This is a Berliner:

It is a jelly-filled doughnut made from sweet yeast dough that is also usually covered in powdered sugar.  In Germany, you can order them as Krapfen, Pfannkuchen, or Berliner.  You simply would say “Ich möchte ein Berliner” (I would like a jelly-filled doughnut).  

The people who live in Berlin are called Berliner.  Directly translated that means “someone from Berlin”; similar to Frankfurter means “someone from Frankfurt” and not a hotdog.  The basic difference here is the “ein” or “a” that precedes the noun, right?  I want a Berliner versus I am Berliner.  This is exactly what the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy said during his famous speech at Schöneberg Rathaus in 1963.  Instead of saying “I am someone from Berlin”, he (literally) said, “I am a jelly-filled doughnut”.  Look it up, if you think I’m kidding.**

Today was a busy day.  We walked nearly 10 miles and yes, my feet are killing me.  So, buckle up, buttercup. 

The first thing we did was ride the M-tram (streetcar that stops for traffic lights) into Berlin Zentrum (Center) to Alexander Platz. Then we walked to a lovely coffee shop near the massive TV tower. We had coffee/cacao and some pastries for breakfast.  Not quite the lovely spread we had enjoyed in Frankfurt but food, at least.  The day started cold and overcast with drizzles and ended the exact same way.  Sadly, most of the day was also spent in the rain – from downpour to sprinkles – we never really got dry.  From Alexander Platz, where we also saw St. Nicholas Church and the Red Rathaus, we switched to the S-bahn (street-level transit with dedicated tracks) and took multiple trains (switching at Friedrichstraße) to the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate).  Remember I said yesterday that this was one of the many locations Allita wanted to visit?  Well, we barely saw it.  Thanks to the Euro 2024 football tournament, the entire plaza with the gate, garden and even the Reichtag were completely closed off with police barricades and temporary fences.  Turns out, police from all over Europe have converged on Germany to help manage the “massive terrorist threat from ISIS”.  Keep in mind, the final event will be held here in Berlin on July 14.  That said, we were cranky about having to walk nearly two miles in order to see the Bundestag (Parliament) but at the same time, grateful that we even could.  

Next, we walked to the Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas (Memorial to the Murdered Jews in Europe) or Holocaust Memorial.  The whole memorial spans a little less than 5 acres and contains over 2,700 rectangular stelae (concrete slabs) of varying heights.  There is a list of the 3 million names of the Jews memorialized here in the information center.  It sits on the former location of the Berlin Wall and among many foreign embassies (we passed the British Embassy as we left the area).  The memorial is one of those artistic pieces that everyone has to interpret themselves – it’s designed for reflection – so I will just let the photos do the talking for me.

Then, we decided to find some of the remaining sections of the Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall).  So we walked further south and came across two different memorial locations.  One of the locations was completely open to the public with general information on placards all around it.  Apparently, it is common for people to smash their chewed gum onto the pieces of wall as a way of showing disrespect.  We were simultaneously grossed out and impressed.  Kind of like watching someone pull something very long out of their nostril.  See what I mean?  

The second section of the Berlin Wall was preserved in a manner that more accurately demonstrates how it once appeared: stark, desolate and cold and is aptly named “Topography of Terror”.   This section is located exactly where the Gestapo, SS and Third Reich headquarters were in Berlin on Niederkirchnerstrasse.  The location of this memorial is intentional: it is the longest remaining section of the wall and during the excavation of the headquarters site, the remains of tortured and murdered prisoners were found here.  The original trench in front of the wall still remains as it was and along with the steel barriers, really drives home the reality of the wall.  This site has been host for a number of WWII-related art exhibits over the years.  Currently, there are photos here of people trying to escape to the West before the wall was finalized; including a famous photo of an East German soldier who flung himself over in order to stay in the West and many photos of East Germans flinging themselves out of windows to land in sheets held by West Germans on the other side. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall so there are a variety of activities ongoing throughout Germany and particularly Berlin in that regard.  A final, massive celebration is planned for November 9, of course.  

