Chichen Itza – Yucatan, Mexico

I hate tour groups by default. You’re herded like sheep, shuttled from place to place, usually by a guy who is repeating his spiel for the 200^th time this month and is just too tired to deliver it with any animation. That sums up all of our pre-Lares Trek guides in Peru, so we have very low expectations – we only signed up for the day trip so that we wouldn’t have to wrangle with public transportation.

But our experience with Mexico-Kan is so different. Not because we had low expectations, but because the quality of the tour is truly exceptional: Professional, intelligible, and led by a guide who says just enough and comes prepared with key visuals on his IPad.

He starts in the towering ball court, where we gaze up in wonder at the tiny, lofty hoop through which they send a 7-pound ball. There are really only two rules: Aim high and try not to get sacrificed to the gods.

We walk out into the main area, and our guide tells us to “try to ignore the massive pyramid” and describes the details of the smaller structures first. El Castillo is just the tiniest bit distracting, but his strategy is sound. We would never notice the smaller temples otherwise.

And finally, El Castillo. It is towering, and it is breathtaking. Two or three sides are restored to their original glory, and it is a majestic structure. The Mayans must have thought they could touch the heavens from the top. They also built it without bulldozers and cranes. Don’t ask me how.

We walk over to the Osario group of structures and aim our cameras at the Osario Pyramid, one of many structures we see throughout the morning.

Chichen Itza holds so many wonders of an ancient world, but it would take too long to describe them all. There are a lot of snakes and jaguars, for sure, and it’s clear that the Mayans have a recurring theme. They were a deeply religious people, and they placed a lot of significance on their animals and their cenotes. So a cenote is the natural next stop, and our guide plays a short Ted Talk to get our minds moving during the car ride there. The talk is a plea to embrace the unconscious, a pro-ayahuasca speech that is as controversial as it is fascinating. 

Ki’Bok – Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

It is EARLY, it is SO early, and Chichen Itza better be worth dragging ourselves out of bed at this ungodly vacation-hour. The hotel kitchen isn’t even open when we stumble in, and the tour van comes before we can finish our coffee. Alas, they are punctual, and extremely professional – the guide only raises one eyebrow at the hair I didn’t bother to brush.

We are the first to be picked up so we have to wait for the others.  But rather than have us sit in the van for ten minutes, our guide is a thoughtful guy, and he has the driver drop us off at Ki’Bok.

I am mostly a Starbucks girl, but even a Mormon could see that Ki’Bok is amazing. A simply, beautifully-done coffee-stand, sorta-hut, emanating fragrant, fresh brews. We get an Americano, and it’s awesome.

We’re hungry, but we’re stuck in that too-sleepy-to-eat limbo that comes before breakfast, so a smaller Pecan Bar will do. It’s a secret family recipe, they say, and we can’t get enough. The crust is solid butter, the pecan layer is lighter than what they put in a pie except they add an extra cup of sugar to each bar and probably lace it with crack because we couldn’t resist getting a second round. We ate them so fast, this blurry action shot was all I got.

If Ki’Bok isn’t the best coffee shop in town, I will never know. I don’t know my coffee, but I do know when something is exceptional, and there’s nowhere else I need to go. With us full on coffee and pastries, in an air-conditioned van full on fuel, our daytrip only gets better from here.

Puro Corazon - Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

We should have quit while we were ahead. Great late lunch, borderline hungry for dinner, Puro Corazon is such a convenient distance from our hotel so why not have a lighter meal before turning in for the night?

Because the Pescado Caribeno. The catch of the day is a sad sea bass steak, dry in the middle and rock-hard around the edges. It’s seared like an overcooked flank and was equally hard to chew. The passionfruit sauce is interesting, but it’s so sour it overpowers everything else on the plate, and the “crispy” wild rice was like chewing on gravel.

The Tortitas de Huauzontle were the good kind of vegetarian; wholesome and satisfying, a killer combination of an earthy, starchy amaranth in a dense cake with manchego and parmesan cheese. The tomato and pepper sauce wets the breaded patties and gives it a little color.

