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Cozumel Trip Report
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Posted by Frances on 03/23/02

Trip Report...Long

OUR COZUMEL MEXICO TRIP REPORT
Sol Cabanas Del Caribe and Costa Club
8 - 19 November 2001

There was double the excitement in planning this vacation.  First, we would be vacationing in Cozumel, and second, we would be seeing four family members from the other coast there.  Also, we would be briefly crossing paths with two other family members, also from the other coast, at the Cozumel airport.  

After checking with several local travel agents we finally decided on one for an air/hotel/transfer package with Travel Impressions at Sol Cabanas Del Caribe, a smaller hotel property on the water on the quieter north end of the island with a level beach access.  Our past travel experiences along with the informative reviews at TravelNotes helped us to make our decision.

In appreciation of the time and efforts of all the helpful travelers who donated their trip reports to TravelNotes, we herewith, submit ours.
 
8 November 2001 Thursday

We woke at 1:00 A.M. and drove to the Philadelphia Airport for our 6:00 A.M. flight to Cozumel, connecting in Houston.  The excitement, along with all the fresh fruit and home made foods we brought along with us for our traveling day, kept us awake so we didn’t feel tired.  When we arrived at the Houston Airport we saw that our family’s flight from Seattle was delayed.  They were scheduled to be on the same Houston-Cozumel leg as we were.  We boarded the plane without them.  Our plane backed up and pulled out of its gate and headed towards the runway.  After a few minutes our plane stopped and headed back to the gate.  They announced that there was a passenger on our flight that was supposed to be on different flight so he had to be let off.  As they let that one passenger off, our four family members got on.  Thanks to that one passenger’s error, our family was able to make the flight after all.  It was great to seem them.  We arrived in Cozumel at 12:00 P.M noon.  As we walked into the airport we immediately had a wonderful but short little rendezvous with two other family members who were leaving just as we were arriving, who were on their honeymoon.  We could only see them through the thick glass window wall that separates the arriving and departing passengers.  We were unable to hear each other through the windows so we happily smiled and waved to them for a bit.  (They stayed at the Fiesta Americana Hotel that previous week, and they had mostly rainstorms, while we had sun every day for our vacation, so we felt a little sad for them).  After we all got our bags, our family went to Plaza Las Glorias (PLG) and we went to Sol Cabanas Del Caribe (SCDC).  We were so happy and excited.  At the SCDC hotel the warm, friendly and helpful staff greeted us.  The small open-air lobby was lovely and relaxing.  The first sight of the colors of the beautiful Caribbean blue water is always so breathtaking.  The blues of the water, the light colors of the sand, the greens of the flora, and the white buildings made for picture perfect moments.  After our first steps into the lobby and looking out to the beach we were happy to see that this property is the great little gem that we read about.  We quickly checked into our private, quiet, cute little rustic cabana.  We quickly unpacked, got our bathing suits on and headed right for the water to snorkel there.  How refreshingly wonderful that was.  We were so happy there enjoying our hotel, the beach and snorkeling the whole afternoon.  We relaxed on the beach, rinsed off all our snorkel gear on the beach near the pool where there was an outside shower and hose, and then showered up and changed in our room.  Our four family members arrived at our hotel by taxi around 5:00 P.M.  How wonderful to see them all and to be together in such a wonderful place.  We had our first dinner together that evening, all six of us, at the SCDC’s restaurant, Las Gaviotas.  The food was very good.  The atmosphere was wonderful.  With all the excitement, the warm weather, and after all the fresh fruits and homemade foods that we brought from home for our traveling day, we were not very hungry, but we thoroughly enjoyed sampling a few little things at our hotel’s restaurant.  It sure was wonderful.  After a wonderful time together we said goodnight to our family as they headed back to PLG by taxi.  We stayed at our hotel and enjoyed a wonderful first night, walked around and relaxed.  SCDC hotel was wonderful, no room phone, no room TV, no elevators, no stairs for us, no noise, wow, very relaxing.  The property was lush, green with a cute little level beach access to the water and friendly people everywhere.  The helpful and friendly staff at SCDC really added to our trip greatly.  We enjoyed time relaxing on our little porch with the view of the water watching the local birds and little lizards playing in the nearby trees.

