SketchTravel in Yucatan, Mexico

May 23, 2015

From Cancun down the Caribbean coast
Akumal
This blog combines sketches from several trips here. We loved staying at the old Hotel Club Akumal Caribe. Last time here the pool was still closed from a recent hurricane that blew away the pool bar and everything else it could. That’s why the palm trees were all at crazy angles.

My first attempts at sketching revealed that I was quite out of practice. However, the good thing about travel is that it provides the time and new subject matter to jump back into it.

at akumal

to merida and celestun

After visiting the awesome Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, we continued on west to Merida. It is a beautiful colonial city in the middle of agricultural country.

celestun on the gulf of mexico

We continued west until we arrived at Celestun on the Gulf of Mexico. The brilliant white beach was littered with fishing boats. Though the town seemed empty, we did find a person idling here and there, and ended up having the best breaded fish I’ve ever had at a rundown structure with a few tables in it.
On the flight home I drew some imaginary fish that I would have liked to see while snorkeling.

On to Isla Mujeres

From Cancun we took the ferry to Isla Mujeres. It feels pretty ideal, with enough of a town but lots of country. Our hotel was down the island next to Tortugranja, a turtle aquarium. On a boat trip to the bird sanctuary of Isla Contoy, I got my sketchbook wet walking in the surf, and had some awesome cooked fish from the boat’s engine on the way there. We also snorkeled in shark waters and swam in alligator waters (we learned later). But hey, we’re still here.