For a place that specializes in seafood, the sea bass is just embarrassing! The tortitas show some potential, and the décor is a nice hippie vibe, but otherwise this whatever jungle restaurant is easy to miss, and it’s probably better to keep on walking. 

El Camello Jr. – Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Raw fish on vacation is a rookie mistake if you’re not in Japan. Food poisoning is BAD, and it's even worse when my medical license isn’t valid and my prescription pads have no power. 

But my fish-fix calls to me, and the craving crawls in, as a menu of ceviche and seafood cocktails beckons irresistibly. Ceviche is kind of cheating, and I like to pretend it’s okay. It’s not raw, it’s CURED. The fish is firm and opaque, but it still has that cold, fresh-off-the-boat feel as it maintains a soft, moist texture that goes away with heat. They do the lime juice just right – it permeates the fish, skims the shrimp, and coats the tender octopus. They also incorporate “snail” into the mixto, which is an ingredient I haven’t had. The snail has the firmness of a clam with a not-briny flavor and a smooth finish like a thinner, lighter conch.  

Hot balances cold as tentacles of Pulpo al Mojo de Ajo sizzle in a thick garlic butter. A layer of finely-pressed garlic coats each tiny piece, and it’s so simply good…as long as I can’t smell my breath.

I love El Camello Jr. Tulum is no longer a town of hippie tourists, but this is one spot that still keeps its charm. A simple storefront with a straw-thatch overhang and crowded tables, it’s a proud establishment that stands strong, backed by generous servings of ceviche that are nothing short of sublime.

Don Cafeto Mar Caribe – Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

We just went swimming, which has us craving ceviche, but that will have to wait. We exit the ruins to find a tourist-town plaza, full of cheaper-by-the-dozen souvenir shops, several restaurants, and even a Starbucks.

We are thirsty and we are starving, and dos dollars for a Dos Equis is quite a deal. The brunch-beer washes down a comfort-food Chicken Quesadilla, to-the-point tacos minus the veggie fillers. Maybe I’m just starving, but the chicken is salted just right, and the tender cubes are savory and soft. Tastes like chicken.

I have vowed to have avocado with every meal in Mexico, and Guacamole can’t go wrong. The avocado is ripe, and it’s a slightly thinner texture than I like, but all the balance of tomato and lime is right on.

A bowl of house-made Vegetables come complimentary, and they are delicious. Tangy-sweet carrot slices, a spicy-sweet roasted poblano. Definitely one of the more unique touches I’ve seen. 

A satisfying post-ruins snack despite the garish view of aggressive men in loincloths charging for souvenir photos, set in a mini-city tourist-trap. Fortunately, Don Cafeto doesn’t display that tourist-gouging spirit with their food. The prices are fair, and we eat just enough to hold us for the ten-minute cab ride to second brunch.

Zona Arqueologica de Tulum – Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Tulum’s ruins are not the best preserved, but their charm is undeniable. Set high upon a seaside cliff, a cool breeze wafts up from the waves to counter a scorching Mayan sun. There is no shade, and sometimes you can feel the rays of heat as they beat down the nape of your neck, singeing the tips of your unprotected ears.

The temples and buildings are set spaciously, comfortable distances apart, and most can be viewed from all sides. It minimizes the need to crowd around, and there’s plenty of time for seflies before the tour groups descend at 11 AM.

I’ve never been a huge fan of ruins because there’s a reason they’re called ruins. The structures hold so many secrets, but they are stories that failed the test of time. Lost are the intricate carvings that once adorned iconic structures like this Temple of the Stella, which has been reduced to walls and a single arch.

Still, there are hints of a once-splendid civilization, as resplendent rays of sunshine burrow between the rocks. They backlight and they highlight, and you can almost imagine the simple, blissful lives of the people who once called these buildings home. But the best attractions are rarely man-made – make sure you have a swimsuit to check out this beach beneath the cliffs.

