It’s been so fortunate for me to be able to travel for work and play quite a bit the past few years. I’ve picked up a few habits and items along the way that have helped make my trips as seamless as possible. Today I wanted to share one of my go-tos - because it’s had such an impact on making endless trips through airports so much easier - hope it will be useful for you as well!
May I present: the Uniqlo hoodie. Why do I love it so?
Photo: Uniqlo.com
5. It’s relatively lightweight while being highly effective at retaining heat (I'm always cold in airplane cabins)
4. Water resistant and hooded, it doubles for cover during light rain (so you don't have to juggle an umbrella while trying to wrangle luggage, if any part of your trek to/from ground transportation is open air). Also stain resistant.
3. Structured, color-fast and durable: stands up to dozens of washes without fading, pilling, or getting flaccid, so even though I’m wearing a hoodie, I can still maintain an alert Type A vibe, and not look like I just crawled out of bed and pulled a 10 year old sweatshirt off the nearest pile of clothes on the floor :P. This hoodie almost looks ‘professional’! :)
2. It doesn’t wrinkle no matter how I may shove it into luggage / carryons
1. Game changing *vertical*, super roomy pockets on the *inside*. This is my #1 reason for maintaining a fleet of these hoodies in my wardrobe specifically for travel. There is enough room to hold my:
passport (pockets in other hoodies made for an average sized Asian woman never seem to be big enough for this)
earphones (x2 because iPhone ones don't plug into in flight entertainment systems, sigh!)
USB charging cable
packet of tissues
antibacterial hand wipes
phone
All of which I need immediate access to for my settle in routine on a flight. I then don’t have to hold up everyone coming down the aisle by digging for them in my carryon before stowing into the overhead bins, nor irritate row mates rummaging through my bag.
Of these, THE most important feature is that the inner pockets on both sides are vertical offering convenience, safety and security at the same time - most hoodies only have the diagonal slit pockets outside, and that would put me in constant fear of items dropping out in transit, or the zipped diagonal slit pockets are not deep enough to fit the passport at all. Not only are the inner vertical pockets perfect storage spaces that allows me to conveniently access my passport/ID for counter agents, TSA, gate agents and customs officers/kiosks as needed, while being confident that that crucial travel document is not going to tumble out of my pocket unless I do something crazy like cartwheel through the Terminal...(yeah I'm nowhere near athletic enough for that anyway) the placement inside the hoodie adds another layer of security. Once you zip your hoodie up, you’ve made it harder for people to pickpocket your passport.
Of course, the familiar outside pockets are still available to keep hands warm.
Oh and a bonus reason for travelers to love this hoodie? It’s an affordable price at $19.99. (Sometimes on sale for $14.90)
You can find it in-stores or online at Uniqlo. Also, Deal Alert: Get $10 off your order of $75+ when you sign up to receive Uniqlo emails.
(No I have not been paid, not received any samples, to write about this hoodie: I’m writing because I love it so much and my only evil plan is to share with others so that hopefully people will keep buying this fabulous design, so hopefully Uniqlo will continue making it!!)
Always on the lookout for great, authentic Hong Kong food in LA, I was excited to find recently several of my favorite staple dishes and drinks at Ho Kee Cafe!
Like most fantastic food finds in the SGV, Ho Kee firmly focuses on their food vs. ambience, though the cozy space does have its own charming touches like roof-facades over main counter areas inspired by traditional temple architecture.
My favorite dish here is the revelatory Wonton Noodle Hong Kong Style ($8.95) - the best wonton noodle soup I've had in LA thus far. I'll ask for you to kindly excuse the blatant use of foodporn vocabulary here, but the measure of a good wonton to me are the ration of filling to skin, and then the quality of both as indicated by texture and flavor. And Ho Kee's is fantastic on all fronts: super fresh, robust, springy shrimp with nice clean snap is in perfect proportion to the supple, thin wonton skin that is skillfully crafted so that it does not fall apart on pickup.
The chefs let the fresh juicy savory sweet flavors of the shrimp shine
through, with just a touch of pepper to spice things up to just the
perfect level.
Noodles are perfectly cooked so that they are not too chewy/ tough
and not too soft, but perfectly springy and clean, comforting soaked in
steaming hot clear broth.
