Cancun - Little America

Having spent almost a whole week in Cancun, Mexico, I can now join the ranks of vacationers everywhere who descend upon this Caribbean spot during the winter. 27-30 C temperatures for winter sound great to me. No humidity, white sandy beaches, palm trees and drinks at the pool...and not to forget, the jet skis. Aaahh, the resort hotel experience. My one concern about Cancun is that it doesn't feel like you've left the US at all. All the American chains (food, coffee, clothing, you name it) are in Cancun, they accept dollars here so no need to get any Mexican pesos, the tourists are segregated to 20 odd miles called the Hotel Zone outside of downtown. The experience is pampering but there is no Mexican culture involved in Little America, Cancun. They don't even collect your US departure card when you leave for Mexico for less than 30 days. It's as if you've never left the US, even for the government!

After days of meetings in the hotel (work function), I made sure that I spent enough time at the beach, saw the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, and ate as much Mexican traditional and fusion food as possible. All in all, this was a successful and relaxing time. All I needed before enduring another month of snowy Chicago. The crazy snow storm that hit the city today meant that my flight had to be rerouted to St. Louis for refueling and waiting until the Chicago airport reopened. Chicago never fails to make my trips more adventurous than they should be. :)

Check out the photos!
http://picasaweb.google.com/ysolmaz/CancunMexicoFeb2008