2023 in Mexico (Cozumel)

On April 5, 2023, the Norwegian Joy brought me to Cozumel, Mexico:

This made it my:

• 2nd time in Mexico (and in Cozumel!)
  • first visit since 2003
    • Mexico was my 6th unique country visited
    • my longest time (to date) between a visit and revisit to a country

Visit

Norwegian Joy docked at Punta Langosta Cruise Terminal. From the gangway, we would be greeted by tourist-y shops at Plaza Punta Langosta. This plaza offered the obligatory souvenirs and also had a Starbucks and Señor Frog's bar.

(Aside: My only souvenir was getting some Mexican pesos from the ATM. Unfortunately, I seemed to have misplaced by debit card here, after grabbing the souvenir cash. Fortunately, I knew quite immediately and paused the card with Starbucks' free wi-fi. I was lucky for finding out so soon and had the wi-fi hotspots and banking app to do this! My original debit card is now somewhere in Mexico but deactivated without financial loss..)

Walking along the seashore

Instead of going on a cruise line or third-party excursion, I simply walked along Avenida Rafael E. Melgar, the seashore street facing the northwest. This street was jam-packed with activity and over-stimulation. Staff from stores and restaurants would eagerly outside and shout to tourists to come in and enjoy whatever they had to offer. As well, on the other side of the avenue by the sea, flew a HUGE flag of Mexico!

Ferries on the shore side took visitors to the other side on Playa del Carmen, where they can catch a bus to see Mayan ruins (which I did in 2003). I continued walking along the avenue and saw a few sculptures and monuments.

Place of the two cultures

I stopped walking further when I reached Plaza de las dos culturas (place of the two cultures), which paid tribute to the Spanish and Mayan cultures. Most cruise passengers, too busy on excursions, would probably never see this place. Ironically, they would feel satisfied to see this monument and considered "having seen the Mayan ruins" if they knew about this place!

Fifth avenue

At that point, I did not simply walk along the same seashore avenue with overenthusiastic merchants. I turned left onto Antonio González Fernández and then made a right into 5a Avenida Norte. (In grid-patterned Cozumel, the avenue names increment by 5, while the street names increment by 2, possibly to allow for intermediate routes in some unknown future!)

This "fifth avenue" became a more welcome stroll. It still had a tourist-y vibe, but not as kitschy and one could almost "feel like a local" walking down this stretch. The quieter vibe here made Cozumel more tolerable.

Back on the ship

After walking south through Parque Benito Juárez, where things became more tourist-y yet again, I made it back to Plaza Punta Langosta and then went back onto the ship.