Lots of backpackers seem to skip Valladolid because it is advertised that they can get to Chichen Itza from either Cancun/Playa Del Carmen or Merida. Valladolid is the best city to stay in to wake up early and see Chichen Itza before the tour buses from hell arrive. However, there is another level to the Valladolid experience that I will document below. I recommend Valladolid as an intermediate stop not just for the ease of access to archaeological sites, but because of the other travelers you will meet there…
Read MoreThe Backpacker Circuit
One of the great things about backpacking is that once you land in a country, you are automatically part of a circuit. The circuit may run north-south or east-west and you can start in whichever direction you please. Along your way, you will meet people to give you expert advice on destinations they have already been. They will inspire you to completely change your itinerary. Along this circuit, you may even inadvertently run into the same people again. This helps create a sense of security and family among the backpacking community…
Read MorePlaya del Carmen, otherwise known as Yucatan Tel Aviv
Oh, what a wonderful opportunity to make some puns! Yucatan Aviv? Playa del Tel Aviv? Hof del Carmen (Hof is "beach" in Hebrew). Also, it's important to note that while I am on the Yucatan peninsula, the Maya Riviera is all located within the Mexican State of Quintana Roo. So, maybe some more pun opportunities there?
Read MoreAmanda, Cenotes, Coba, Greg & Kaan Luum
When I first announced to my friends from home that I was going to spend the next year or so traveling (instead of sitting on my sofa for incredibly long periods of time at high frequency), my first week in Mexico happened to overlap with Amanda and Greg's planned vacation to Tulum. I knew that I wanted to tour the Yucatan and I did not have an itinerary.
Read MoreResponse to: The Gay Melodrama and Fantasy of ‘Call Me by Your Name’
Perhaps this essay would be better preceded by my series of thoughts on love, narcissism, pain and prostitution, specifically in the gay community. It’s a good idea for another blog post but this article is what is really on my mind. If you have not seen “Call Me By Your Name”, maybe don’t see it just yet. Spend a few nights reading the 2007 book. Then spend a day or two recovering. Then go see the movie. Then recover again. Then compare the book and the movie…
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