PUERTO JUAREZ, NORTHERN CANCUN.
THE FERRY TERMINAL TO ISLA MUJERES.
PUERTO JUAREZ, NORTHERN CANCUN.
THE FERRY TERMINAL TO ISLA MUJERES.
YVR - CUN Flight from Vancouver, Canada to Cancun, Mexico
`2 May 7 Tue. 7 AM I flew out of Vancouver on Alaska Airlines. I learned that the departure fee for Mexico or at least the part I wanted to go to was $10 not $15 which it is for the rest of Mexico and other foreign countries, other than the U. S. of A.
It had been a rather chilly night for Vancouver and by the time we reached L. A., California, U. S. of A. the interior of the plane had never warmed up.
I had a three hour layover in L. A., while we switched planes.
I found a place in the terminal where I could get some good pictures of planes, taxiing, taking off, and landing. There were also some outlets under the windows where I could plug in my computer to recharge the battery.
The second plane, from L. A. to Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, wasn’t much warmer. And the meal wasn’t much better. They served it shortly after take off, about a half hour into a five hour flight. So after just having had a goofy lunch, some kind of sausage in a bun from a fast food joint in the arrival departure lounge, I had a yucky supper, and then had to starve before I could find a restaurant, after arriving in Cancun.
Note, All prices, other than the previously mentioned departure taxes, commonly called `Airport Improvement Fees’ are in $ (Mexican Pesos). 2002, the exchange rate was $5 (Mex.) to $1 (Can.)
Upon arrival at Cancun, having learned, from previous trips, to Acapulco and Zihuatanejo, I walked out of the airport, giving all offers for assistance and transportation a polite, “No Senor, Gracias”, across the front lawn to the bus stop, outside the airport property, where I caught the city bus into town.
The taxis from the airport want $210 to go downtown, about the same distance as the airport at Zihuatanejo where the cabs only charge $135. The bus cost me $40.
The bus dropped me in the middle of downtown and within a few minutes I found a couple of low cost hotels that looked fairly secure. One for $140 per night and one right behind that, away from the traffic noise but not as fancy, for $120.
My room didn’t have a seat on the toilet. I really must learn how to ask for that in Spanish, when I wave my hand up and down, they think I am pushing the flush handle, and they say “Yes, It has that.” But, as I was only planning to stay one night until I found some place cheaper, I took it.
It didn’t have air conditioning, which I despise anyway, but it had hot water, which is a must for me as I can’t handle cold showers.
After checking into my room I proceeded to find a restaurant.
After enjoying a truly authentic Mexican meal, the first I had had in a couple of months, I began my search for a hotel that had a toilet with a seat. Although I found a couple that were slightly higher priced none of them had seats so I gave it up for the night and hit the hay.
Wednesday, 7:00 AM, I awoke to the sound of a hammer hitting a chisel against ceramic tile on the floor directly above my head. Add to this the usual Mexican alarm clock, steel shutters rolling up in front of the neighbouring shops, and I realized it was time to get up.
I started the day by taking pictures from my window. A huge fish hung from a rack and spun in the breeze. Later I would learn it is made of plastic and is put up each morning by the fish shop on the corner.
I began my exploration of Cancun by walking around the hotel and looking at the large fish.
I learned that, like Zihuatanejo, Mexico, streets do not necessarily run parallel with, or perpendicular to, each other. Where my hotel, the Tropical Caribe, on Calle Cedro, which runs off of Ave. Tulum, is located there are many short streets, actually one way cul de sacs. These cul de sacs sort of meet in the middle and surround a large market area. Market 32. With other winding streets going out to join two other major streets, Av. Auxmal and Av. Chichen Itza.
Walking South, along Av. Tulum, keeping my eye open for a travel agency that would book me a tour to Cuba, I found the bus depot, across a small side street from the Mayab bus depot and across the next street I met Cesar. He was basking in the sun, in front of his place of employment, waiting for a tourist.
Senor Chimal, who speaks very good English, and is very friendly, as are most Mexicans, saw me standing on the corner and tried to rent me a car, to no avail. The agency he worked for doesn’t handle trips to Cuba. He felt the place next door was too expensive so he told me of another travel agent that could help me.
Cesar is a very personable gentleman and I would tell you where he works except I don’t know. He left that agency and they wouldn’t tell me where he moved to.
After I went to visit the travel agent, `Colors’, that Cesar had directed me to, I came back to talk to Cesar some more and he sold me a trip for the next day, to Xcaret.
As the day progressed I walked many streets and found, that it was like being in Canada, Burger King, Wal-Mart, Sears, Costco, Office Depot, True Value, Bank of Nova Scotia, Blockbuster.
