Easing in slowly

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

04.04.2010 - 06.04.2010 29 °C
View A bit of a wander on hdparker's travel map.

Beach south of the dock

The first few days were strictly downtime - I wandered along Avenida Quinta a few times, had some good meals (I especially liked poc chuc, a Mayan pork dish.

The rest of the time I discovered reading again (finished Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island - thanks Spencer) and enjoyed the beach and my hotel pool. I found a comfy little boutique hotel that was close enough to check out the scene but far enough to be quiet when I had enough of the tourist crowds. It was still quite busy the week after Easter. Interestingly, I noticed much greater police and military presence right away, compared to other trips to both resorts and major cities in Mexico. The Yucatan peninsula is not a major hot spot in the drug war. But although there is a military base on Cozumel, it seemed they were doing more than just passing through town.

Playa has some great contemporary Mexican architecture - condos, hotels, restaurants are still being built despite the tough economy. But some of the new places are a little out there...like this hotel. Mannequins are posing in the mesh-enclosed balconies. I think it is open for business but who'd want one of those rooms?
Reina Roja (Red Queen) Hotel