joshycharisse
2nd March 2008, 06:38 PM
My name is Josh Love, my wife’s name is Charisse Love. We were married near Malibu, CA on Sunday, May 7th. This is our Honeymoon trip:
Wed, May 10
Arrived 4:30pm at Cancun airport on American Airlines. They don’t provide non-stops from Los Angeles, so we had a brief layover in Dallas. We flew through customs and got our bags very quickly. We breezed past all the taxi drivers who solicited us. Our hotel, Ana Y Jose, had promised to have someone waiting for us with our name on a card to drive us down to Tulum. Sure enough, he was right there and helped us with our luggage. Boy, I forgot how humid it gets down there! I was dripping sweat within minutes.
90 mins later we arrived at Ana Y Jose. We checked into the best suite on the property – Deseo. The room was wonderful. And the beds have a large 4-sided canopy to keep out bugs. It also added to the romance of the trip. We stepped out onto the 2nd floor balcony and were greeted with a healthy breeze and the best view of the Caribbean. Since the sun was almost down, the colors weren’t vibrant, but we knew that would come later.
Thurs, May 11
Thursday morning we woke up and had a great breakfast at the hotel. The menu is simple and straightforward and the food was good. Not gourmet, but perfectly fine. Charisse and I were then treated to facials and massages from Pilar, the resident masseuse. She used a mix of Swedish and deep tissue which rid my body of all the built up stress from the wedding just a few days earlier.
That afternoon, we took our rental car (our hotel package included a bare-bones Nissan Tsuru…as long as it had four wheels and an engine, I was happy!) down to Tankah Bay for lunch at Casa Cenote. Once we arrived, we were struck with the most beautiful water colors in the bay. The Can-Do map suggested we try one of Gary’s burgers so I did. I must say it was one of the best bacon-cheeseburgers I’ve EVER had. You’ll see from the pictures, but the weather was great and the water had a million shades of aqua and turquoise and blue. As we sipped our Modelo Especials, we relished in the relaxing environment that makes Casa Cenote. We decided to take out the sea kayaks (200p) and explore Tankah Bay. Neither of us had ever tried it, but it was really fun. We made our way to the south end of the bay and saw four magnificent Villas. These would be several million dollars back home. Simply beautiful. We even picked up a few conch shells that had washed up on the shore.
For dinner, I had decided to check out Zamas Que Fresco, since I’d heard so many good things about it. We were NOT disappointed. The place was packed…not one empty table. The reason was that a talented Flamenco/Jazz guitarist named Camilo Nu was playing with his group. They had the place buzzing with their latin flavored world music. We had several drinks and I downed at least three shots of Herradura Reposado. Before long, we joined a group of girls up front and danced our drunk butts off. It was wonderful.
Friday May 12th
Friday night we had 8:00 dinner reservations at the now-famous Mezzanine in Tulum. Kattrina got us their best table on the terrace and uncorked a bottle of 2002 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvingon. This was the same bottle we’d bought in Napa the day we got engaged. It had sat on our bar for the last year and was now ready to be tasted. We met several young couples who were traveling through the area. Down by the pool, a group of percussionists gathered and put on a tremendous show for the restaurant. That went on for an hour. Then DJ Lucas started spinning some of the best house music I’ve ever heard. Before we knew it, Mezzanine had swelled to over 150 party goers and we were all dancing and drinking. By the time we left, around 12:30pm, there was a line at the door to get in!
Sat, May 13
Slept in and took it easy. We drove south along Tulum Beach Rd, towards Sian Kaan. I had no idea there were so many tiny cabana hotels. I had heard great things about one in particular – Suenos Tulum. So we stopped there and walked in. I never expected the beach to be so amazingly clean and the water so clear. This was straight out of a brochure! Charisse and I put our stuff down on one of the day beds and walked towards the aqua-turquoise water. What pure heaven that was. After an hour or so, we walked north along the waters edge, toward Amansala and Coqui Coqui. I was disappointed to see that Coqui Coqui was shut down by the gov’t. Does anyone know what happened? We saw some “squatters” staying in one of the empty rooms. I don’t know how they got in there. I was pleasantly surprised to see several ladies with no tops on. Oh, those Europeans! Topless is all good in my book. I warned my wife that I was gonna look and she didn’t mind. The vibe down there is just so casual and free that nobody cares…we even saw a guy running around totally nude!
