A bus ride from hell

Tags

bus, malacca, malaysia, melaka, S&S International Express, transportation

MELAKA, MALAYSIA

It’s impossible for all travel experiences to be good. Bad experiences just comes with the travel territory. But once in a while, you have experiences that make you raise an eyebrow, cock your head to one side and ask yourself “why does this company/store/person still exist?” And this is how I feel about the S&S International Express, the bus company that took us from Melaka to Singapore.

Let’s start at the beginning. I booked a round-trip trip between Singapore and Melaka, Malaysia. The trip to Melaka was comfortable enough and the process of the bus was fairly straightforward. All the seats on the bus even where massage chairs. Granted, they more or less just vibrated and so didn’t give you that great of a massage, but hey, they tried.

But I want to focus on the ride from Melaka back to Singapore. I bought a ticket online and arrived at the bus terminal, Mekala Sentral, 30min before the bus departed, just like my confirmation email stated. I walked up to the counter and was promptly told to go to a different counter. Fine. I get to the other counter and it’s closed. I return to the original counter to find it, now, closed as well. I look around for signs and, according to those signs, the last bus to Singapore had left at 7pm. My confirmation email said 8pm. Had they really sold me a ticket to a bus that didn’t exist?

Now, with slightly boiling blood, I returned to the counter that I was told to go to and peered under the shutters. I saw two females moving around, so I knocked on the shutters. No answer. I knock again, this time calling out to them. No answer. I can see them moving around and chatting to each other, about 30cm away from me, and yet they are choosing to ignore me. I keep knocking on the shutters and calling out to them (and they continue to ignore me) for about 10min until someone came up to me to tell me the counter was closed. I explained what was going on and they said “oh,” turned around and ran away. I’m not using the term “ran away” as a figure of speech here. They literally moved away from me with a very quickened pace.

Turning my attention back to the shutters, I finally got a reply. They told me to come back tomorrow. With my next response, I think they could tell that I was just about furious. “No” I explained. Their website sold me a ticket to an 8pm bus to Singapore. Does that bus exist or not. What do you expect me to do. I saw them continue to shuffle their papers and not answer me.

I was just about ready to give up and turn to a different bus company to see if they had any spaces left, when a woman showed up by my side, thrust a ticket into my hand and said: “Here’s your ticket. There’s the bus,” and walked away. I don’t think I have ever had a more perplexed look on my face in a while. I looked down at the ticket to find that it was the ticket that I had purchased, with the assigned seats that I had chosen online and everything. They knew exactly who I was and has still chosen to ignore me. And they had closed their counter at least 30min before their last bus departed and had written off anyone who hadn’t checked in by then.

Finally seated on the bus, the women who were at the counter started collecting tickets. Although I had never seen their faces (the shutters never opened), I recognized their clothing as those that I had seen glimpses of. They kept glaring in my direction. They visibly hated me. It didn’t help that my seat was in the first row. After 10min of loudly yelling “Ticket! Ticket!” at everyone, including people that had already handed her their tickets, and also at one point the driver, and sometimes randomly breaking into song, the bus doors closed. They stayed on the bus and took a seat on the steps and talked very loudly for the next 30min. 30min later, we arrived at their house, where we dropped them off. Incredibly, a bus full of paying travelers had just gone 30min out of their way to drop some bus company employees off at their home. I was slightly comforted by the sounds of other passengers giving an audible “WTF.”

With the departure of these women, the bus finally quieted down from its chaos. It was truly a moment in which I was incredibly happy to be heading back to Singapore. And, I have to say, that I thought that our transportation troubles had come to an end. I mean really, what else could possibly go wrong? But the border had more in store for us.

Singapore and Malaysia aren’t exactly friends, and so the emigration/immigration process is a two-step one. You stop on the Malaysian side and get a stamp  to indicate that you’re leaving, you get back on the bus, drive through a bit of no-mans land, and then go through Singaporean immigration. So, we got to the Singapore side and got off of the bus again to get stamped. Nothing too interesting happened here. We filled out our immigration form, went through immigration and security, and popped out on the other side. Except, when we got to the other side, the bus was gone. We asked the security guard and he assured us that we were in the right place. After we wandered around for about 5min and still couldn’t find the bus, he apologetically looked up from his book and said “the taxis are over there.” I’m so glad that we had to take all our bags with us for the security check. The bus had left without us.