9 November 2001 Friday

We woke up early, as we did each morning in our hotel room, and we each enjoyed a large vegan protein energy cookie that were fresh baked locally from our area that we brought down with us, with some fresh fruit and lots of bottled water.  (We always do very well with light but energy packed nutritious breakfasts).  We packed up our snorkel gear in backpacks and walked from SCDC to PLG to meet up with our family.  That walk took about 1-½ hours, about 4 or 5 miles, one way.  It was so fun to see everything at a walking pace, talking to people along the way.

We got to PLG and talked with the friendly and knowledgeable tour reps in the lobby there about different places and we asked their opinions and they gave us excellent advice.  We relaxed in the PLG lobby for a bit enjoying our talk with the tour reps as we met up with our family.  We all snorkeled and enjoyed the water for most of the day at PLG.  We had so much fun talking, relaxing in the lounge chairs on the patio edge by the water and just enjoying being with family in Cozumel.  It was awesome.  We walked downtown to change some money and then to Chedraui, across the street from PLG, (a big modern store similar to a WalMart with groceries) to buy some water.  Then we enjoyed more snorkeling.  The snorkeling was great at PLG.  There were plenty of ladders to access the beautiful water.  How wonderfully refreshing it felt.  For dinner we all walked to Ernestos downtown.  We both shared one vegetable fajita, with chips and dips.  The food was great there.  We walked around town for a while.  We said goodnight to the family and enjoyed our walk back to SCDC.  At our hotel it was wonderful to see the fresh towels in our room on our bed sculpted into two giant kissing swans all decorated with the little red flowers that grew right outside our cabana, along with a handwritten note, “Welcome Home.”

10 November 2001 Saturday

We woke up early and had our same special breakfast in bed as we did each day.  We swam and snorkeled just about every morning at our hotel beach.  After that we took a walk to the nearby El Cozumeleno Hotel, very nice, then we walked to the neighboring Playa Azul Hotel and looked at one of their rooms, very nice, then we walked back to SCDC.  Our family came to our hotel at 10:00 A.M. in a rented jeep thing and we all headed for the other side of the island.

It was so fun to be with family on vacation, in the sun, out of doors, out in the fresh air, every single day!  What a wonderful place to spend time together.  It was especially pleasant for us two to be with family in the beautiful Cozumel weather.  It was a most welcome change for us from the Seattle weather when we visit.  And so, we thoroughly enjoyed this rare combination of family and perfect warm weather every day.

We first stopped at Chedraui on the way to pick up water and juice.  We drove around the island; first to Playa San Francisco, then to Playa Chen Rio, then to Playa Bonita where it was awesome to enjoy the scenery, water and waves.  It was often enough just to sit and take it all in and enjoy our time and place together with our family.  Then we went on to Mescalitos.  At Mescalitos we shared chips, guacamole and the very hot ‘‘ix nii peck” (“ish nee peck”-“dog’s nose”) salsa.  Then we looked around at all the fun gift shops.  After that awesome day around the beautiful island we showered and changed at our hotel.  We walked from SCDC to the Acuarios Restaurant just south of the downtown area to meet our family for dinner.  We sat outside in the back and shared one fish dinner and one salad.  It was very good.  It was so fun to sit outside by the water for dinner.  We walked back towards town and bought some postcards and looked around.  So much to see and enjoy.  We said good night and walked to the small Pharmacia/grocery store on the north end of town, for juice and snacks to take back with us.  We enjoyed another walk back to SCDC.  

11 November 2001 Sunday

We woke up early, had our special breakfast in bed, swam and snorkeled at our hotel beach.  During our previous walk on Friday to PLG from our hotel, we were stopped by a friendly time-share person and we agreed to listen to a time-share presentation at the Fontan Hotel at 9:00 A.M. today, so we walked over to the Fontan Hotel from SCDC that morning.  We snorkeled at the Fontan Hotel and had so much fun, great snorkeling there.  We enjoyed the Fontan Hotel’s very warm sandy-bottomed large natural tide pool before entering deeper water there, very pretty and convenient.  We did not buy a time-share, but we sure enjoyed the snorkeling there and looking around.  We walked back to SCDC and snorkeled there.  We showered up and then walked from SCDC into town and met up with the family and we all ate at Panchos Backyard downtown.  We had one chile relleno and one vegetable fajita.  The chili rellenos at Panchos Backyard are made sans cheese and were very delicious.  The fajita was wonderful, the best.  What a great and fun restaurant.  Everything was very good there, the food, the staff and the atmosphere.  We walked around the square in the evening, watching, listening and enjoying the sights and festivities with the family.  We stopped and had fruit paletas in town.  We said goodnight to the family.  We walked to the Pharmacia/grocery store at the north end of town and from there we took a taxi back to SCDC.  At our hotel it was so nice to see our bed turned down and a lovely fan folded out of a pillowcase and decorated with the little red flowers.  

