Author Archives: drpopp

After breakfast at the hotel we hired a taxi to take us to the La Gruta Hot Springs it was a 15 minute drive and $10USD. The entrance fee was also $10 USD. There were several pools. We skipped the family pool and went to the adult pool. It was warm not too hot. There was a covered part that was like going into a cave.

We went back to the hotel, rested and read a little , then back out to see the sites.

Stopped in a dive bar Dean Martinis. Met Alejandro

This hotel is very exclusive and we found out why! The view are incredible and the grounds stunning. Had a glass of rose and some French fries and a Facebook video call with family. My Mom is in the hospital and we all were concerned. Even my niece in Nepal chimed in, but hours later. Gotta appreciate technology.

We heard about a restaurant called LuLu Cafe. We walked past it on the way to Rosewood. We sat at the bar. It was Taco Tuesday. We were told that the kitchen closed in 10 min so we order fish, shrimp and cauliflower tacos on beet tortillas. Very tasty. We talked with the owner Paul. He moved from Oakland a few months before to open this shop. We plan to come back on Thirsady for a Pilates class next door and brunch. Back to the center for people watching.

I realize these pictures are crooked and from the side, but you have to be stealthy in galleries and taking pictures of other people art. Once in Uganda, at the source of the Nile, I took a picture of a metal sculpture and got in big trouble. It finally took a one dollar bill to get out of the trouble!!

Lunch on another rooftop

We wandered around then back to the hotel for a little siesta

With a quick plan to go walk to a market, we quickly discovered that El Mercado de San Miguel de Allende is actually in Madrid. I added it to my bucket list because it’s looked fantastic. Maybe a future weekend trip. As we left the hotel we decided to walk to the right and watch the city wake up. That is one of my favorthings to do!

Heads on swivels, so much to see, people going to church, kids going to school, markets opening up.

We sat at a little cafe for awhile taking in the views and people watching. We flirted with a little six year old, reading and having coffee.

Churches always intrigue me. So many unusual relics, some spiritual. I remember seeing a pair of blue gloves that wept tears of the Virgin Mary in Jordan. Relics of the Holy Grail, relics of Jesus’s cross. The statues here had from the looks of it human hair!

So many gorgeous boutiques and galleries. We bought a few things.

Last night was so fun. It was a Monday night but still so many people in the square, families, and mariachis.

Later for dinner we went to Atrio. Our dinners are usually a drink and a couple appetizers.

Then to Cen Tri for wine and beautiful views of the Parreque church in the historic center. This is one of the most beautiful cities that I have ever been in. It’s magical.

It was an easy drive to the airport and easy flight, then shared an Uber with a Jersey boy. Our hotel is a former brothel called Casa en la Noche

It is a lovely, rambling place with beautiful rooms and courtyards. I think there are 17 rooms. Ours is where one of the madams entertained.

Last full day in paradise. Early breakfast and time on the beach. So many families here today. Since it was Sunday we hoped that the popular club next door might perhaps be closed but wasn’t. The music started blaring soon after we sat down.

After a few hours we walked down the beach looking for tacos. We ended up at the same bar that we had a drink at the first night we were here. Tacos were great and also had some tomatillo aguachile, which is similar to ceviche. Delish. Also played the game Hive. It’s very fun.

I tried to get a massage but it was too busy. We read books at the beach and had a little wine for me and pina colado for Natalie. Our next plan was to walk to the Greek place, Ilios, for octopus stop by Arco for a soft shell crab and finally another taco and the local dive bar. We only made it to the Greek place for their amazing octopus and eggplant chips. They had a small version of the “show”. We counted 38 servers and hostesses, not cooks or dishwashers and there were 10 people there at that time. Most of the places are like this. We tried to get a taxi home but no one would take us for less than 300 pesos.

On our walk home we saw the bar across the road from our hotel. It was burned to the ground. The night before there was a loud knocking on our door at 4:30 am. We couldn’t understand what they were saying and did not open the door. We might have heard the word coche or car. In the morning I asked the owner what that was all about. She finally admitted that there was a “Firing” last night and maybe there were worried about the car. Someone got fired, a gun shot?? There were many armed guards on the beach earlier in the day. We think we are anonymous here but they all know that we are in the Christopher Columbus room and have a car. At breakfast we asked the waiter what happened. He didn’t want to say but it was a fire across the street and the bar burned. Maybe they were afraid that my car would burn up. It was very close to the fire. He also talked about the new drugs and money here and the problems that these have caused. He told us that Tulum used to be light only by candles and that it was a very sleepy town.