From there, we made our way to Checkpoint Charlie.  Have I ever told you that I once went through Checkpoint Charlie on the way to East Berlin with my parents one day?  Remember, we lived there in the 80s and the wall was still in place.  The crossing was a two-part process: once you made it through Charlie, you had to go through another checkpoint on the Eastern side.  Armed soldiers entered the bus to inspect our official documents and patrolled all around it, military dogs and heat-seeking equipment were used for inspection of the bus in case there were any defectors being smuggled out, and there were considerable restrictions on what you could bring with you and what you could bring back.  There was a short gap between when you left the American zone and when you entered the Soviet zone and in my mind, it was exactly like the Hollywood images of the spy releases along some isolated stretch with watch towers, barbed wire, and a lot of emptiness, barricades, steel bars, and concrete.  I discovered today that it was actually used for just that – prisoner exchanges! – during the Cold War.  Not surprising in the least – it was definitely a memorable border crossing, I assure you.  One more interesting thing about Checkpoint Charlie (named Charlie because it stands for ‘C’ in the NATO phonic alphabet) – it was the location of one of the very few ARMED confrontations in the Cold War – a very tense 16-hour tank standoff between the U.S. and Russia that very nearly ended in WWIII.  

At this point, and I’m going to be totally honest here, we were starting to get a little depressed. So many murdered Jews memorialized, the Topography of Terror so somber and stark, and then, Checkpoint Charlie, all piled on top of a day full of dark skies, wet ground, lots of walking around barricaded streets, and periodic downpours – touring Berlin was not turning out to be as fun as we had hoped.  So, on a lark, we decided to tour the German Spy Museum.  It just popped up in front of us, right out of the blue, and we both said, “YES!”.  It was the best two hours we had spent so far.  Miniature cameras, listening devices and recorders, and a variety of weapons all hidden in unique and fascinating devices (some everyday and ordinary like a glue stick and a walnut!), a huge variety of different “spy” equipment including a underwater scuba propeller used by the Russians and an umbrella with ricin injector tip used for assassinations, stories of real-life spies all throughout history, real ENIGMA machines, and, best of all, even James Bond paraphernalia and memorabilia! We had a great time reading lips, detecting lies, solving riddles, cracking codes, and exploring the world of espionage all while avoiding the rain.  Win-Win!!

The last item on Allita’s “must see” list for Berlin was the Schöneberg Rathaus.  That required us to ride multiple U-bahn trains (underground subway) and this is an activity that I do not recommend at 4pm on a work day in Berlin (particularly if you have to take the U2!).  The Rathaus balcony is the location where JFK made his famous pastry-related speech and is located in a very lovely section of Berlin just inside the tariff zone A.  Great news for us as we didn’t need to purchase another type of ticket!  The Rathaus has a Rathskeller (basement) restaurant but the food for today was not great for us (cabbage soup, beef steak) so we skipped it.  There is a lovely park nearby with a fountain, some friendly locals playing bocce ball, rows of knobby trees and, of course, more snails.  

We finished our day at the Berlin location of the Hoffbräu München, a fabulous restaurant just off the Alexander platz (square) that offers classic German fare – including schnitzel of all types, Bavarian potato salad, delicious soups, pommes frites (french fries), pretzels and Apfelstrudel (apple strudel) – all of which we naturally devoured as we had not eaten since the coffee shop!  Admittedly, we got a little side-tracked by the camouflage and secrecy of governments.  The place was fantastic – with staff dressed just as you can imagine – and an Oom-pah polka band playing fantastic Bavarian, Oktoberfest music on the squeezebox and clarinet.   We were satt and delighted at day’s end and happy to easily find a seat available on the tram back to our lovely B&B.  

Tomorrow, we head to Poland to see crooked trees.  Hopefully whatever Gasthaus we stay in overnight will have WIFI so that I can tell you all about it.  More to come!

SIDE NOTE:  The black bear is the symbol on the coat of arms for the city of Berlin. With that in mind, about 20 years ago, some artists got the idea to create Buddy Bears.  These Buddy Bears have global and cultural notoriety and can now be found all over the city of Berlin.  We also found some Capital Bears, which we assume are knock-offs, and a wooden bear in the shape of the Berlin Bear from the coat of arms. Finding bears in Berlin and posing with them became something of a game today.  