That night, we drove to Zahra’s for dinner. We were disappointed that they didn’t have any lime juice to make margarita’s and there wasn’t any music. The space is charmingly decorated and has big potential, but on this night, it was lacking in personality. However, I did enjoy a shot of Don Julio, which made everything seem not so bad. After that, we drove down to El Paraiso, where we heard there was a party. We were very surprised to see a large turnout of young party people from all corners of the globe. We met Alex and Ana from Mezzanine, his brother Guillermo (Memo) and Hawthorne, a young developer from Los Angeles. We all drank and smoked and partied well into the night. The best was the waitress, Elena, who was so friendly, so caring and so attentive. We were never without a beer thanks to her. There was Christina from Italy, Delfin from Switzerland, Rick from Britain…a real international vibe. Everyone was on vacation, so they felt free, happy and uninhibited. What a great night.
Sun, May 14
We drove to Akumal for a day of swimming and exploring. It started at Yal-Ku Lagoon. I didn’t know there was a fee to get in, but it was worth it. It was a bit more crowded than I hoped, but since it was a Sunday, there were lots of families. Charisse and I swam out toward the ocean and didn’t see much coral or fish. Then we realized the key is to stay along the rocky edge…that’s where the fish live and congregate. At one point, there were a school of silver fish that jumped out of the water several times as they sped by us. It was like watching dolphins…totally surreal. We also saw three huge parrot fish, which at first were scary. But then we realized they wouldn’t hurt us and we got within 5 feet of them. Very colorful and beautiful.
We stopped for lunch at La Buena Vida, which I think was the coolest spot in all of Akumal. The pictures show all the swings at the bar and the two skeletons. What a relaxing spot…we loved it. We had their chicken strips and guacamole/chips. Yum! After we walked out to the bay and explored the tidepools. On the drive back, we stopped at Lol Ha restaurant to check it out (we never ate there, but it looks fantastic) then drove to Akumal Sur to look at the rows of large villas. I may suggest staying at one of those villas next time. It’s like being rich and having your own slice of paradise.
We got ready for dinner and decided to check out a restaurant I’d read about in Tulum Pueblo. It is called Don Karonte. The waiters didn’t speak much English, but we were able to tell him we wanted the Langostine special, or lobster. He brought us 5 decent sized lobsters that were caught that day. Along with the sides, it cost us 360 pesos. What a great deal! Then we walked along the street and stopped in the quaint shops. The pueblo is really alive with local flavor and culture. I would recommend it to anyone who thinks Tulum is just about the beach. You need to go into town and see how the locals live to really appreciate how we Americans are able to live. We walked to La Palapa del China for their famous margaritas. They mix them up and pour into a Styrofoam cup so you can get it “to go” We sipped and walked and talked and really had an intoxicating evening.
Mon, May 15
We decided to get up early and head down to the Tulum Ruins (Z.A. Tulum) We arrived at 9:30am and what greeted us were bus after bus after bus of tourists….hundreds of them….that really annoyed me. On top of that, it was scorching hot and humid. Needless to say, we didn’t have the best time. The ruins were cool….and all the iguanas! I realized they thrive there because they camouflage so well with the rocks. You can barely tell they’re there until you are right up close. We sped through the ruins and headed towards the beach. Down the steep staircase and onto the sand. Aaaahh….relief. The water was cool and refreshing….we laid out for a while and enjoyed the sun. However, the touristy vibe was too much and we decided to leave.
We drove north to Oscar Y Lalo’s, the well-known restaurant near Soliman Bay. It was totally empty when we arrived, so we grabbed any table we wanted – inside…it was too hot outside – and ordered some beers. The grouper we ordered was very fresh and delicious. The chips and pico de gallo was also delicious. We both got a kick out of all the large conch shells that are the centerpieces of each table. After eating, we walked over to the hammocks and took a siesta. An hour later, we were woken up by a heavy downpour that came upon us suddenly. The skies quickly cleared and it was warm and sunny again. Oscar Y Lalo’s also rents kayaks, which come with lifevests and fins so you can snorkel out near the reef. It took a while to paddle out to the buoy, which we tied up to. Once we were secure, Charisse and I put on our gear and dove in. Since it was slightly overcast, the colors of the reef weren’t as dazzling as we’d seen in Puerto Morelos, but we did see lots of fish and great brain coral forms. There were large swells too which made it tough to swim, but we had a great time out there. After an hour, we were tired and got back to the kayak. We paddled back to the shore and soon left.