In the late evening I came across a street, I can picture it in my mind but I can’t tell you where it is. There was a street vendor with a grill, selling food. He had a line up of people. I don’t know what he was cooking. The cost $10 and tasted great. I went back a couple of other evenings but couldn’t find him.
Thursday, 8:00 AM, I awoke to the sound of a hammer hitting a chisel against ceramic tile on the floor directly above my head. Actually I was already awake and wondering when he was going to start. Anticipating him I had awoken at seven with the help of the usual Mexican alarm clock.
After packing my swimsuit, and some other stuff, I went around the corner. Behind my hotel, in `Market 23’, is a street vendor who sells barbacoas. Tasty little tortias, two, one on top of the other and covered with chopped beef. At $5 each they make a hearty breakfast.
Continuing up the street I wandered a few blocks until I found the Holiday Inn where I was supposed to meet the bus.
I had forgotten something, so I found a shorter way back to my hotel and then found an even shorter way back to the Holiday Inn and was there by 9 AM.
I sat across the street, from the hotel, on a park bench, with some cab drivers. An old lady came shuffling down the street and they urged her to get out of the middle of the street and guided her to the curb. Then they started to take up a collection. They were very pleased when I threw in some change.
By 9:40 no big bus had been through so I asked at the hotel and was told someone had been inside looking for me. As I wasn’t staying at that hotel I didn’t think it would be proper to wait inside and I thought for sure, sitting outside, I would be able to see a big bus.
I caught a taxi to my travel agent and Cesar phoned ahead. The taxi then took me out to the Hotel Zone to the Plaza Fiestas which is a large store full of souvenirs. The cab driver went in. When he came out he said they were waiting for me. I tried to pay him but he said they had paid him. Which was a pleasant surprise, I was dreading the cost of the long taxi ride.
For the story about the rest of the day see my Xcaret Page.
By the time the bus got us back to our hotel it was nearly midnight.
Friday: I didn’t do much, just walked the streets, wearing long pants and lots of sunscreen. My back was sunburned from the snorkelling trip at Xcaret.
In the evening I went to el Centro and watched the people. As per usual, in Mexico, on a Friday and/or Saturday evening, I had supper by sampling the wares of the various vendors.
Saturday I took the bus to Puerto Morelos. I did a bit of snorkelling, after a man found my snorkel, which I had lost. If I knew his name I would post it here, to say, “Thank you“, “Gracias Senor“.
After having lunch in a nice restaurant I checked the prices to go as a passenger on the car ferry to Cozumel.
For a story of a lovely little town, read about my adventures on my Puerto Morelos Page.
In the evening, after I returned to Cancun I visited El Centro, again.
Whenever I am in a Mexican town I like to visit the local `El Centro’ on a Saturday evening.
Actually Friday and Sunday evenings can also be very entertaining.
Cancun has two `El Centros’.
Sunday: I took the bus to the hotel zone to Playa Tortugas and after a swim I walked South to find another public beach access. After a very long walk I still hadn’t found one so I cut through the Hotel Presidente Intercontinental to the street.
Somewhere, during my sojourn, I broke my glasses. After a meal at a fast food restaurant I caught the bus into town. After some searching I found a small jewellery store, two or three doors N. of Av. Tulum on the East the side of Av. Portillo.
At fist the jeweller tried to tell me he didn‘t work on glasses but I could see his soldering equipment so I knew he made jewellery. With much pantomiming I explained that the frame needed to be welded.
Carefully, he removed the plastic parts, lenses and nose pads. Then with much movement of objects on his cluttered work bench he managed to prop up the two sides of my spectacles and weld the frame back together. Other than for a bit of discolouration he did a fantastic job.
For this he asked the lowly sum of $40. I don’t normally believe in tipping but in some cases it is well deserved and I gladly gave him more than the asking price.
I walked back though town to the `Colors Travel’ but the office was closed. Believing that Gonzaldo had asked me to be there that afternoon to pick up my ticket for Cuba, I was in a tizzy.
On the corner of Av. Tulum I found they had another office and when I enquired there, I found, to my surprise, that Gonzaldo was there and he informed me that I was a day early and should come back on Monday.
I took the bus back out to the Hotel Zone to go swimming in the canal that I had seen while riding on the bus earlier.
I walked along the canal looking for a place to swim but all the signs say `No swimming’
Many locals ignore the signs though it is not safe as many boats speed through the narrow canal.
Further South, on the opposite side of the road I saw people coming from another beach. After following a trail through the trees I found a public beach but it is mainly used by the locals and I felt out of place with all the families having Sunday dinner so I walked back to Playa Tortugas.
Monday: Still no confirmation on my tour to Cuba but checking the calendar I realized we had been using a calendar that started on Monday and I am used to one that starts the week on Sunday.
