Cold but Beautiful Cancun

We got to go on such an awesome trip for Eric's Work Retreat this year!!  5 days in Cancun!  The locals said we were there on the coldest week of the entire year and I believe it.  It was in the 50's and 60's, maybe got to 70 if the sun came out.  The locals love it, it's the only week they can wear a sweater haha.  But it was sad for us, we wanted some sun!!  It was still warmer than at home, and so green and beautiful and the ocean was so clear and gorgeous, so-- it made up for the chilly weather!

Here we are the first morning at the beach on a walk. And here's the abandoned hotel and boardwalk a little ways down the beach that I explored while running while Eric was in his meetings.  The jungle had taken back over the hotel, it was crazy!  One time I even saw a monkey while we were walking down our hotel corridor looking out at the abandoned hotel- the only monkey we saw on the trip.

This was an adorable shopping plaza at the resort.

One of the days, we went on this amazing tour.  Seriously it was a dream.  We got to go to Chichen Itza, then a cenote to swim, and then a restaurant in a little village. So much history and culture and beauty. And Spanish!

Here are some of my pics from the ruins at Chichen Itza:

Cool jaguar head, beautiful carved murals that were once painted bright colors.

The sport court mural, and the Mayan basketball hoop.

Helaman, our guide, holding up a picture of the temple at the Spring equinox, when the shadow of the steps makes a snake!  Cool jaguar heads on a smaller building.

This was the tunnel that we went down to get the the bottom of the cenote, it was super sketch and definitely would not be allowed in the US!

It was lit up and there was a platform to jump from, so fun!!  Eric about to jump, and then on the right with a bunch of people from our group.

a close up, and then us, with the hole in the top of the cenote; you can see the sky when you are right under it!

Us by the cenote town sign- Tekom. A very Mayan name- not Spanish!

aaaandd 2 random shots from the Xplore park thrown in here haha.

another side note- us by the sign a short walk from our hotel, and Ratatouille!!  One night we went to the French restaurant and I just had to try it!  It was good except for the eggplant haha.

back to Chichen Itza. So cool!  It is HUGE!

At the Mayan basketball court, and the mural depicting the losing team captain's head getting cut off and blood spraying everywhere, gross!!

An observatory a little ways from the temple, and a full length shot from the other side of the temple. Our guide was awesome and he pointed out a bunch of Biblical and Book of Mormon facts and themes. So interesting!

This was the place we ate, this cute family had pretty gardens and the food was DELICIOUS.

They also let us try a bunch of different honeys from their bees, and I got to make tortillas and speak Spanish with this lady!  i loved every second!

Here was the view from our balcony!  So beautiful, but you can see how far away the other side of the hotel and the lobby were- literally a half a mile walk.

On our other free day, it was cold in the morning, but in the afternoon just the 4 of us (us and Josh/Jessica) got a taxi to a nearby beach to snorkel with sea turtles and eat delicious food. It was still chilly but fun!

Eric had his phone in the water case so he got these pictures of my leg/arm and foot- we were really close to the turtles!  Could have touched them but we weren't allowed, they are protected.

A few more random bits- a cemetery we passed on the way to Chichen Itza had this cute painting from Coco, I love that movie! And cemeteries!

One more carving, this one had a different flower on each level, so cool.

And lastly, some gorgeously cut fruit at the buffet. I enjoyed trying many things every meal! 

Such a cold but fabulous trip!  Only got in the ocean twice, but all the other amazing things made up for it. It was great to be with Eric and try new things!