To tell you the truth, at the end this was probably a good thing. It forced us to take a taxi, which took us home in 15min, and S$12. We would have been home much later if we had taken the bus to the end stop, and then had taken a taxi home from there. Obviously, this does not excuse the bus from leaving people that were sitting in the front two seats. It would have hard not to notice that we weren’t there. But I can’t express the absolute relief that I felt to be off that bus, and to never have to deal with that company again. I still felt like punching something though.

And so ended our weekend trip to Malaysia. It took me a while to get over what possibly was the worst transportation experience of my life so far, but I look back at the cute streets and amazing food, and decide to remember the good instead of the bad.

It’s time to eat… all weekend

Tags

food, malacca, malacca malaysia, malaysia, melaka

MELAKA, MALAYSIA

Let’s talk about the food. The food culture in Melaka is something that Melaka really needs to embrace in their tourist marketing strategy. The food in Melaka is phenomenal and cheap. At times, I was wondering if they had forgotten or misplaced a decimal point. But no, you can have a really great lunch for MYR$5, which is less than US$2.

I was told that a must try is the Laksa, and as it’s already one of the hubby’s favorite dishes, it was our first stop. For MYR$5 each, we got steaming bowls of the delicious coconut milk filled noodle soup. Really brilliant.

At the night Jonker Walk market only a few hours later, I was disappointed to find that I wasn’t hungry enough to try everything that I wanted to eat (which was everything), but I have to say that I made a good effort.  My favorite was the self-service dim sum. Basically you are handed a bag with a little stick in it. With the stick, you go through the baskets and baskets of dim sum that are there for your enjoyment. When you have chosen to your heart’s content, you just tell the person how many you have in your bag, and you hand over your money. For three pieces, I paid RM$1.50 (about US$0.50).  Squirt a tiny bit of chili sauce into your bag and toss them around in there. And you’re set to go. And wow were they good! If I wasn’t full, I would have gone back and picked out a bunch more.

The real amazing meal though, was for lunch on day two. Off of Jonker Walk, there is a small Portugese-Melakan restaurant called Nancy’s that we picked for no particular reason. (Life is tough when you don’t have Yelp to guide you.) Our amazing line up of deep fried soft shell crab, curried chicken, coconut milk prawns and possibly the best spring rolls known to man, blew us away. Although we ordered the “small” dishes for all, we ate enough for three people, but it was the kind of food that you couldn’t let go to waste. I rank both the soft shell crab and the spring rolls in the “best I’ve had in my life,” for each category. Although stuffed to the brim, hubby and I definitely discussed getting a second order of each.

So although Melaka doesn’t have much to offer in terms of touristy things to do, or even things to do in general, the food is outstanding. I guess when there’s nothing to do, people spend time in the kitchen and around a table. And, of course, I have no problem with that.

A step into Malaysia

Tags

malacca, malaysia, melaka, unesco heritage

MELAKA, MALAYSIA

The small, historic, now UNESCO heritage listed, formerly Dutch, Portuguese and English town of Melaka, Malaysia was the weekend destination for the hubby and myself. Only a 3-hour bus ride from Singapore, I considered making it a day trip, but figured a nights’ stay would give us the chance to also check out the nightlife. It was a great choice as a highlight was the Jonker Night Market.

When you look up things to do in Melaka, you get a few touristy suggestions, but even then, it’s not much. You learn that it’s a UNESCO listed heritage site and that the fort A’Famosa, the reason behind this listing, is a must-see. Although it is a must-see, you can more or less see it in an hour.

Melaka is a charming, adorable, really lovely place to visit. Aside from the periodic stench from the rotting canal and the open sewers, that is. And hey, if you avoid walking along the canal too much, you can more or less avoid that smell. But you’re just going to have to live with the sewer smell. I did see that they were making something of an effort to cover them though. Get past that and you can enjoy the little streets that weave through the town.

Walking down any street, you get a real sense of the life here. Small shops line the streets. Every time you turn a corner, there is a new cute street in front of you. Lining the streets are shops that do anything from sell trinkets, cut hair, sell antiques (real or fake) and, of course, sell food. More of that later. The architecture distinctly hits you as that of a European colony, but then there’s something very South East Asian about it too.