Once back in Tulum, we got ready for a pre-scheduled meeting with Dan and Chris from Austin, TX. We met them here on Loco Gringo and made arrangements to meet at Mezzanine at 6pm. What a great couple they were! So friendly and funny too! We talked about Austin and our possible relocation plans. They told us about the Loco Gringo parties they’d attended in the past. We all shared a bottle of wine and then went to dinner at Zamas. The drinks kept flowing as did the conversation. Before we knew it, it was midnight and we drove them back to their room at Copal. Wow, what a rustic place. Padlocks on your front door? No electricity? That’s really roughing it….a bit too much for me. It made Charisse and I appreciate the luxury we had back at Ana Y Jose.
Tues, May 16
Tuesday was our last day and we did nothing more than return to the beach at Suenos and Amansala. Long story short, we did nothing but lie on the beach all day long. I even convinced Charisse to take her top off and go in the water. She felt so liberated!!! What a great day of relaxing.
That night we had dinner at Posada Margherita. Francesco, Silvia and the staff were so friendly and provided great service. We had freshly made fettuccini with vegetables and shrimp. The atmosphere was wonderful…very small, right on the beach, great food and wine. We fell in love with this restaurant…I even bought one of their T-Shirts! Since the stars were out that night, Charisse and I went back to our room and popped open our last bottle of champagne. We sat on our balcony and watched the stars. The horizon was covered with thick clouds, which provided a unique sight – electrical storms and big explosions of lightning! But up above the sky was clear, so we watched the lightning along the horizon and the shooting stars above. The champagne took effect and we both felt so at peace. It was the perfect way to spend our final night in Tulum.
Wed, May 17
The next morning we woke up, drove along the road and explored some of the other hotels – Maya Tulum, Tribal Village, Amansala…all the way down to the entrance at Sian Kaan. It confirmed what we already knew – Ana Y Jose is the best hotel in Tulum. Period.
Someone from the hotel drove us back to Cancun airport and we were greeted by a huge line for American Airlines. No worries though, we weren’t in a hurry….the past week taught us that relaxation is a state of mind.
Til next time – Adios!
PICS: http://picasaweb.google.com/lovejoshua/TulumHoneymoon (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.c om%2Flovejoshua%2FTulumHoneymoon)
Wed, May 10
Arrived 4:30pm at Cancun airport on American Airlines. They don’t provide non-stops from Los Angeles, so we had a brief layover in Dallas. We flew through customs and got our bags very quickly. We breezed past all the taxi drivers who solicited us. Our hotel, Ana Y Jose, had promised to have someone waiting for us with our name on a card to drive us down to Tulum. Sure enough, he was right there and helped us with our luggage. Boy, I forgot how humid it gets down there! I was dripping sweat within minutes.
90 mins later we arrived at Ana Y Jose. We checked into the best suite on the property – Deseo. The room was wonderful. And the beds have a large 4-sided canopy to keep out bugs. It also added to the romance of the trip. We stepped out onto the 2nd floor balcony and were greeted with a healthy breeze and the best view of the Caribbean. Since the sun was almost down, the colors weren’t vibrant, but we knew that would come later.
Thurs, May 11
Thursday morning we woke up and had a great breakfast at the hotel. The menu is simple and straightforward and the food was good. Not gourmet, but perfectly fine. Charisse and I were then treated to facials and massages from Pilar, the resident masseuse. She used a mix of Swedish and deep tissue which rid my body of all the built up stress from the wedding just a few days earlier.
That afternoon, we took our rental car (our hotel package included a bare-bones Nissan Tsuru…as long as it had four wheels and an engine, I was happy!) down to Tankah Bay for lunch at Casa Cenote. Once we arrived, we were struck with the most beautiful water colors in the bay. The Can-Do map suggested we try one of Gary’s burgers so I did. I must say it was one of the best bacon-cheeseburgers I’ve EVER had. You’ll see from the pictures, but the weather was great and the water had a million shades of aqua and turquoise and blue. As we sipped our Modelo Especials, we relished in the relaxing environment that makes Casa Cenote. We decided to take out the sea kayaks (200p) and explore Tankah Bay. Neither of us had ever tried it, but it was really fun. We made our way to the south end of the bay and saw four magnificent Villas. These would be several million dollars back home. Simply beautiful. We even picked up a few conch shells that had washed up on the shore.
