Long time no see my dear readers...
I came back from Ruta Maya one week ago, and I am going to explain you about it in a while. At the moment I´m sick and that´s why I have time to write instead of having to sit in the school. I apologize for being such a lazy writer and not writing here more often. I attached the programme in Spanish if somebody understands it.
DIA 1
The journey began on 30.11 as my mom drove me, Lucas and Jessica to the place where the bus came to pick us up. I felt pretty tired because the night before I had been packing my huge suitcase and writing while Jessica was sleeping on a mattress. Her parents had gone out of the town and left her and her huge suitcase in my home for the weekend. When Lucas came to my house that morning, Jessica and I stared at him since all he brought was a little bag and a his tiny tweety backbag. I have no idea how he did it but he survived the 11 day journey just fine... MEN.
My sleepiness was wiped away when I saw all the exchange students again. :) (or at least I didn´t feel tired while I was babbling nonsence to people being very hyper) After some driving we went to YUMCA where we watched giraffes, elephants, bambis etc. from a car-like-thing... 
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2 Salidas: 1 camión del parque de fortín de las flores 7am y 1 camión de Veracruz a las 7am (Club rotario calle Ernesto Domínguez 45), se encontraran en la caseta de
Zayula y después en la caseta de Coatzacoalcos para recoger al resto del grupo. BOX LUNCH DESAYUNO, Continua recorrido con destino a la ciudad de Villahermosa
donde realizaremos la visita a la reserva ecológica de YUMKA (2.00pm–4.00pm), el cual es un centro de interpretación de la naturaleza en 101 hectáreas con selva,
lagunas y pastizales donde observaremos animales de la región y de diferentes parte del mundo; haremos un recorrido en lancha y tendremos una COMIDA en el
lugar. A continuación traslado a la ciudad de Campeche (4.15pm–8.45pm).
Check in en el hotel (9.00pm) y traslado donde conoceremos el centro de la ciudad y tendremos tiempo libre para cenar.
HOSPEDAJE.
Plaza Campeche
DIA 2. Martes 1ero de diciembre: CAM
In the morning we checked out of the hoter and went to see the town. I hanged out the morning mainly with another exchange student from Finland, Jaakko. I was fun speaking Finnish even though I usually prefer English... but sometimes you just have to enjoy of the privilege of not being understood. ;D It was also funny that somebody understood all the stuff I explained... you just can´t understand everything if you are not a Finn.
This is as snowy as it gets here... ( a pic I took during the city tour)
In the evening we went to see "the wonderful spectacular" = we watched as they lit up the ruins with different colored lights and listened to a recorded tape
One ticket to see the spectacular was 30 pesos, and all I could think about was:
WOW, some bastard made a lot of money with this pathetic and cheap show... WHY DIDN´T I INVENT THIS FIRST?
DESAYUNO (7.00am–8.20am)
Por la mañana salida a las 8.30am con el check out listo del hotel; nos dirigiremos rumbo a la ciudad amurallada, la cual conoceremos a bordo del famoso tranvía "El
Guapo"(9.00am–10.30am); al término del recorrido nos trasladaremos a la antigua hacienda henequenera Ochil en donde tendremos una COMIDA (1.00pm-2.15pm).
A las 2.30pm Continuaremos nuestro trayecto hacia Uxmal, una de las principales zonas arqueológicas del sur, allí podremos disfrutar de los principales templos
(3.00pm–5.00pm), destacando el culto a Kukulkán o Quetzalcóatl.
Check in en el hotel (5.15pm) y tiempo libre para descansar en el hotel. Por la noche regresaremos a la zona arqueológica donde tendremos maravilloso espectáculo
nocturno bajo unmaravilloso cuento de luz y sonido (7.00pm–8.00pm).
HOSPEDAJE.
Villas arqueológicas Uxmal
DIA 3. Miércoles 2 de diciembre: CUZAMA – IZAMAL –MERIDA
We swam in the coolest place ever... Actually in 3 different places but they are definately the coolest places ever. We got to the sinkholes with little carriages pulled by horses. My waterproof camera was with me all the way. 
