mayaflya
14th April 2007, 09:38 AM
TUESDAY
I woke up before light, having slept about 7-8 hours (the nights are longer in March!) I stayed in bed, awake, until it looked like it was getting lighter out and the birds started singing.
The wife was still asleep, (she had announced that she intended to sleep most of the week) so I got up and decided to go outside and see what the world looked like in the daylight. I still did not have a clear understanding about the clothing optional policy at SOP, as when I asked Arturo the night before he had said, "oh yes, it's OK, but we are getting more neighbors all the time" Not exactly clear. I did not want to over dress to go out, but I did not want to offend anyone either. So I split the difference, and wrapped myself in a pareo that I had brought along.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/458790378_552d873d91_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/458805471_75b9cc719b_o.jpg
I was standing on the beach, waiting for the sun to come up, when I heard a voice behind me, "Hi, I'm M***, we're staying in the main house." I turned to see my sixty something naked neighbor standing there, extending a hand.
Oh yeah, this place is going to be just fine.....
He told me he was up early, because he and his wife were heading to the Coba ruins that day, but that he looked forward to visiting later. I was so glad for that encounter, because it really put me at ease about the nudity question. The "rules" were never completely clear cut, and there were times that it felt prudent or respectful to cover up, with people's comings and goings, but the majority of the time, it was a comfortable place to be nude, even for my wife.
M***'s wife, C***, did not participate in c/o freedom, that we were aware of, but it was obvious that he did/she didn't, and they were both fine with that. We enjoyed sharing the beach with them, as they were there for the same time frame we were. C*** had no trouble with our nudity either, and was happy to visit with us no matter what we were wearing, or not. That's one of the biggest stress busters with social nudity....it’s easy to relax and be yourself with people.
It's still early Tuesday morning, M*** & C*** have hit the road to Coba, and then June brings out a tray with coffee and croissants, leaving it on the small rustic table outside the cabana.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/458805111_99d1e7f844_o.jpg
This was one of the neatest surprises of SOP. They did not bill the cabana as a B&B, but that was what it was. Guests in the two cabanas get coffee and pastries each morning. The main house, having kitchen facilities, was on it's own. We had figured, with Tankah Bay being a little light on dining opportunities, that we'd stock up on some snacks/cervezas to keep in the room and then drive to Tulum for a late breakfast & early dinner each day. The fridge and continental breakfast was a bonus. Consequently, we did not eat out nearly as much as we originally planned.
The four ladies staying in Cabana #2 were rousing themselves and getting their breakfast, too. I chatted enough with them to learn they were leaving that morning, so the wife and I decided that we'd make our Tulum run for supplies and pesos first thing, and then we'd have SOP all to ourselves that afternoon. The wife announces that she wants to drive, so off we go!
First stop is the ATM at the HSBC Bank. It's a hopping place, and there's no parking out front, so I'm glad the wife’s driving...she circles the block while I jump out and get the cash. We'd got 1000 pesos at the currency exchange in Dallas on our layover (a rip-off, BTW) to get us started, but had planned to get the rest of our walking around money off our debit card at the ATM a few times. I pulled an additional 3000 pesos that morning. We also had $200 USD cash with us. We never needed another trip to the ATM and actually ended up bringing money home. We probably spent about half of what we spent last summer, and that included our first massage, which we paid cash for, and dinner at Hechizo ($$$). The last two nights at an all inclusive helped, of course.
It's about 11 am, we've got our pesos, so we decide to eat lunch in Tulum. We picked a spot down the street from the bank where a parking spot opened up...La Palapa del Chino.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/458790188_467d61369a_o.jpg
The temperature and humidity in March was much more comfortable than in June, away from the beach. Last summer we dreaded the trips to the pueblo, as we knew we would be sweat soaked and mosquito bit by the time we got back to the breezy beach. It was really pretty pleasant in town, unless you were out in the direct sun. And, surprisingly ... no mosquitos. We did not have significant rain (a few sprinkles, only) while we were there, and that probably made a difference (although Arturo had made an off-hand comment, when we checked in, that this time of year mosquitos weren't a problem .... a side bar.... The cabana had operable windows with screens, in addition to the mosquito nets. If you look carefully at the interior photos, you can see that there was also screening at the junction of the palapa roof and the top of the outside wall. Arturo's comment was that he asked us to not leave the entry door open, to keep the "critters" out. This only made sense. Having ventilation in the cabana, even with the door closed seems a lot smarter than the cabanas at Azulik, both for keeping bugs out, food away from critters, and security.