** JFK was not FROM Berlin, Germany so he would not say “Ich bin Berliner”. After a lot of debate and discussion, linguistics experts believe that “Ich bin ein Berliner” is the way you would figuratively say “At heart, I am a Berliner” and that’s how the Germans understood his speech in any regard. But the literal translation really is “I am a doughnut.”

Berlin is both the capital and largest city in Germany with around 4 million residents.  That also makes it Europe’s most populated city (twice as big as Paris!) particularly since London is now not part of the European Union (EU). Interestingly, the city is also the largest by geographic area in Germany.  Allita and I suspect this is because Berlin was literally chopped in half by the wall following World War II.  You take a big city like Berlin and cleave it, then allow the two parts to grow independently and a lifetime later, you put them back together and ta-da! you have a huge metropolitan area.  Berlin has long been the capital of Germany (since the 1400s) and was only replaced by Bonn for about 45 years as the temporary capital after the war and occupation.  When the wall came down on 9 November 1989 (I remember this day – nearly 18 months after we left Germany and I was attending university at the time – it’s one of those moments in history that, if you live it, you remember it – like 9-11 or the day Princess Diana died), Berlin was eventually restored to its former position of glory (October 1990 reunification).  Since East Berlin was still the capital of East Germany, you can see how Allita and I came up with our idea about the city’s double-sided growth.  When you consider the historical significance of Berlin to Germany, you may also get a feel for the massive impact on the country and the people when the city was forcibly divided for nearly half a century.    

In any regard, the next destination on our Sweet 16 tour of Europe is, you guessed it, Berlin!  

Saturday evening a major storm blew in to Frankfurt and the downpour even affected the Euro 2024 Football (Soccer) match between Germany and Denmark.  The slight delay did not stop Germany from winning the game, however. Ha! As a result, Sunday was much of the same – overcast, rainy, colder than usual, so Allita and I were very glad we had already toured some of Frankfurt.  We woke Monday morning to another day of dreary weather and the long drive to Berlin.  Over breakfast, I discovered Allita was very interested to stop on the way to Berlin (and it really is “on the way”, Mom), and take a little side-trip to visit Wittenberg, and the All Saint’s Schlosskirsche (Castle Church) with the world-famous Theses Door where Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses and started the Protestant Reformation. We had an interesting chat about the Elbe River, which runs through Lutherstadt Wittenberg, as well as the evolution of Christianity, and monotheistic religions in general, while we nibbled our fruits, cheeses, and boiled eggs.  The fare was light even if the discussion was not.

The drive there was not particularly noteworthy except there was an extraordinary amount of road construction, which frequently reduced the already quite narrow autoroute lanes, and coupled with the on-again-off-again rain, was not exactly the relaxing journey through the country I had imagined.  In case you don’t know, the German road construction signs are absolutely hilarious – we enjoyed them immensely. Lutherstadt Wittenberg is located off the A9 on Highway 187, a route that connects a number of small villages along the Elbe.  It’s one of those slow-down-in-town-speed-up, rinse and repeat type, two-lane roads where you hope you don’t meet a car passing another in a turn or get stuck behind a farm vehicle.  You know what I mean.

The nearly 300 foot tall church tower spire was clearly visible as soon as we rounded the bend into Lutherstadt Wittenberg.  The words “Ein feste Burg is unser Gott” (A mighty fortress is our God) are inscribed near the top.  The original wooden doors to which Luther nailed his famous document were replaced by King Frederick William IV (there’s just so many of them!) in the 1800s with massive bronze doors that literally weigh over a TON and are inscribed with Luther’s Theses. Do you think they replaced the jams too?  What about the hinges?  I mean, that’s a lotta door, right?! 

We drove all around the old city, on cobblestone streets barely wide enough for our car, simultaneously relieved and frustrated there was no on-street parking. Finally, we found a park-and-ride spot near the train stop where we ditched the car and headed off on foot.  We explored the StadtPark (City Park) at the church, walked around the church grounds a bit, interacted with snails and mushrooms (those other living beings who relish the rain as much as we Arizonans do), and, then, we started to make our way back to the A9 for Berlin.  

