Isla Mujeres

Or the Island of Women, considered the backpackers (budget) Cancun, has the same sandy beaches, the same clear blue water; it is a paradise with the slow pace of the Caribbean and none of the crazy corporate "Mexico" in Cancun. I am in love!

Isla Mujeres name comes from the a time when the island was sacred to the Mayan goddess of childbirth and medicine, Ix Chel. When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century they named it "Isla Mujeres" meaning "Island of Women" because of the many images of goddesses located on the island.

I woke my first morning in Isla Mujeres to pouring rain and a pounding headache. After breakfast I decided to go back to sleep and nurse my headache. When I woke up, I decided, I did not want to waste a day because of rain and forced myself to walk around the island, go to the market for food and search for a dive shop. I discovered the south end of the island has a temple to the Mayan goddess, Ix Chel, but it is badly hurricane damaged and hardly worth the visit. When I arrived back at my hostel I set up my computer and used the time to finish and post updates to the hillapinnia blog and send email. The woman I was sitting next to offered to share her lunch with me and I graciously accepted the offer of free lunch (hey, i'm on a budget!).

That night I met a group of travelers at my hostel who invited me to dinner. I declined, my headache was back and I need to get plenty of sleep for my diving trip in the morning. But more on that in my next blog. The next afternoon I again ran into my new friends, this time sharing coconuts and pineapple with people passing by. They invited me to travel with them to Tulum and then encouraged me to continue my travels into Belize with an Australian girl, Monique. I hesitate at first since I prefer to travel alone and joining their trip would mean cutting my time in Isla Mujeres short. After some consideration and a trip to the beach to see the sunset. I decided to go for it and see what adventures this invitation would hold. Off to the Tulum ruins we went.