Thursday, Novenber 3rd

 We put the alarm on as we didn't want to be late for our 8 am departure for a tour that we booked. Our friends André and Wendy recommended this tour as they did it last year. We arrived early and we realized that two other couples would be joining us. Always interesting meeting other tourists with the same ideas for a day of discovery. Both couples were American. We headed out with our guide, Robin, driving. He is very knowledgeable and animated when speaking of the history of the Mayan people. This was appropriate as our tour was taking place in a Mayan region one and a half hour from Puerto Morelos. On our way we stopped at a wood working family run business. It was pretty amazing. Here are some pictures.

Incredible piece of lumber.

Some of these columns are headed to a resort.

There are three generations working here. This is the head of the family. The youngest boy is 11 years old.

After leaving here we headed to our final destination which is a Mayan cave and cenote experience. We arrive and are treated by our local guides. We put on our walking shoes and start a little hike in 

the forest. Robin educated us on many of the varieties of trees, some with medicinal properties.it was very interesting but the best was yet to come, enter the dry cave. This cave is massive with stalagmites and stalagtites everywhere.

This one was shiny, like diamonds glistening.

Ron coming out of the cave 

Now the time to see the cenote. This is a natural pit or sinkhole when limestone collapses and exposes groundwater. The pictures do not do it justice. The water if beautiful and clear and very refreshing.

Too many lights to get a good view.

Stalagtites

This was so amazingly 

Many stalagmites piercing through the water. 

Just amazing walls of the cenote.

We swam around for about 30 minutes. It was so refreshing and the water felt very therapeutic. 

Time to get out of our wet swimsuits and go have lunch with a typical Mayan family in their modest home.

Grandma getting us to help with making tortillas. It wasn't't her first day. 

First course. Empanadas on left and can't remember on right. 

Soup with chick peas, chicken, onion, and garlic. Yummy. 

Boys hanging out while we were eating.

Young boy delivering a bowl of corn flour. 

We also had a lesson in the Mayan language as it is different from Spanish. 

We all very much enjoyed our day. As we headed back home we are quieter and one of us had a snooze , it was my "better" half . We got back around 5 pm and we walked back with one of the couples as they are staying near where we are. Because we ate so late, around 2:30, we will not need to eat supper. We will snack on nachos and salsa. 

Not sure what tomorrow will bring. Stay tuned...