Mini vacation in Costa Esmeralda, Palma Sol and El Tajin :)

It still surprises me how much Mexico changes just by driving for a few minutes. I had a few days off from work, so I went to Costa Esmeralda with some friends, only 2 hours away from Xalapa... to the beach!! :) We came on the perfect day! the sun was shining and birds were singing. So we just chilled out and enjoyed... :) We found the perfect hotel on the beach with a pool and no other guests... 

Roadtrip!!! :D

Stopped by some ruins by the green lagoon on the way

And jail! :P Our friend works in forensics, so he let us check it out! remind me to stay out of trouble in Mexico, cause this was BAD!

ahhh... now thats what im talking about!

Paradise all to ourselves! <3

Sol clamato + sunny beach = YES!! :)

<3

The voladores of El Tajin "He who flies"

They fly slowly and beautifully down from the 100m pole, only secured by a rope around their waist.

This seriously OLD man climbes the tall mast without any safety! Amazing! he is the Caporal and he balances on the top, while playing the flute for an ancient spiritual offering while the others fly down. 

The pyramids of El Tajin

As always, we need a jumping picture everywhere we go! :P We need to work on the synchronization :P

After we got back from El Tajin, we went to a friends cabin on the beach in Palma Sol that we were lucky to borrow for the night. :)

Fresh shrimp diablo breakfast. yumminess!

Here the ocean meets a freshwater lake. Beautiful!

 More mini vacations!! ALWAYS!! :)

The hot springs of Carrizal - Yes please!! :)

This sunday I went with a bunch of my friends to Carrizal to check out the hot springs. Now i have been to a couple of hot springs, so I wasnt the most excited person on the planet. but i was looking forward to a couple of hours of soaking...
Now i know my friends pretty well now, so i should know that every place they take me is nothing but AMAZING!! i am not kidding! :)

ROADTRIP!! :D

We brought food, beers, rom, music, watermelon with a little something something. delicious!
Now this is a huge natural hot spring. they have built up a patio around it with tables. it was perfect.
Around the hotspring are small superhot waterfalls and they give u a killer massage :)
So we chilled out all day, singing, playing, dancing, eating, soaking and laughing.
It was the perfect sunday.

Carrizal is a tiny village just an hour outside Xalapa in Veracruz. Next to the hotspring they have a campingsite and small cabins you can stay in overnight.

How amazing is nature?? :D

<3

Haha! i put the camera up to take a pic of us, and little Dana went straight to the front to pose. CUUUUTE!!! :D

A little volleyball action

Because of the minerals, many of the stones becomes mud for a facial mask if u hit them against each other

:)

Hahaha! wtf??

Happy watermelon! :)

I could stay like this all day...

Getting a watermassage :) the white stone on the right is where the facial masks comes from. cool huh? :)

Ahhhh... life :)

Princess Gaby adressing the crowd ;)

Kids.... :P

I have never seen anyone this happy! :)

:D

Carrizal by night with a long exposure.. forgot how much i miss nightphotography

I am definitely going back here!

<3

Tulum - paradise on earth

After a lazy week on the beach in Playa del Carmen i went with a friend for some mayan adventures in Tulum. And i thought Playa was gorgeous, i had noooo idea! :P Tulum was secluded, quiet and absolutely paradise on earth!

First we went on a tour to the ruins in Tulum, we visited a mayan village, the pyramid in Cobá and swimming in cenotes, natural underearth caves.

We booked a beautiful room right on the beach in Tulum and just chilled out and enjoyed the silence... :)

The entrance to the ruins of Tulum....

the ruins of Tulum, the last known mayan village

Come on!! really?? :D

silliness :P

met this big guy in the jungle

beaching it up like babes ;)

since ive been sleeping on the beach for a week, i couldnt stay still anymore :P

and forced my friend to join me :P

look at the little baby!! :D

a different pet.. but he loved cuddles! :D

a little (scull)pture in Cobá (see what i did there? :P)

we ran up the pyramid in Cobá in record speed, the tallest in Mexico. pretty proud! :)

and ran down! wiiii :D

took a biketaxi back, as we had to hurry to make it to the cenotes

the cenote. absoultely magnificent!!

Yo! :)

                           
                            

Hello paradise!! :D

                                      

Rented a little cabana on the beach

     

   

     

sunrise from my room :)

After my friend left i got a room at Yoga Shala on the beach, cheap and beautiful! :)

That night I went to a club on the beach with a bunch of people I met. To my big sadness my phone ran out of battery. so the night will remain a mystery :/ But it was insane! costumes, shows, drinks, fire everything!! :D But since I have no proofs, maybe it was all a dream.....? :P

Beachparty on Día de muertos, perfect last day in Tulum :)

Had to get my face painted! :D

i was not the only one!! i swear! :D

Tulum was absolutely amazing.... so relaxed during day, and amaaaazing parties at night! Everything was so random and unbelievable. So if you have a chance to go, GO!! :D
Stay in one of the many cute hostels on the beach, talk to the locals on where to go for dinner or fun... diverse and cheap artifact shopping in the city centre. Fun parties on Papaya Playa, Curandero in the centre and abunch of other places. each night has its own place where everyone goes, so just talk to people and you will know :)

Since I'm a bad planner and didnt have a return flight to Xalapa, i had to take the buss 16 hours, as there were no flights during the holidays. you would think id learn...? but im a heavy sleeper, so it wasnt to bad :)

Glad to be home again with the baby turtles and our new adopted kitty!!! :D

Hihi! :D