ways our accommodation proved a main attraction!
The attractions we left Casa Tykel for were all new to us… Very unique in our travel experience. The day at cooking school was a first. Chichen Itza took perseverance due to the distance, but was indeed so worth the trek. Not everyday you see one of the new “Seven Wonders.” We had snorkelled, but never in waters and on a reef like the one just off Puerto Morelos. And of course, the X-treme Adventure Janie & Monica took won’t soon be forgotten (they purchased some great photos). In each of these spaces those we engaged provided a better picture of their history, and how it has fashioned the present.
We shattered some of our ideas about Mexico… It can be so much more than a drunken beach scene. We were smitten by the friendliness and sense of fun among the locals, never at once felt insecure, enjoyed foods from around the globe and sampled some excellent Mexican dishes. We are learning, maybe slowly, that travel for us is not about living like at home while you are somewhere else. We now use our time away to experience glimpses of “an average day” in another village, town or city. It’s been so rewarding.
Of course, if you’ve been following along, we travelled without Peter who is at StFX this year and had regular classes during our March Break. A sign of days to come I guess, with Monica now in Grade 10. However, I’d like to add that he was there in spirit (see flat Peter) and that, with the help of FaceTime, we dropped a couple of calls to check in! Planning this time through was a much more shared responsibility… It’s so nice to have that spread across several people and everyone seems more knowledgable about where we are going and the options available. Thinking ahead, it’ll be interesting to see how our kids move forward in regards to travel and if it becomes something they do with their families. Time will tell!