Ancient Ruins and Snorkeling

The first thing I see when I get off the cruise ship at Cozumel is not exotic flora nor charming landscape. It is a construction site for a concrete strip mall that blocks the view of the island. I guess this is so that people in the future can hop off the ship, grab a flame-broiled Whopper from Burger King, and spend a pleasant afternoon shopping in the cool of air-conditioned shade, all without the inconvenience of actually seeing the island.

The strip mall is not finished yet, so instead we take a tour of the ancient Mayan Ruins. One of the things that strikes me the most about the ruins is that the roads are perfectly straight. Even now, after hundreds of years of neglect, they are in fairly good condition, which is pretty remarkable considering the sub-tropical climate and the surrounding jungle.