Sunday, November 30, 2008

The Unforgettable Ruins of Tulum.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
Unfortunately, I did forget my camera phone at a restaurant in Tulum.

Here's another picture of food. A seafood stand by the bus station before the trip.

Go Google "Tulum" and "Mayan." I'm sure there are much better pics than I could take. The site is not top, top tier. (Like Monte Alban, Palenque or Chichen Itza) But it is solid. A Mayan city situated on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Strategically placed for defense and trade along the coast.

UPDATE: Found pics on other camera.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan


From 18 Cancun and Yucatan


From 18 Cancun and Yucatan

Hometown Wins.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
There is joy in Mudville, as I look for the nearest restroom because my eyes are watery and my bladder is pulsating with pain.

Go Atlante!

Bring on... Santo? San Luis? Not sure.

Another Set of Doubles, please.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
The girl in front of me got up and jumped into my enormous cup of beer and started swimming.

I had to pick her out like a gnat that flew into my drink.

The Crowd Was Animated.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
Drumming. Chanting. Numerous waves.

The middle aged woman next to me had the mouth of a Veracruz sailor. ¡Vieja cochina! She was having a blast, though.

An Accident at Halftime.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
An eagle mascot had an interaction with this inflatable star mascot. The star fell down and its costume started losing air. The yellow plastic material began clinging to the person's body as a handler worked to make sure this person didn't suffocate.

Half the crowd was cracking up. A quarter was concerned. The rest wasn't really paying attention.

The Playoffs.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
The Tigres of Monterrey v. the hometown Atlante. Two of eight teams left for the Mexican national championship.

It was an elimination game for the Tigres.

I'll Have a Beer. A Double.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan

Are You Ready for Some Futbol?

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
After Isla de Mujeres, my friend and I checked into a hotel downtown and made our way to the arena, where the playoffs were happening.

We bought them from a young scalper, but you would have thought we were buying something very, very illegal, with how paranoid HE was.

Friday, November 28, 2008

This Morning.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan

Downtown Cancun Bar.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
Watching UT trounce the HELL out of A&M.

Beautiful. Did you like the game, Ben Morales? Ha!

Señor Frogs.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
I had to do it. Part of the experience, right?

One drink and out. The drunk Americans with balloon hats were getting to me.

Thanksgiving in Cancun.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
The best beach I've ever been to. No doubt. Clear blue water. Powdery sand. Beautiful. All day was spent here.

This is where I called you from, mom and dad.

Spurs Game in Mexico.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan

At a Mexican Hooters.

I hope the travel gods forgive me for this one, but I needed to watch some basketball. A kid's pickup game or something.

Looks like Ginobili made it back before I did. Will I make it back before Parker???

Cancun.

From 18 Cancun and Yucatan
View from the balcony.

Forty bucks a night per person. Awesome.

Port A, I won't miss you.

The Ballcourt.

From 17 Chichen Itza

Temple of Venus.

From 17 Chichen Itza

More Chichen Itza.

From 17 Chichen Itza
One of the sinkholes that collected water for the city.

More Chichen Itza.

From 17 Chichen Itza
The Caracol.

Set to capture light at the equinoxes and solstices.
From 17 Chichen Itza

More Chichen Itza.

From 17 Chichen Itza

The Incomparable Chichen Itza.

From 17 Chichen Itza

Public Art in One of the Roundabouts.

From 16 Merida
This one is...big? Right. Horrible.

On the Montejo Boulevard.

From 16 Merida
During the reign of Porfirio Diaz, Mérida became a boomtown, with the export of sissal, used to make...rope.

It's millionaires built a Parisian-style boulevard and mansions on that boulevard.

Irony.

From 16 Merida
The general that gained fame suppressing the revolt of Mayan peasants eventually has his beautiful home given up as a museum to their ancestors.

It boggles the mind.

From 16 Merida


From 16 Merida

This Kids Wants Out.

From 16 Merida
Be quiet and stop complaining. We're trying to get rid if that ugly normal head of yours.

How It's Done.

From 16 Merida
What, me worry?

From 16 Merida

Skull Modifications.

From 16 Merida
Looks goods. Let's bring it back.

This was for the religious-ruling class.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Built by This Guy.

From 16 Merida
A wealthy businessman. A dealer in plumbing supplies? Did I read that correctly? Also a general in Mexico's Caste War, where Mayan peasants revolted against the deplorable conditions in which they were forced to work. An asshole.

Mérida's Anthropology Museum.

From 16 Merida
Housed in a private residence from shortly after the turn of the century.

Interesting Sculpture Indoors.

From 16 Merida
I wouldn't mind owning this, actually.

Templo Santa Ana.

From 16 Merida
Oldest church in Mérida. Built upon a sacred Mayan temple.

Take that, old gods.

Odd First Hotel.

From 16 Merida
The was the prettiest shot I could find. It was described as surrealistic in the guidebook, mostly it was cluttered and dirty. It was like I was sleeping in a messy artist's back studio garage.

From 16 Merida

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Karoake Bar.

I sang Rock with You by Michael Jackson. The crowd was so into the song, they didn't notice I couldn't sing. A middle aged man got on stage and also began singing along.

Overpriced Mérida Beer.

From 16 Merida
Sure it was like eating at touristy Republic of Texas restaurant at San Antonio's Riverwalk, but hey, this is Mexico. It's got to be cheap.

Bottom line? $752. Ouch.

Don't go here. And if you must, don't drink the beer by the yard. Actually, just don't drink beer by the yard.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Atop the Frank D. Wing Building.

From 14 Ednza

Another View.

From 14 Ednza

View from the Temple.

From 14 Ednza

Edzná.

From 14 Ednza
Temple of the Five Floors.

A second tier site, but still beats anything in...Dallas, for instance.

Nothing Today.

Both me and my travel friend, who joined me in Veracruz, got sick. He's got fever and chills. I've got...um...stomach distress and achiness.

I think I'm feeling better now, but nothing happened yesterday, except sleeping and running to the restroom.

It was probably from the same restaurant across the bus station in Villahermosa. We should have left when my friend saw a rat crawl in from the street. This is not a joke. We figured it was fine, since it was an outside rat.

Ok, hopefully more later today...

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Local Specialty.

From 13 Veracruz
Greasy tortilla. Shredded chicken. Avacado. Hard boiled egg. Catsup.

No, not my favorite meal in Mexico.

I forget the exact name. It sounded like a vulgar Spanish word for a body part, so I'm not going to even try to attempt it.

Regrets.

From 13 Veracruz
If I had this trip to do all over again, I would have taken pictures of all the hotel keys I've had.

Large plastic badges. Thick bands of hand-toolled leather. Small planks of wood, seared with branding tools. Small metal dogtags. I'm sure the day of the code cards will come to every hotel and these will be a thing of the past.

This is truly the Golden Age of the bizarre hotel key chains of Mexico.

Good Times at the Plaza.

From 13 Veracruz
This lady in denim was having a blast. Song after song, she would not stop. Her pregnant friend was having less of a good time.

No shame in that. None of us could keep up.