But, there really isn’t much to do here. Like I said, you get through the UNESCO part very quickly, and the town hasn’t done much to really give tourists anything else to do. The museums are some of the worst I have seen in the world. Granted, entrance is about MYR$3 (about US$1) and so it’s not like you’re losing much by going on. Actually, it was nice to get out of the heat for a while and maybe use the facilities. At the same time, it’s sad that that’s the use of a museum. Oh, and I’m pretty sure that most of the “artifacts” that were in those museums were fake. I think that one of the stickers that I saw on one statue was, in fact, a price tag.

One thing Melaka does do fantastically is food. I really think that the tourism industry needs to make a bigger deal about it, in order to attract some gastro-tourism. The amazing mix of cultures that they have here really makes for some great food.

A highlight of the trip was the night market at Jonker Street. The street is shut down to cars, stalls line up and become packed with people. Not only is the atmosphere that of a street festival, the food is fantastic. Once again, all about the food

A a tourist location, Melaka has a long way to go. I see the potential,  but still, a long way to go. It’s a cute place to visit for the weekend, but you probably aren’t going to find much to do past that.

May this Dragon Dance bring you good luck

Tags

chinese new year, dragon dance, lunar new year

SINGAPORE

In Singapore, Lunar New Year (or Chinese New Year) is a huge deal. It’s a national holiday, and for days after, you’ll see and hear Lion and Dragon Dances happening on every street corner. Having a Lion Dance brings a shop or store good luck and fortune.

Unfortunately, my iPhone sound cut out half way through, but the video will give you a nice idea what the streets are filled with.

Singapore Survival Guide

Your Singapore Survival Guide

1) A water bottle. Singapore sits just about right on the Equator which means that the temperatures are accordingly high. Not only that, the humidity is killer. On some days, you step outside to a damp heat that you don’t know how you’re going to survive. Have a water bottle with you at all times because you’re going to have to keep hydrated. Singapore is pretty good about having water fountains around, and so filling your bottle won’t be a problem. And you can always walk into a restaurant and ask to have your bottle filled. This has never been a problem for me.

2) Tissues. It’s interesting how much this is a 100% required item, and it’s not for the actual tissues, although those are pretty useful too. The most use that you’ll get out of your tissue packet is as a seat-reserver. When you go out to eat in a hawker center, or any other place that has open seating, the first thing that you’ll do, before you go and order your food, is find a table/seat. Have a packet of tissues for every person in your party. The way you reserve said seat is by putting your tissue packet on your spot, one for every eat you’re reserving. To Singaporeans, this signals a reserved seat. There might as well be a 6ft tall, 250lbs body guard sitting in the place of your tissues, fighting off potential seat-takers. Tissues = reserved. This also means that if you see a tissue packet, do not try to sit there. You’re going to get a serious ear-full, probably in Mandarin.

There is some actual use for the tissues themselves. At places like hawker centers, or anywhere really, you’re going to have a hard time finding napkins. In some toilets, you won’t find toilet paper or paper towels. And, once again, the heat is killer and so you will be sweating. The tissues can come in handy there too.

3) Hand-sanitizer. Singapore is a very clean place. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t bacteria going around everywhere. There are a lot of people in this small country. Especially if you like street food, and Singapore has a lot of good street food and hawker centers, you’re going to need this as many of these places don’t have easy access to a washroom. Not to mention, you’re really going to want to use some of this stuff after you get off the train. Not that the train (MRT) is dirty — in fact, it’s very clean — but there are a lot of people riding it daily.

4) SIM card. Obviously, you’re going to need a phone to go with this, and generally, you can buy a really cheap phone just about anywhere. You can buy a SIM in places such as 7-elevens, post shops, and random street stalls. You’ll need to show some sort of ID when you buy one. As a foreigner, you’ll need to present your passport.

There are a few things that you won’t be able to do with a local phone number — you get asked for it everywhere. The most important of these things is calling a taxi. Although there are taxi stands everywhere, you will be, once in a while, stranded. And you will have to be really lucky in order to flag down a taxi. The best thing to do is call a taxi, and they’ll come pick you up. Make sure to have some taxi company numbers stored in your phone. Here are some good numbers to store:

Comfort Taxi: +65 6552 1111
City Cab: +65 6555 1188
TransCab: +65 6555 3333
SMART Taxis: +65 6555 8888
Premier Taxis: +65 6363 6888

5) EZ Link card. If you want to go anywhere, you’ll need this card. This card will allow you to swipe in and out of the MRT (the train system) as well as local busses. You’ll be able to buy this card at any MRT station, and you can top it up online, or at any station.

