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RESORT WARNING
As of October 2007 there have been reports of robbery at the resort. Karisma no longer manages Azul Blue so the story below might not reflect today's experience.

GREETINGS
Buenas tardes from Mexico! I’m down here checking out a brand new luxury, gourmet-inclusive hotel. So if you’re into good food and interested in seeing the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum, then you will definitely want to come on this trip. For those of you who are in a hurry or have ADD (it’s okay, I have it too!), there’s a 2-minute Johnny Jet video at the end of this week’s story.

FLORIDA TO LOS ANGELES
We left off last week from the exclusive island resort of Sunset Key in Key West, Florida (here’s the link). From there I flew to Fort Lauderdale, spent a couple of days with my sister and niece and nephew before flying back to L.A. on American Airlines. In Los Angeles, I hung out with my dad and his wife Nancy, who were escaping the cold northeast temperatures. Some of the highlights from their visit included going to the Santa Anita race track and stopping off in China Town for some delicious and inexpensive dim sum at Empress Pavilion. (988 N. Hill St. [located in Bamboo plaza]; tel.: 213-617-9898). Then it was time to hit the road again.

LOS ANGELES TO CANCUN ON ALASKA AIRLINES
I was invited to check out Karisma Hotel’s newest resort in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Since I had just been to Cancun (here’s the story), I wasn’t sure if I should go or send one of our writers. But when I read the press release and saw how plush and innovative the place was, I decided I had to see it for myself. On top of that, it was just a mile away from the Tulum Ruins which I regretted not seeing the last time I was in the area. To get to Tulum, I flew to Cancun on Alaska Airlines. What’s cool about Alaska Airlines is that you can check-in online even for international flights and because I wasn’t checking any bags, I breezed through LAX and security, taking the hassle out of going to the airport. (TIP: Be sure to check-in with the gate agent before boarding so they can see your passport and clear you in their computer system.) The flight to Cancun was only four hours and 15 minutes. I traveled on a 737-900 series plane and the first-class service was impressive (and I got upgraded -- yeah baby!). The flight attendants were attentive and friendly. After takeoff they served a hot, tasty (and fattening) chicken sandwich and handed each passenger a Digi Player loaded with an assortment of movies, TV and music entertainment channels. For economy passengers, these Digi Players are available to rent for either $10 or $15 (depending on how long the flight is). If you don’t have a laptop or a book to read, they help to make the time "fly" by.

CANCUN TO TULUM
My cool seatmate was grateful that I told him to fill out the bottom part of the Mexican customs form that everyone seems to leave blank. I’m telling you – there will be a Mexican official checking this the second you step into the airport; if it’s not filled out, they will make you step to the side and complete it before allowing you to proceed to immigration, which is downstairs and costing you valuable beach time. For those getting picked up by a hotel shuttle service, just keep walking. Ignore the screaming salespeople behind the Tours Information or Travel Advisors booths. And if you don’t need help with baggage, just say "no gracias" in stride to the army of blue-shirted porters. The resort had made arrangements with Lomas Travel to drive me the 80 miles south (one hour and forty-five minutes) to Tulum.

MEXICAN PESOS
These days, you don’t need to change U.S. money into pesos as long as you’re staying in Cancun or the surrounding tourist areas. Almost all stores accept US dollars, but some give change in pesos. The last two times I visited Cancun, I didn’t bother to change my money and you don’t need to either, unless you’re taking the bus or going into real Mexico (off the beaten tourist path). FYI: 1 USD = 11.14 pesos.



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