The only chink in the armor that I noticed (and you can see it in the bathroom shot) is that there was a big hole in the palapa ROOF....over the shower! I thought it was kind of funny...but I would have not been so amused if the skeeters were streaming in!)
Anyway, lunch was some hot, hot, hot green salsa (I am pretty much a wuss when it comes to chilis...sorry) a bowl of sopa lima for the wife, and an interesting seafood "cocktail" for me. It had about four or five kinds of seafood, including fish, shrimp, scallops, squid and octopus in a sweet tomato sauce, served lukewarm with crackers. Not great, not bad...Ok for a filling lunch. Bill with cerveza and mango smoothie was about 200 pesos.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/458805435_2a67db37d8_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/243/458790282_02d4e78bbb_o.jpg
Stairs up to hotel rooms (inside restaurant)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/232/458805191_60c2b638bd_o.jpg
We made a quick check of the nearby hardware store, where we had found a lime squeezer last year, but no luck. We gave the one we bought last year to a niece as a gift, and wanted to buy others to take home for family and friends. These things are surprisingly hard to find, but we find ours at home to be indispensible! We'd been all over Tulum last summer looking for them, but bought the only one we could find at this store. This year....sorry! I asked Arturo later where we might be able to find one, and told him of our quest. He said he often hears shopkeepers say about items.. "Yes, we used to carry those, but we were selling too many of them". It's a different mindset!
Next stop was San Francisco market. With the fridge in the room, we expanded our original thinking about food. We bought fruit and veggies, a whole roasted chicken, tortillas and cilantro. (We made our own pollo "fajitas" back at SOP for at least two meals.)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/253/458805015_f88d5a417b_o.jpg
We stocked up on juices and some bakery goods and were out of there for another 200 pesos. Last stop was the Stop and Go for cervezas and some cheap tinto vino...another 1100 pesos. The only other meals we bought all week was breakfast at Zamas one day (a favorite from last year) and our meal at Hechizo (Wednesday's story....) So...I'm afraid that we're not going to be able to add much new information to guide one’s gastronomical agenda...
to be continued...
I woke up before light, having slept about 7-8 hours (the nights are longer in March!) I stayed in bed, awake, until it looked like it was getting lighter out and the birds started singing.
The wife was still asleep, (she had announced that she intended to sleep most of the week) so I got up and decided to go outside and see what the world looked like in the daylight. I still did not have a clear understanding about the clothing optional policy at SOP, as when I asked Arturo the night before he had said, "oh yes, it's OK, but we are getting more neighbors all the time" Not exactly clear. I did not want to over dress to go out, but I did not want to offend anyone either. So I split the difference, and wrapped myself in a pareo that I had brought along.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/458790378_552d873d91_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/458805471_75b9cc719b_o.jpg
I was standing on the beach, waiting for the sun to come up, when I heard a voice behind me, "Hi, I'm M***, we're staying in the main house." I turned to see my sixty something naked neighbor standing there, extending a hand.
Oh yeah, this place is going to be just fine.....
He told me he was up early, because he and his wife were heading to the Coba ruins that day, but that he looked forward to visiting later. I was so glad for that encounter, because it really put me at ease about the nudity question. The "rules" were never completely clear cut, and there were times that it felt prudent or respectful to cover up, with people's comings and goings, but the majority of the time, it was a comfortable place to be nude, even for my wife.
M***'s wife, C***, did not participate in c/o freedom, that we were aware of, but it was obvious that he did/she didn't, and they were both fine with that. We enjoyed sharing the beach with them, as they were there for the same time frame we were. C*** had no trouble with our nudity either, and was happy to visit with us no matter what we were wearing, or not. That's one of the biggest stress busters with social nudity....it’s easy to relax and be yourself with people.
It's still early Tuesday morning, M*** & C*** have hit the road to Coba, and then June brings out a tray with coffee and croissants, leaving it on the small rustic table outside the cabana.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/458805111_99d1e7f844_o.jpg
This was one of the neatest surprises of SOP. They did not bill the cabana as a B&B, but that was what it was. Guests in the two cabanas get coffee and pastries each morning. The main house, having kitchen facilities, was on it's own. We had figured, with Tankah Bay being a little light on dining opportunities, that we'd stock up on some snacks/cervezas to keep in the room and then drive to Tulum for a late breakfast & early dinner each day. The fridge and continental breakfast was a bonus. Consequently, we did not eat out nearly as much as we originally planned.
