May 15, 2011 Leave Chicago and arrive in Playa
I left Chicago today and the weather was 39 degrees and rainy. It’s a great day to escape to Mexico, especially Playa del Carmen. Terry and I started going to Playa (as everyone refers to it as) in 1993. At that time the one-hour drive from the Cancun airport was on a dirt road filled with potholes. Now, it’s a 35 minute drive on a 4 lane divided highway decorated with Palm trees and sculptures most of the way.
Playa has changed, too. It’s a tropical paradise, like always, but now offers a wide variety of accommodations, things to do, places to see, and restaurants. I’m going down with Kelly, a friend and co-worker.She’s a stay-at-home mom and never been to Playa before, but she’s going to start helping me with guests who want to book a reservation at one of our condos in Playa. I’m taking her there because I want her to see the beauty with her own eyes, and experience Playa herself. How can she answer questions for people unless she’s been there and done many things?
We were lucky enough to get an early flight out on USA 3000 (United and American also fly from Chicago) and landed at 10:15 am.Unfortunately a woman on the plane mistook her suitcase for mine and left the plane with it! I was only a couple of rows behind her, but I had to run downstairs and find her before she cleared immigration. I was succesful! First time that has ever happened to me.
Miguel, our driver in PLaya was waiting for us when we landed and we arrived at El Taj Ocean, got our keys, unpacked and were on the beach by 11:30 for lunch. The Grouper sandwiches with Edwin (our favorite waiter) at Coco Maya were the best!!! Kelly is totally blown away by how nice and how beautiful everything is. It’s fun to see Playa again through a new-comer’s view. It is a special place.
El Taj Ocean has it’s own Asi Beach Club. Excellent breakfast buffet and lunches.
After lunch and Cerveza’s we walk the miles of beach. It’s high 80’s, but the gulf breeze and walking through the waves that hit the beach keep us cool. The water is so many shades of blue it’s impossible to describe, you have to see it.
We walk back to Asi Beach Club at El Taj Ocean. It’s the best beach club – food, service, beach chairs, umbrellas, drinks – bar none. It’s funny to see people walk by and gawk at the property. El Taj Ocean is a stunning property and people want to take pictures of it
We cool off in the pool, then relax on the balcony and talk, talk, talk.It’s so relaxing for both of us. She takes a nap outside and when she wakes up we go for a stroll south on 5th Ave.
The Fifth, as the locals call it, is a cobblestone, pedestrian only street, more than 2 miles long filled with open air restaurants and shops. Lots of Italian and Seafood places, with a mix of Mexican, French, Sushi, Argentinean, and, of course, Starbucks (3 of them), Hagen-Daz (4 of them), and McDonald’s( just 2).
Playa is an international destination place. About half the tourists are American and Canadian, the other half are a mix of European and South American. On the beaches, in the restaurants, walking the 5th, you’ll hear numerous languages being spoken.
After we walk as far south as we can go on The Fifth, we stop at my favorite restaurant, Casa Mediterranea, run by Mary and Mauricio.They are the most beautiful Italian husband and wife I know of.They speak a little English and I speak a little Italian, and I love the fact that they always remember Terry and me. I am so glad we came tonight because Mary tells me they are closing tomorrow for a 3 week vacation. We are still a bit full from lunch, so we only order Bruschetta (the best in the world) and Ceasar salads. All the food here is terrific, but we need bigger appetites than we have.
El Taj Ocean at night
We’ve both been up since 3 am, so it’s early to bed tonight.