Cancún, the museum and La Isla

This morning, after yoga class, I caught another local bus and, despite the generally poor state of the buses, they've dropped me off at my destination every time. Of course, a bit of divine help lends a hand, and this driver wasn't messing around: he'd put a crucifix on the windscreen and even a frog. This one even had speakers pumping out Latin hits during the ride.

Once there, off I went to see the small Maya Museum and archaeological site of San Miguelito, where I saw some artefacts used by the Maya, such as the sculptures in the shape of grimacing faces that were nothing more than incense burners for rituals to the gods, and a mini pyramid surrounded by iguanas.

As it was close by and the heat was getting intense, I went to “La Isla”, a sort of open-air shopping centre with lots of attractions, such as a Ferris wheel, an aquarium, casinos and a cinema. It also had a marina overlooking the Nichupté lagoon, where you'd better not swim, as it's home to a few crocodiles. But it's the perfect spot to watch the sunset.

In the afternoon it was beach time and my first dip at Playa Marilyn, and what an afternoon. I was in the water enjoying the waves, which were quite rough, when a young man and a woman who had been next to me a moment ago had drifted away and started calling for help: they had gone out too far and the sea wouldn't let them come back. I was one of the first to notice, and I started waving my arms and heading towards the sand and shouting for the lifeguard to come and help. The whole beach stood frozen watching the scene... Even the lifeguard... They're slow to react. So I had to throw myself back into the water and managed to reach the woman, who in the meantime had managed to swim back a little towards the beach and told me she was fine, and I returned to the sand with her.

Meanwhile 2 lifeguards arrived, passed us by and went to get the young man who was further out, and they had to take a longer route to get out of the water, because in that spot they weren't managing it. Fortunately everything went well and everyone got to shore safe and sound, and there was even a round of applause. The lifeguard, after going back to the watchtower and filing his report on what had happened, went to collect payment for the service and walked along the beach asking for a few coins with a coffee mug, and managed to get some change from the beachgoers around. What he forgot was to give me my share.

I was already sprawled on my towel getting a tan and recovering my energy, and ended up dozing off. When I opened my eyes, the sky had some very dark clouds, but everyone stayed on the beach as if nothing was up. I could tell straight away that a proper soaking was coming, so I packed my bag and legged it to catch the bus.

I must be a wizard: I get on the bus and within 1 minute a proper tropical downpour comes down, the heavy kind, which lasted almost the whole bus ride and caught nearly everyone unprepared. At the next stops it was nothing but drenched little chicks getting on the bus, and me all dry. By the time I arrived, the rain had stopped and I was thinking the day was going well and that I was in luck, as almost always happens.

Well, that lasted only until I got to the hostel and looked at my wrist and saw that I was missing the wristband with the magnetic key to my room. I must have lost it in the water during the rescue mission. So I had to ask for another at reception and pay 100 pesos (€5).

Dinner on day 2 was at the Feria del “Tamal” (“ta mal”), a local fair for those who are also “Está bien”. There I had some tacos pastor and, for dessert, a marquesita Turbio, a crispy wafer filled with chocolate, Philadelphia cheese, strawberries and walnuts, made on the spot.

I didn't risk the other dessert, which was also selling like hot cakes: a corn cob, without the corn, dipped in mayonnaise and rolled in little pieces of bola cheese. Although I like trying things, I didn't want to spoil the night with this local snack and have to run looking for a toilet in the middle of a street party. Another curiosity at the fair was a stall selling white plaster piggy banks that the locals bought and then sat down to paint, and the “one man show” who provided the music for everyone at the party.