I really enjoyed Ciudad del Carmen but it was time to move on. The ride leaving the Isla del Carmen was easy. A couple of hours of pedaling and I was crossing the bridge off the island to Isla Aguada which isn't on an island at all. The big bridge across to Isla del Carmen is one of the longest bridges in Latin America. It is also being redone so all traffic has been diverted to one side. On the map the area looks fantastic. I was worried that the town was going to be touristic with expensive hotels. Very funny! This town was just another gritty, dusty, shabby, poor pueblo. Until the 1980's, the only way to visit Ciudad del Carmen was by boat. Putting in the bridge to the island was a big deal. Unfortunately, Isla Aguada has never been able to take advantage of all the traffic coming through the town. I checked into the Iguana Cabañas which was probably the most expensive place in town, for $40. The owners gave me a huge round cabaña. I didn't notice until later that the owners were really drunk. It was only 2 in the afternoon when I saw them out by the pool drinking with other guests. All men. I get nervous when I see a group of men getting drunk especially when I don't know anyone else. It occurred to me that these guys were probably going to be passed out before long. I tried to lock the door to my cabaña but the dead bolt didn't work. It wasn't possible to lock the door. The owners were so drunk I didn't want to talk to them so I took my chances and left the room unlocked. I don't have much that is of value to anyone else and always carry my most valuable things with me, like my passport, if I think I need to.
Approaching Isla Aguada
Pelicans on pylons
Tricycle plant seller
I forgot to get money before leaving Ciudad del Carmen and this hotel, like many in Mexico, only accepts cash. There is only one ATM machine in Isla Aguada, located in a glass enclosed kiosk next to the check-point at the end of the bridge, which was just big enough for one person to stand in.
Pile of fishing nets
I was really hungry after my ride and stopped for a couple of tacos. Then I went to explore the little town. I especially wanted to walk on the beach. There were lots and lots of fishing boats but not much else. All the fish restaurants close early in the afternoon so my only option for food was going to be more tacos. I took some photos, flew my drone and called it good for the day returning to my cabaña.
Plaque commerating the new bridge in 1982
Walking the beach of Isla Aguada
Isla Aguada from the air
Fishing village at sunset
I was still concerned about the drunks and not being able to lock my door. The cabaña was so big I brought Myrtle inside and parked her in front of the door. Trike security!
I actually slept well and got up early expecting to ride 60 miles which is a huuuggee day for me. Because it is hotter and more humid this time of year, I had been warned that a lot of hotels shut down. It's possible there are more hotels than what is listed on Google and I'll find out as I ride. Today's route was gorgeous. I had views of the Gulf of Mexico on my left and the huge Laguna Terminas on my right. I stopped many times to take photos and fly my drone. There were lots of pelicans which someone told me migrate here from California for the winter. I expected to need to ride all the way to Champotón but discovered the little town of Sabancuy.
Trying out 'follow me' mode
This town is in a gorgeous setting. I had to cross a bridge over a large estuary to enter. It was so beautiful. Given the natural beauty of the area, I am so surprised that the towns aren't touristic. In fact, given how everyone stared at me as I rode through town, I don't think they get any tourists. I pulled into the Hotel Plaza Sabancuy and got a room with ac for $16. It had everything I needed but everything was very old. This hotel was probably built in the 80's and nothing has been upgraded since. I went to the small mercado for lunch and had a wonderful bowl of soup. It was very hot in the afternoon and I didn't spend much time outside.
Wonderful veggie and chicken soup at the mercado
Drunks at the Cabañas
The next morning, I went back to the mercado for breakfast. This time I had a barbecued beef dish that was cooked and served in foil. It came with various salsas, veggies and corn tortillas so I could make my own tacos. This was delicious but kind of a strange breakfast. Since I wasn't sure if there were any towns along the ride today, I also got some empanadas for the road. I crossed the bridge back to the highway and, again, the ride was fantastic. There were mangroves, pelicans and many views of the ocean. I stopped so often to take pics it took almost 4 hours to ride 25 miles.
Fork in the road
Empanadas
Eventually I made it to Champotón which is a bit bigger than the last couple of towns. There is lots of fishing and it is also a junction town for traffic heading across the Yucatan peninsula in the direction of Cancun. There were tons of seafood restaurants. I got checked into a small hotel across from the sea and had a delicious dinner of grilled giant shrimps. Yummy!
Freshly grilled shrimp
Tedious work repairing the nets
The next morning I started out of Champotón riding on a beautiful malecon. There were so many fishing boats and fisherman. They had already been out for the morning and many were busy fixing their nets. It was cool to watch. One fisherman had fallen asleep in his nets. I loved the whole scene.
Ceviche tostadas
Fisherman napping in his nets
The entire ride was fantastic. I stopped many times for pics and to fly the drone. By 12:30, I had gone around 25 miles when I found the sweet town of Seybaplaya. It was another 20 miles to Campeche but since there was a hotel here I decided to check it out. Unfortunately, they didn't have room for Myrtle. They suggested I take the toll road instead of the old highway because it has many dangerous curves. They said there isn't a shoulder and lots of truckers don't want to pay to take the toll road. Mexicans aren't typically alarmists and they rarely give me advice about the road ahead especially to say a road is dangerous. My gut told me this was sensible advice and to listen.