We do not backtrack.  We seldom revisit places we have been.  There are just too many alternative options and too much to see with very little life available. That said, the route we took to exit Lutherstadt Wittenberg was sometimes little more than a paved, forest path that wound through places not even identified on the map.  We discovered little villages with names like Schmilkendorf (sh-MILK-in-dorf), Nudersdorf (NUDE-errs-dorf), and finally Straach (STRAAAAAAH-khuh) with a growing joy – to the point that we went from giggling to flat out laughing-out-loud with silliness.  It was also along this route that we first noticed the naked pine trees.  An observation that did not help our sobriety. 

After a total drive time of 8 HOURS, we finally arrived at our B&B in Berlin.  Some of that drive time was admittedly spent in a stau (stand still traffic jam) on the A10 just prior to our exit, of course. 

So, what’s the plan for Berlin, you ask?  Will we visit the famous Museumsinsel (Museum Island) in the heart of Berlin and explore all the beautiful museums and their lovely architecture?  Maybe.  Will we visit any of the many famous palaces or parks in Berlin, such as Peacock Island, the Marble Palace, the New Garden, or the Glienicke Palace.  Well, we might drive past one or two.  What about the Berlin Zoo – the most visited Zoo in all of Europe?  Probably not.  So, what then is our focus for our Berlin visit?  Everything related to World War II, of course.  The family history buff has her sights on a visit to the Schöneburg Rathaus where JFK famously spoke in German; thus charming the delighted locals.  She also wants to see the notorious Checkpoint Charlie where a literal tank-standoff occurred between the East and West as the wall was being built (by the East) through the city.  The Berlin Wall itself, of course, and the historic Brandenburg Gate, one of the city gates designed by the King of Prussia, Frederick William II (another one!) and intentionally obstructed by the Berlin Wall.  This is also the site where the late U.S. President, Ronald Reagan, directly challenged his Russian counterpart, the head of the Communist Party, Mikhail Gorbachev, in 1987 by shouting, “Open this gate. Tear down this wall!”.  Again, U.S. Presidents delighting the locals with impassioned speeches.  We will also undoubtedly pass by the nearby Reichtag (government building) home to the German Bundestag (Parliment) and possibly the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral).  

We spent some time settling in and familiarizing ourselves with the transit map of Berlin.  You don’t think I’m actually going to DRIVE in this city, do you?  Now we are winding down for the evening, and getting ready for another fun-filled day of exploration and touristing.  Exciting times!

I know I have mentioned this before, but in June of 1984, my parents and I moved from the U.S. to Germany.  At that time, it was called West Germany because the country was still divided by the wall erected after World War II.  My father took an international assignment for four years with IBM under contract with NATO and we lived in a lovely city in the Taunus mountains north of Frankfurt am Main.  The city is called Bad Homburg vor der Höhe and is renown for its spas and casino, but as a young American girl, I was particularly fond of the PALACE – Schloss Bad Homburg. That might not sound like such a big deal to you because many European cities have castles or ruins thereof.  However, the palace (yes, it is a palace) in Bad Homburg v.d. Höhe was actually the only residence of the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, William II and his wife.  So there!

In any case, Germany has a special place in my heart as it was my first international destination and residence. Further, I spent a big part of my adolescence and “formative years” in Germany, and I adopted many German habits and customs that are still with me now, years later. I learned to speak German, and even French, as a student living here and frequently found myself shopping, playing sports, attending concerts, and otherwise exploring the fascinating nearby metropolis, Frankfurt am Main. I even had my first ever real job in the city – although I won’t tell you what it was (cheeky, I know). 

For me, Frankfurt am Main is a place full of memories that I enjoy savoring from time to time.  I appreciate the way the Main river winds through the city like an elegant woman sweeping through a ballroom, and the city wraps around her carefully; yielding with respect. I love the AltStadt with its cobbled streets and colorful, ornate buildings including the old city square, Römerberg, and Frankfurter Römer (Rathaus), city hall with balcony.  Did you know that Neue Altstadt literally means “new old city” and the rows of townhouses destroyed there in the war were rebuilt again in their original style, thus “new” but “old”.  You have to appreciate the way Germans think – efficiently and logically! I especially enjoy walking across the Eiserner Steg (Iron Bridge) to Sachsenhausen, having some Apflewein, and then wandering back again over either Altebrücke (oldest stone bridge over the Main River) or Untermainbrücke (built three times in history).  If you think Bilbao (The Bridges of Bilbao) has some lovely, breathtaking bridges, then you need to go to Frankfurt and cruise the Main.  The sheer beauty of German engineering and functionally artistic architecture will blow you away.  

