Today was reserved for resting and exploring. Both of which are easy to do here. Breakfast in a beautiful restaurant where we saw families of coatimundi on the patio. They are the Mexican cousin to our raccoons and we loved them.

The afternoon brought a nap and reading. Not really bloggable stuff…

But the evening brought a walk along Avenida Quinta (or 5th Avenue), just a couple of blocks from our apt. It is a long pedestrian-only thoroughfare with endless shops, restaurants and night clubs. And not just typical Mexican souvenir shops like you’d find in Cozumel. Big modern glass buildings towered over us with stores like H&M, Coach, Victoria’s Secret, and Michael Kors, many of the same stores you’d see on 5th Ave. in Manhattan, rose between small local restaurants, night clubs, and a few Mexican souvenir shops. The Avenue goes on for several miles and there seem to be people from all over the world here. The people watching is fantastic. The shopping is even better, whether you’re in the market for a $5 t-shirt or a $500 Coach purse.

Being a pedestrian-only street somehow gives it a fun, party like vibe. With strings of lights over the tables lining the road outside each restaurant to the roaming mariachi bands looking for a tip for a serenade.

If I could’ve dreamed up a smaller, Mexican version of Manhattan it would look much like Playa. Cars are in a hurry and driving is crazy. But there are also pedestrians everywhere darting in front of cars that somehow stop just in time to let them cross. Street vendors are on the corners (most selling tours instead of hot dogs), and the hallmark of any big city- Starbucks- is easy to find.

I could’ve strolled the street forever, the only problem being that we must walk back as far as we walk. The walk back to our apartment takes us along residential streets filled with apartment buildings and smaller, quieter cafes. If I’m comparing Playa to Manhattan, then the section in which we are staying would be SoHo. It even has the modern sushi bars and the small quaint Italian restaurants next to trendy coffee shops to complete the feeling. Our apt. also has that air of a modern renovation in a very old building. All at the doorstep of the Caribbean.

Our second day in Playa stands in direct contrast to our first, this is a lively and beautiful place. Tomorrow we are off the Cozumel to dive. More adventure is in store, I can feel it!