In the evening arrived to Merida. We had the night off and we got a funny idea to go to the beach. 8 girls and me took 2 taxis. The ride took 30 minuts because it really wasn´t so near. Thank god Mexican taxis are damn cheap. There we went to the beach and ate in a restaurant.
After this we returned to the city where we run into another exchange students. They had been in a night club with nearly all others. They were pretty drunk and they wanted to continue the party in the hotel. We decided to join them since almost everybody were going there. However the party was over very soon when the Rotary women in charge of the trip came and announced that we should all go to our rooms and told that we wouldn´t go to coco bongo because of this. Everybody were shocked because Coco bongo was one of the most important attractions for us. It was still reasonable because this wasn´t the first night that we were making too much noise in our hotel parties. And she had told the day before that we have to start respecting the people who actually want to sleep in the hotel.
the view from our hotel
DESAYUNO (7.00am–8.45am)
Check out del hotel y salida a las 9.00 am hacia los cenotes de Cuzamá, siendo éstas formaciones únicas en el mundo, que son el único recurso para la obtención de
agua fresca, al llegar a la selva el recorrido lo realizaremos a bordo de pequeños "trucks" jalados por caballos hacia el lugar. En estos cenotes podremos nadar y
disfrutar de un paisaje sin igual (11.00am–1.30pm). Al término de este recorrido nos dirigiremos al pueblo de Izamal en donde podremos degustar una típica COMIDA
así como de un tour por sus alrededores (4.00pm–5.30pm).
A continuación trayecto aMérida, check in del hotel (6.45pm) y tour de ciudad por la noche a su famoso paseo Montejo (8.00pm–9.30pm).
HOSPEDAJE.
Hotel Castellano
· DIA 4. Jueves 3 de diciembre: CHICHEN ITZA – DZINUP – COCO BONGO
I started my day with an apology. I actually felt truly sorry for the last night. It wasn´t the first time the hotel had complained to Rotary about us and we had been warned. So I went and apologized. After that I felt a lot better and soon we arrived to Chichen itza.
It is considered to be the most important and biggest ceremonial centre of the Mayas. First a giude told us about it and after that we had an hour to buy stuff and wander around. I spent the time with Jaakko and a Hungarian guy (joka seuraa jaakkoa kaikkialle)
We spoke Finnish all the time and laughed at the sales men who were yelling: “Buy, it´s almost free” yeah... almost.
We sat in the bus for a long time that day and everybody were relieved when we finally arrived to Riviera Maya. Our hotel was about an hour of driving from Cancun. People wanted to apologize all together because just some of us had apologized during the day. We all went there to meet the Rotary and finally the women in charge, Georgina announced that we are after all going to COCO BONGO. Everybody were jumping and shouting of joy.
The night in the Coco bongo was the best. I cannot even describe it. The show was awesome as well as the atmosphere and I danced the whole night. I didn´t even notice that my feet were hurting before I was outside. We would have wanted to stay there forever but we had to go. My dream job now is to be a dancer in coco bongo. 
DESAYUNO (7.00am – 8.45am)
Check out del hotel y a las 9.00am salida de Mérida rumbo a Chichen Itza considerado el centro ceremonial más grande e importante de los Mayas, donde tendremos
una visita guiada a los puntos más importantes y su museo, COMIDA (10.30am–1.00pm). Después nos dirigiremos al cenote semi abierto de Dzinup donde podrán
nadar quienes así lo deseen (2.30pm-3.30pm). Al término de las visitas tomaremos carretera para dirigirnos hacia la Riviera maya, en donde haremos el check in del
hotel (5.30pm), tendremos tiempo libre en el hotel para arreglarnos e ir a la CENA en el restaurante indicado por el hotel.
A las 9.15pm nos encontraremos en el lobby del hotel para dirigirnos hacia la discoteca más famosa de Riviera maya, y sin duda una de las mejores del mundo “COCO
BONGO”, ubicada en Cancún (10.00pm -)
HOSPEDAJE EN PLAN TODO INCLUIDO.
