Feb 3, 2025
This morning we started Spanish lessons. Michelle and “Lola” are in a semi-private intermediate level lesson and Howard and I are in the more beginner level. We reviewed the present simple tense, some of the verbs, and vocabulary. Our teacher is lovely, and we both really enjoyed learning with her today.
We scooted out of class quite quickly as one of Lola’s friends, who is a tour guide, was picking us up right at 12:30. His name is Eder and he is fantastic. First we drove in our little mini bus to an amazing local taco restaurant – there were around 20 different options of fillings you could choose from and then another 10-15 toppings to add.
Our next stop was the Cenotes…
What is a Cenote? (from Wikipedia)
A cenote (English: /sɪˈnoʊti/ or /sɛˈnoʊteɪ/; Latin American Spanish: [seˈnote]) is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting when a collapse of limestonebedrock exposes groundwater. The term originated on the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, where the ancient Maya commonly used cenotes for water supplies, and occasionally for sacrificial offerings. The name derives from a word used by the lowland Yucatec Maya—tsʼonoʼot—to refer to any location with accessible groundwater.[2][3]
In Mexico the Yucatán Peninsula alone has an estimated 10,000 cenotes,[4] water-filled sinkholes naturally formed by the collapse of limestone, and located across the peninsula.
Eder took us to a private property that had 5 cenotes we could visit. What a gorgeous place. The first one we visited we were not allowed to swim in, just appreciate the beauty of the cave. Eder also brought snorkels and masks so we could explore. In the four we could swim in.
Here are a few photos of the Cenotes – the highlight of me what’s when there was a small passageway to swim through, right into another cave. I had a few precious minutes alone in the cave to float and meditate – it was so beautiful.
This particular cenote is sometimes used for wedding ceremonies:
After drying off and changing we drove to Akumal – a word that means “place of the turtles” in Mayan. We booked a dive for either Wednesday or Thursday to dive with the sea turtles. It was a very touristy area, but very beautiful.
After Akumal we headed back to the house for a bit of down time. Howard, Melody and I went to a very well recommended restaurant called El Fogon.
Melody’s friend recommended it as well as our Spanish teacher – Howard and I took this to be our homework assignment. Once again I went to bed full and happy.