Today, we went to an island off of the coast of Mexico called Isla Mujeres.
A brief history of the island: In Mayan times, the island served as the sanctuary for the goddess Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of fertility, reason, medicine, and the moon. There is a temple located at the southern-most point of the island that was also used as a lighthouse for navigators at sea. In 1517, Spanish explorer Francisco Hernandez Cordova discovered the island and upon it, female shaped idols representing the goddess Ixchel, thus Isla Mujeres got its name. For the next 300-ish years, the island was uninhabitated, the only visitors were fisherman and pirates who used this island for refuge and to leave their women "for safekeeping" while they sailed. Legend has it that there is stolen treasure buried under the sand to this day. After the Mexican Independence, a small village began in what is now Downtown Isla. Mayan fisherman found the waters around the island to be a "fisherman's paradise" and the village slowly grew.
Our day began by boarding a charter bus to a marina and hopping on a catamaran for the 45 or so minute trip to the island. The crew was so entertaining that it didn't seem that long at all! It had just rained that morning so I was a little worried about the condition of the water... It was fine though!!
Once we got to the island, we were a little disappointed because the island and the activities were not what the description made them out to be...insert sad face here. They were way overpriced and not worth the money for the time we'd be spending on the activity. $35 per person to snorkel for 20 minutes? I don't think so! Josh opted to do some kayaking in a little area that was cordened off for that. Since it was so small, he got bored quickly and came back in. Another sad face.
After kayaking, we went to lounge by the pool. We ate some kick-butt nachos for lunch there! And we saw this little dirty bird, washing itself.
It was getting close to the time we needed to meet the group so we went to grab something quick from the buffet. Good thing we chose to go in at that time because there was a DOWNPOUR right after that! It lasted for about five minutes and then was sunny and warm again.
After the hotel, the group got back on the catamaran and went to another part of the island where the shopping was.
Downtown Isla
Now, while we weren't offered any children to buy, we were offered different types of drugs at almost every store we went into! Even while walking on the street!! What the heck?? NO.THANK.YOU!
Evidently, the plants are very sensitive... Maybe they should mellow out with some of the other "plants" that we were being offered. Just a suggestion.
Some houses in Downtown Isla. It would go store, house, house, store, store, house, etc.
After getting back on the boat to head back to Cancun, the drinks were a-flowin! The people over my right shoulder were the people in the room next to ours, with the door that you can see in the foyer.
Josh decided to participate in the party game they had going.
Our little friend!
Overall, it was an okay trip. We know for next time, yes, next time, we go that we won't go with a tour group to visit the island. The research that we did after we were there showed a much more interested part of the island that we weren't even shown. Oh well.
Tomorrow: Paradise Snorkeling!!
A brief history of the island: In Mayan times, the island served as the sanctuary for the goddess Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of fertility, reason, medicine, and the moon. There is a temple located at the southern-most point of the island that was also used as a lighthouse for navigators at sea. In 1517, Spanish explorer Francisco Hernandez Cordova discovered the island and upon it, female shaped idols representing the goddess Ixchel, thus Isla Mujeres got its name. For the next 300-ish years, the island was uninhabitated, the only visitors were fisherman and pirates who used this island for refuge and to leave their women "for safekeeping" while they sailed. Legend has it that there is stolen treasure buried under the sand to this day. After the Mexican Independence, a small village began in what is now Downtown Isla. Mayan fisherman found the waters around the island to be a "fisherman's paradise" and the village slowly grew.
Our day began by boarding a charter bus to a marina and hopping on a catamaran for the 45 or so minute trip to the island. The crew was so entertaining that it didn't seem that long at all! It had just rained that morning so I was a little worried about the condition of the water... It was fine though!!
Once we got to the island, we were a little disappointed because the island and the activities were not what the description made them out to be...insert sad face here. They were way overpriced and not worth the money for the time we'd be spending on the activity. $35 per person to snorkel for 20 minutes? I don't think so! Josh opted to do some kayaking in a little area that was cordened off for that. Since it was so small, he got bored quickly and came back in. Another sad face.
After kayaking, we went to lounge by the pool. We ate some kick-butt nachos for lunch there! And we saw this little dirty bird, washing itself.
It was getting close to the time we needed to meet the group so we went to grab something quick from the buffet. Good thing we chose to go in at that time because there was a DOWNPOUR right after that! It lasted for about five minutes and then was sunny and warm again.
After the hotel, the group got back on the catamaran and went to another part of the island where the shopping was.
Downtown Isla
Now, while we weren't offered any children to buy, we were offered different types of drugs at almost every store we went into! Even while walking on the street!! What the heck?? NO.THANK.YOU!
Evidently, the plants are very sensitive... Maybe they should mellow out with some of the other "plants" that we were being offered. Just a suggestion.
Some houses in Downtown Isla. It would go store, house, house, store, store, house, etc.
After getting back on the boat to head back to Cancun, the drinks were a-flowin! The people over my right shoulder were the people in the room next to ours, with the door that you can see in the foyer.
Josh decided to participate in the party game they had going.
Our little friend!
Overall, it was an okay trip. We know for next time, yes, next time, we go that we won't go with a tour group to visit the island. The research that we did after we were there showed a much more interested part of the island that we weren't even shown. Oh well.
Tomorrow: Paradise Snorkeling!!
No comments:
Post a Comment