6) Umbrella. It rains in Singapore. A lot. And it’s not just a light misting or drizzle. When it rains in Singapore, it truly pours. It’s as if the Gods decided to go play in the fire hydrant for 30min. Sometimes, the amount of water that falls from the sky makes it impossible to see even the building that’s next to you. And the weather can change at a moment’s notice. If you want to be on the safe side, travel with an umbrella. Even if you wake up and it’s the most amazingly beautiful day you have ever seen, it has the potential, and pretty decent likelihood, of pouring down on you at some point during the day. Even if you’re the type to like dancing in the rain, know that, because of the humidity, it will take some time for you to dry.

Eating our way through Chinatown, Singapore

SINGAPORE

Just about everywhere you go in the world, you’re going to come across a Chinatown. So when I was told that I needed to go and check out the Singaporean Chinatown, I was a bit skeptical. But after a group of out-of-towners told our Singaporean colleague that we wanted local food, we were taken there. And I have to say it was pretty amazing.

Chinatown comes a bit out of nowhere. You are walking down the street and turn a corner, and, out of just about nowhere, you are greeted with paper lanterns and a street lined with food stalls. I can tell you that the moment I turned that corner, I got happy. The combination of the noise, smell of smoke coming off grills and the lights of the street lights and lanterns can put a smile on anyone’s face.

Carrot Cake

The problem that you are faced when you come to a place like this is that you can’t possibly eat everything. But I have to say that we, a group of girls from work, tried. We each ran off into separate corners of Chinatown to bring back our findings to a communal table.  When we reconvened, there was Chicken Rice, Seafood Laksa, Satay, Carrot Cake (totally not what you’re thinking), Sting Ray, Duck, Pepper Beef, and I’m sure some other things that I’m totally forgetting now.

Chicken, Prawn and Squid

I don’t know which was my favorite. It was all pretty amazing. The squid satay was possibly one of the best I have ever had: amazing flavor and not so chewy that you couldn’t bite through it. The carrot cake, which is a plate of cooked radishes with all sorts of other things including eggs and lots of garlic, was amazing. The radishes and daikon are cooked through to the point where they have lost all their crunchiness.  Thrown together with just about everything, I have to say it’s incredibly delicious.

The other dish that was really unique was the Sting Ray (photo). Yes, I ate that odd looking, incredibly graceful, Steve Irwin-killer. The dish had a thick chilli and spice seasoning on it that was almost a paste. The fish (is it a fish?) had a slight bitter tang to it, but was really great. I have to say that I was a fan of the seasoning as well.

Seafood Curry Laksa

And of course there is the Laksa. The other day, I had had a Penang Laksa, which was really good, but nothing beats a seafood curry Laksa. Let’s let the photo to all the talking when it comes to this one.

And now to dessert. I ate durian. Yes. It was an experience. I was taken to the cold dessert stand which sold ice cream and other sweet, probably delicious, icy things. And there, prominently displayed on the front of the stall, was a listing for a durian dessert. I think when I was asked “how about durian?” it was actually a joke, but I, stupidly, jumped at it. “Sure!” I said “I’m totally up for it.” But you have to be adventurous, right? And admit it. Even though you have heard horrible things about it, you have always been curious as to how it tastes. And so I took my durian dessert back to the table for a bite. I have to say that it really does smell pretty bad. It smells like something sweet that has gone bad, to the point that it was a slight sour stink to it as well.

Durian Dessert

After I ate the durian

And now for the taste. The first taste was actually not bad. In fact, I was expecting so much worse. It’s sweet with a bit of a bitter deeper level. But what really surprised me that every further bite I took was worse and worse. The third bite was my last. At that point, all I could taste was bile. What is especially unfortunate is that that bile taste sticks with you. It sits in the the back of your mouth as well as on your lips. But hey, now I can say that I have done it and that’s a good thing. I can also now identify the smell of durian, which will be a great skill to have so that I can run the other way.

Huge shout out to Rebecca who took us foreigners out to this fantastic food adventure!

Our spread

First Impressions, Singapore

SINGAPORE

I recently (i.e. three days ago) took a new job for a company whose headquarters are in Singapore. Although I would be part of the San Francisco office, my first few months on the job would be in their home base. And so now I find myself in a corporate apartment in the Holland Village district of Singapore.