12 November 2001 Monday

We woke up early, had our special breakfast in bed, snorkeled and swam at our hotel beach.  Our family came to our hotel and we all enjoyed a most fabulous day together snorkeling and relaxing at Dzul-Ha.  So much to see, so beautiful.  We snorkeled so much that day it was great.  Dzul-Ha had nice cement stairs into the water.  We took a break from snorkeling and relaxed on the deck there with the family.  We bought a beautiful anklet from a store across from Dzul-Ha.  After such a fun filled wonderful day we showered up at our hotel and had a relaxing walk around the area of our hotel by ourselves.  We both walked over to our neighboring hotel, the Playa Azul, and enjoyed a romantic dinner together there.  We each had a vegetable fajita there.  They were different and made with more of a variety of vegetables and were very good.  We enjoyed talking with the restaurant staff there.  We walked back next door to SCDC.

13 November 2001 Tuesday

We woke up early, had our special breakfast in bed, swam and snorkeled at our hotel beach.  Just like yesterday we all could not resist going to Dzul-Ha again for more awesome snorkeling and relaxing all day with the family.  It was wonderful.  There was so much to see, so much natural beauty under the water.  The gentle motions and current of the sea were so relaxing yet at the same time energizing and exciting.  The both of us snorkeled out from Dzul-Ha, north to the El Presidente Hotel, got out of the water there and walked and looked around that property.  Very nice.  After walking around El Presidente, we snorkeled back south, went past Dzul-Ha and got out of the water at the Fiesta Americana Hotel.  We  walked and looked around that property.  Very nice.  We talked to some nice people enjoying the property there.  Then we snorkeled back north to Dzul-Ha.  We were snorkeling all day.  It was so fun we did not want to stop.  We enjoyed being pushed along by the current one way, and enjoyed the challenge of the strong finning needed to go back the other way.  Our knowledge of American Sign Language came in so handy once again, as we used it to communicate to each other while snorkeling to avoid having to come above the water to talk.  We saw many awesome fish.  On the lovely deck at the waters edge at Dzul-Ha we shared a burrito, which was very good.  After another wonderful day at Dzul-Ha we ate at a different Ernestos – Sur, and both had a vegetable fajita each with chips and dips.  They were very good.  We stopped at Chedraui for water, juice and snacks then back to SCDC.

14 November 2001 Wednesday

We woke up early, had our special breakfast in bed and snorkeled at our hotel beach.  We had a wonderful walk into town from our hotel as we always did.  We looked for a place to rent bicycles in town.  It sure was hard to find a place to rent bicycles and the only place we found had some old bikes that have seen better days.  We hopped on several different ones and tried them out and chose the best two from the bunch.  We rented them for half a day and we sure had a lot of fun on them.  It was a super way to see the sights, all the side streets, etc.  We did a lot of riding around the town.  We stopped at Chedraui on the bicycles for some water and quick snacks to go then continued on.  We rode down many streets all over exploring, having fun.  We stopped in a small pharmacy several blocks away from the main square and purchased OTC medicine from them since it was less expensive there than it was in the main part of town.  We stopped at a modern clothing store, The One, which was several streets back from the main street, and purchased two nice tops there.  We always had our backpacks with us, on the bikes and while walking.  It was so much fun to see so much on a bicycle.  If the bikes were in better shape and a bit more modern we would have rented them longer.  (After that experience we have been figuring out how to bring our own bikes with us on our next trip there.  We have to weigh the pros and cons, but that sure would be fun).  We returned the bicycles that same afternoon and then walked from the downtown area to PLG to meet our family.  We walked with our family from PLG out to La Mision I at night, about a ½ hour or more walk.  It was a bit tricky to find it on foot but we had so much fun along the way, enjoying the sights and talking together.  We both shared one fish dinner there, which was more than enough for us at one sitting.  It was a great place.  We walked with family from La Mision I back to downtown.  We walked around town, got a fruit paleta, and said goodnight to the family.  We took a taxi from downtown back to SCDC.  Our taxi driver asked us how much we wanted for our USPS pro cycling team bicycle cap so we gave it to him and he waived our taxi fare.  The taxi driver was an avid cyclist too; he was fun to talk with.  We talked all about the bicycle races, running races, and marathons on the island.  On one of our vacations we would like to be there for a race or two to enter.

