To Tulum and the Mayan Riviera.

After our stop at the local Mayan market, we continued on our way to Tulum. This ancient walled city is located on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. We learned so much about the ancient Mayan people and their culture - even a little more than necessary, quite honestly! It was really neat to walk among these ruins that have been dated back to AD 564. It is truly a beautiful sight to stand next to these ancient temples and look out over the crystal clear water.

Next...

The next day started a little later - we got off the ship in Cozumel, Mexico around 10:45am and got right on a waiting ferry. The ferry zipped us across to Playa del Carmen on the mainland, where we boarded a coach for the ride down the Yucatan Penninsula coast to a city called Tulum. We stopped about halfway to do a little shopping at a Mexican market:

If that was Hell...

... then this must be Heaven! After taking a 25 minute boat ride across the crystal clear water of the Caribbean Sea, we arrived at the Stingray City Sandbar. Here you can swim freely in waist deep water teeming with Southern Stingrays. We were able to pet them, hold them, and feed them. And get rammed into by them, which is a bit unsettling. But it was a really great experience, and the water off the coast of Grand Cayman is truly the most beautiful I have seen.

To Hell and back.

After filling up on rum cake samples, our tour guide told us we were going to Hell. I knew we should have only taken one piece. But seriously, folks... Hell is a little town in Grand Cayman that is quite popular with tourists. It's main attraction is a fairly unattractive expanse of black, jagged limestone and rock formations. We took some pictures, mailed a postcard, and went on our way.

Snack break!

After we left the Turtle Farm, we made a quick stop at the Tortuga Rum Co. to sample some of their many types of rum cake.

Not too shabby.

Tortugas!

First stop on the island tour was the Cayman Turtle Farm. We got to hold a few of the smaller turtles and watch the bigger ones - some of which are over 100 years old.

First stop.

The ship arrived off Grand Cayman Island early Monday morning. We disembarked around 8:15am and boarded a tender that zipped us to shore at Georgetown. From there the 11 of us found our private tour guide and car and started out to explore the island.

We clean up pretty good.

We followed our "Day at Sea" with a "Night of Elegance." We dressed up for dinner and then headed out to the karaoke bar. We turned in a bit early tonight, since the ship planned to port early the next morning.

Sunday at Sea.

Our first day was spent at sea. All day on the ship, hanging by the pool, getting to know our way around. Frequenting the self-serve, all you can eat ice cream fountain. Playing on the water slides, hitting the all-day buffet.

T'was a Bon Voyage.

We have returned safe and sound from our first cruise experience! We traveled with friends on board the Carnival Inspiration - a five day cruise out of Tampa with stops in the Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico. It was a fantastic time! I had hoped to keep up with the blog during the trip - but I have just one thing to say about that: 75 cents a minute. If you know what I am sayin'.

Here are a few shots taken right after we embarked the ship and left the Port of Tampa. I am still going through mountains of photos, so I will be updating as I get them done!