The cafe fare is ordered a la carte and readily available. But Ho Kee also offers a 'Private Kitchen Menu' of higher end dishes that typically requires advance order. However, when possible they will make a few of the dishes from this menu available without that pre-planning. I was lucky enough on the night of my first visit to be able to try from the Private Kitchen menu: Razor Clams ($43). I haven't seen these on many menus around town, and was excited to see that the preparation is similar to what I had at famed Tung Po at Java Road market in Hong Kong.
The slender beauties are steamed in clear broth and topped with fried garlic and scallions for punches of flavor and texture contrast to the soft yet structured clam meat. Below the razor clams, a layer of glass noodles to soak up all the delicious juices and flavors. Pretty pricey, and not something to be repeated often, but beautifully cooked. This one is best ordered with a larger group to share, so that you can order other dishes as well to experience.
Back on the regular menu, I'm also a fan of the Two Kinds of Meat ($12.95) plate, where you can choose from among their housemade barbecue items. I chose roast duck and char siu. The duck had flavor intensity, and fantastic crispy skin with a pleasing layer of fat below for that perfect crisp juicy umami explosion in your mouth. The barbecue pork was great as well, but not as unforgettable as the duck. For those who are singular in their love of certain barbecue meats, you can order single types too, like the Roast Duck Plate ($9.95).
Lastly, what Hong Kong cafe with any pride would not also offer a great milk tea? Ho Kee offers a very fragrant, silky creamy milk tea that I love, and also another Hong Kong iconic drink, "yin yang" or Milk Tea Coffee Mixed (Hot) ($2.95) on the menu. I liked the milk tea better.
Most diners around you will be speaking Cantonese, a good sign of authenticity of cuisine - the restaurant is attracting those who have roots in Hong Kong. And indeed, when I eat here it feels like home.
Whenever I’m back in Hong Kong, one of my must stops is Lan Fong Yuen, a now more than 50-year-old street food stall that persists against the odds, in the shadow of glossy skyscrapers and encroaching concept restaurants and bars and modernization.
They are said to be the inventors of the Hong Kong silk stocking milk tea, a local adaptation of colonial British high tea made more affordable with lower grade leaves, and with a higher level of caffeine to fuel the hard laboring masses through their work day - and use of evaporated milk both due to lower cost than fresh milk, and using its sweeter and creamier properties to balance out the intense tannins from the tea.
The precise blend of tea leaves is a closely-guarded secret, but Hong Kong milk tea in general is said to be a mix of black teas possibly including orange Pekoe, broken orange Pekoe, Ceylon, Assam, and dust.
The tea is 'pulled' though fine nets that resemble silk stockings, multiple times from a height, the better to 'press' the leaves for intensity of flavor while aerating, then poured into a mug pre-filled with evaporated milk and sugar for an incredibly fragrant, smooth drink that perfectly balances intensity with velvety sweetness (catch in action in video below).
There are many cafes that serve Hong Kong milk tea now, and many variables can impact the final body and taste, including ratio of tea to water, length of steep, amount added to evaporated milk (and brand of milk - many use the classic Black and White brand) - and Lan Fong Yuen may no longer be the absolute best, but it is the original, and a classic cup of nostalgia.
The original's success spread to several key locations in Hong Kong, and I would say which you choose to visit depends on your personal preference.
The Sheung Wan location is designed to evoke nostalgia, renovated to look like an old school dai pai dong but housed within a very modern shopping center at the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal. This is a better location if you want to sit down in a clean, modern environment intentionally infused with old school charm via decor and ambience. The food selections seem to be higher quality here as well.
The Central location is authentically old school, no frills in the most fantastic way.
However, you have to be ready for not the most hygienic environment, communal seating, and a HKD$25 minimum food purchase requirement to sit down inside (due to the cramped space and expense of real estate in that neighborhood), and while many rave about their pork bun and noodles, I find them forgettable. You can get the milk tea to go from the window out front, and while waiting for tea preparation you can duck back to observe the process.
To me Lan Fong Yuen stands not as a symbol of defiance against progress, but a reminder of a community's roots, how far we’ve come, and the importance of cherishing history (and the 'whys' of, and heart behind creations that endure) and ways it informs, fuels and supports our present and future, a message that is as relevant as ever.
