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Isla Cozumel, Mexico – The (Ghost) Town

Cozumel is really quiet at night. Like really quiet. Like ”where the hell can we find some food?” kind of quiet.

Like I said yesterday, we are a bit out of our element here. Cozumel mostly caters to the “all-inclusive” crowd and people tend to stay in their hotels where they lounge by the pool, drink and sleep.

We ended up in a small eatery where a large group was busy downing shots of tequila. Food was pretty bad and expensive. “No wonder people complain they get sick when they eat Mexican food,” we joked. “Street food in Tulum, Valladolid or just about anywhere was better and fresher!”

This morning, we went snorkelling around some shallow reef. It isn’t our first time snorkelling. This trip, we did it in Utila, and we snorkelled in Australia, Thailand and a bunch of other places before. Regardless, the underwater world never ceases to amaze me. What you see once you have a mask on is amazing and you really don’t suspect it until you look down, just below the surface. Hundreds of fishes swimming around, tree-like corals at the bottom, and a few rays of sunshine lighting up the scene like in a huge aquarium.

In the afternoon, we headed to the town to get some food. While Mexican towns are usually very lively, Cozumel was dead quiet. The island seems to march to the beat of the cruise ships which dock there for a few hours. The main street is lined up with diamond stores (because nothing says “Mexico” like diamonds, right?), cigar shops (usually with some kind of Fidel Castro poster) and tequila shops (because there is nothing better than a free shot of tequila at 10 a.m.). The town reminds me of Niagara Falls—same international franchises, same tacky taglines and souvenirs.

There wasn’t any cruise ship at the dock today so most stores were closed. Mexican families were picnicking on the rocky beach and most people were drinking by the water.

Cozumel on a Sunday…

Leather Sandals
Scooters
Snorkeling
Glass Bottom Boat
Cozumel Zocalo
Cozumel Town Shoreline
Mexican Family at the Beach
Sculptures by the Water
Maya Calendar
The Classic Beetle
Quintana Roo License Plate
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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