Cozumel

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Bahamas Day 5 Cozumel Wednesday April 22^nd

 

Today we arrived in Cozumel, Mexico. We have visited here many times over the years, and although the island has changed, it still holds its own unique charm. The water is an unreal shade of turquoise, the breeze is warm and gentle, and stepping into the sea water temperature is said to be like a perfectly heated bath. Of course, that beauty draws a crowd. With cruise ships bringing an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 passengers into port each day, the streets can turn chaotic—people rushing to tequila tastings, hunting for souvenirs, or eyeing “authentic” cigars that are anything but. Still, Cozumel stays a fantastic destination if you love scuba diving, snorkeling, water sports, or getting a close look at Mayan culture.

 

Today we were planning to stay on the ship since 90% of the passengers head ashore, the ship turns wonderfully peaceful. Then reality hit: we still needed our 10,000 steps… and Jay needed socks. So, we hopped off, figuring it was easier to walk on land than to take endless laps around the decks. I know what you’re thinking, “You came all the way to Mexico to buy socks …you guys really know how to have a good time”.

 

But ask yourself: have you ever been to a Mega Soriana in Cozumel? Most people haven’t — and honestly, it should count as an excursion. Mega is like Walmart, but better: cleaner, wide aisles, no one hustling you like in the tourist shops, and stocked with everything from beach towels to fresh tortillas… and yes, socks. If I ever write another travel book, I’ll absolutely include a trip to Mega. That’s real cultural immersion. Sure, they don’t have a ‘Swim with the Dolphins’ package, but wandering about in a local supermarket tells you more about a town than any choreographed outing ever will. We even checked out all by ourselves — just as easy as self‑checkout at Walmart. Well… except for the moment Jay didn’t put the socks in the bag, and the machine refused to let us pay. So, we had to call over the man to help us but hey, that happens at Walmart too.

 

We thought about spending the day in Playa del Carmen, but realized we’d be too rushed. It’s a 45‑minute ferry ride from Cozumel, and as much as we love Playa — it’s one of our favorite places in Mexico — today just wasn’t the day to squeeze it in. On our first visit to Playa del Carmen, it had this wonderfully laid‑back, local feel. Over the years it’s evolved, as great places often do, and it’s now a vibrant, in‑demand destination. These days you’ll find luxury shopping, stylish bars, and more high‑end restaurants and the abundance of tourists.

 

I still have such great memories from our last trip. We met two guys from Pennsylvania, and somehow the four of us ended up in this tiny restaurant that basically felt like someone’s living room, maybe five tables total. “The food was incredible — you can never go wrong with “Tacos al pastor.”.

 

One of the guys had what I thought was a cool job: he worked in project development for Crayola. His whole world revolved around creating and naming crayon colors. He told us Crayola has made more than 200 colors over the years, with about 175 still in rotation. And apparently the most popular box they sell is the one with 152 crayons with crazy wild names like Jazz berry, Radical Red, and Canary.  Just to show how much things change, when I was ten, I had the starter box of ten crayons, and the names were literally just Blue, Red, Yellow. That was it. Anyway, from where I’m stretched out on the sundeck overlooking Cozumel, the water is pure Cerulean Blue—a shade that, incidentally, is the name of a crayon, probably invented by the guy we met.

 

After our big shopping adventure, we spent the afternoon by the pool — and in the pool — chatting with other passengers. The weather was warm, the kind of warm where you suddenly appreciate every cloud that drifts in front of the sun. We grabbed lunch at the Grill by the pool, but the selections were… interesting. Not burgers, dogs and fries but pasta, chicken, and pork chops that are not exactly lounger‑friendly. That’s the kind of lunch you eat sitting upright at a table with a napkin tucked in, not half‑reclined by the pool trying not to drop a pork chop on your swimsuit.

 

Tonight’s show was the comedian Azeem with a set called, “I Am Just Serious”. We decided to skip it. In our experience, cruise‑ship comedy is… not great. They’re always trying to play on both sides, terrified of offending anyone, and the result is a string of tired, lukewarm jokes that land with a thud. Half the time I feel bad for the comedian because nobody’s laughing, and the other half I feel bad for myself because I am sitting through it. So yes — “I Am Just Serious” and we didn’t go.

 

Tomorrow we are in Costa de Maya.