Mexican Road Trip Part I : Izamal

 {The warm days of Mexico feel a million miles away now that we're back home in Portland.  On the way back to the northwest we had a fantastic week in New Jersey and New York with family and old friends.  Many photos and updates to come on that!  
For now, a recap on the road trip Ryan and I took with my mom when she visited us in Cozumel mid-February.}


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Everyone has their own "travel style."  Some people plan every minute of a trip before it's taken, others play entire trips by ear.  Some people fill their vacations with complex itineraries, while others would love nothing more than to spend hours, days and weeks relaxing on a beach.

 I fall somewhere in the middle.  I plan what I can, but leave details open.  I try to find a balance between non-stop sightseeing and relaxing in a beach chair with a good book.

When it comes to travel (and most everything else) my mom is a planner.  In a recent conversation, she put into words my exact thoughts about travel.  She said that when she's in a place for a short time, she tries to do everything there is to do there, in an effort to avoid missing out on something.  We agreed that when traveling, you never know if it might be your only chance to be in that place, so it makes sense to embrace all of your opportunities.

Around this same time last year my parents visited Ryan and me in Korea.  This year mom came to Mexico!  We planned a road trip through the Yucatan, taking the ferry over to Playa del Carmen where we rented a car and worked our way through northern Mexico.  We spent four days and three nights visiting Colonial cities, Mayan ruins, cenotes, and a nature reserve.

Our first stop was Izamal, nicknamed "The Yellow City" because of its many yellow buildings.  Mom said it reminded her of being on the streets of Spain.