Wyndham Viva Maya
DIA 5. Viernes 4 de diciembre: RIVIERAMAYA – CANCUN – PLAYA DEL CARMEN
DESAYUNO
We had the morning and day off… and we sure needed it after these hard travelling days. I went with Winnie, Yoko and Mai to the beautiful beach where we swam and enjoyed the sea that is the bluest one I have ever seen. The sand was snow white and didn´t burn our feet even though the Sun was shining.
Around 3:30 (in the programme it was 2:30 but in Mexico nothing happens when it is supposed to) we went to Cancun to a commercial centre and we went to the Hard roch cafe where I bought a t-shirt.
Later we drove to the Playa del Carmen, Playa avenida to walk while a part of the exchange students went to the hotel (boring). We spent a little while in Señor Frog´s and I bought some things from the Señor Frog´s store.
· 
Disfruta de medio día de relajación dentro de las instalaciones de tu fabuloso hotel en donde podrás tener acceso a múltiples actividades acuáticas, deportivas y
culturales. Alrededor de las 2.30pm nos trasladaremos a Cancún donde podrás conocer la parte más comercial y entretenida de la Riviera maya, de igual forma
conocerás la zona hotelera así como la zona de restaurantes, centros comerciales y lugares de entretenimiento nocturno como el Hard Rock, donde disfrutaras de
una rica bebida (6.30pm-7.30pm). A las 8.00pm regresaremos a Riviera maya al hotel para la CENA en el restaurante indicado por el hotel.
Por la noche a las 10.30pm nos encaminaremos a la ciudad más turística de la zona, Playa del Carmen, donde caminaremos por la famosa calle peatonal “5ta
avenida”. En esta calle encontraras restaurantes, tiendas, bares y hoteles que hacen de esta ciudad la más chic de la Riviera maya. Regreso al hotel.
HOSPEDAJE EN PLAN TODO INCLUIDO.
Wyndham Viva Maya
· DIA 6. Sábado 5 de diciembre: RIVIERA MAYA – XCARET
Again we had plenty of time to relax befote the day´s activities and I had a late breakfast and relaxed in the beach. We went to Xcaret where we swam and later in the evening we saw the magnificent show that introduced the history and states of Mexico. We almost lost the others because Winnie wanted to buy something from the store and the others left us. Winnie, Mai and Yoko were panicking alittle and they thought that the bus had left without us but I calmed them down and said that we should try to find the bus. As I had thought they hadn´t left because they always count the people before going. Still it was a little scary when we didn´t know where they were.
winnie pointing at her home:
Disfruta de medio día de relajación dentro de las instalaciones de tu fabuloso hotel en donde podrás tener acceso a múltiples actividades acuáticas, deportivas y
culturales. A las 2.30pm nos trasladaremos al "Paraíso sagrado de la naturaleza". Xcaret, el cual es el parque eco-arqueológico más famoso del mundo. Aquí
encontrarás: ruinas arqueológicas, show de delfines, caballos, aves tropicales, mariposario, la cueva de los murciélagos, playa; así como también podrás snorkelear en
sus famosas cuevas cristalinas y su río subterráneo. Visita el apiario, el cultivo de hongos, la granja de tortugas, toma una excursión a la selva tropical, al acuario del
arrecife de coral, y disfruta del show de jinetes por el atardecer en una replica de una "hacienda-mexicana" así como el más bello espectáculo nocturno acerca de la
historia de la colonización de México.
A las 9.00pm regresaremos al hotel para la cena el restaurante indicado por el hotel para que sigas disfrutando de sus atracciones y shows nocturnos.
ADMISION AL PARQUE CON TODAS LAS ACTIVIDADES INCLUIDAS.
HOSPEDAJE EN PLAN TODO INCLUIDO.
Wyndham Viva Maya
DIA 7. Domingo 6 de diciembre: TULUM – BACALAR – PALENQUE
We had to leave our dear hotel behind. : ( Before that I took some photos and ate quick breakfast. We went to see some ruins but we had lost our enthusiasm after seeing so many ruins already. It was also so hot that I was happy when I arrived on a cliff that was facing the sea and the wind blew on my face. Most of the day we spent just driving.