Before I came here I, of course, did my research on the city-state. I read about its British background, how everyone who lives here came from someplace else, and how there is a huge expat community. Great, I thought, that sounds like just about any other former British colony that I have lived in. I envisioned a mix of Asian and Southeast-Asian cultures with colonial undertones. What I didn’t expect was what hit me in the face when I landed here: the opposite.

Everything is in English. Street-signs, menus, directions, warnings about not carrying durian: they’re all in English. Not only that, the atmosphere is really that of a British colony. It also smells like a British colony. Historically, it makes perfect sense and now that I think about it, it’s my initial assumptions that didn’t really make sense. But I had expected that, being smack in the middle of Southeast Asia, it would be, you know, more Southeast Asian.

That said, my first impression of Singapore was one of awe. Sitting there in my taxi from the airport, I  drove by slightly run down public housing one minute and the next, the beautiful modern architecture of the Singapore Casino area. Then through Rain tree-lined streets and then by the biggest harbor that I have ever seen in my life. The number of cranes, ships and cargo containers had me glued to the taxi window like a 5-year-old.

Many I spoke to warned me of the Singapore heat. But I have to say I love it. I’m not sure if it’s the sweltering Washington DC summers of my childhood or the few years in Barbados and Sydney that got me addicted to this kind of weather, but I have to say that the heat and humidity just make me happy. Granted, I know it’s not for everyone, and I can see people here really struggle with it, but I think it’s wonderful.

I’m excited to start exploring Singapore. To dig deeper into the culture here as well as discover what all those food lovers are talking about!

The Disneyland of Mexican destinations

COZUMEL, MEXICO

San Francisco Beach

I was really looking forward to going to Cozumel. When we were planning our trip, one of the places that I suggested we look for a house to rent was Cozumel. It was decided that Playa del Carmen would be more convenient because it was on the mainland. It would thus be easier to travel to different places like Tulum and Chichen Itza. But part of me was sad that we wouldn’t be staying on this island, renowned for their scuba diving.

It takes a ferry ride to get to Cozumel, one that I was pumping myself up for. The Playa del Carmen ferry terminal is where the sellers are the worst. Last time I was walking in that area, I got so pissed off that I couldn’t just go and walk by them to sit on the beach without them yelling at me for me to buy something. I was so pissed, in fact that it showed on my face — on my way back, a shopkeeping actually tried apologizing to me. But now I was ready to let their attempts at my money to just wash over me. It would just background noise. They would be ruthless though, and I would have to just keep my cool. And sure enough, they tried to sell my mother, Marc and me everything from snorkel tours to all around packages to car rentals. Even in line for the ferry, they were selling. Even on the boat!

Band on the ferry

The ferry ride to Cozumel was surprisingly entertaining. There is a band that plays there. The same guys were on the ferry back, playing the same songs, so I’m sure that they really only have 5 – 10 songs in their repertoire, but I have to give it to them — it makes the boat ride something more than a bumpy ride. I was actually happy sitting there in the sun, listening to the music. I think the singer was actually pretty entertained at the fact that my mother and I were into the music. Everyone else on the boat seemed to be Mexican. And there we were, the tourists with the video cameras, watching the Latino boys.

Although I did know that Cozumel is a cruise port (you can see the cruise ships on the horizon from Playa del Carmen), I didn’t know what that meant for the island. I mean, I get that you have to cater to the cruise ships, but it would be great if I could buy something in the countries currency. But no. Everything is in US dollars. And I mean everything. I had been looking for an embroidered shirt. You know, the stereotypical Mexican kind with the hand stitched flowers on white linen. I found a store that sold Mexican clothing and was excited to go in. I found a shirt that I liked and asked how much. “$30″ was the response. I stared at the guy blankly because that really didn’t mean anything to me. “How much in Pesos?” I ask. He guy had to go and check with someone.

I felt like it was a bit of a watered down experience. It is beautiful there. Sandy beaches, clean streets and pretty architecture surround you. And my mother, Marc and I had a really nice time at the beach and while snorkeling. But again, when we wanted to eat, the menu was in US dollars and comprised mainly of burgers and burritos. At that point, we gave in and ordered a bucket of beers and burgers. My father would have been horrified had he been there. But that really is the way that things work in Cozumel. People go there for the weather, beaches and the prices. There really isn’t that much interest in learning about Mexico, the Mayans or even just the culinary culture. I guess for that, it’s back to the mainland.