Later that day we got a confirmation on the hotel in Havana. Except I wanted the city of Varadero. They thought I wanted the Varadero district of the city of La Havana. So we had to start over.
Tuesday we still didn’t have confirmation on Cuba. So I said forget it.
I walked back up and talked with Cesar who booked me for a Jungle tour. Then I went back to Colors and told them to continue. By now they had the confirmation for the flight but not the hotel.
That evening I took a taxi out to Plaza 21. It is about 15 miles West of town and its claim to fame is twelve strip clubs in one strip mall.
As it was a slow night I had several shills, vying to get me to go to their establishment. I finally took one that offered, `No cover charge’.
When I was leaving I wanted to pay my bill and the waiter told me the amount. I forget what it was but I handed him the correct number of pesos, but he said, “No, Yankee dollars”.
I said I didn’t have any Yankee dollars, I asked him how much it was in pesos and he didn’t know. He had to go in the back and ask someone how much they charged for a beer.
I think it is pretty sad when Americanism has so thoroughly infiltrated a country that they are not used to working in their own currency.
I believe it cost me $50 to get out there but later it costs $60 to come back into town. I asked the driver why it was more and he said because there were no busses ruining that late at night. On the way into town I saw people standing along the side of the road. They looked like they were waiting for a bus.
Wednesday: Thursday I packed my bags and caught the bus to airport.
At the airport I got in line for the check in. A man approached me and asked me if I had my tickets. I said I did, but apparently I didn’t.
When I got to the check-in I was sent outside to see the man who had approached me while I was in the line.
It seems that `Color’s’ does not have credit with the company that they booked my trip through so I had to wait until the money was actually delivered from my agent to the tour company before the man at the airport would release the tickets.
Eventually everything got straightened out and I got on the plane.
For the story of the next week, read about my adventures on my Cuba Page.
Getting off the plane, in Cancun, I talked to the first man I had met from Florida, at the airport in Cuba. He had missed the bus to the plane, in Cuba, and was one of the last people to board.
While waiting to board, in Cuba, security had called him down to the luggage area. They had wanted to see the inside the long wrapped package.
The package contained antique swords. The man dug into his bag to get his export papers and noticed that his cam-corder was missing.
Security didn’t believe that he had had one.
When he insisted, security played back the tape of all the baggage that had been checked in. The x-ray showed the cam-corder in his bag. Obviously the cam-corder could only have been taken by airport staff after it had been checked in.
The man then had to fill out claim forms which was why he was late getting to the plane.
I have never heard since, but I do hope he got his cam-corder back.
Tuesday, May 21, I took the city bus from the airport into Cancun, walked across the street to the Mayab Bus Lines office and caught a bus to Play Del Carmen.
For a story of a lovely town, on a fantastic beach, read my Play Del Carmen Page. and my continuing holidays on a lovely island on my Cozumel Page.
Saturday May 25 I caught the ferry from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen and the bus from there to Cancun. I stopped to see Cesar but was told he doesn’t work there anymore. I caught the next bus to Puerto Juarez and the ferry to Isla Mujeres.
For a story of a lovely town, on a fantastic island, read about my adventures on my Isla Mujeres Page.
Friday, May 31, I caught the ferry from Isla Mujeres to Puerto Juarez and the bus from there into Cancun. There I changed busses and went to CUN, and flew back to Canada.
END
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
LATEST CURRENCY VALUES
CANCUN WEATHER FORECAST
RELATED WEB SITES Send me a comment (and I will add it to my Guest Book), or correction, or just say, "Hi"!
Thank you for visiting Bear's `Cancun’ Page.
Please come back and visit again.
HOTEL TROPICAL CARIBE
I have had the pleasure of
staying her 3 times; `02, `04, & `08
Cesar Juarez Chimal 
Color’s Travel 32 Av. Yaxchilan 
STREETS OF CANCUN
EL CENTRO
EL CENTRO II
PLAYA LAS TORTUGAS
One plaza in Oriental style with one Chinese restaurant.
BOAT & SNORKEL TOUR
CUN (Cancun International Airport) CUN - YVR Flight from Cancun, Mexico to Vancouver, Canada.
BANK of CANADA Currency Converter
CANCUN CONVENTION
And Visitors’ Bureau
CANCUN VISTA
Message Board
SURF - MEXICO
Cancun, Quintana Roo
TRAVEL TIPS
Cancun, Mexico
« Go back To My MEXICO Page
« Go back To My TRAVEL Page
« Go back To My HOME Page
VISIT THESE FINE SPONSORS AND ENJOY GRRREAT SAVINGS
FUJITSU
Computer Systems
HOTWIRE
Fly, Drive, and/or Sleep; Cheap
Win a vacation for four. Just browse our bargain rates.
