It was 30 below in northern New York last night, and it was damn cold in northwest Ohio too. We’ve chosen a good week to be in Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico. It’s seventy four degrees at 10 am, and our top-floor terrace is situated for a perfect view of the sunrise, ocean breezes (actually, today, strong ocean winds), early morning sun, and shade from about now throughout the day.
We’ve been coming to this little town since 2009, the whole family and occasional guests. It’s right off Highway 307, about halfway between Cancun and Tulum. On the drive south from the airport, we saw many changes, development that is the inevitable result of the development and promotion of Tulum. Akumal, blessedly, seems much the same.
For the first time we experienced the stereotype when, just after pulling out of the car rental agency in Cancun, Olivia braked to avoid someone running across the road, was pulled over and avoided going “downtown” to retrieve her drivers license by means of a (modest) cash bribe. Elio, the manager of our Akumal condo, seemed to feel that the $60 she paid was excessive.
Also for the first time, our family includes a baby. I’m looking forward to watching her have her first experience of Akumal.