15 November 2001 Thursday

We woke up early, had our special breakfast in bed and stayed at our hotel and snorkeled.  We snorkeled north from the SCDC to the El Cozumeleno Hotel, got out of the water, walked and looked around that property.  Very nice.  Got back in the water and snorkeled on past the El Cozumeleno for a stretch, then turned back south and snorkeled back to SCDC.  After snorkeling we showered and changed and walked to another nearby hotel, the Paradisus Hotel and looked around there.  Very nice.  After that we walked downtown and met the family and ate at a restaurant, Plaza Leza, which was right in the town square.  We sat outside and “people-watched” as we ate and talked.  We enjoyed being serenaded there.  We both shared one fish dinner there, which was great.  We walked around the stores in the square and bought a couple of nice T-shirts and a fruit paleta.  It was fun stopping in all the stores in town and looking around.  We said goodnight to our family.  We walked to the Pharmacia/grocery store north of town for juice and other stuff.  We enjoyed our walk back to SCDC.



16 November 2001 Friday

We woke up early, special breakfast in bed, snorkeled and swam at our hotel beach.  We walked downtown to Panchos Backyard restaurant and had a romantic early dinner just the two of us.  We both had vegetable fajitas, which were so good.  Panchos Backyard was very accommodating, as so many restaurants in Cozumel are, and gave us a separate section of the restaurant as a makeshift non-smoking section for us.  The food was great - the service was great.  After dinner we looked around the Los Cinco Soles gift shop, which is attached to the restaurant, and bought some souvenirs and sampled their hot sauces.  That’s a fun store to look around in.  They sold the same pattern of handmade ceramic plates, bowls, and, glasses that are used in Panchos Backyard restaurant.  What a great reminder of the great food there.  And we brought home some jars of mole negro sauce and chile mora sauce from Los Cinco Soles.  We walked around downtown, bought some more souvenirs for friends back home, and met the family near the square.  Wonderful.  We had some fruit paletas.  We sure do have fun in those paleterias, so many fruit flavors to choose from.  We said goodbye to the family that night.  They were all staying on for two more days at PLG and we were leaving tomorrow.  We enjoyed our walk back to SCDC.  Every night by our cabana we would see a big round frog take his nightly perch next to a walkway light, patiently sitting and waiting there for bugs.


17 November 2001 Saturday

We woke up early and swam in the beautiful sea at the SCDC in the morning – we were due to fly home today in the afternoon.  We did not have any of our vegan energy protein cookies and fresh fruit left, so we ate a wonderful breakfast at the SCDC restaurant, Las Gaviotas.  They made us each a fabulous special order breakfast sans cheese, meat or eggs.  There were lots of vegetables with tortillas and salsas.  They are so accommodating.  We enjoyed the view from the restaurant outside so much and relaxed and gave thanks for everything as we finished up our coffee and fed the fish and crabs one last time from the restaurant.  We finished packing and said goodbye to all the wonderful staff and left for the airport.  At the airport we saw that the airline was desperately seeking volunteers due to the overloading weight of the plane, so we volunteered and gave up our flight.  Because the next day’s flight was also overloaded we would be staying over for two more nights.  It took a little while at the airline’s office to do all the paperwork, change our tickets, get our hotel reservations, get our luggage back, and to make a phone call from the airport to leave a message at work notifying them that we are extending our vacation and won’t be in on Monday.  After that was all settled, we took our paperwork and took a taxi to the Costa Club (CC), an all-inclusive (AI), for the two nights.  CC’s lobby had a nice high ceiling and was big and bright and painted in cheerful colors.  We registered and got our plastic AI wristbands and went to our room.  The bright colors of CC along with its zigzag hallways created a pleasant and unique atmosphere.  We partially unpacked and were glad we had some extra clean clothes left.  We were so excited to have two more days in Cozumel.  We changed and ate lunch at CC AI.  We had chips, guacamole dip and bean burritos with mole sauce.  It was good.  We then walked to the Acuarios restaurant to the back patio by the water to see our family and tell them the good news.  They were all sitting at a table near the water as we walked up and surprised them.  We enjoyed their expressions as they saw us again, since we were supposed to have been on our way home hours ago.  They thought we missed our flight.  We enjoyed relaxing once again with them and talking.  We walked back to CC and we snorkeled at the little beach area.  It’s interesting to walk through CC’s little tunnel under the road to get to their beach.  That tunnel was a good idea and much safer and easier than crossing the street.  (Fiesta Americana Hotel had a nice little footbridge over the road with a nice view to get to their beach across the road).  At CC’s little beach area, they had nice cement stairs accessing the water as well as ladders off a pier.  It was nice.  It’s so fun to snorkel at all different places.  We ate at CC.  It was good.  We always enjoyed taking our food from the restaurant and sitting with it outside in the fresh air by the beautiful landscaped pool area.  That was very pleasant.  The beautiful pool area is one of CC’s best features.

