Mexico, Belize and Guatemala

Emre and I flew to Cancun and went travelling for 2 1/2 weeks in August.

Tony and Ashley came with us for the first 4 days. We rented a car and drove all around- found great snorkle sites! Amazing that everyone crowds in Cancun when you can find perfect empty beaches 40 minutes away. We spent a few nights in Tulum and saw the Mayan ruins there.

Afterwards Emre and I took the bus to Belize City and then to Tikal (more ruins) in Guatemala. We spent a day in Flores, which was very charming, but touristy. Emre did a day trip to (more ruins) Ceibal, which I skipped. (he said too many mosquitoes and not much to see anyway.)

Then we went to Antigua and to Lake Panajachel. We crossed back into Mexico and spent a couple days in San Cristobal (similar to Antigua- charming colonial city) then saw the ruins at Palenque and Chichen Itza.

After I got Turkish off my mind, I realized my Spanish has gotten really good! I guess I learned a lot more at my job in NY than I realized. Overall, we had a fantastic time. Guatemala was especially interesting. Emre says Antigua was his favorite.

We went snorkeling at a couple cenotes (fresh water caves) near Cancun. super! Emre went scuba diving there one day and said it was his most interesting dive yet.

Belize City. only 90,000 people and not much going on. We could barely find an open restaurant for dinner. We only spent one evening there and then continued on to Tikal (mayan ruins in Guatemala.) Spent my 31th birthday having a small child throw up on my feet during the bus ride.

We spent two days in Antigua, a super charming colonial city in Guatemala. We were just suprised by the number of tourists! (Italian backpackers everywhere!)

Typical Guatemalan bus (probably left over from a LI school district) painted very dramatically. This is near the market in Antigua.

View of volcanoes and Lake Atilan. It was suprising and interesting to see so many people in traditional clothing in Guatemala.

We took a boat tour from Panajachel on Lake Atilan that stopped in a few other small villages. In one town, people there made a shrine to Maximon, which is apparently some combination of Catholic saints and pre-Christian religious figures. People pay to enter and give offerings of cigarettes, rum or beer and then pray to Maximon. crazy!

Emre and I finally made it to Chichen Itza after an overnight bus ride from Palenque. We thought all the ruins were very interesting. Chichen Itza was probably the best restored. We got there very early before the hourdes of tourists arrived, which was good.