In hindsight, I’m really glad that we aren’t staying in Cozumel. Although everyone speaking English is very convenient, I felt like I was in a bit of an amusement park. It’s beautiful for sure, and I would not complain at all at the suggestion at going back, especially to go diving, as that’s something we didn’t do. But to me, Cozumel that has crossed the line of touristy-ness.

At the touristy San Francisco beach

Bad weather and turtles

ISLA MUJERES, MEXICO

Isla Mujeres from a distance

Off the coast of Cancun, there lies the little island of Isla Mujeres. The main goal in our trip there was to go snorkeling. The Yucatan peninsula has some of the worlds best underwater sceneries and, of course, I was planning on taking full advantage. I even purchased a snorkel! (Of course, as a diver, I own a mask, but I find snorkels totally useless for that sport and so have refused to own one.) Sadly, the weather didn’t agree with us. It was so cold! The tropics lie! The islanders gave us the “oh tourists” look as we wrapped our tank top, shorts and flip-flop clad bodies with towels, while they themselves wore thick wooled sweaters and, in some cases, hats. While I thought the full-on winter gear was a bit excessive, I would have been quiet happy with some of my San Francisco clothing at that moment.

Weather still holding up on the ferry ride

Nevertheless, we weren’t going to let the weather totally thwart our trip, especially since it had taken a 45min car ride and a subsequent 15min ferry ride to get there. We were going to make the most of it.

Isla Mujeres is a cute town. The streets are smaller than their mainland counterparts of Cancun and Playa del Carmen. And I have to say that the people are a bit more laid back. Not as selly-selly as they are elsewhere. I’m not saying that they don’t come at you every second, wanting you to take a look at their wares, but I didn’t feel like punching anyone all day!

When you get off the ferry, you are right downtown. I have learned that usually, this is not the case. The locations in which ferries (and cruises, although I have never been on one) drop you off, is usually some place where there was space on the island. In other words, there isn’t much there. But I guess Isla Mujeres is small enough that the ferry terminal could be placed right downtown. A quick stroll and you will be finished with the shopping district, which sells the same trinkets that you can find anywhere else. I wonder where they come from. Sometimes you see people cutting the Mayan masks out of wood. But truthfully, they all still look the same. Is it a paint-by-numbers kind of thing?

As usual, we were looking to get off the tourist track. We hailed a cab to head to the Tortugranja, the turtle farm. The idea of the turtle farm is to replenish the diminishing turtle population in the area. I, of course, was all about it. First, I was excited to see that the cabbie didn’t even try to rip us off. I’m so used to pulling the “you can’t be serious” face, that when he said $50 pesos, the price that I had wanted to pay, up front, I kind of just went “oh…” and was a bit stunned. I later found out that the prices are set, and you pay according to how many zones you want to travel between.

Amazingly cute baby turtles

For another $30 pesos each, we were in the turtle farm. The place is tiny, and if you want,  you can get through it in about 15min. But the turtles are so cute!!! There are different bins for different species as well as different ages. And once the turtles are old enough to not get plucked up by bigger fish or birds, they are released into the wild. It’s the kind of place that I’m happy to put a few more pesos towards, and so I bought a t-shirt I have to say that from our group, I was probably the most enthusiastic about the turtle farm. Emmy and my mother soon started wandering around the surrounding beaches, my mother is search for Margaritas. And Marc stood by my side, mainly I think in support of my obsession. But for anyone who loves turtles, I would highly recommend the Tortugranja.

Although I would have loved to explore the island a bit more, the weather really wasn’t treating us well. We were all cold and soon to be wet, as the clouds opened up. We huddled up in a crepe shop for coffee and crepes while we waited for the ferry back to Cancun.

On the ferry, a whole new adventure started. That of the crying baby. I have always wondered what it must be like to be the keepers of “that” baby. The one who is screaming as if someone is trying to rob them of their livelihood. Yes, that was us. Mattheus decided the the world was just too much for him to bare and went at it. I wonder if a full grown human can scream like a 5-month-old can. It’s like a whistle, blow horn and person on a mega-phone are going off at the same time. And there is just about nothing that you can do about it. In the end, he calmed down enough to be put on the boob but wow. That was a painful time, especially for my sister. I wonder if next time I’m on a plane, I will roll my eyes at the baby making it impossible for me to fly in silence or wince in sympathy.

