Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is the third largest city in the state of Quintana Roo, after the cities of Cancún and Chetumal. Playa del Carmen was originally a small fishing town with ferry service to the island of Cozumel. It became popular after many realized it was a nice place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of Cancun, but with the same quality beaches. Tourist activity in Playa del Carmen centers on Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, which stretches across 40 streets. There is a large pedestrian walkway located about 2 small blocks from the beach. Fifth Avenue is lined with tons of shops, bars and restaurants. We spent a lot of time in Playa del Carmen because it was only a 15 minute cab ride away from our hotel. We ate at one restaurant where we were serenaded by a couple of men with acoustic guitars. Walking along Fifth Avenue, you will be shouted at from many store owners asking you to come inside their stores. A big item here is Mexican silver. Keep in mind these people are sometimes pretty desperate to make a sale and you can almost always bargain with them. I got a good deal on a silver bracelet and ring. Even though the store owners can get annoying, they are very nice and accommodating to tourists.
View of the ocean from downtown
Man in costume on Fifth Ave.
The beach at Playa del Carmen
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatan Peninsula. The Maya name “Chich’en Itza” means “At the mouth of the well of the Itza.” This derives from chi’, meaning “mouth” or “edge”, and ch’e'en, meaning “well.” Itzá is the name of an ethnic-lineage group that gained political and economic dominance of the northern peninsula. These ruins exhibit a bunch of different architectural styles, from what is called “In the Mexican Origin” and reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern lowlands. The ruins of Chichen Itza are federal property, and the site is maintained by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History. The land under the monuments had been privately-owned until March 29, 2010, when it was purchased by the state of Yucatan. I will be dedicating the next blog post to the tour we took of Chichen Itza because I have a lot of information and pictures to share.