DESAYUNO (7.00am-8.30am)
Check out del hotel, nos dirigiremos a Tulum (9.30am-11.00am), descubre uno de los sitio más hermosos y arqueológicos de la Riviera Maya, el único que se
encuentra a orillas del mar Caribe, dominando sus aguas turquesa como un fuerte amurallado. Se cree que Tulum fue en la antigüedad, el principal puerto de los
Mayas, desde donde cruzaban a Cozumel, la famosa "Isla de las Golondrinas", al finalizar el recorrido nos dirigiremos a Bacalar, en donde tendremos COMIDA
(2.00pm-3.00pm) y podremos apreciar el gran cenote azul. Al término del recorrido traslado a palenque.
Llegada al hotel y check in (9.30pm)
HOSPEDAJE
Maya Tulipanes
DIA 8. Lunes 7 de diciembre: PALENQUE – SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
I don´t even remember anymore everything that happened on Ruta because of the constant sleep deprivation and seeing too many things in too little time. We went to see some archeological sites again and they were pretty cool.
Pretty many hours of driving again and in the evening we ate pizza and then went to a tour around the city. It was pretty ridiculous because they had a film that was doing the explaining. Everybody were already so tired that nobody really listened to it.
DESAYUNO (7.30am-8.45am)
Check out del hotel y después del desayuno, visita a la majestuosa zona Arqueológica de Palenque (9.30am-11.30am), un fascinante sitio lleno de magia y cultura que
guarda impresionantes vestigios de una importante capital Maya. Ahí conoceremos las diferentes estructuras que se encuentran distribuidas en más de tres
kilómetros cuadrados de extensión. Tendremos la oportunidad de explorar el famoso Templo de las Inscripciones, que guarda en su interior la tumba del Rey Pakal,
un emperador Maya de gran trascendencia, al grado que su tumba es considerada la de mayor riqueza en la América prehispánica. Posteriormente saldremos hacia la
ciudad de San Cristóbal de las casas (12.00pm) BOX LUNCH, haremos el check in en el hotel (5.30pm) y nos trasladaremos al centro de la ciudad en donde tendremos
CENA en el restaurante "La Tomatina"(6.30pm-8.00pm), al final de la cena daremos un tour nocturno en el centro histórico en el camión "el Coleto"(8.30pm-9.30pm).
Regreso al hotel (10.00pm)
HOSPEDAJE
Hotel Casa mexicana
DIA 9. Martes 8 de diciembre TOUR A ZINACANTAN – CAÑON DEL ZUMIDERO – CHIAPA DE CORZO – OAXACA
I think that the morning programme was cancelled or then I just don´t have any memories about it. Later we went to a boat ride. It was pretty cool. The day was so hot and it felt good as the boat was speeding up and the wind was blowing on us. Many hours of driving... again.
DESAYUNO (7.30am-8.30am)
Check out del hotel y salida a las 9am visitaremos la población indígena de Zinacantán, mágica población indígena muy cercana a San Cristóbal de Las Casas, en donde
podrás apreciar la belleza de la Iglesia de Zinacantán y visita a casas indígenas donde verán el trabajo artesanal del telar de cintura con una prueba de trajes típicos
así como unamuestra del queso típico de la región así como una degustación del famoso "queso Chiapas" (9.30am-11.30am).
Después de este recorrido saldremos con destino a Tuxtla Gutiérrez, para realizar un recorrido en lancha al cañón del sumidero donde descubrirás una de las
formaciones naturales más hermosas e impresionantes de este país (1.30pm-3.30pm). Nombrado Parque Nacional, navegaremos a lo largo del cañón y conoceremos
diversas formaciones naturales, como el "Árbol de Navidad", al igual que una rica diversidad de flora y fauna local. Nuestro recorrido en lancha tardará
aproximadamente dos horas, hasta llegar a la impresionante presa "Chicoasén", que por sus dimensiones es capaz de proveer de energía eléctrica a prácticamente
una tercera parte del país. Posteriormente continuaremos a Chiapa de Corzo donde tendremos COMIDA (4.00pm-5.00pm) en uno de los mejores hoteles de la
región.