Visiting the ancient (and brutal) world

CHITZEN ITZA, MEXICO

 I don’t think you are allowed to visit the Mayan Riviera without visiting the Mayans themselves. Or at least, what little is left of them. On a hot sunny day, my family and I headed to Chichén Itzá, the famous Mayan ruins. Or as Marc nicknamed them, much to my father’s amusement (thank God): “Chicken Pizza”.

There really isn’t much that surrounds Chichén Itzá. Even the town directly beside it, Piste, is really only barely there. You drive and drive and drive and just as you think the nothing-ness can’t go on, you are there.

As this is Mexico, there is always someone trying to sell you something. Right when you get off the toll rode, there is a guy under a sign that says “we are not a timeshare vendor”, trying to sell you timeshare, as well as other packaged deals. And these people downright lie to you. Something I soon came to learn was the norm. The guy there told us that parking at Chichén Itzá would be about $120 pesos. For the dirt cheap price of something insane, he would give us parking and entrance into the park for 5 people. Not only that, we would get an all-you-can-eat buffet. We shrugged and moved along, and it’s great that we did. First, parking at Chichén Itzá is $22 pesos. That’s right… $22… But, we parked for free on the street about 20m from the front gate. And everyone else did that same thing, it seemed. Also, we got lunch in Piste (for 5 people) for $250 pesos.

Inside the entrance, the first thing you see and encounter for the first 100m are people yelling and screaming at you to buy something. “You, which you like?” “Best price! Which you want?” And my absolute favourite: “One dollar! Ten Pesos!” I have to hand it to them that the last one threw me for a loop. They were after all, selling masks that, in some cases, these people had carved themselves. My mother, Emmy and I looked at each other and decided to test this. But as soon as you approach them with US$1 or $10 pesos, they will tell you that that’s actually the price per ounce (in the case of silver), or that’s the price in Mayan dollars, or simply walk away. Really? And it’s amazing. Everyone did it! Everywhere you walked it was “Only $1! Almost free!” Everywhere! It really drove me nuts. I was actually interested in a little trinket but after all that, I didn’t buy anything from them. All their insane selling actually put me off spending the money that I’m sure they could have used. One person did get my money that day. A little old shriveled lady who was resting in the same shady area as we were was selling cloths that she had stitched. Emmy and I each bought a napkin for our tortillas for $20 pesos each. A total rip off, I’m sure, but I really didn’t care.

 It took me a good 30min to get over the insanity of the scene at Chichén Itzá. The tourists and the merchants all too ready to rip those tourists off really made my head spin a bit. But once you get past all that, Chichén Itzá is incredible. The structures are beautiful and you can only imagine the work that it took to build them. It’s sad to think that so much of the history of the Mayans has been lost because no one thought to preserve it.

If you are there, I would really recommend a guide of some sort. There are men there that you can hire, but just printing something from the inter-tubes would be helpful and adequate. There are very few plaques there, and so if you are just roaming around, you 1) probably won’t understand what you are seeing and 2) won’t find everything. Not to mention you will blankly stare at the people clapping like their life depended on it, and wonder what they are doing. Hint.

Our own sacrifice to Kukulkan

Carvings in stone

As much as I try to see things from the Natives point of view, I have to admit that I found myself siding with the early Spanish opinion while walking through Chichén Itzá. The stories of human sacrifices are bone-chilling. Let’s see — people’s hearts were cut out and those were, while preferably still beating, thrown into the fire as a sacrifice. Or how about humans, apparently around 70% of them women, thrown into Cenote Sagrado as a sacrifice. I have to say that if I, as a Spanish colonist, came across a place where there was evidence of this, I would be shocked as well. Even as a Mayan, would I really like the idea of sacrifice? I mean, as a woman, I would be more likely to be the actual sacrifice, right? Then again, maybe the Mayans weren’t any more brutal than say the early Catholics — Crusades/Inquisition anyone? Maybe they were just more upfront about it.

The dust, heat and walking that are involved to see Chichén Itzá made for a tiring day. Not a mention it took a 3 hour drive to get there, and of course a 3 hour drive to get back. Back in Playa del Carmen, we all crashed out into our beds and dreamt happy dreams of not being thrown into caves as human sacrifices.