Tulum, Mexico

Had a great couple of days in Tulum and could of stayed longer. It has definitely changed since the last time I was here not even three years ago. It is now what Playa Del Carmen used to be a couple of years ago. We found a camp site between a multitude of bungalows on the beach which are basically rustic campsites that they can charge $200/night....they are calling this n0w Eco Chic. I love marketing. We pitch our tents on the beach and unpack and meet our neighbors. As it turns out on the first night one of our few fellow campers is the Agent for Andrew Zimmer from the travel networks's Bizarre Foods, which is one of my favorite shows. Anyway he lives in Merida half the year with his wife and daughter and wanted to camp for the weekend. They primarily live in Minneapolis but they both can work from anywhere. I have to figure this whole work/travel thing out. We had a great time talking on the beach, watching a Mexican wedding next to us with a fire show and tossing a few cold ones back. Ah, to camp under the stars on a beach, great breeze, no bugs, the sound of the ocean and only $10/night. Thats a win/win/win/win. I need to start a business by buying a small plot of ocean front, and marketing camping as the new Green Eco Friendly Alternative, charge $200/night to silly Americans and retire. Tulum is still very international, though and was relatively hard to find other Americans.

The second day we woke up, took my shower in the ocean went next door and had breakfast, went to see the Tulum Ruins, visited a Cenote and then chilled on the beach with a few cervezas and listened to a Cuban band play. I am a little bummed. My camera that I just got back from Olympus that is supposed waterproof to 10 meters got water in it again after jumping in 3 feet of water in a cenote. I just got it back from the manufacture for the same dang problem. If anyone has any contacts at Olympus let them know I have a major complaint and it is going to force me to buy another camera. But I caught myself feeling a little blue and realized if this is my biggest complaint all day life is good. The beaches here are beautiful, very layed back and mainly couples, hippies and europeans but very refreshing and not over commercialized yet. I did here they are putting in an international airport soon in Tulum so if you are going to visit I would do it soon.

The nightlife is very subdued and ended up meeting a couple of girls, Kayley and Tren, from New York and went down the beach for free salsa lessons. Kayley embarrassed me with her skills and truly was one of the best dancers out there and very nice. It was actually alot of fun even though my feet are blistered from walking all around in flip flops of the unknown city I was a couple of days ago. My salsa is questionable at best and worse with flip flops and blisters but I did learn a couple of moves so ladies watch out. Woke up early no worse for wear but tired and packed up our things and headed south.