_____________________________________________________________________________ Hong Kong
Lan Fong Yuen 蘭方園
Central location:
2 Gage St., Central, Hong Kong
Ph: +852 2544 3895
Tsim Sha Tsui location:
WK Square, Shop 26 (basement), Chungking Mansions, 36-44 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Sheung Wan location:
Shun Tak Centre, Shop 304D, 168-200 Connaught Rd., Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
My new year's resolution is to be more expedient in capturing our travel adventures, so on this NYE, I'm going to finish out 2016 by recapping the long overdue last chapter of our epic summer trip to Mexico.
On our final day in Cancun, due to scuba safety guidelines, we were not able to dive (24 hours before flight) - but even on the surface there was a lot of marine life fun to be had, and the snorkeling tour we took turned out to be one of my favorite vacation memories ever!
It was a super early pickup at the hotel, then to the marina for a 7:00am meet. At the dock, you can rent shortys and other equipment for an extra fee, or bring your own*.
While waiting for everyone to figure out their gear, our guide went over rules of engagement with whale sharks using a clay figure, which I loved and found out he'd bought from an artist at the marina. Their booth was closed at the time, so he very kindly sold his to me for 50 pesos (and it's now one of my favorite travel souvenirs ever).
Then it was a long and very choppy - both hands tightly gripping railings - hour boat ride (remember your dramamine, people! Definitely very rough on those with motion sickness or back issues) with breathtaking, well worthy ultimate payoffs of up close encounters with whale sharks as well as crystal clear blue sea and whitest sand at Isla Mujeres:
So first, whale sharks. Since we were in prime season in the region (June-September), we were treated to many sightings up close, even before we got in the water, from the boat!
Whale sharks are amazing, gorgeous creatures whose name can be a little confusing: they are not whales, and not a predatory type of shark that hunts and feeds on meaty fish like most other species that people are familiar with, but are a filter feeding type of shark that is really more a massive docile fish - the largest fish in the world, in fact at up to 40 feet or more - that likes to scoop up plankton at the surface of the ocean with giant flat mouths (and no sharp teeth that are visible to passersby). So despite their size, they are no threat to humans at all - but just very beautiful gentle giants!
Of course we also got to jump in and swim alongside them. The process was exhilarating: with a very small but agile boat, and us chasing very large creatures who will definitely outswim us - in order to see them up close, our captain had to bring the boat perpendicular to the whale shark as it's swimming towards us. Swimmers sat literally on the edge of either side of the boat with all our gear on, ready to go.
Once the whale shark was within reasonable distance - our guide would shout "go, now, go go go!" and we'd jump in immediately and swim in the opposite direction than the whale shark is going - jumping in near its gaping mouth, and swimming towards its tail, to give us the best chance of seeing the whole animal before it passes us by in stride.
Our guide joked that it's ok, the whale sharks don't view us as food - the last time he had a tourist accidentally jump into a whale shark's mouth, it 'gummed' the tourist, thought 'yuck' and spat the human out. Hilarious. But in any case it was one breath taking, beautiful encounter after another.
Tour guide jokes aside: the whole time, we had to be careful as our guide instructed to keep at a distance for the safety of the animal - we're strictly prohibited from touching them, as they have a gel-like substance that protects their skin, and human touch with all our microbes would damage that substance and expose them to infections - which none of us want!
Here's a short video of the swim (made using Replay app):
Fun fact: spot patterns on the whale shark are unique to each individual,
like fingerprints to humans - and scientists can examine photos and
videos to help catalog different individuals. Everything happened too
fast for us to try to do anything other than try our best to keep up
this time - but all the more reason to revisit / do whale shark swims
elsewhere to learn more about these beauties.
It was such an amazing experience and privilege to be able to swim next to these majestic, lovely gentle giants - it really inspires us to think more deeply about everything that we do in our daily lives that could put whale sharks, other creatures around them, and their home, at risk - and creates greater urgency for us to make changes.
After the rigorous exercise of chasing massive, magnificent 30-40 foot whale sharks, we had all
worked up an appetite, and our boat crew whipped up, right on the boat, the freshest, most delicious fish ceviche we'd ever
tasted, for us to enjoy on deck or in the shallow water (and yes, made with local fish, NOT the giants we'd just been swimming with).
It was a bit of a mad rush at 3pm back to the hotel to rendezvous with @jennybawel (who had completed her whale shark tour the day before), since our flights out were that evening - but international travel meant we had to meet our shuttle at 4pm. But we made it, and were glad to have been able to maximize the last day.
