Shadowmeboy's Escape to the Western Caribbean!

[shadowmeboy]

Included in the Freestyle Daily was the CruiseNext flyer.

 

 

Getting close to the dock!

 

 

quick breakfast today, so we could get to our tour on time.

 

Omelette and Bacon

 

 

Eggs Benedict (My go to breakfast on the cruise ship and I also loved the tomatoes!)

 

 

Omelette and Ham

 

 

This was the best of the port pictures from Costa Maya (not the real Captiain either).

 

[shadowmeboy]

Pictures taken from the pier

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

The Escape was scheduled to arrive at 8 am. We had booked a tour with Native Choice to visit the Mayan ruins of Chacchoben. This tour starts 1 hour after arrival, so we had to get everyone to the Native Choice office by then. This included my dad. Luckily, we caught the tram from the corner of the pier to the port area.

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

To quickly exit the Port area, come off the tram or pier, go through the tall gate. Stay on the right till you get to the tower , and there is a exit to the outside there. Cross the parking area, and head out the Port gate. Once out the port gate, the road is divided and you walk down the center of the road.

 

We put Susan and Dad in a taxi and had the cab take them to the Native Choice office. $2 per person. Mom and I walked there.

 

 

 

Once you get to the Mayan tower, go to the left to get to the Native Choice office.

 

[shadowmeboy]

Almost there!

 

 

outside of the Native Choice office

 

 

We were on the Chacchoben tour that included the lunch at the Mayan families home. The bus pulled out and we started our hour drive to the ruins. Native Choice has plenty of included bottles of water available, so drinking water was not an issue.

 

 

 

 

Hugo was our guide. He was funny and very knowledgeable.

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

If you went to the right, the road would take you Cancun and Playa Del Carmen.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

road side stands of pineapples and dragon fruits dotted the highway.

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

field of pineapples

 

 

 

The above ground graves reminded me of New Orleans

 

[shadowmeboy]

Hugo said it was a lot of swamp like land, so that made sense the graves were above ground.

 

 

 

The mounds were where Mayan families would build their homes and farms.

 

 

 

The top of the ruins.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

Main visitor hut at the ruins. The bathrooms, souvenirs, and any food or drinks were found here.

 

 

 

 

 

Cool orchid using the tree to climb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Susan leading the charge to the ruins!

 

 

 

 

This is the thing Susan wanted to do the most pre-cruise, so she was ready for today.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

No, Susan. You cannot climb to the top.

 

[shadowmeboy]

Mom and Susan

 

 

Dad enjoying his cool shade.

 

 

Susan and I

 

 

These are ruins that are still buried and haven't been unearthed yet by archaeologists.

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

Do you see them?

 

 

Leaf cutter ants

 

 

 

 

 

Mom found an Iguana.

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

Hugo took the group up the steps.

 

 

 

 

 

the upper courtyard

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

Susan is enjoying herself!

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

Mom and Susan on the ruins again!

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

The upper part was really big.

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

See what happens when you go on the same excursion as us Trace? You make my review again! Looking good Tgloersen!

 

 

 

Mayan writing stone

 

 

We headed back to the bus, and headed to the Village of Chacchoben.

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

I figured in Mexico there would be quite a few potholes. Instead, there tons of speedbumps!

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

We finally arrived at the spot for lunch.

 

 

walking through the garden.

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

The tables for our lunch!

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

thatched roof

 

 

Finely woven hammock for sleeping

 

 

 

Habenero peppers

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

We were taught how to make a tortilla.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make it look like this!

 

[shadowmeboy]

There is mine!

 

 

we then gave them to the ladies who cooked them!

 

 

 

They then had a salsa we could put on the freshly cooked tortilla. It was yummy in my tummy!

 

Mom making her tortilla

 

 

 

the spread was amazing!

 

[shadowmeboy]

Lunch consisted of Black Bean Empanadas, Pork Tomales, Chicken cooked in a red sauce, Rice, Squash, and Beans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A visitor came to join us!

 

 

 

 

Flan and a fruit skewer rounded out dessert.