As I rode out of town, I quickly discovered I was on the old highway and needed to turn around. Just as I did, I saw a sign for another hotel and decided to check it out. This hotel was perfect. The hotel was very clean and comfortable and I got checked in for $16. It had everything I needed except for a toilet seat. Maybe I needed to pay $20 for a toilet seat? Do you think toilet seats are something that guests steal? The owners were a very nice couple who lived across the street. There was also a large garden courtyard with plenty of room for Myrtle.
I spent a very nice afternoon in Seybaplaya watching the fishermen and action around town. In the morning, since it was Sunday and traffic would be quieter, I decided to try the old highway. Just when I got to the exact same place where I turned around yesterday, a man stopped leaping out of his car to say I shouldn't go this way and strongly suggested I turn around to take the toll road. I felt like there was a force field at this spot in the road prohibiting me from going any further. I turned around and headed for the toll road. (Many days later I was told this road is called 'Pirate Alley' and many people are robbed here, not just cyclists.)
Seybaplaya from above
Drone selfie
There is no charge and the toll road has a good shoulder. Since it was Sunday, the road was quieter with less truck traffic. But wow, there were hills! My only serious hills of the trip, so far. Like 6-8% grades! As I started out there was a good breeze blowing but when I was climbing the hill blocked the wind. Temps were above 90f and I was sweating and sweating. And then when the breeze returned I knew I almost at the top. Going down I probably reached my fastest speeds of the trip as well.
Wonderful view for the day
Pretty soon I was approaching Campeche which is the capital of the state of Campeche. This is a bigger city that has a rich history with pirates. Campeche is called the walled city (amurallada) and was built by the Spanish in the 1500's. It is very colorful and I was looking forward to exploring. It was so hot I couldn't wait to find a hotel and get out of the sun!
Two days was enough time in Comalcalco. Even though it was another small, gritty and busy town, I really enjoyed Comalcalco. This town has a nice vibe. I went to the mercado in the morning before leaving to get a small bag for carrying my Removu K1 camera in. I needed something while walking around town. Using my backpack was time consuming because I had to remove the pack every time I wanted to use the camera. I found a small bag with a shoulder strap. It has a few zippered pockets where I can keep my money, hotel key and cell phone handy.
Felix and family adjusts the brakes on Myrtle
A day in Comalcalco
Comalcalco Plaza from above
Just as I was leaving the hotel, on a whim, I asked the owner if he knew where there was a bike shop in town. I had found one listed on Google but he said they weren't in business any longer. There isn't anything urgent that needs repairing but one of my brakes isn't as responsive as I would like. The owner sent me to a Goodyear auto center 2 blocks away where he said a bike mechanic worked. Sure enough, Felix was more than happy to help tighten the cable on one of my Avid BB7 brakes. I met his whole family. Everyone was super nice and excited to meet me. They stopped what they were doing to help me. Felix did a great job and I think I paid him the equivalent of $4 which didn't seem like enough although he seemed happy enough.
Finca on the road to Paraiso
Soon, I was back on the road. It was a hot day and, luckily, I didn't have far to go. The temperatures for the next 2 days were going to be close to 100 degrees. I decided to wait out the highest temps in my next town of Paraiso. This is a town along the ocean where Pemex, the state run oil company, has a big presence. Pemex gas stations are all over Mexico. The town itself was about 1/4 mile from the ocean. I found a nice hotel and got checked in for 2 nights.
Church in Paraiso
My 1st night in the hotel was strange. I had a patio and there was some kind of machine outside that started up at 11 pm. It was loud. After about 10 minutes I got up and went to the front desk to ask what the noise was. The young man said the noise would only last a short while. I think the machine was refilling water tanks on the roof. The machine was so loud I couldn't sleep. After another 1/2 hour I went back to the front desk and the young man offered for me to change rooms. So, after midnight, I changed to a room 3 floors up. This is when I really appreciate having only 2 panniers.
Mango madness in Paraiso
There was a big thunderstorm overnight and rain was expected all morning. The rain really cooled down the temps. In the morning, on the recommendation of the morning receptionist, I went to see if I could find some mangroves. On the way out of the town, I found the bus station to see about getting a lift to Ciudad del Carmen. There are no hotels between Paraiso and Ciudad del Carmen and the distance is more than 100 miles which is too far me. I showed the bus attendant my trike and he assured me that taking Myrtle on a bus would be no problem.
From there, I followed a quiet road in the direction to Puerto Ceibo. I passed through some very small pueblos surrounded by banana trees. At one point, I was followed by a police car with his lights flashing. There is so little out here, I couldn't imagine why the police needed it's lights flashing. Finally, I pulled over. It took awhile for one of the policemen to get out of the car. Eventually, he explained that this area is owned by Pemex and it is a federal zone. In fact, I shouldn't be there. Ooopppsss! The policeman was very nice and continued to follow me for a couple of miles. I passed a giant oil refinery being built. This was a huge project. There were enormous trucks lined up to take dirt away and others bringing in piping. I could see why Pemex didn't want strange people poking around. A little while later, a reporter stopped me to do a video interview. I did my best speaking Spanish trying to answer his questions. It didn't last long and I continued on. Pretty soon, I was on the highway heading back to the hotel.