At the airport, we had time to grab a bottle of Xtabentun (~$35 USD) - liquer made in the Yucatan region from anise, fermented honey made by bees with pollen from xtabentun flowers, and rum, which may have its origins dating back to a Mayan ceremonial liquor - from duty free...
...and one last meal of guacamole and chips (guac made tableside! At the airport!), steak fajitas and pina coladas at Air Margaritaville, before heading out.
All in all, Cancun / Tulum was a bucketlist trip that fed our minds, bodies and souls with cultural / historical adventure from Chichen Itza to Mayan ruins, to fantastic food ranging from the deck of a small boat to the middle of a jungle to gorgeous Mayan themed setting in a fine dining restaurant, to water adventures above and below from cenotes to whale sharks.
Definitely one of our most epic vacation destinations of all time. Can't wait to go back soon!
Looking for more activity ideas for Cancun / Tulum / the Yucatan? Check out how we maximized our trip in my recaps of Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4. For more photos from this trip, please visit my Instagram @onemorebiteblog or search with #onemorebiteblog_cancun and #onemorebiteblog_tulum
*Tip for
those who are not athletic and possibly only exercise once or
twice a week like yours truly: definitely use a "shorty" (a short sleeved, knee length wetsuit), which helps you float so
you can rest on the surface as needed between vigorous swims, and use a
life jacket for the same reason. You won't need to dive down to see the
whale sharks since they feed near the surface.
Also, having the right
fins made all the difference when trying to keep up with large marine
animals. I love my split fins which were super energy efficient and helped propel me forward with a
minimum of kicking. I bring these on all my trips as most dive shops don't have split fins for rent. These split fins are not great for cenote dives though, when
you want to be slow and steady in staying in single file formation with
your group - so if you dive cenotes in Tulum then you may want to use rental fins which are shorter and not split in the middle.
Food lovers have been flocking to Far East Plaza for Korean/Asian fusion bowls or Nashville style hot chicken, and now they have another reason to visit: it's called Lao Tao Street Food, a serene nook of a space upstairs from Chego, and serving fantastic Taiwanese street food inspired fare that lives up to its name (which translates to foodie, and has its origins in an ancient, mischievous creature who ate everything he could find).
It's been soft open since mid-September, just for lunch...
...and I was impressed with everything I've had.
One of my absolute favorites by first time professional Chef David Wang so far has been the Century Egg Tofu Salad ($6): it's a very simple yet well balanced and super satisfying dish made of century eggs (preserved duck eggs), soft silky tofu, pork floss to add textural contrast and bit of sweetness, chopped scallions for crisp crunch and pops of color, and hong you (Sichuan chile oil) for hint of heat and to tie all the ingredients together.
For eggs that are essentially black/grey in color from the preservation process, I know it sounds weird to describe them as super fresh, but the best ones really are the ones that taste 'fresh': the yolk is creamy/buttery, full of luscious umami, and the parts formerly known as 'whites' are translucent and like a medium firm gelatin that is still structured and springy to the bite.
I was so excited to be able to have this dish since I don't remember having any century egg dish this eyes-rolled-back good since Yung Kee in Hong Kong. A definitely must get on any visit.
Then there was the curiously named 'Chicken Neck' Roll ($7)
- which is not actually made with chicken neck, but pork and fish paste stuffed into fried tofu skin. A nice delicious balance of crisp crunch outside and a fish-ball like consistency inside.
Lao Tao offers a number of far too easy to eat bowls on their 'mains' section. My favorite so far is Beef Ban Mian ($12), made with wide flat noodles that are coated with 8-hour bone marrow broth. It's inspired by Nou Rou Mian, or beef stew noodle soup, but instead of putting the noodles and beef shank in a heavy broth / stew, the noodles are generously coated in a sauce made with broth, concentrated with flavor after hours of slow-cooking. Pickled greens add nice touch of acidity to cut through the umami / fat, and cubes of tomatoes add nice juicy bursts of color and texture contrast. Again this bowl is remarkably well balanced in flavor, texture and presentation.
As if there weren't already enough things to love about the place, they also offer my favorite tea: osthmanthus oolong on their drink menu.