For dinner, I had decided to check out Zamas Que Fresco, since I’d heard so many good things about it. We were NOT disappointed. The place was packed…not one empty table. The reason was that a talented Flamenco/Jazz guitarist named Camilo Nu was playing with his group. They had the place buzzing with their latin flavored world music. We had several drinks and I downed at least three shots of Herradura Reposado. Before long, we joined a group of girls up front and danced our drunk butts off. It was wonderful.
Friday May 12th
Friday night we had 8:00 dinner reservations at the now-famous Mezzanine in Tulum. Kattrina got us their best table on the terrace and uncorked a bottle of 2002 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvingon. This was the same bottle we’d bought in Napa the day we got engaged. It had sat on our bar for the last year and was now ready to be tasted. We met several young couples who were traveling through the area. Down by the pool, a group of percussionists gathered and put on a tremendous show for the restaurant. That went on for an hour. Then DJ Lucas started spinning some of the best house music I’ve ever heard. Before we knew it, Mezzanine had swelled to over 150 party goers and we were all dancing and drinking. By the time we left, around 12:30pm, there was a line at the door to get in!
Sat, May 13
Slept in and took it easy. We drove south along Tulum Beach Rd, towards Sian Kaan. I had no idea there were so many tiny cabana hotels. I had heard great things about one in particular – Suenos Tulum. So we stopped there and walked in. I never expected the beach to be so amazingly clean and the water so clear. This was straight out of a brochure! Charisse and I put our stuff down on one of the day beds and walked towards the aqua-turquoise water. What pure heaven that was. After an hour or so, we walked north along the waters edge, toward Amansala and Coqui Coqui. I was disappointed to see that Coqui Coqui was shut down by the gov’t. Does anyone know what happened? We saw some “squatters” staying in one of the empty rooms. I don’t know how they got in there. I was pleasantly surprised to see several ladies with no tops on. Oh, those Europeans! Topless is all good in my book. I warned my wife that I was gonna look and she didn’t mind. The vibe down there is just so casual and free that nobody cares…we even saw a guy running around totally nude!
That night, we drove to Zahra’s for dinner. We were disappointed that they didn’t have any lime juice to make margarita’s and there wasn’t any music. The space is charmingly decorated and has big potential, but on this night, it was lacking in personality. However, I did enjoy a shot of Don Julio, which made everything seem not so bad. After that, we drove down to El Paraiso, where we heard there was a party. We were very surprised to see a large turnout of young party people from all corners of the globe. We met Alex and Ana from Mezzanine, his brother Guillermo (Memo) and Hawthorne, a young developer from Los Angeles. We all drank and smoked and partied well into the night. The best was the waitress, Elena, who was so friendly, so caring and so attentive. We were never without a beer thanks to her. There was Christina from Italy, Delfin from Switzerland, Rick from Britain…a real international vibe. Everyone was on vacation, so they felt free, happy and uninhibited. What a great night.
Sun, May 14
We drove to Akumal for a day of swimming and exploring. It started at Yal-Ku Lagoon. I didn’t know there was a fee to get in, but it was worth it. It was a bit more crowded than I hoped, but since it was a Sunday, there were lots of families. Charisse and I swam out toward the ocean and didn’t see much coral or fish. Then we realized the key is to stay along the rocky edge…that’s where the fish live and congregate. At one point, there were a school of silver fish that jumped out of the water several times as they sped by us. It was like watching dolphins…totally surreal. We also saw three huge parrot fish, which at first were scary. But then we realized they wouldn’t hurt us and we got within 5 feet of them. Very colorful and beautiful.
We stopped for lunch at La Buena Vida, which I think was the coolest spot in all of Akumal. The pictures show all the swings at the bar and the two skeletons. What a relaxing spot…we loved it. We had their chicken strips and guacamole/chips. Yum! After we walked out to the bay and explored the tidepools. On the drive back, we stopped at Lol Ha restaurant to check it out (we never ate there, but it looks fantastic) then drove to Akumal Sur to look at the rows of large villas. I may suggest staying at one of those villas next time. It’s like being rich and having your own slice of paradise.