The four ladies staying in Cabana #2 were rousing themselves and getting their breakfast, too. I chatted enough with them to learn they were leaving that morning, so the wife and I decided that we'd make our Tulum run for supplies and pesos first thing, and then we'd have SOP all to ourselves that afternoon. The wife announces that she wants to drive, so off we go!
First stop is the ATM at the HSBC Bank. It's a hopping place, and there's no parking out front, so I'm glad the wife’s driving...she circles the block while I jump out and get the cash. We'd got 1000 pesos at the currency exchange in Dallas on our layover (a rip-off, BTW) to get us started, but had planned to get the rest of our walking around money off our debit card at the ATM a few times. I pulled an additional 3000 pesos that morning. We also had $200 USD cash with us. We never needed another trip to the ATM and actually ended up bringing money home. We probably spent about half of what we spent last summer, and that included our first massage, which we paid cash for, and dinner at Hechizo ($$$). The last two nights at an all inclusive helped, of course.
It's about 11 am, we've got our pesos, so we decide to eat lunch in Tulum. We picked a spot down the street from the bank where a parking spot opened up...La Palapa del Chino.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/458790188_467d61369a_o.jpg
The temperature and humidity in March was much more comfortable than in June, away from the beach. Last summer we dreaded the trips to the pueblo, as we knew we would be sweat soaked and mosquito bit by the time we got back to the breezy beach. It was really pretty pleasant in town, unless you were out in the direct sun. And, surprisingly ... no mosquitos. We did not have significant rain (a few sprinkles, only) while we were there, and that probably made a difference (although Arturo had made an off-hand comment, when we checked in, that this time of year mosquitos weren't a problem .... a side bar.... The cabana had operable windows with screens, in addition to the mosquito nets. If you look carefully at the interior photos, you can see that there was also screening at the junction of the palapa roof and the top of the outside wall. Arturo's comment was that he asked us to not leave the entry door open, to keep the "critters" out. This only made sense. Having ventilation in the cabana, even with the door closed seems a lot smarter than the cabanas at Azulik, both for keeping bugs out, food away from critters, and security.
The only chink in the armor that I noticed (and you can see it in the bathroom shot) is that there was a big hole in the palapa ROOF....over the shower! I thought it was kind of funny...but I would have not been so amused if the skeeters were streaming in!)
Anyway, lunch was some hot, hot, hot green salsa (I am pretty much a wuss when it comes to chilis...sorry) a bowl of sopa lima for the wife, and an interesting seafood "cocktail" for me. It had about four or five kinds of seafood, including fish, shrimp, scallops, squid and octopus in a sweet tomato sauce, served lukewarm with crackers. Not great, not bad...Ok for a filling lunch. Bill with cerveza and mango smoothie was about 200 pesos.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/458805435_2a67db37d8_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/243/458790282_02d4e78bbb_o.jpg
Stairs up to hotel rooms (inside restaurant)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/232/458805191_60c2b638bd_o.jpg
We made a quick check of the nearby hardware store, where we had found a lime squeezer last year, but no luck. We gave the one we bought last year to a niece as a gift, and wanted to buy others to take home for family and friends. These things are surprisingly hard to find, but we find ours at home to be indispensible! We'd been all over Tulum last summer looking for them, but bought the only one we could find at this store. This year....sorry! I asked Arturo later where we might be able to find one, and told him of our quest. He said he often hears shopkeepers say about items.. "Yes, we used to carry those, but we were selling too many of them". It's a different mindset!
Next stop was San Francisco market. With the fridge in the room, we expanded our original thinking about food. We bought fruit and veggies, a whole roasted chicken, tortillas and cilantro. (We made our own pollo "fajitas" back at SOP for at least two meals.)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/253/458805015_f88d5a417b_o.jpg
We stocked up on juices and some bakery goods and were out of there for another 200 pesos. Last stop was the Stop and Go for cervezas and some cheap tinto vino...another 1100 pesos. The only other meals we bought all week was breakfast at Zamas one day (a favorite from last year) and our meal at Hechizo (Wednesday's story....) So...I'm afraid that we're not going to be able to add much new information to guide one’s gastronomical agenda...
to be continued...