Check in en el hotel y Traslado a Oaxaca (2.00am).
HOSPEDAJE
Hotel Casa del sótano
DIA 10. Miércoles 9 de diciembre OAXACA – ARBOL DEL TULE – CENTRO HISTORICO
The last real day of Ruta maya and most of the day we could do pretty much what ever we wanted. We had a little introduction about a church and the city and the tree with the widest trunk. Then we all split up. I hanged out with Jaakko, the Hungarian guy and a girl from Slovakia who was as white as I am and had exactly the same eyes I have. It was pretty cool because I have never before met someone like me. I ate a cricket and made Jaakko eat one too. It was not that bad. Rather tasty actually.
We ate in burger king and then we found the cutest little cafe ever. The coffee there was excellent and we enjoyed it gratefully. Since it was the first time I actually drank so good coffee in Mexico. It´s just a fact that Finnish coffee rocks.
Then we wandered around trying to find the hotel. I wanted to ask for directions but Jaakko as a man does not do asking for directions. Finally he gave up and then we also found some French girls that had already asked for directions and were guided by a Mexican lady. When we got to the hotel Jaakko said: “I almost found it... we were so near.” Men just can´t swallow their pride, can they ;D
8 o´clock we went to eat the good bye dinner. Everyone were pretty emotional because after this tour it would again take a lot of time before seeing others... and some we will never see again. Our dear oldies who arrived here in January and February from Brasil and Australia are soon going home, and the fact that we have to face is that we probably won´t see them all ever again. We were shouting our little exchange student songs and cheering.
After the dinner we all went to a night club and we were having good time. How ever soon we got out of the nightclub and then we went back to hotel. Everybody were a little confused and a kid from Brasil explained me that they had seen the bad guys looking at us from their car. They had been driving 2 times around watching us and some people had seen their guns. Yes, Oaxaca is not the most peaceful place to be these days... but we were still dissappointed because it was our last night and we really wanted to party. Damn bad people with their guns. >: /// I don´t like you! Murrhhhh!!!
DESAYUNO (10.00am-11.00am)
Mañana libre para disfrutar las instalaciones del hotel para un merecido descanso y disfrutar de los típicos platillos que tiene para ofrecer Oaxaca. Visita guiada al
árbol del Tule, centro histórico, iglesia y museo de Santo Domingo (11.00am-3.30pm), tiempo libre, regreso al hotel. CENA en el centro de la ciudad (8.30pm).
Regreso al hotel
HOSPEDAJE
Hotel Casa del sótano
DIA 11: OAXACA – VERACRUZ
The last day was pure travelling and good byes. When we had to leave the people who were heading to Cordoba I hugged nearly everyone. The closest ones I hugged for a long time and I could feel tears climbing in my eyes but I managed to keep them away. We did your exchange student things for the last time and finally the two groups aparted and went to their own buses. We still had some driving left before we arrived to Veracruz and we got the permission to stay there for the night and go to Coatza on next day. I think I want to live in Veracruz. It was so much bigger and cooler than Coatza and more beautiful too. I stayed with a really nice host family, and with the dad I went to an opening party of a beauty salon. We didn´t stay there for a long time and I fell asleep quickly.
DESAYUNO Y CHECK OUT DEL HOTEL (7.00am-8.30am)
Visita guiada a la zona de Cuilapam, Arrazola y Coyotepec (9.20am – 1.20pm), a la hora conveniente traslado a Veracruz y Cordoba.
FIN DEL RECORRIDO
DESAYUNO
On the next day I went to Coatza with a couple of Rotarians, Lucas, Jessica and Morgane. We ate breakfast and I ate quesadillas. It was good. It felt weird being back in Coatza but it also felt like home. Home I noticed that we had a new fridge I ate and then I went to my room. It was still day but I fell asleep... and I didn´t wake up before tomorrow. You just cannot sleep on Ruta maya... that is the ugly truth.
