My Vacation to Riviera Maya, Mexico

This past week I went to Riviera Maya, Mexico with my family. I had a lot of fun. I am part Mexican so it was nice to go see where some of my ancestors are from. I learned some Spanish. I could understand buenos dias, hola, gracias, de nada, and como esta. I tried to understand other words from context. I woke up each morning to bright sunshine and birds chirping quietly outside my window. It was a nice change from the cold.

In Mexico, we went to the beach everyday. We swam, waded in the waves, and made sand castles. My favorite thing was sitting where the water meets the shore and feeling the sand below me shift as the water goes in and back out. Getting lost in my senses at the beach is relaxing, like listening to music with a pleasing melody and predictable rhythm. I like the water and the way it shines a sparkling turquois blue. I can watch water all day.

Another thing we did was spending lots of time together as a family. It pleased me to do things together. We ate many great meals together. I liked the fresh fruit and pasta. Going to fancy restaurants was fun. We went to French, Brazilian, and Japanese restaurants. The Japanese one was entertaining. The chef put on a cooking show by lighting up his grill and juggling his cooking tools and our food.

We played and went to shows together. We played mini golf. I was more hitting the ball like a hockey player but it was still fun. We watched my cousin Tommy swim with a dolphin. I think I would have been tense if it were I in there. I am glad he got to do it. At night there were shows at the theater. We watched a circus one night. I liked the acrobats. Another night was a Mexican cultural show. I enjoyed the different dances and music. During the day I watched my brother and sister play beach soccer and water polo. Each day was good.

One day I went on an excursion with my parents and grandparents. We went to Chichenitza to visit the ancient ruins of a great Mayan civilization. No other place I have seen has been as well preserved for its age as the main temple. It was impressive. I saw different buildings with carvings of animals on them. I wondered what they meant. I learned the Mayans had a system of math and writing. I want to learn more about the Mayans. 

On the way back, we visited a town called Valladolid. I liked the town park with the central fountain, many places to sit, and colorful designs on the benches. 

After we also stopped for lunch at a picnic and went to a cenote. A cenote is an underground cave with a natural spring of fresh water. Some people went swimming. It was dark and too scary for me to swim. There were roots and stalactites hanging from above. The water was a midnight blue that looked deeper than the ocean. Mom and Dad swam but I sat this one out. When we got out I found a hammock to lay in. It was a relaxing end to a great day. I am glad I saw Chichenitza. It was the most interesting part of my trip to Mexico.

I had a great time in Mexico. I hope to return some day to learn more about the culture. I liked meeting the friendly people there. I am glad to learn Mexicans are a people of mathematical minds. I learned Mayans developed the concept of zero. They also came up with a logical numeric system. I wonder if I have Mayan relatives. Maybe that is why my dad’s side is so smart in math. I am proud of my Mexican heritage.