Tulum

We took a bus excursion to the ruins of Tulum. The tour was interesting enough, but rather crowded. Iguanas were everywhere, showing no fear of the tourists. The cliff side ocean setting really stands out on one side of the complex, but the other quickly fades to jungle.

On the River

One of the most surprising parts of visiting the Stratford Hall estate is finding the sandy cliffs. A wooded trail runs along the cliffs from the mill to the perpendicular point from house to river. Occasional breaks in the trees yield long views across the river and along it for miles. We had a nice walk listening to the animals in the underbrush. The river is gradually eroding the cliff so a split rail fence stands guard. The house is now closer to the river by a few miles than when it was built.

A Beautiful Beach

The estate lies on the river and contains one of the few water level accesses from the West side of the Potomac for miles. This access was the source of the estates prosperity. It allowed convenient loading of ships with cargo from the area around Stratford Hall.

Sailing

The resort offered an hour of water sports equipment each day gratis. I’ve always wanted to sail a boat. So I signed up for one and got it launched. The two assistants joked that it was my first time sailing, but I think I did alright. I went out past the swimming area and up the coast a thousand yards then turned around. Perhaps next time I will hire a guide.

Joy and I took a two person kayak out near the wreck.

On the Beach

The beach at Bahia Principe slants down to the sea. In June it gets hot so the many palm frond umbrellas make prime spots for lounging. June is the off season so there weren’t too many guests.

Going to Dinner

Bahia Principe is an all inclusive resort, so food and drinks are included. Each morning we would go to the buffet and most days we had a snack just off the pool. In the evenings we dressed up to try the different restaurants.

Beaches

Fences surround the dunes at Ocean City to protect them. Barriers also protect the beach.

On The Boardwalk

The Boardwalk is the place to watch people, shop, and get to your place on the beach. Bikes, joggers, and pedestrians travel up and down the boardwalk at all times of the day. Ocean City’s Boardwalk is wood plank, and has a great feel when walking and makes a great sound when riding a bike. The 2 1/2 mile Boardwalk separates the beach from the buildings of the city.

Shops Of The Boardwalk

Our favorite shop on the Boardwalk is Johnson’s Popcorn. The caramel corn is sure tasty! We got a few slices of the floppy thin crust pizza they serve back East and sat on a bench for lunch. When we visited this year, we came before the season so many of the shops were not yet open.

Early Walks

I love the early light, and at 6:00 a.m. few people are about.