Niños waiting for the parade to start
Later in the afternoon, there was a parade. There were 2 floats with many beauty queens on each one. And following the floats were souped up street racing cars with giant speakers playing music so loudly all I could hear was distortion. Before the parade started, I walked the route taking pictures. I was very surprised how many people knew I was riding a tricycle. Lots of teenagers approached me to ask questions about my trip. Then a woman with a young girl invited me for tacos. She showed me on Facebook that the reporter who interviewed me had a very popular page. In fact, the interview was a Facebook live event so most people were watching as the interview was taking place. Oh my, that was very embarrassing.
Balloon seller at the parade
Cool Chicos
Brothers
The next day, I got packed up and rode the short distance to the bus station. The buses in Mexico are great. The buses go everywhere, they are comfortable, cheap and Myrtle fits in the undercarriage. I think the bus ticket was about $15 for the 110 mile drive. The roads in Mexico, for the most part, are good. But there are the ever present topes, speedbumps, in and out of the every town. Some times there are a few topes going in and out. The bus had to come to a stop to go over every one. This makes travel in Mexico very slow. Some of the topes are high too. I've actually bottomed out on the my trike going over a few.
Myrtle and gear loaded on the bus
Eventually, I made it to Ciudad del Carmen and a new state. Ciudad del Carmen is in the state of Campeche. The bus station is a few miles out of town. Using Google Maps, I wanted to find a hotel along the malecon and the Gulf. I really wanted to find a hotel with decent wifi because I had a lot of photos to upload and was hoping a touristic hotel would have what I needed.
Fishermen preparing the boat
The hotel I picked was very strange. It had a beautiful pool with probably over 100 rooms. One thing I have learned is that most hotels lie about the strength of their wifi. Even though the front desk guy assured me the wifi was good, this hotel had some of the slowest wifi of any hotel I've stayed at on this trip. And that wasn't the strange part. It turned out the toilet didn't have any water in it so I couldn't flush it. The sink stopper was stuck so the sink was quickly full of water. I took a shower and there was no hot water. And then the air conditioner was so loud I couldn't sleep. This hotel wasn't cheap either so I was very disappointed.
Music in the park
In the morning, I got packed and went looking for another hotel. I found the Hotel del Parque that was really nice and cheaper than the last hotel. It also had some of the fastest wifi of the trip so far. My room was 3 floors up with a fantastic view of the ocean. For $30, this was a total score!
Getting my bag fixed at the mercado
Patron Saint of Ciudad del Carmen
I spent 3 nights in Ciudad del Carmen. It is a lovely town. The bag I bought in Comalcalco needed a tailor. There are lots of zippers on the bag which is nice but what I didn't notice was that there is a zipper on the inside as well. I was worried that the zipper would scratch the lens on my K1 camera. I went to the mercado and found a husband and wife team with a sewing machine set up. They dropped what they were doing and the man removed in the zipper in no time charging me less than $3. Luckily, there was a seam all around the zipper so nothing else was required and it was an easy job. Now I didn't need to worry about my K1 in the bag. I also got all my photos uploaded, I updated my blog and made 2 videos while I was there. It takes a lot of extra time every day to deal with all the photos and video I take. Looking them over, transferring them to my computer, processing and then figuring how to use them in videos is time consuming. Hopefully, I'll get faster at all of this but, in the meantime, I find it all very rewarding.
Fishing boats parked
Lighthouse from above
Mosquitos Suck!!
On my last day, I rode to the botanical gardens. On the map, the area looks fantastic. Ciudad del Carmen is on the island of Carmen. The Gulf of Mexico is on one side of the city and the Laguna de Terminos is on the other. I brought my drone hoping to get some footage. This trip was a total bust. The gardens are part of the University where they do research. The garden is very nice as is the laguna. Unfortunately, it is located in the No Fly Zone of the airport. It is prohibited to fly drones within 5 miles of any big airport. Any airport anywhere in the world. In fact, the software won't allow my drone to take off in a No Fly Zone. So, no drone footage from here. And then the garden was completely infested with mosquitos. There were hundreds of mosquitos trying to get at me. I found some gardeners and asked if they had any spray. Mind you, I use mosquito repellent every day on my feet, ankles, behind my knees and thighs. I needed more, much more. The gardeners totally understood and gave me a bottle of repellent. I felt like I doused myself but this did not deter the mosquitos. Not at all. There was a cloud of mosquitos around me. I found another gardener who was burning garden debris. I ran into the smoke of the fire to get relief. Standing next to a fire when it is hot and humid isn't so great. As soon as I moved away from the fire the mosquitos were back. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Mosquitos were chasing me out of the garden. That was a very intense experience.
Large mural
After 4 days, I was ready to move on. The next few days look to be in a fantastic area right along the coast with more reasonable temperatures.