18 November 2001 Sunday

We ate breakfast at CC.  We took fresh fruits, juices, etc. from the buffet and ate by the poolside again.  Then we walked the short walk over from CC to PLG to meet the family.  We walked back to CC and we swam and snorkeled at CC’s little beach area with the family – very nice.  After showering up and changing and looking around the CC hotel for a while we got a very small snack to go for dinner from CC and then leisurely walked into town with it in the evening.  We enjoyed the casual relaxed atmosphere throughout the town and where ever we went.  We enjoyed a second Sunday evening of the festivities in town.  We met and talked with such lovely local people there in the square during the festivities.  We walked back to CC.  

19 November 2001 Monday

We ate breakfast at CC.  The fresh fruits were so delicious, again bringing our breakfast to eat at their lovely poolside, and then, walked to Chedraui one last time.  They had a great selection of postcards.  Then back to the room to pack up again, then to the airport.  It was our real day to leave.  We met our family at the airport since we were all leaving the same day now and would all be on the same Cozumel to Houston leg.  At the airport they asked us if we wanted to volunteer our seats again just for one more day - it was so tempting; we had a hard time deciding.  We did need to get back to work and the thought of another bag drag for only one more nights stay, having no clean clothes left, little or no HABA’s left, and not being on the same flight home as our family, made our decision for us.  (Although sometimes we can’t believe we turned that down).  So we did leave beautiful Cozumel that day with our family.  We arrived at the Houston airport and we said goodbye to our family.  How wonderful it was to be there with them in Cozumel.  We almost missed our connection in Houston to Philly since our flight was delayed.  We ran really fast through the airport and just barely made it to our gate.  We sat in our seats and the plane took off within seconds.  We were so happy, content and refreshed bringing home all those wonderful memories and warm feelings with us that traveling day home.


We are thankful for:

Everything!  Our dear family being there and sharing their time with us.  The perfect sunny weather we had the whole time.  Our time spent snorkeling and the thrill of seeing stunning beautiful yellowtail damselfish.  Our time spent walking seeing little lizards running here and there all over, beautiful flowers, wonderful friendly people; at night comical white crabs and an occasional giant black bat, and an interesting mile long line of leaf cutter ants each carrying the same perfectly shaped piece of leaf like little green sailboats in an endless straight line atop a long brick wall illuminated by the moonlight.  It was awesome to experience all this and a lot more as we walked everywhere.  Also, bringing along and using, for snorkeling, a full dive skin for my wife, and my long sleeve surf shirt, which totally prevented sunburns and kept us both from using large amounts of suntan lotions and creams, and provided us with more protection from little stinging creatures in the water, as well as a little warmth for the many wonderful hours snorkeling in the beautiful waters.

Even though we had an unusually warm winter this year with record breaking warm temperatures, it still was wonderful to be in Cozumel…it always is…and with family…even better!

Next trip:

1-      Try to get even more family and friends to come with us.
2-      Go in March or April instead of November, when the water will be a little warmer (since we spend the majority of time in the water), and perhaps less little jellyfish/ stinging in the water.
3-      Bring more film, more cameras, and better cameras, take more pictures, and learn more about vacation photography.
4-      Bring our own bicycles if feasible.
5-      Try to alleviate ear problems so we can scuba dive again.
6-      Bring throat soothers/sprays, zinc lozenges, chewing gum, etc. for dry throat from snorkeling fun every day.
7-      Try to enter a running/marathon or bike race there.
8-      Explore more of the beautiful island.

Cozumel trip reports:     http://www.travelnotes.cc/cozumel/links/tripreports/1.html 
Cozumel hotel reviews: http://www.travelnotes.cc/cozumel/links/hotels.html 
Cozumel race info:        http://www.cozumelhalfmarathon.com/ 
SCDC: http://solmelia.com/cgi-bin/solmelia/dirdinamic/hotelhtml?15839 

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