Tulum ruins and a ton of cycling

We got up earlyish (8am) and went to a bakery to get a coffee and croissants - I had a chocolate one which strangely had cheese and ham in it?! Then we went to the bike shop Dona had recommended us and we'd checked out last night but it was closed so we walked to another one and got a nice upright, no brakes (pedal backwards) bike for 80P each. After I nearly flattened Anna (she suddenly stopped when there was no traffic to stop for), we got the hang of it and cycled the 10 mins to Tulum ruins.

We paid the 64P entrance fee and wandered around. Last time we came it was stiflingly hot and we ran from one shade patch to the next. Today was very windy so it was much more pleasant to wander around, even if the sea didn't look as stunning. They are beautiful ruins right on the cliff-edge - definitely some of my favourite. The tide was in and the waves were crazy so swimming below the ruins was off limits :( didn't look at all inviting!

Then we went in search of our ‘original’ coconut, which started our obsession. Success! We found our man and had one each for 50P, which he then chopped and mixed with salt, chili flakes and lime juice - as amazing as we remembered. We also saw the crazy Mayan ‘maypole’ men which I had somehow missed last time - 4 men climb a pole, wrap rope around themselves and swing round and round upside down, whilst playing their instruments.

We got back on our bikes and cycled the 10km along the beach hotels (where the rich people go) to the other end of the beach where Dona said there was a free cenote. Turns out it wasn't free (50P). I had a quick peek and it looked like a mosquito-ridden mangrove swamp! We went next door which was a nicer spa place at the same price (or free with a $90 massage!) It was the same swamp and whilst the water did look clear, it was deserted and Anna noticed a sign saying beware of the crocs! Despite being hot and sweaty, we weren't that desperate! We stopped further down the road for a quick drink to keep us going and come up with a new plan.

We cycled back to town for an ice cream. We had planned to go the Gran cenote which was 4km away but there was no cycle path on a busy road. Instead we ditched the bikes, went to the supermarket and collapsed back at home exhausted, with slightly pink arms and tender bums! (Even though the saddles were old-school and nicely padded). We chatted to Dona’s husband Rodrigo who was feeling poorly. He told us the seaweed had been an on-off problem for 8 months and is a Caribbean-wide problem with the tourist industry starting to suffer. We've been lucky to not really suffer badly from it on our travels up until this point. Apparently most of the Caribbean islands are knee-deep in the stuff! We introduced him to Marmite which he wasn't overly keen on.

We looked at a load of places for dinner including a Mexican buffet that had burgers and spaghetti in it and not a taco in sight! We ended up at a cheap, busy, brightly coloured quick street food type place called La Chiapaneca. I had 3 veggie tacos and ruined them by adding far too much hot sauce. Anna, the piggy, had 3 pork tacos and 2 pork tostadas. With drinks, it was only 86P - very cheap and very tasty! To cool my burning mouth we had to get an ice cream. I had ferrero rocher flavour which I wasn't so keen on whilst Anna had a pistachio one dipped in chocolate and crushed pistachios which was amazing.

We couldn't see anything public going on for Halloween but there were lots of kids dressed up trick or treating around the restaurants, including one vampire who flew through the door rather dangerously on a scooter. Some of the beach hotels hold parties but I think they are more for the tourists. We have higher hopes for the next 2 nights which is when the Mexican festival begins.Read more