Posada del Sol – Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

We have to cross the street to get to our new room. It’s on the “jungle side,” but it’s has the same villa-esque charm. The mosquitos have multiplied, but my picardin-based repellent does its job.

The sun-kissed sand is just as beautiful from the hotel’s lounge chairs and sun-bathing deck, but we don’t have much time for that.

We hit the ground running, KC-style, after a balanced free breakfast, courtesy of Posada del Sol.

Breakfast included, and I really can eat this every morning. The desayuno of champions; first, a gorgeous cup of hot, start-your-day-right coffee. Bitter then battles sweet as you down a glass of freshly-squeezed juice. One morning it’s mango, one mornings it’s orange, and the next day it’s pineapple at its best.

There’s a basket of bread with plenty of toast, and a full plate of refried black beans and scrambled eggs. The red chili sauce on the side is heavy like a Szechuan ma-la; a deep, mouth-numbing spice that opens the palate and makes even the most anti-breakfast people keep eating. One day, there is even a full plate of fresh fruit with the sweetest, pulpiest sunkissed mango, and melon so ripe it turns into a deluge of juice with a single chew. It’s fuel food, the kind that gets you out the door and to the ruins before the tour groups and keeps the hunger pangs at bay ‘til lunch.

Mateo's Mexican Grill – Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

The tamales kept us from killing each other, but the post-plane munchies are strong AF.

Posada del Sol gives us a free upgrade for the first night, thanks to a glorious mix-up, and our room faces an open ocean.

The mosquito-netting canopy cascades in soft waves, billowing in a cool breeze, keeping time with the waves washing up a sandy shore.

When you get into a room like that, it takes a while to leave. It’s pitch dark along the only road by the time we stop staring into the aquamarine sea, and we can’t go far for food. But we do see lights twinkle and glow in the night, sultry red stars from across the street, and soon I sip on a Strawberry Basil Mojito as we give the Mateo’s menu a glance. 

My mojito is a strawberry mash with a touch of terrible rum. Its quality matches that of my no-light, mood-light photos, but it hardly matters as the live band plays.

Ceviche is a must. Mariscos are the specialty of everyone in Tulum, and this marinated bowl of fish and shrimp does not disappoint. The lime juice is thick, and the avocado is so ripe it’s almost sweet as it oozes over striped, fleshy cubes of fish and chewy cocktail shrimp.

The Appetizer Platter is a plato of indecision, a relief for those too travel-weary to think. Fried chunks of fish are perfectly battered, a neutral cheese quesadilla is great with guac, and the carne asada is impossibly juicy and soft. There are grill-lines charred into the soft strips, and they taste like fresh flames.

Sour, salty, savory, all that’s missing is a sweet Coconut Flan. It’s airy but dense, with the occasional coconut shaving cutting through the sugar and egg.

Full belly, gorgeous shower, and waves lapping ashore in warm salt air. We pass out too soon, after what is probably the best first day we’ve ever had in another country.

First Meal - Tulum

There’s no snow in SoCal, but there is a flurry of planning before we go. I’m still too insecure to leave the daytrips to the last minute, and the plane tickets were all the spontaneity I could take.

We arrive after an easy 5-hour flight, and a private hotel shuttle awaits us; no way we’re taking a chance on the much-cheaper ADO bus being full. Our cowardice pulls up, personified by an impressively bilingual, full-uniform driver named Manuel.

First meals are usually hasty, and we’re too starved to care. Naturally, we start our trip with a gas-station Tamale, and because it’s Mexico, it’s still one of the better tamales I’ve had to date. The cornmeal is moist, the shredded chicken is well-salted, and the flavor is savory, probably some chicken stock. The banana leaf seals it all in, and it goes great with a bag of Funyuns and a can of Fanta.

Tulum, Mexico

To say that I’m uptight would be an understatement. I don’t think I’ve ever planned anything less than a month in advance, and I showed up to my second date with my fiancé with an itinerary. Apparently, he wants to be married to this madness, but most people just tell me to chill.

