Valladolid is a gem
Valladolid is a small town in middle of the Yucatan peninsula, and I loved it. I really felt I was in Mexico here.
The town has a rich colonial history and is known now for its architecture, food and being a generally cool destination. It has a history as the ‘home of the brave’ as it it was the spark that set off the Mexican Revolution.
Wandering the colorful streets was a joy. It did take me a little while to realize that I was a giant compared to the locals. Most of the local adults barely come up to my shoulder and many are significantly shorter than that. There is a real sense of this being a place where people actually live in spite of it being a fairly popular destination. Walking down the very chic Calz de los Frailes you go past cool restaurants and shops selling art, but in amongst them you realize an open door is just the front door to a house and you can see into someone’s kitchen. Wandering about this morning, there was a local market with women peeling fruit and shucking corn to sell immediately.
Last night after some exploring I had a great meal in a cervecería that made craft beer. I stayed a while because a little after I arrived the heavens opened and all the rain I hadn’t seen for the last two weeks came down in one 90-minute torrent.
After dinner I wandered up to the Convent where there’s a nightly light show projected on the facade. It was lovely as well as providing a deeper insight into the town’s history.
This morning I wandered about aimlessly just enjoying looking at things. Then, somewhat reluctantly, I hit the road. The drive to Cancun was on the toll road that slashes through the heart of the peninsula. It was soulless but easy, for most of the two-hour drive I didn’t see another car. It was only as I started into Cancun that suddenly I was surrounded by a wall of trucks that pushed my blood pressure right up. So it was with some relief that I returned the car at the airport. I then promptly got ripped off in a taxi getting to my hotel. Ah well, tomorrow it’s on to Mexico City.