I don't know what it is about me and Mexico. I'm such a gringo, yet I'm so attracted to the country, its people, its history, and its food. Always have been, since I first visited it with Ellen in the early 1970s, driving around in a Sunbeam Arrow, packing a tent.
Like Jamaica, Mexico has (or had, anyway) a reputation for being a dangerous place to visit. There were banditos in the mountains (which I suspect is still true) so you didn't drive through there at night, or even stop your car while driving through in the daytime.
I know people who have been robbed at knife point on popular beaches in Mexico, in broad daylight.
And, of course, there are the eternal cinema images of the be-pistoled, bandoliered, mustachioed, randomly-toothed, banditos with the evil laughs and the always-handy bottle of tequila.
But this part of Mexico – Yucatan and Quintana Roo – seems to have grown up a little differently. Even back in the 1970s I camped out on the beach on a banana plantation in what is now Cancun for $1/night. A little kid would come by in the morning to collect the fee.
It was a lonely spot, not a real campground, no facilities or anything. But I felt comfortable there (we weren't alone, there was a small group of sport fishermen also camped there, writing an article for one of the fishing magazines).
I remember driving to Merida to grab some food one evening where we ended up sitting out under the stars listening to the town band play a concert in the park. Families were out, kids were playing. It was wonderful, peaceful and calm, and the band was just what it should be.
The only things we worried about were snakes and spiders. And scorpions. And perhaps panthers. Or maybe a comet blasting into the earth. But not people.
Things have changed a lot since those days. Cancun exists now, for one thing. When I was there in the '70s they were just starting to build it. And Cozumel, which is just off the coast from Cancun, has since become a really hot vacation destination.
Jacques Cousteau made his first film in the waters off Cozumel back in the 1960s. In many ways he put it on the map as a vacation destination, so we can partly blame him for the popularity of this region.
I'm sure one of the reasons Jacques Cousteau chose Cozumel is the incredible clarity of the waters here. Perfect for underwater photography. Looking down from deck 5 you can see the bottom clearly. And it appears very close, making you wonder why the ship isn't running aground.
Cozumel is one of the world's favourite diving spots. The coral reefs support an incredibly diverse and colourful undersea community. Fortunately, the Mexican government saw the value of Cozumel as a natural attraction and made it into a national park (Paraiso Natural de Cozumel). The waters surrounding Cozumel are protected from exploitation by various laws and policies.
I'm sure it must also be a World Heritage Preserve, like the Niagara Escarpment.
Cozumel is a flat little island, like Grand Cayman, so there's not a lot of dramatic scenery of the geological variety (above sea level, anyway). It's the flavour and feel of the place that's so attractive. It's relaxed, and the people are generally cheerful and friendly. You might say it's a 'happy' place.
Of course, if you go into the market that has evolved near the shore in downtown San Miguel to service the cones, you will be given the hard sell by annoying sales guys. But it's not nearly as bad as Ocho Rios. And I've never been accused of being a racist for ignoring them here.
If you're interested in visiting a real Mexican market, there's one of those, too. But it's farther inland than most cones care to venture.
(Aside: Cones are a peculiar type of traveller, unlike others. They wake up every morning in a new place without having had to do anything except take their sleeping and sea-sickness pills the night before.
Most cones immediately head for the shopping areas when they get off the ship. The ship publishes port guides for the cones showing nothing except the 'approved' shopping area to encourage them to do this.
If you looked only at the port guide you'd think San Miguel extends only about 100 feet in from the ocean. A long, skinny, town along the beach.
Cones are also advised to make their purchases only at approved vendors and to eat only at approved restaurants. These vendors and restaurants display 'Cruise Ship Approved' signs just to make sure there's no confusion.
If you're like me, you use this advice appropriately.)
I usually take a bicycle ashore in Cozumel. For me it's a great place to use the bike – nice and flat and unchallenging. I can cover a lot of ground and go pretty much anywhere I want. There are several parks, beaches, and ruins scattered around the island, all very accessible by bicycle. It's good the company has a policy to make bikes available to crew.
(Riding the bicycle lets you pay more attention to your surroundings than driving. On the bike I noticed a 'Fabrica de Hielo' (ice factory) that reminded me of the time I was trying to find ice in Mexico the first time I was here in the '70s. When I would ask someone, in my brand of Spanish, where to find the ice factory they would laugh, and tell me they didn't know. I couldn't figure out why they were so amused until somebody told me that, because of my pronunciation, I was asking for the Jello factory.)
If you want to venture further afield (a-sea?) high-speed ferries sail regularly to and from Cancun and Tulum. At Tulum is a major Mayan pyramid you may have heard about. I hope to have a chance to visit Tulum one of these days when my rehearsal schedule permits.
I have a favourite restaurant in Cozumel – La Choza. They serve a fish dish there (but not only fish) that is truly delicious. I don't know what kind of fish it is, but it's thick and firm and beautiful and very fresh. Maybe it's how they cook it, probably very little – just heated up. It's also very reasonably priced, with a nice crew discount. I eat there almost every time I'm in Cozumel.
Cozumel is also a good place to find services such as barbers and dentists. There's a good medical facility where I can get my INR tested if I need to.
I look forward to visiting Cozumel every other week. There's always something new to do or see. The people are friendly and helpful. The weather's great. What more could you want?
So there, Jamaica!
A Mayan head carving (reproduction) at Chankanaab, Paraiso Natural de Cozumel
