Hola Mexico!

Luis and I arrived in Cancún at lunch time and as soon as we picked our super cheap rental car we started driving towards Valladolid. We didn't take the highway, so we got to drive in a road that connects little villages. And what a road! We drove through the wonderful jungle and met the people from those pueblos, who are actual Mayans (some of them don't even speak Spanish)! We saw the most amazing pink sunset and took our time absorbing little things that crossed our path, from Mexican red rump tarantulas to amazing birds (Altamira Oriole) and their hanging nests.Just a bit before we got to our destination we found a village that was having a traditional popular party. We had dinner there and that was where our gastronomic journey began! Maybe because we were the tallest ones over there, there were a few people staring at us. I guess they're not very used to having tourists attending their parties. Mayans speak really low, so apart from the music you could almost hear the crickets. Everybody was warm and beautiful in their own way. Women were all wearing the famous Yucatan traditional dresses, blouses and skirts embroidered with amazing flowers, which I'll forever be in love with.Valladolid is a very cute little city, with a stunning tiny park (La Mestiza) in front of the church (San Gervacio). It was late when we arrived so most things were already closed. We took a stroll around and came across Coqui Coqui's perfume shop and hat shop (they also have a restaurant and hotels, where I would stay if I go back, for sure). Both shops are amazingly decorated and made me want to live there without even knowing their products!The next morning we visited Chichen Itza, which is much more than a big Mayan pyramid! It is a city, a civilisation, there are so many thing to see and to feel over there. It's so mystical and beautiful. By the way, if you're thinking about buying cool souvenirs, don't miss the opportunity to bargain.One thing that amazes me is how Mexicans use colours! They are surely not afraid of them and they write on the walls to publicise a vast extent of things, from Coca-Cola to the next parties in town.  We stopped for lunch in a village and we ate a mix of amazing food! Don't be afraid with the looks of the Loncherias, the more simple and humble the place looks, the better the food will be. Everything is so fresh and tasty! Imagine how hysterical I got when I learnt that every meal should be accompanied by Agua de Jamaica or Horchata (two of my favourite beverages in the world).We decided to drive around and found these pink salines. They're the first pink ones I saw in real life, and what made them even more special were the flamingos in the lake nearby, in Dzemul. As if pink lakes and flamingos weren't enough, we were able to see some pretty cool pelicans in Progresso.After this we got in the car and started driving towards Merida, our next stop. <3

Cuba is Blue and Pink

 Havana was our next stop after New York. We decided to stay for 1 day there first, then go to Viñales for 3 days and come back to Havana for our last days in Cuba. That way it was possible to get to know this amazing city a little and come back for more! I've never seen so much colorful buildings in my whole life, and boy, do I love color!People are polite and helpful. Though there are already a lot of schemes for tourists, so be careful. Also, if you want to visit Havana's surroundings and neighborhoods, try to exchange some CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos, the money that you get from the ATM) for CUP (Cuban Peso or Moeda Nacional) at a Casa de Cambio. With CUP you can have a meal or a juice almost for free!Traveling by bus is the cheapest way to travel but buses are often super crowded and surely are not for pussies! Try to negotiate if you're traveling in a taxi colectivo. Also, don't be surprised if your driver honks to every woman and teenage girl that passes by! Men are still very sexist. As I was with Luis, I never felt unsafe, but a lot of women I know who traveled to Cuba by themselves felt disrespected.Sundays are baseball days. You can buy a ticket for a few cents and enjoy a social afternoon with a lot of cheap snacks and  plenty of excitement. We watched Industriales against Isla de la Juventud.Stay tuned for more from my trip to Cuba!