We got ready for dinner and decided to check out a restaurant I’d read about in Tulum Pueblo. It is called Don Karonte. The waiters didn’t speak much English, but we were able to tell him we wanted the Langostine special, or lobster. He brought us 5 decent sized lobsters that were caught that day. Along with the sides, it cost us 360 pesos. What a great deal! Then we walked along the street and stopped in the quaint shops. The pueblo is really alive with local flavor and culture. I would recommend it to anyone who thinks Tulum is just about the beach. You need to go into town and see how the locals live to really appreciate how we Americans are able to live. We walked to La Palapa del China for their famous margaritas. They mix them up and pour into a Styrofoam cup so you can get it “to go” We sipped and walked and talked and really had an intoxicating evening.
Mon, May 15
We decided to get up early and head down to the Tulum Ruins (Z.A. Tulum) We arrived at 9:30am and what greeted us were bus after bus after bus of tourists….hundreds of them….that really annoyed me. On top of that, it was scorching hot and humid. Needless to say, we didn’t have the best time. The ruins were cool….and all the iguanas! I realized they thrive there because they camouflage so well with the rocks. You can barely tell they’re there until you are right up close. We sped through the ruins and headed towards the beach. Down the steep staircase and onto the sand. Aaaahh….relief. The water was cool and refreshing….we laid out for a while and enjoyed the sun. However, the touristy vibe was too much and we decided to leave.
We drove north to Oscar Y Lalo’s, the well-known restaurant near Soliman Bay. It was totally empty when we arrived, so we grabbed any table we wanted – inside…it was too hot outside – and ordered some beers. The grouper we ordered was very fresh and delicious. The chips and pico de gallo was also delicious. We both got a kick out of all the large conch shells that are the centerpieces of each table. After eating, we walked over to the hammocks and took a siesta. An hour later, we were woken up by a heavy downpour that came upon us suddenly. The skies quickly cleared and it was warm and sunny again. Oscar Y Lalo’s also rents kayaks, which come with lifevests and fins so you can snorkel out near the reef. It took a while to paddle out to the buoy, which we tied up to. Once we were secure, Charisse and I put on our gear and dove in. Since it was slightly overcast, the colors of the reef weren’t as dazzling as we’d seen in Puerto Morelos, but we did see lots of fish and great brain coral forms. There were large swells too which made it tough to swim, but we had a great time out there. After an hour, we were tired and got back to the kayak. We paddled back to the shore and soon left.
Once back in Tulum, we got ready for a pre-scheduled meeting with Dan and Chris from Austin, TX. We met them here on Loco Gringo and made arrangements to meet at Mezzanine at 6pm. What a great couple they were! So friendly and funny too! We talked about Austin and our possible relocation plans. They told us about the Loco Gringo parties they’d attended in the past. We all shared a bottle of wine and then went to dinner at Zamas. The drinks kept flowing as did the conversation. Before we knew it, it was midnight and we drove them back to their room at Copal. Wow, what a rustic place. Padlocks on your front door? No electricity? That’s really roughing it….a bit too much for me. It made Charisse and I appreciate the luxury we had back at Ana Y Jose.
Tues, May 16
Tuesday was our last day and we did nothing more than return to the beach at Suenos and Amansala. Long story short, we did nothing but lie on the beach all day long. I even convinced Charisse to take her top off and go in the water. She felt so liberated!!! What a great day of relaxing.
That night we had dinner at Posada Margherita. Francesco, Silvia and the staff were so friendly and provided great service. We had freshly made fettuccini with vegetables and shrimp. The atmosphere was wonderful…very small, right on the beach, great food and wine. We fell in love with this restaurant…I even bought one of their T-Shirts! Since the stars were out that night, Charisse and I went back to our room and popped open our last bottle of champagne. We sat on our balcony and watched the stars. The horizon was covered with thick clouds, which provided a unique sight – electrical storms and big explosions of lightning! But up above the sky was clear, so we watched the lightning along the horizon and the shooting stars above. The champagne took effect and we both felt so at peace. It was the perfect way to spend our final night in Tulum.
Wed, May 17
The next morning we woke up, drove along the road and explored some of the other hotels – Maya Tulum, Tribal Village, Amansala…all the way down to the entrance at Sian Kaan. It confirmed what we already knew – Ana Y Jose is the best hotel in Tulum. Period.
Someone from the hotel drove us back to Cancun airport and we were greeted by a huge line for American Airlines. No worries though, we weren’t in a hurry….the past week taught us that relaxation is a state of mind.
Til next time – Adios!
PICS: http://picasaweb.google.com/lovejoshua/TulumHoneymoon (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.c om%2Flovejoshua%2FTulumHoneymoon)