Before I booked the trip I had no idea Yucatan would be virtually closed to tourists, especially with what we had experienced in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. During our stay in Tulum we were informed that no tourists were allowed in Rio Lagritos which was highly disappointing as that was the place I most looked forward to going to for their pink lakes. However, I understand that these are pandemic times, and it is what the government felt was best for the people. As a result, we added more days to Cancun at the end of our trip.
We arrived in Valladolid, known for it’s cenotes, which, like the rest of Yucatan, were closed. We went through a police checkpoint to enter Valladolid, and social distancing was strictly enforced by the police on the street. The city was still beautiful for my favorite social distancing activity: taking memorable pictures. Valladolid most closely resembles the city of Chaleston, South Carolina, with its brightly colored buildings and charm. One unexpected bonus was the abundance of butterflies in the city. I loved watching them flutter around. The biggest negative for me in Valladolid was the abundance of stray dogs. I’m not really keen on unfamiliar animals coming up to me and licking me, and I don’t want a random dog bark as my alarm clock. We stayed in another Airbnb, and though it was quaint it did have small ants in it which was kind of gross.
Our last stop in Yucatan was Izamal. I loved this town, and all the buildings in the city center are painted yellow! We upgraded from an Airbnb to a great hotel called Hotel Izamal Plaza. It felt so luxurious after our stay at the ant Airbnb. Our room was huge with a chandelier hanging up top, and the shower is one of the biggest I have ever seen. It also had marble floors which I find more aesthetically pleasing than the ugly hotel carpet featured in most rooms. We explored the center of the town, and enjoyed our time taking pictures in the near empty streets.