So, when my only child said she wanted to celebrate her Sweet 16 by traveling to all the places that were on her must-visit-while-living-abroad list, but due to the pandemic had to be indefinitely delayed, I naturally responded with “Let’s start in Frankfurt!”.  

I want to take a moment here and venture down a different topic path for a bit.  It seems to me that nearly every culture has some rite of passage, some coming-of-age, or some celebration of sorts that recognizes a time when a child is no longer a child.  For Jewish girls age 12, it’s a Bat Mitzvah. For Mexican girls age 15, it’s a Quinceañera.  For the Amish at age 16, it’s a Rumspringa (bet you didn’t know that one).  For Americans, well, some of us anyway, it’s your Sweet 16.  The magical year when you are legally allowed to drive your own car.  A time when you finally, literally possess your freedom – well, if you are lucky enough to afford a vehicle, insurance, gas, etc.  The point being, for some Americans, celebrating your 16th birthday is something special.  I mean, in the 80s, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall even made a movie, Sixteen Candles, about it.  Remember?  Anyway, all this boils down to one thing: this year is Allita’s 16th year and instead of a car, insurance, gas, driving school, etc., she decided she wanted to celebrate by traveling.  How cool is that?  (Although it also means that I will remain the family chauffeur for a longer period than I had originally planned)

So, it begins.  One month in Europe with my girl.  Exactly 30 days of travel.  We will go to a special place in Poland where crooked trees grow – a place she has wanted to visit since third grade.  We will journey through northern Germany, up and across Scandinavia exploring Viking festivals, Viking markets, Viking museums, Viking ruin stones, and all things Viking (you get the picture).  We will make our way to the British Isles to the city of York then Stonehenge, and London with Sherlock’s museum, the Graffiti tunnel, Churchill’s War Rooms, the London Eye, and a local cheese bar, among other places. We will bike, hike, bus, cruise, fly, ferry, ride trains, drive cars, walk and wander to our heart’s content, and we will start it all here, in the home of my heart, Frankfurt, Germany. 

PS. Special shout-out to my lovely mother who agreed to stay home during the monsoon, continue some ongoing remodeling projects, take care of Toby, and miss out on this whirlwind trip across Europe. It feels strange to travel without GG, and we miss her already.

(Chicken Pizza)

The journey to visit the world famous Chichén Itza took us from Quintana Roo to Yucatán State.

We left the resort by bus in the very early morning hours and enjoyed a lovely ride through the lush jungle forest of inner Mexico – the same deep green areas we passed on our arrival flight.  The early ride to the site was full of energy and chatter – everyone excited and impatient to see this massive archaeological marvel of Mayan design.  The resort had made the arrangement privately for this tour and also provided us with a tasty bag breakfast and a variety of drink options including coffee, tea, juice and water.  We sat in our cushy seats and watched the countryside pass by while we listened to our tour guides in both English and Spanish as they educated us on the Mayan language, math, culture and some history.  

Chichén Itzá is one of the biggest Mayan cities.  The inner city itself is approximately two square miles with even more residential structures outside the city walls and well into the nearby jungle.  The ruins are managed by the Mexican Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History).  According to our guide, this is one of the most visited places in Mexico.  The city itself hosts a huge variety of outdoor vendors and artisans, some bathrooms, restaurants, and a gift shop at the entrance.  It is a sprawling site filled with a huge number of ruins, structures, statues, pathways, platforms and temples surrounded by a massive stone wall and nestled in a jungle forest the perimeter of which is so thick with vegetation you can scarcely see through it.  

Our guides were both of Mayan descent.  They were able to explain the name Chichén Itzá as “mouth of the well Itzá” where Itzá refers to the people who lived in this area.  One of our guides was part of a team who explored the cenotes at Chichén and showed us underwater photos he had taken.  He also explained that in addition to the four cenotes visible at the site, there is also a hidden cenote under the massive Temple of Kukulkan.  