You almost can't tell that this is the product of first time restaurant chef-owners - if not for their pure heart, love for food, humility, (FOH staff led by partner Ying Xie's) friendliness and eagerness to seek feedback.
Definitely wishing this neighborhood gem much success. And excited to see how they evolve the menu. Lao Tao's grand opening is coming up October 4th - check them out soon!
It's been a while since there has been a dineLA menu that has really been surprising to me, that is both an exceptional deal and with exciting dishes. Alexander's Steakhouse did that and more, and is now one of my favorite restaurants in the city, both for and beyond dineLA.
But let's start with the dineLA dinner - as this is the last day of the Summer rotation of dineLA, and you still have a chance to experience Alexander's fantastic six-course prix fixe! (It was so epic that I've already repeated a visit within two weeks.)
The fine dining experience kicks in right from the start with an amuse bouche of uni dashi panna cotta topped with negi (a Welsh onion).
Course 1: the first of two options is their signature Hamachi Shots with smooth clean slices of sashimi in shot glasses, with dashi gelee, avocado, thinly chopped radish for light crunch and ponzu. A refreshing and tasty start, especially on a hot summer night.
Option two is the Passmore Ranch Sturgeon terrine, with dash buttermilk, and dollop of caviar. Decadent, but the terrine is a bit firm. I definitely preferred the hamachi shots.
Course 2: option one was the incredible Tartare of Beef with marrow cream, smoked carrot and bleu cheese. If this wasn't a fine dining establishment I would have picked up my plate and licked it: every element was the definition of luxury: from the rich, flavorful beef to the luscious cream made with bone marrow for maximum umami.
Option two was Dry-Aged Beef Tataki with barley miso, argan oil and horseradish. Though I loved the beef tartare, the tataki held its own as another starter option as well.
Then came the bread bowl. I've always thought that what a restaurant puts into their bread bowl speaks to the core of their passion for their work. If they don't treat this as a token, obligatory thing - if they put care and heart into even this detail, then you can expect them to put heart and care into every other aspect of your experience as well, from food to service. And Alexander's bread bowl is one of the finest I've had in LA - so much so that if they opened a bakery tomorrow, I would readily commit to frequent visits even just for their bread (and #foodgasm worthy trio of butters).
In this bowl: hokkaido brioche, squid ink bread, caramelized onion and garlic cheese rolls. The hokkaido brioche was a warm fluffy cloud of deliciousness that brings me back to my childhood fav (Hong Kong natives may get the reference to Panash's hokkaido bread). The rolls had just the right amount of cheese, at just the right balance of chewy and crisp.
Then there were the butters, in order of our unanimous favorites: Italian beef fat whipped butter with pieces of dried beef mixed in; honey butter served in a bone segment; Straus butter with sea salt. I wish they would sell the whipped beef butter to us by the tub because I would just spoon it all day.
Then came the dish, course three, that really distinguishes Alexander's from all other steakhouses: many would just focus on the quality, cuts, and cooking of their steak, and push out the standard sides with a few other appetizers on their menu. Alexander's positions themselves as a fine dining steakouse with Japanese influence, and their pursuit of perfection shines through not only in the decidedly far from standard dishes on offer beyond steak, but their creativity in taking even those dishes to the next level. Course three was between corn soup and chawanmushi topped with sea urchin - so we pretty much all chose chawanmushi. Not only was it one of the smoothest, lightest steamed egg custards in recent memory, I loved the combination of corn puree in the egg itself, as well as kernels on top for bursts of juicy crunch and sweetness; the bright orange tongue of uni adding mouthwatering brininess; and sorrel gel for hint of herbaceousness.
Course four was the salad course, and we chose between Heirloom Tomato and Little Gem & Romaine. Even with the salad courses Alexander's chooses not to slack, but to innovate: The tomato salad came with melon, goat milk, makhani sauce and toasted bread. The Little Gem was made with anchovy miso dressing, furikake and fennel for umami and fresh crunch.
then came the star attraction: course five was a choice between quantity and quality: Dry-Aged Greater Omaha Prime T-bone at 18oz, or Kagoshima A5 Wagyu at 3oz?
For me, it was wagyu or nothing. With all the preceding courses and dessert still to come, I didn't need to go for quantity as steak doesn't taste good the next day anyway - and the last time I had been to Alexander's, their Miyazaki A5 was the best steak I had ever tasted in my life.
