Ron
Moderator Emeritus
Thanks again Betty, we are enjoying your trip.
Betty Brewer said:February 12, 2008
Xcaret 49 miles from Cancun
I had never heard of the place we visited until today. It is called Xcaret ( X?s are pronounced as sh so it sounds like shiscaret. I think. It is an amusement park that I can compare to Disneyland, Wild Animal Park and Monterey Aquarium. We arrived after a 49 mile bus ride and were given maps, coupons for lunch, drinks and discounts on scuba gear. We were told to meet for the dinner show at 5:30. On your mark, get set, HAVE FUN! We played like kids all day. The first thing we did was to figure out how to get a locker, get our clothes changed, pack a wet bag, get a life jacket, get snorkel equipment and get into a river which follows an under ground tunnel for almost a mile. We floated down this large tunnel with about 15 of our closest friends. Or at least they were after all of the pushing and shoving and water banging us into each other and the side. We finally got the hang of just relaxing and letting the slow current carry us around the twists and turns of this tunnel. Occasionally a skylight would appear and we could see the sky above us. We paddled and screamed and posed for the many photo opportunities along the way. At the end we were wet, tired and very hungry so we trotted off to the seafood buffet. It overlooked the part of Cancun you see in the travel magazines. White sandy beaches, turquoise waters, then deep blue waters, Palm trees, balmy breeze and a scrumptious buffet. We went back for seconds, desserts, ordered beers and then we were set for the rest of the day to tour the park. We went off to snorkel, rest under the cabanas, hang in the hammocks and use up the free beer coupons. We saw the bats in caves, big sea turtles in ponds, manarays, rays, leopards, fish, dolphins, parrots, a tapir, and many others but I?m too tired to recall them all. We managed to return our locker keys, change clothes and meet the group for the dinner show at the theatre. The theatre is a huge arena type deal that seats 4,000 people and we had VIP seats that included a 4 course dinner and wine with the show.
The show depicted an historical timeline of the Mexican history through dance and music. The ancient games of Mayans were enacted and we cheered when our side got a goal. We marveled at the feathered costumes of the Mayan dancers. I wanted to boo and hiss as the Spanish soldiers came on the scene (but they were good dancers). The songs and dances went through the history and came into modern time where we saw a rendition of the Mexican hat dance. The Mariachi?s trumpeted and singers sang and the audience clapped. I can?t begin to describe how elaborate the costumes and how precise the dancers. There were hundreds of dancers who thrilled us all evening. It was like a culmination of all that we had learned on our trip so far in a musical format. But alas the day ended and we arrived back at our motorhome at 10:15 pm. I?m writing this late as I don?t want to get behind in my story telling. Tomorrow is another big day in Cancun.
Statistics:
Motorhome Miles Driven: 0
Temperatures: High 84 Low 71 Humidity 92% .2 inches of rain during night
GPS Coordinates: N 21 12.77 W 86 48.22
Betty, opened your pictures as every day during your trip. When I saw the 4th picture from the left of your Isla-Mujeres-Pictures - that one with the boats on it - I saw the water and immediately I had the smell of water in my nose. Wonderful. Wish I could beam me there...Betty Brewer said:February 13, 2008 - Isla Mujeres, an island just off Cancun
blt2 said:Anyway, just wanted to let you know we are enjoying being on this caravan with you and Terry.
Mike (ex-f-221) said:When I saw the 4th picture from the left of your Isla-Mujeres-Pictures - that one with the boats on it - I saw the water and immediately I had the smell of water in my nose. Wonderful. Wish I could beam me there..