| After we have
our fill, we climb a small hill to the first of our adventure activities
for the day – a zip line. The single cable runs over a small body of water
which is actually home to crocodiles. Stepping into my harness, I have
to wonder if nature would keep her crocodiles to herself. The cable runs
high over the water, but I still wouldn’t want to see any snapping jaws
directly below myself as I flew through the air.
Once I’m hooked
on, I simply sit down, turning my harness into a makeshift seat, and before
I know it I’m flying through the forest. There is no sign of wildlife in
the water and I land at the other side quite safely, almost wishing that
I had in fact seen a crocodile.
The next activity,
albeit one that made my heart race with excitement, fear and uncertainty,
is one of the most stimulating and thrilling travel experiences I’ve ever
had. Walking only a bit farther into the forest brings us to a railed hole
in the ground, where another group of tourists peer downwards. Hesitantly,
I walk over and have a peek at what awaits me. Wooden decks line a big
opening in the ground, and all I can see are various figures hanging on
ropes, seemingly suspended in mid-air. Below them, clear blue water twinkles
in the sunlight sneaking in through two holes in the roof of the cave.
The double
shafts of light pierce the water in such a way that they bring to mind
eyes of a jaguar, and the cenote that lies within is appropriately called
Jaguar Cenote. At the bottom of a huge cave, the cenote, or sinkhole,
is filled with twenty feet of rain water that has been filtered through
limestone over thousands of years.
We’re still
strapped into our harnesses and to rappel down into the cenote, we only
need to be hooked up to a single thick rope. Patricia demonstrates how
to hang on to the rope and let it move slowly through the hook. This simple
action lowers you down the 13 meter drop to the water. It looks difficult,
but once I’m sitting in my harness, gripping the rope, it’s quite straightforward.
I keep my hand tucked under my bottom and let the rope out very slowly.
It’s much easier than I thought, and the scenery is so impressive that
I forget to be scared.
Waiting at
the bottom are two villagers from Pac Chen. They hold an inner tube that
I sink into gratefully, and after I’m unhooked, I paddle slowly around
the cenote. The water is somewhere between icy cold and refreshingly cold
and I liberally splash my hot skin. I watch bats flying at the top of the
cave, and small catfish swimming around my feet. Going up is even easier;
I’m hooked on to the rope again, but this time, four men at the top work
to pull me up.
After a canoe
ride on a lake near the village, we’re served a fresh, tasty, home-cooked
Mayan lunch, cooked by three women from Pac Chen. A perfect end to a perfect
adventure.
Garrafon
Only a 30 minute
boat ride from Cancun sits Isla Mujeres (Isle of Women). Even more spectacular
turquoise waters greet you on the speedy trip over; the Caribbean’s clear
waters dance and sparkle, and depending on its depth, the color of the
water can be anything from dark green to the lightest of blues. The only
thing better than looking at the water is actually being in it, and one
of the best places to do this is Garrafon.
The nature
park of the island, Garrafon offers so many exciting activities that an
entire day here is necessary. First on our agenda is a walking tour
of the park. Huge squawking parrots sit on tree branches, happy to pose
for photos. Iguanas of all sizes dart across the paths and conceal themselves
in the myriad of labeled plants and flowers. The paths eventually lead
upwards to Punta Sur, the southern point of the island, where modern sculptures
adorn the rocky, cactus covered ground. A stone temple dedicated to Ixchel,
goddess of fertility, overlooks the sea.
One of Garrafon’s
biggest attractions is snorkeling. The MesoAmerican Reef System, second
only to the Great Barrier Reef, runs alongside Isla Mujeres and is part
of a protected National Park. Snorkeling here guarantees repeated sightings
of tropical fish. All snorkelers must wear lifejackets and stay out of
the roped off areas, to ensure that the reef won’t be harmed. Simply touching
the coral can prove extremely hazardous to its health.