While at the site, we elected to tour with the Spanish-speaking group so that we could practice our lingual skills.  Further, we rationalized that the content of the tour might be different when given in their native tongue.  When we came back to the bus later in the evening, we discovered we were not mistaken in that assumption.  Our guide explained the various structures as we toured the massive ruined city: Temple of the Warriors, Temple of Xtoloc, Akab Dzib, Cacacol, the North Temple, the Temple of the Bearded Man, the Platform of Venus and many others. 

We learned about games played at the Great Ball Court where competitors found honor in death.  On each side of the massive court are walled platforms that stand nearly 30 feet high.  In the center of the walls are rings carved with the image of Kukulkan.  All around the inside of the court are benches with sculpted panels containing images of what may have occurred in these games. In one image, a player is decapitated and spewing from his bloody neck is streams of snakes.  Many of the images appear to be battle scenes. We learned about sacrifices at the Sacred Cenote and how those who were selected might have been forced to climb the 365 stairs to the very top of the Temple of Kukulkan, barefooted and knowing well their fate.  The Skull Platform is near the Great Ball Court. The skulls appear to be stacked in tall vertical columns.  Nearby is another platform called the Eagles and the Jaguars platform where sculpted images show eagles and jaguars eating human hearts. Yes, Chichén Itzá is a tad macabre. 

Rows of columns stretch along the front of the Temple of the Warriors and some of the columns even appear to be sculpted to resemble warriors.  These ruins offer some evidence of the grandiose ancient structures that once existed in this massive city.  The murals found inside the Temple of the Warriors were of great interest to Allita as our guide explained that many famous Mayan scholars believe they depict images showing the Mayans had contact with the Vikings.  Allita is, of course, a great fan of all things Viking.

The Mercado, or market, is a massive structure near another of the many temples inside the city walls. Las Monjas, Osorio and the Castillo temple (Temple of Kukulkan) all sit on leveled areas while the remainder of the city ebbs and flows over uneven hilly terrain. The many buildings on the site are all connected by a network of stone-paved roadways that criss-cross all over the city and, in some places, appear to vanish into the trees.  Some of the buildings appear to have been originally painted with faint glimpses of color still visible in some areas. Another interesting fact we learned was that Mayans had engineered structures for moving water across the ancient city – the same types of aqueducts that ancient Romans may have once used for that purpose. 

Finally, the massive Temple of Kulkulkan stands in the center of the Great North Platform.  We found it quite difficult to photograph as it stands nearly 100 feet tall and 180 feet wide. At the very top of the pyramid sits the 20 foot tall temple itself and inside that temple is the Jaguar Throne which is red and contains jade ornamentation.  Under the temple of Kulkulkan, Mexican archaeologists discovered a staircase that led to another temple underground.  According to our guide, at the time of the spring and fall equinox, the northwest corner of the temple pyramid casts shadows that give the appearance of a serpent slithering down the steps. Kulkulkan is the feathered serpent God the Mayans worshipped.  Fun Fact: The number of steps to the top of the temple is the same number of days in the Mayan calendar.

Believe it or not, we did not see all of Chichén Itzá during our all-day tour.  We tried to but there was just too much there to see, too much to learn, and too many other people, that navigating through it all in one day was just not possible.  After many hours, we left the federal park, cooled off in a cenote, ate dinner in a small town with a lovely old church and a wood-fired oven pizzeria, and finally relaxed on the return ride back to the resort. 

Photographs by Allita Barefoot

An interesting geographical feature of the Yucatán is related to limestone and water.  Cenotes are natural pits – sinkholes actually – that expose the ground water when the limestone bedrock collapses.  The region is believed to hold somewhere around 10,000 or more cenotes.  The Mayan are believed to have used these massive pits as wells and, also, unsurprisingly, for ritual sacrifices.  In 2023, an exploration of underwater rivers and cenotes by divers and researchers in the Yucatán discovered nearly 30 skulls in a cenote.  Other similar explorations in the past have yielded a variety of human remains in the same type underground waters.  So naturally, it should come as no surprise that we decided to swim in not one but two different cenotes and a fully underground, semi-flooded cave system called Río Secreto.  

