Mexico > To Isla Mujeres

The end of the trip is approaching. Today we travel to the final destination: the island of Isla Mujeres. We can take it easy because we don’t leave until twelve o’clock. Breakfast is served in the restaurant across the street. This is the same restaurant where we ate last night. A breakfast buffet is ready. I order an omelet. After breakfast, I walk to the beach. This is not so easy because many beaches have been claimed by restaurants and hotels. I continue walking to Fifth Avenue. At the various bars, people are still cleaning up from the previous night. On Fifth Avenue, the souvenir shops open for a new day. I walk quite a way along the boulevard until the shops end. I turn around and walk back along the other side. I greet the vendors politely. Unfortunately, I am not their next customer. I cut through to the Walmart supermarket.

Mexico - The chapel of the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen

Here I withdraw some money from an ATM. Via the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen church, with a beautiful chapel, I arrive back at the hotel. Just before noon, we leave the hotel for the bus. The bus is two blocks away. Today we have a different bus and a different driver. Suzy mentions there is roadwork on the way to Cancun and expects some delay. Because of this, we will probably miss the two o’clock ferry and have to take the one an hour later. We’ll see. Soon the traffic comes to a standstill due to paving work. When entering Cancun, I recognize the hotel from the first evening. That already feels so long ago. At ten to two, we arrive at the harbor. Suzy quickly goes to the ticket office. We just manage to join the queue for the two o’clock ferry and board as one of the last passengers. I put my travel bag down below and take a seat on the upper deck. As soon as the ferry leaves the port of Cancun, I see the clear blue seawater. In half an hour, the boat sails to Isla Mujeres, a small, elongated island off the coast of Cancun.

Mexico - The paradise island of Isla Mujeres

When we arrive, the island is busier than I expected. We are clearly not alone here. The hotel is within walking distance of the harbor. Freddy explains in the lobby about the snorkeling opportunities for tomorrow. If at least ten people are interested, we can have a private boat. Otherwise, we will be grouped with other tourists. I feel like snorkeling, but it doesn’t seem we have enough interest for a private boat. We’ll hear more about this later. I stroll into the small town. At the hotel’s latitude, the island is only a few hundred meters wide. It is not difficult to walk to the other coast. On the Caribbean Sea side, there are rocks along the shore. I follow the boulevard northward. Here the island widens. The streets mainly contain restaurants, bars, and hotels. The streets look cozy but also very touristy. I guess most tourists here are Americans. Some stay here longer and spend the winter. Near the lighthouse, I order a beer. I also order nachos because I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. Shortly after, a seriously large plate of nachos, cheese, and guacamole is placed on the table. I walk back to the hotel via the Playa Centro beach. In the evening, a small group of us go out to eat on Miguel Hidalgo Street. In this pedestrian area, the restaurants sit side by side. We end the evening with a drink at a simple rooftop bar.