Plus, the same size of Kagoshima on the regular menu runs for $98 - so getting this same dish for dineLA ($115 for 6 courses total including the steak) is an incredible deal. This was perfectly marbled, exquisitely flavorful steak and one no foodie should miss especially during dineLA.
Our server let us know that the steak is purposely underseasoned, to allow us to custom salt it to our individual tastes. They dropped off a lovely wooden square containing 6 artisanal salts. Of these, Kala Namak was the most intriguing, as it somehow evokes flavors of steak and boiled eggs (triggered by sulphur???)
As palate cleanser: compressed watermelon with mint and cantaloupe granita. Super refreshing and one I could picture being a massive hit at any summer/ bbq party. If only they sold this to us too!!
Course six was dessert: Sweet Corn Brulee with blueberries, cornflake crunch and creme fraiche ice cream. While I appreciated the unusual combination of corn with a classic french dessert, the execution was lacking for me. Overall it felt a bit more heavy than I wanted - it would have been more on point if the creme were slightly less dense, the torched sugar crust a bit more delicate, perhaps the whole portion size scaled down - but tasty nonetheless.
Just when we were rubbing our bellies and loosening belt buckles with satisfaction, more tasty treats arrived to close out the meal: the first was a playful tower of cotton candy.
Then a tray of mignardises including macarons, truffles and pastry puffs rolled in rice puffs.
Aside from the main menu, some optional add-ons that I would recommend (if your stomach capacity allows, for you will be full just on the dineLA menu alone): Alexander's creative take on the classic Mac 'n Cheese, using udon noodles, four kinds of cheeses in a decadent Mornay (manchego, cheddar, camembert and parmesan), and truffled panko crumbs.
Or go for the Truffled Potatoes for your carbs.
Also, I should mention that Alexander's is one of few steakhouses in LA that has an incredible craft cocktail program, headed by Erik Lund at the attached Bull and Barrel bar. Celery is my favorite so far, made with tequila, celery, lime, serrano, with a salt rim: a refreshing savory / spicy drink that exemplifies the creativity that runs through every plate but through every glass. Arrive early for dinner, and hang out at the bar if you are into whisky - Erik will likely have a bottle or three of hard to find whiskeys for you to taste. As in, he actually goes to invite only whisky barrel auctions to score spirits you may have never even heard of.
All in all, an amazing experience and deal, and I would definitely return again soon, for dineLA or any other special occasion!
111N Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
Ph: 626.486.1111
Website:alexanderssteakhouse.com/pasadena Parking: valet$8, or park in public structure at Union & Euclid across from City Hall: $4-$5 flat rate depending on day and time of visit
Look for reservations, and points, at OpenTable _______________________________________________________________
Our excitement rose with the sun on the third day: we were heading to Tulum for many firsts: first time diving in cenotes, first time visiting Tulum's Mayan ruins, and first time dining 'in the jungle'.
We started our hour and a half drive south from Cancun at 6:30am to make our morning dive call time.
Where Cancun is a mass of commercialism, mostly packed with tourists, day drinking, nightly debauchery, and sensory overload, Tulum (at least the parts we saw) was all beauty, authenticity and calm.
Aside from ancient ruins, gorgeous beaches and jungles, there are also thousands of cenotes (sinkholes created by collapsed limestone over ground water) that form a large and fascinating underground cave system in Tulum and Mayan Riviera. We had chosen two that sounded amazing but would also suit our level of experience.
Despite a hiccup with our guide at Calypso Dive Center waking up with clogged sinuses (making it dangerous for him to dive), when he heard how far we traveled, he called in a favor from a dive master friend to lead us.
After a gear fitting and quick debriefing, Julio drove us north through the jungle to arrive at our first stop, which initially was difficult to tell was a destination at all.
What only looked like a small clearing from the road turned out to be a gorgeous shimmering pond of clear turquoise, framed by lush greenery: and the 'gateway' to Casa Cenote.
The entrance was actually underwater, so we slipped our gear on while sitting at the pond's rocky edges, then dove below gorgeous root forests to get to the start of the passages.
The inner sanctum of Casa Cenote was nothing short of transcendent. The way rays / panels of light shone down through the crystal clear water, through natural chambers and passages between towering limestone walls, with nothing but the sound of our breath and fins rhythmically fluttering, brought a sense of indescribable spiritual calm and peacefulness. I felt like we were in an hallowed place, an underwater cathedral.