Río Secreto or Secret River is a natural reserve protected by the Mexican government.  The entire underwater cave system is about 26 miles long and is basically a connection of partially flooded caverns that contain living stalactites, stalagmites, stalagmites, pisoliths and helictites.  This cave system is also home to bats, fish, spiders and a variety of other life forms (not including the tourists).  Only about 10% of the entire cave system is open to the public and the process for accessing the area is well-organized and controlled.  We were provided with all the necessary gear: shoes, wet suits, life jackets, etc. and services: changing area, toilet and showers, refreshments, tour guides with flashlights, etc. 

Entrance into both cenotes we explored was very well designed with steps and handrails.  In one case, you could elect to just jump right in, which Allita naturally did and then regretted because her ears popped from the immediate underwater pressure.  If you have never been swimming in an underwater cavern or cave, the experience is truly unique. The water is cool and quite refreshing. Sound bounces along the walls and carries across the surface easily – even a small drop can echo loudly. It is quite dark at times and necessary that you are a good swimmer and not claustrophobic. The spaces through which you must navigate without touching any of the living rock are quite narrow and can be tricky to balance.  You also have to remember you are not the only living creature in this cool, dark, bottomless pit.  That thought alone can really get the heart pumping.  If ever there was a place for a horror flick about something in the water… 

Another interesting activity we enjoyed while visiting Quintana Roo was snorkeling with the Sea Turtles!  In Akumal, very near Tulum, there is an archaeological zone where the water is almost completely clear and an area is zoned off for snorkeling.  In this area, you can see many fish, including a beautiful ray who surprised even our guide, plant life and, of course, sea turtles.  Again, we were provided with all the gear necessary: wet suits, life jackets, snorkels, etc. and services: changing area, toilet and shower, refreshments, tour guides who also swam with us, etc.  

Photos in all bodies of water on this trip were taken by Allita Barefoot using a submersible cell phone case. 

Photographs by Allita Barefoot

Tulum is the nearest largest city to the south of where we were staying.  We first visited Tulum for groceries and just a quick walk-about in the city to get our bearings.  Our next visit to Tulum was a private tour of the Mayan walled city ruins located on the cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea.  

When we first arrived at the national park that houses these Mayan ruins, we were greeted by the color and beauty of the local scene. Brightly-colored decorations adorned buildings and walkways, painted statues and caricatures were standing along the street, and in the square, there were performance artists entertaining the crowds of curious tourists.  

The walk from the parking area to the park entrance was included in our guided tour and we learned much about the history of the park, the flora and even fauna of the local area.  

As it turned out, our guide was a degreed scientist with avid interest in history, archaeology and botany.  Considering these three topics are interesting to each of us (Mom – botany, Allita – history, myself – archaeology), we were delighted to spend the day with a like-minded local who welcomed our endless questions and was happy to wander anywhere and everywhere around the park for hours.   

One point of note: as we three hail from Tucson where the average relative humidity is below 25%, it took some time for us to adjust to 75-80% humidity and 90 degree temperatures.  In Tulum, the outside temperatures can feel 10 degrees warmer from just the humidity alone! With that much water vapor in the air, even the shade offers little solace. So there should be no surprise that we appear a little wilted in our photos. It was a fun day that we greatly enjoyed and would happily repeat – even in the tropical conditions.

The ruins at Tulum are massive and sprawling. Even with advanced research, we were unprepared for the full scale of the park. Nearly the entire ancient Mayan city remains preserved and available for viewing. There are multiple temples, platforms, terraces, shrines, and other structures laid out in precise rows and all surrounded by massive gated walls with watch towers similar to European cities we have previously toured. The “castillo” in the center was so like a traditional royal castle, elevated far above the other structures with a long sweeping staircase to the top – commanding attending and demanding humility and respect.  You can easily see it among all the photographs we took of the main site.

Another interesting observation was the manner of construction of the structures and walls themselves. Mayans built many pyramid-shaped temples constructed in layers on a base platform that was slightly raised above the ground (step). Their buildings had narrow doorways and on the eastern side, where the direct sun shown without relief, few small windows to allow light but discourage heat.  

