Family Vacation 2007- Cancun, Mexico
My family and I are a very closely-knit family but with such busy schedules, it’s so hard for all of us to get together for the same occasion. We are going to try to officially do a family vacation yearly. This year, we chose a resort on a beach in beautiful Cancun, Mexico.
Many people have been to Cancun and those people know that you don’t go to Cancun to experience Mexico but rather you go to experience the gorgeous beach. The city of Cancun is very Americanized but the beach is so irresistible. I have had my share of beaches: California (North and South), Florida (Tampa), Virginia, Canary Islands, Southern Spain and of course, southern Texan (blah) but nothing compares to the beautiful waters of Cancun. I haven’t been to Miami or Bahamas or any other part of the Carribean but I am sure Cancun measures up.
The Flight: Mexicana Airlines
So we all flew in on different airlines at different times. I flew Mexicana to Mexico City and then straight to Cancun. It was my first time flying Mexicana and I have to say that I was thoroughly pleased. There was only one issue: my Burberry perfume and Jason’s Estee Lauder cologne were taken from our suitcase. I had slipped them in the outside pocket of our suitcase and they weren’t there when I retrieved my bags. It wasn’t because they were liquids because my lotion and Off spray were not taken. Lesson learned: hide valuables.
The Hotel: The Hyatt
We all stayed at the Hyatt Caribe Resort, a 5 star hotel located right on the beach. The hotel was flawless and the staff was very respectful. It was so relaxing just hearing the beach and then seeing the beautiful blue water was breathtaking.
The Restaurants
We ate dinner in the El Centro a couple of times at La Parilla, a recommendation from a friend. It was good although it was no different then the food and atmosphere of San Antonio.
Shopping
Of course, I did a little shopping at Mango and Zara. I have to though because we don’t have either one of these stores in San Antonio, which surprises me. When I lived in Spain, I fell in love with Zara. Coming back to the United States, I didn’t think I would see a Zara unless I went back to Spain. When I visited New York City back in 2004, I discovered my first Zara in America! Then I visited the one in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Vancouver and now Cancun. I am nervous about it opening in San Antonio because I might go crazy! Then of course, there is Mango. I did find a Mango in San Francisco but that has been it since I have been back from Spain. Ok, enough about shopping.
Mayan Villages
So we wanted to really experience Mexico in the short time period that we had. About a
2.5-hour drive from Cancun are the Mayan pyramids, Chichen Itza. What a wonderful experience. The drive itself was an experience. We drove down a 2-lane road the entire way through the jungles. We passed through numerous pueblos and saw the ancestors of the Mayan people. They are skilled workers living in little huts off the road. These people live such a humble life and are such happy people. They work hard for the basic necessities and spend the rest of their time visiting with family and friends. This is all they know and all they need. The distractions of pop culture society don’t even exist.
The pyramids of Chichen Itza were phenomenal. The Mayans were so advanced in the way they lived it really leaves you to ponder on how they did so. Their beliefs, the way they built the calendar, their competitive sports and sacrifices are all so interesting. I am definitely 
going to do some research and learn more about these people. One of my biggest inquiries is how does their culture relate to my culture today. My ancestors are from Mexico and I would like to find out more on what impact the Mayans were on my ancestry. More to come on this subject…
After visiting the pyramids, we went to a Cenote which is a sink hole filled with natural water. You literally walked down a narrow staircase underground and come to a body filled with water. There are cliffs to jump off into the water. Of course, I jumped along with my dad and my brother. Was that scary!
The Island
We also took a ferry and went to one of the islands, Isla de las Mujeres
. Talk about total relaxation! We arrived on the island, walked to the end and landed at a very peaceful, still clear blue water beach. We pulled up some chairs and an umbrella and marked our little habitat for the day. We drank margaritas, pina coladas, micheladas and cervezas all day long. We also bought some nice jewelry and scarves from the vendors. What a perfect day! Until the night and realized we were all burnt from the sun.
Ecological Park
The day before we left Cancun, we went to Xel Ha ecological park. It’s a tropical park with a lagoon so large filled with wildlife. You 
can go snorkeling and see all the amazing fish in the water. You can also swim with the dolphins. We (my brothers, sister and brother’s girlfriend) all paid to swim with the dolphins. Although it wasn’t cheap, it was so worth it. The coolest thing about it was that it was so natural. This isn’t Sea World. There is no formal training, just a short video covering the do’s and dont’s. We went to straight to a large body of water and jumped right in with the dolphins. Our dolphin was the Alpha dolphin named Sul. We rubbed his tummy, scratched his back, fed him and he swam around us, jumped over us and pushed us with his nose across the water. He as in the dolphin. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I highly recommend it to anyone.
The trip ended at that. Oh, we did hit the bars one night but my brother and sister probably don’t want me to go into it too much.
One thing I would change would be to extend my trip a couple of days and spend more time just hanging out at the hotel.
Other than that, it was perfect!