I’ve calmed down so much in the past decade, not that you can tell, but the fact that I can sometimes do dinner with only two days’ notice is a victory lap.

I’m the worst about travel. Six months out is the opportune time to buy a plane ticket, and the world begins to crumble before my eyes if tickets and hotels are not arranged by the time we’re three months out. Then there I was, staring at a 6-day gap in my work schedule. I clicked on Kayak, and when they asked for a destination, I typed in “anywhere”. I can literally go anywhere, I want to go everywhere, and for the first time in my life I didn’t have a plan. Many affordable tickets arose, little pinpoints of potential, most of them within a tumultuous country, hell-bent on making itself great again...under the capable guidance of a lunatic.

The round-trip to Cancun caught my eye. 1) Because $272 for a couple of direct flights is criminally cheap, and 2) because that was my heart rate at the time. Three weeks in advance might as well be three seconds. And with trembling hands, I made the reservation.

I wasn’t crazy about going to Cancun, and that was never the plan. No thanks to a city of tourists, a harem of all-inclusive resorts, full of honeymooners and people who want an “authentic” travel experience that isn’t too authentic because their comfort levels are somewhat sensitive. But Quintana Roo has much more to offer, among those choices, there is the town of Tulum.

Moana Grill - Gardena

Gardena never ceases to amaze me. I thought I'd seen it all, silly me thinking I've found every fusion, and here we are, at a delightful confusion; Moana Grill.

A Spicy Mayo Poke Bowl is full of fresh chunks of tuna, and the spicy mayo is a Hawaiian flare with Japanese restraint. The mayo has some bite, but there's not enough on it to smother the fish. 

The Sweet & Spicy Chicken seems more Hawaiian, a less sour sweet n' sour with the texture of fast-food sesame chicken, coating crispy, well-breaded chunk of chicken, the color of Hawaiian Punch. It's food-court-at-the-mall but better.

Still not seeing what Japanese-Hawaiian looks like, but Japanese-white-people looks like a Tiffany Roll, and I love it. Creamy crab with avocado and cucumber inside, little langostino tempura tails on the outside, drizzled with spicy mayo. It is so shameful, but it was raining that day, and there was nothing in the world I wanted more.

Back to Japanese-Japanese with a classic Chicken Katsu Curry. Will always love the sharp panko crumbs, will never get tired of watching them never get soggy in a sweet, golden curry. 

Just what does Japanese-Hawaiian fusion look like? It looks like the best of two amazing worlds. And comfort food. It looks like comfort food to the MAX. Cafeteria-style, no-frills, this is where you go during your lunch hour at work. But if there are island-nation basics you're craving, this is the place to go.

8bit Brewing Company UPDATE - Murrieta

Lesson learned. Driving anywhere in Temecula after 5 PM is the equivalent of sitting with the car in park and pretending to move. Except the car you're in doesn't have an engine. The Flintstones' family vehicle would have gotten us there faster.

Doesn't matter. We do NOT miss a trip to 8bit on the rare occasion we're in town. We come here for the Tator Tot Poutine, and we pound it with a damn good beer. They had quite the double IPA this time, freshly tapped and freshly poured.

A beer like that gives the Chicharrones some extra crackle right before they melt in a sassy sequence of savor and seasoned salt. A side of chipotle sour cream is creative; a fun dipper that the perfect pork rinds really don't need.

Duck, duck...PORK! Pork Belly Mac and Cheese! So much shredded pork, soft and slow-cooked, and macaroni elbows with beefy biceps on a cheese sauce that balances subtle with creamy greatness. I expected the BBQ sauce to be overkill, but it adds just the right amount of attitude to lighten up a combo that threatens to be too rich.

I don't know how they do it, but everything they do here is right. Their beers are a creative peek into some beautiful minds, and either the food or the beer is worth coming for. We got the glasses, and we have the shirts, but I have a hard time telling people about it because I want to keep a place this special for myself.