Ta-Ta to Tulum

Today was our last day of Spanish classes in Tulum. We leave for Peru on Monday. We’ll spend a night in Lima and then fly to Cusco on Tuesday.  We wanted to go to Bolivia but we also want to get to Peru before the crowds arrive in June and winter is in full force in the high country.  Choosing not to go to Bolivia at the last moment reinforced our decision to forego a round trip ticket and to exercise/enjoy complete flexibility in this phase of our travels.

We’re sad to be leaving Nelly.  She is an excellent teacher and a wonderful person. We took Nelly and her family out to dinner to show our appreciation and to bid her and her family farewell.  I hope we return to Tulum for more Spanish classes with Nelly in the not too distant future.

Having already been to this area, it is unlikely that we would not have come here on this trip, except for Aimee.  We thank her for getting us back to the Yucatan.
- Eydie

I'm glad that we're leaving Tulum.  Even though I have enjoyed our stay here, I'm on the brink of being tired of our current routine.  In the morning it could be a little stressful doing our Spanish homework, especially as it got more difficult.  I preferred having Spanish class in the morning.  In the morning, I had more energy and there was still time to do things in the afternoon.  In the afternoon, it was hotter so it was harder to concentrate.  The weather has been warming up and the mosquitos are more and more abundant.
- Brook

Before we leave the area we’ve been wondering a couple of things . . .

Why Tulum, located on the Yucatán peninsula, is in the state of Quintana Roo and not the Yucatán state . . .
Throughout the 19th century, the native population of the Yucatán Peninsula frequently rebelled against the Mexican government.  They were finally subdued at the beginning of the 20th century.  Quintana Roo became a separate territory in 1902, named after a well-known lawyer and native of Mérida, Andrés Quintana Roo, who strongly supported Mexico's fight for independence and who was instrumental in shaping Mexico’s formal declaration of independence.  It wasn’t until 1974 that Quintana Roo became its own state.  Now the states of Yucatán, Campeche and Quintana Roo all share the Yucatan Peninsula.

Why there won’t be a big celebration for Cinco de Mayo in Tulum . . .
Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico.  It is observed primarily in the state of Puebla to commemorate the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces in 1862 during the Franco-Mexican War.  In the U.S. it has evolved into a celebration of heritage and culture among Mexican-American populations.  Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s independence day that is celebrated on September 16.