The city itself was constructed on a slight hill with steep cliffs leading to the Caribbean Sea to the east.  The rocky “beach” at the base of the cliffs would have easily deterred any water-based entrance by unwanted visitors in the past. Pathways through the ruins are well-maintained and easily traversed allowing you access to all areas.  Although she did not specifically require it, my mother did bring her walking stick to help navigate uneven ground, and there were plenty of places under the canopy of the jungle trees for us to rest for a moment in the shade, if needed. 

All-in-all, the visit to Tulum was enjoyed by everyone.

_{Photos by Allita Barefoot}

May 2023 found the three Barefoot adventurers traveling to Latin America – specifically Quintana Roo, Mexico in the area of Playa Paraiso where we would spend an entire week enjoying the luxurious Vidanta Rivera Maya resort and exploring all things Mayan and Mexican.

Located in the Yucatán peninsula with the Gulf on the north and the Caribbean to the east, the Mexican state of Quintana Roo is home to the popular tourist destination, Cancun.  For this trip, we flew American Airlines from Tucson to Dallas Fort Worth and then on to Cancún. 

Because of delays in Tucson, we had to literally RUN to make our connecting flight in DFW.  I had previously expressed some concerns but was assured that there was enough time between the two legs.  NOTE: when in doubt, always err on the safe side – plan for failure – and give yourself PLENTY of time for connections.  At this point, you would think I would already do this as a routine or habit.  After all, for us, travel is almost as natural as breathing.  Yeah….no. 

The flight to Cancún was lovely.  We anxiously peered out the plane window to spy the Gulf waters.  As we live in Tucson, water is always a surprise and joy to witness.  The terrain was breath-taking and our photos don’t nearly do it justice. Long swaths of undisturbed jungle and forest rolling over hills and through valleys as far as the eye could see. This is absolutely not the same Mexico we know from years of visiting Cabo San Lucas. It’s too green!

The sprawling metropolis of Cancún was quite a surprise for our marveling eyes. Having only previously visited Cancún by cruise ship, this aerial panorama clearly revealed just how many people call this area home.  Quintana Roo is a thriving, growing state in Mexico with new hotels and resorts in constant construction. At the time of our visit, the new Tren Maya or intercity railway spanning nearly 1,000 miles along the Yucatán, was still under construction. Everyone we met was particularly excited for the new rail system and looking forward to the grand opening which occurred in December 2023.

We pre-booked private transportation from the Cancun airport to our resort, Vidanta Riveria Maya. This is a practice we have developed over the last 20 years of traveling to Baja California Sur. Navigating the airport in Mexico can be tricky. You can easily find yourself overwhelmed if you aren’t familiar with customs, immigration, and time share salesmen.  That said, we arrived at the resort, and spent the rest of our first day exploring. 

The Vidanta is a lovely resort with a large campus and multiple buildings all connected by roadway, including a free train that shuttles residents, and walking bridges and pathways with lovely decorations, breath-taking views, gorgeous flora, and fascinating wildlife.  We saw native birds, massive iguanas, coatimundi, squirrels, flamingos, bats, crocodiles, agouti, and a wide variety of sea life (in the tide pools) and insects – all without even leaving our resort!!  

The resort hosts multiple lovely pools – including a very large pool right at the beach – with nearby restaurants, shops, activity centers, and services. We felt like we had entered our own little private oasis where everything we could possibly need was right at our fingertips.  The Mayan influence is visible and apparent everywhere in the resort.  One pool even has a giant statue of Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent god, also known as Kukulkan.  

On the beach are several piers that stretch out over the water.  Guests can reserve water activity equipment and explore the beach at will.  The resort does provide life guards during the busy hours – as we have found is common for family-friendly resorts in Mexico. 

Allita was delighted with the tide pools as she found them teeming with life; much like pools we have explored many times in the past at our residence on the western coast: urchins, limpets, hermit crabs, needlefish, sea grasses, etc.  The Caribbean water felt a little warmer to us, at first touch, so we were surprised to find many of the same creatures living in these shallow biomes. 

In the evening, the resort comes alive with fun, decorative lighting hanging in the trees along the walking paths, and the sounds of music and laughter mingle with the quiet of the dark jungle nearby. Although we did explore some of the resort on our first night, it took us almost the entire week to see everything available and venture the entire campus.