Click below to watch a video of our dive, captured with GoPro Hero Silver 4:
If you're wondering why the colors change dramatically midway through the video: it's because Casa Cenote is part fresh water and part salt water: where the two meet is the halocline. Experiencing it in person is nothing short of breathtaking. It was one of the most life changing dives I'd done so far - and I was grateful to have been able to experience this one as our first cenote dive - Casa CEnote was going to be extremely hard to top!
Our second cenote was the better known Dos Ojos - the visitor center is also located there.
This was a more physically demanding dive, even before we hit water.
From the parking area, all visitors must haul their own gear (~50-60 pounds? for us including tanks) down flights of stairs to reach the dark lip of the cavernous entrance to the cenote.
We pulled our gear on, then scampered down a few underwater steps to the passage entrance.
Where Casa Cenote was mostly lofty turquoise and azure beauty and light, Dos Ojos was a lot more intimidating to a rookie diver - most of the dive was in the dark, flashlight required, and through narrow passages filled with stalactites and stalagmites, where you could not surface immediately if something were to go wrong.
Yellow rope threaded throughout the system helps guide tourists to stick to the known, safest route. After completing this dive I would recommend other rookies work to master buoyancy before attempting it - otherwise, like me, you will struggle trying to stay in the middle of the passage and not get poked by the rock formations above or below. When trying to control my buoyancy, I kept ping-ponging up and down wildly. It was by sheer luck (and the watchful eye of our guide) that I think I got through that dive without incident or injury.
Another note about Dos Ojos: since it is a more frequented site, they've got more set up to support common tourist needs, like a camera with flash near the end of the dive like at an amusement park - and you can buy a print of the photo at the info center after; there are t-shirts and other souvenirs for sale at the center - but it is cash only so be sure to prepare accordingly (no ATMs there), USD is accepted as well as pesos.
As always starving post dive, we headed to El Camello Jr. Seeing a long line wrapping around the block, and that we had to get to the Mayan ruins before the park closes for the day, we got food to go and scarfed everything down on a bench at the park entrance.
Here is the seafood ceviche.
Fish tacos.
And shrimp tacos.
It was a beautiful hike up to the Tulum ruins from there.
The only Mayan city built along the coast, and one of the few with a wall ("tulum" translates literally to "wall" and was designed to be a seaport), gorgeous architecture dating back to the 13th century overlooks sheer limestone bluffs and the impossibly blue Caribbean.
It was incredible to see these historical relics that stood the test of time.
For dinner, we ventured back into the jungle - a very unexpectedly chic stretch of it, minutes from the ruins.
We originally intended to check out Hartwood, a World's 50 Best Restaurant, but as they do not accept reservations and were already full for the night, we skipped down the road to Casa Jaguar. The kitchen was al fresco, with rustic touches like a wood burning oven and reclaimed wood everything.
We dined and toasted with craft cocktails to the sounds of birds in the jungle - such an incredible experience. (But as a reminder, when in nature you have to be prepared for the bad with the good - be sure to bring an arsenal of mosquito repellent or you will become the thing that the buggers feast on!)
The food was fine dining quality, but not mind blowing like we imagined Hartwood would be. It was upscale Latin American with influences from the chef's travels to Asia and Europe, using local ingredients, from grilled shrimp with garlic butter, guajillo chiles and mezcal, to plantains.
Tulum was an amazing day trip down from Cancun, but since we all loved the diving, food and whole laid back, small town vibe of Tulum - next time we visit we will definitely look to find a place to stay there.
It would be very difficult to pick a favorite day out of our incredible Cancun/Tulum trip - special thanks to @jennybawel for all the hard work researching and booking the dives and handling transpo logistics! - but if I had to choose, Day 3 might be it.
Looking for more activity ideas for Cancun / Tulum / the Yucatan? Check out how we maximized our trip in my recaps of Day 1, Day 2, Day 4 and Day 5. For more photos from this trip, please visit my Instagram @onemorebiteblog
(Check out how we maximized our trip in my recaps for Day 1, Day 2, Day 4 and Day 5. To see more photos from this trip, visit my Instagram @onemorebiteblog)
