It probably didn’t help me that I spent the most blistering part of the day walking around Playa for shopping and then laying out by (not in) the pool, but we did manage to pickup a really nice silver bracelet for pretty cheap and a nice Mayian calendar for some wall at home. It occurs to me that while in Playa, being out before 6PM is a really terrible idea because it’s just nuts hot; however, after that life becomes more bearable.

We decided to hit Italian for dinner (yeah, in Mexico, yuk it up) at a place called ‘Salute.’ This place is know for it’s martinis and our hotel was kind enough to get up two free ones just for showing up and eating. Their signature drink is called the ‘Chamoy Martini’ and is described as “very” Mexican … translation, fricken spicy. It’s kind of like a good tasting bloody Mary, but with an instant burn instead of the Tabasco-lingering affect. Two cokes, two nice entrees and 2 free martinis came out to ~$40 American by the time tip as added. Not to shabby for the amazingly upscale joint that we were eating at; however, it didn’t have the same botulism feel that the $7pesos taco stand had. We decided that “Don Marios” on 8th and 10th had some pretty decent Mexican food, without the fear of extreme food poisoning.

Rounding out the day was a nice walk down 5th street to find the 7/11 with bottled water; however, we ended up walking all the way down town without finding the damn place (yeah, it was over in Cozumel … oops). Against my better judgment, I purchased a real, honest to goodness Cuban cigar. Now, I’m no smoker … heck, I’ve never smoked anything other than second hand smoke in my entire life, but I figured this would be the one time in my life that I would get to try something you can’t get (legally) in America. More on that after I try it. After we got back from our excursion down the street, we took a bunch of cool night shots at the hotel. Tomorrow, we pickup the Wrangler & head off to Chitzen Itza.

Spending time on a flight to Mexico takes up a lot of time in my opinion. I don’t see why jets aren’t faster. They need like an extreme class for passengers like myself where they subject you to Mach 70 speeds and throw you out of the rocket with a parachute and scuba gear; however, it does give me time to enjoy the meal on the jet. My favorite part is the “after dinner trash n’ smash challenge.” Basically, I attempt to compact everything into the smallest package possible. It’s extremely reminiscent of my days in Philmont when the various base-camps would require your trash to be so compacted it would bounce before you could throw it in their dumpster … not something trivial when you are trying to pack/hike around garbage for 16 people.

So back to the ADTnS Challenge. For the meal, a turkey sandwich … trash left:

• 1 sandwich wrapper with sticker
• 1 1oz Frito Lay bag
• 1 Milky way wrapper, fun size
• 1 Mayo packet, Lite
• 1 4.5″ x 6.5″ x 1.5″ food tray
• 1 SOLO cup with 3 cubes of ice
• 2 small napkins

Trash Smashing Strategy:

• Fold napkins into tiny fourths
• Mayo packet horizontal at the bottom of the Frito bag
• Insert napkins into Milky way wrapper
• Align Milky way with Mayo
• Roll up Frito bag and then fold into thirds
• Chipotle-burrito wrap sandwich paper around Frito bag
• Secure with sticker
• Final Size Estimate: 8-10 inside tiny tray or 3 inside cup after the ice melts

At this point, it’s time for us to fill out the customs forms for entering the country. Never having done this before, I didn’t have a fricken pen and of course they ran out of them. While filling out the form, I came to the great revelation that: a) I don’t remember any Spanish and b) I hate forms. We landed on what I could only describe as a parking lot big enough to fit 1/2 of a 727, but hey, still in one piece. The customs experience was without issue other than me getting a dirty look because “I” didn’t push the button on the conveyor belt that “they” scan your luggage with. What the significance of me pushing the button is I’ll never know.

Since we needed to get to Playa del Carmen from Cazumel, we had to get to the ferry, and to get to the ferry, you have to take a bus … and by bus, I mean a cargo van packed with like 12 other fat Americans. Our driver took our bags and put them in and then we piled in the van … and then more people came and it was just a hoot to be in the van, er, bus. So Speedy Gonzolas’ distant relative is driving us around and all the sudden we stop in this back ally. The driver gets out and the guy in front of me gets out … and they just leave … to the local brew through and come back with 2 12packs of Sol and start passing them out in the car. I’ve never been more freaked out in my life. First because there was alcohol in the car (no the driver didn’t have any, they all just drive like they are trashed) and secondly because all I could think of was getting tossed in jail for an open container in Mexico. Eventually, we were ejected at the site of the ferryy (only $10 to get to Playa) and crossed the channel. Our hotel was about 16 blocks up from where we docked so we got hazed by all of the street vendors, something you’d better get used to if you go to Mexico

Once we got to the hotel, we pretty much crashed (it was such a nice hotel, Aventura de Mexicana) and turned on the Mexican commercials about “Liftys.” No where in America would the FCC let you get away with a commercial about anti-boob sag products … but hey, it’s Mexico and if you buy a set now, they throw in a free set of “diamond cutter reducers.” (Yes, the video is censored, but I wouldn’t watch it at work.)

Anyway, I’m going to finish packing and I’ll be back after I’ve hiked the ruins of the once mighty Mayan’s.