Make sure you
bring an underwater camera to Garrafon - there’s so much colorful life
under the water that I used almost an entire roll. Schools of bright blue
fish dart amongst the coral and a huge grouper swims right below me. I
almost swam directly into a huge barracuda, its silver scales flashing
in the sun’s rays. Angelfish, clown fish and brightly colored coral sway
gently with the sea’s current..
Once I was
sufficiently water logged, I decided it was time to try one of Garrafon’s
land activities - the zip line. I get strapped into another harness and
climb a small wooden tower. The first cable runs from here, over the edge
of the island to another tower, where someone waits to catch you. It’s
a quick and exhilarating ride.
The second
zip line goes from the edge of the island to a wooden tower located in
the water. It’s like flying over the Caribbean. I don’t know where to look
– the panorama of the sea and Cancun in the distance is equally as wondrous
as the clear water and sea life below me. Waiting on that tower for my
last ride to the shore, I’m amazed at how many fish I can see from my place
atop the tower. Although I’m at least 20 feet up, I can still see individual
fish and even identify their color. I could have stayed there all day!
But there was
much more to do. It was time to descend below the sea again, but in a way
I had never experienced before. Sea Trek is unique way to explore the bottom
of the sea without the need for scuba equipment or certification. And it’s
easy; you climb down a ladder until you’re covered with water up to your
shoulders. Then a helmet (think astronaut) is placed on your head. Pumped
full of air from the surface, the helmet allows you to breathe while taking
a walk around a section of the sea floor.
Although I’d
been scuba diving many times, I wasn’t prepared for the excitement of being
able to breathe underwater unencumbered by heavy tanks. It’s such
a wonderful sensation that I laughed out loud, which would have been impossible
if I’d had a regulator in my mouth.
We climb down
the ladder and stand on the sandy bottom, where the guide points out steel
railings. Since the helmets are quite heavy and the currents on the sea
floor can be strong, we have to walk slowly while continually hanging on
to the railing. Even so, I can feel my body swaying with the undertow.
Once we get
our bearings, the guide brings a water bottle out of his wet suit and opens
it in front of our faces. Instantly, what seems like thousands of colorful
tropical fish fill the water around us. Fish is all I can see. They swarm
around us, bumping into my arms and legs and I’m able to reach out and
touch them with my bare hands. I feel like a child who had been magically
transported into Finding Nemo. Afterwards, we’re told that the bottle contains
fish food.
As we stroll
along, the guide stops and passes us various sea creatures to hold. The
first is an exquisite fan coral, the second a fiery red sea cucumber soft
as velvet. The third – a spiky sea urchin that I’m slightly hesitant to
touch. When he places it in my hand, I cringe, but find that the spikes
aren’t sharp at all. They slowly respond to the shape of my hand and move
inward, like a suction cup, until I can turn my hand over without the urchin
detaching. I can’t tell you how much I didn’t want to climb the ladder
back to the real world.
Aquaworld
Located in
the Hotel Zone, Aquaworld is the base for Cancun’s water activities and
major day trips. They offer everything from boat rides and diving trips
to fishing and snorkeling. We tried the Jungle Tour – a ride on wave runners
through mangrove lined lagoons. Bumping over the gentle waves at high speeds
was exhilarating, and the scenery couldn’t have been more spectacular.
La Distileria
What better
place to eat dinner than at a tequila distillery. With a boisterous atmosphere
and every table packed, laughter flows freely. But forget everything you
know about how to drink tequila. Here, they’ll teach you the true Mexican
way to savor the drink. There’ll be no downing shots of the fiery liquid
followed by lime and salt. At La Distileria, they serve tequila in small
cactus shaped shot glasses – and the tequila is sipped slowly.
All glasses
of tequila are served with Sangrita. Made from fruit juice, tomato juice,
Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco Sauce and Grenadine, a sip of Sangrita follows
a sip of tequila . If straight tequila is too much for you, try the strawberry
Margarita. It might just be the best one you ever have. But there’s more
to dinner than tequila…….the tortillas are delicious and come with a variety
of sauced meats and vegetables, including cactus.
The following
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