Sunday, December 23, 2007 (Pat)

Today we left the Mayan Palace. We got up early, had breakfast, packed, and checked out by 9:30am. Our shuttle to the next hotel was at 10:30 so we went to the pool and found some chairs in the pool area and enjoyed the pool scene for a while. Then we walked back to the lobby, the bellman had our bags all ready and the shuttle was there. So off to the Imperial Las Perlas hotel. About a forty-five minute drive. The hotel is the first one along the hotel zone – closest to Old Cancun at the edge of the ‘7’ that makes up the hotel zone in Cancun. The hotel is four-story traditional style Mexican hotel with the majority of the rooms facing the ocean. A ‘U’ shaped hotel with a pool area in the center, a nice beach area and a deck with a large palapa that is the restaurant. We were early for check-in so we found the bar, had a couple of cervezas, and at 12:30pm the restaurant opened for lunch so we had a nice buffet lunch.

After lunch we got checked into our room. We took the one on the second floor with a king bed, sink, two burner hot plate, and a nice balcony overlooking the pool and beach. The room has a sliding window on the side as well as the sliding door to the balcony so we can get a nice breeze. We unpacked, sat on the balcony, and read for the rest of the afternoon.

After dark we were getting hungry and headed out along a nice walkway up the hotel zone. We finally found a promising-looking restaurant – the Coral España. It was a Spanish style, nice sized restaurant. A slow night – one other person there. Ron had a cold coming on so we both had some good chicken soup. I had quesadillas and Ron had the Spanish chicken, also very good. Afterwards we went across the street to get on the internet and then returned to the room and enjoyed the music from the activities at the bar while we read and journaled.