This review is for those of you want to do a trip to Cozumel inexpensively. Please see my reviews of El Presidente and Cozumel Palace if you prefer upscale accommodations. Hotel Aguilar is located on Calle 3 Sur, just up from Melgar, the ocean front road. It is $45 USD a night, which includes tax. It has two double beds, a small refrigerator, small bath, and good air conditioning. My dive shop stored my gear but I think gear storage would be a problem here. Lots of hot water for showers. Very basic, pretty clean. It has a pool but I never saw anyone use it. The pool could be better maintained. The office is staffed 24 hours per day and they are friendly.

Just through the parking lot in the back of the hotel is restaurant Sabores. A very nice place that serves lunch Monday through Saturday from noon until 4 p.m. The hotel is just around the corner from my dive shop, Aldora, and just up the street from their dock. It was the perfect location for my one-week visit. I limited my area to walk around and explore to Ave 30 to the east, Calle 8 North to the north, and Calle 7 Sur to the south, and Melgar to the west. I never needed a cab except when I came from the airport. I had a friend drop me off at the airport. There are lots and lots of restaurants in easy walking distance. So is San Francisco supermarket and Covi. When I had breakfast it was about three dollars, lunch about 5 dollars and dinner 7 to 10 dollars.

Departure from a crisp, cold DCA airport starts off late. We make our connection in CLT because it is late. We arrive late to CZM along with 4 other planes. Customs goes smooth and we zip through in twenty minutes. Green light and I am off to purchase my taxi fare. $5 USD to centro. When I told the driver Aguilar, he asked me again not knowing if I was sure what I was getting into. Of course, the others in the van were going to El Cantil and FA. They gave my hotel a look over as we stopped in front. By the way, cash only at Aguilar. When I take the kids and my wife in April we will be back at Cozumel Palace. But for this trip I am determined to keep the cost down. So far, air fare $375 and hotel $313, a good start.

The weather is 81 and nice. I head to the dive shop with my gear. I eye up a spot on the wall at 3 and Melgar that will be my hang out spot for the week. I grab some toronja soda and water from the mini super and head for the wall. I am there a few minutes and here comes a guy on a bike yelling Tamales. I wave him on over. 15 pesos for 1 large chicken tamale, covered with a nice, warm tomato sauce. I do not know what he charges locals but it was still a good deal for 15 pesos. The tamales on Cozumel are wrapped in banana leaves and are much bigger than the ones I had as a kid in So Cal. He had added chile to the masa and they were nice.

I watch the sun go down and chat with Julian from Aldora on the wall. After stowing my soda and water I head over to Tony Romes and meet up with him and the family. We chat awhile and make some plans for a Travelnoters get together February 2. His restaurant is this close to being finished-good luck amigo as you cross the finish line.

Dinner at Los Tres Gatitos. A limited menu but all good. 1 salbute, 2 panuchos, pork torta and Jamaica-57 pesos. The owner, along with his wife is an Sr. Jose Angulo. Nice folk, clean place. This is the only place I went to twice this week. The locals bring big pots over and he fills them up with an awesome chicken noodle soup. He told me the original location his father and grandfather started was on Melgar, years ago. He has relatives that own Careycitos on 65, a similar restaurant. Anyways, the meal is served with crispy tortilla chips; a smooth avocado spread and a FIREY hot habanero salsa. Muy Bueno. Time for bed, 8:45 CST but 9:45 EST.

Sitting on Aldora pier early Sunday morning watching a rainbow. Up walks scubabetsy, she is working on Bluextsea this day with a client. She did not know me of course but we met later in the week at Tony Romes. We leave the pier at 7:30, on Pescador, and head for Colombia deep. The current, the first of a few this week, is running crazy directions. We attempt to enter Daves Throat, but miss our entry. We head south! over Punta Sur and end our dive over the sand at 62 minutes. The first dive of a strange Cozumel dive week. The viz on this dive, like a few others this week, was fair at best. However, lots of turtles like several dives this week. Some were clinging to the reef, I assume eating and trying to stay out of the strong current. Following a two-hour SI at Playa Mia, we enjoy a nice 76-minute dive at La Francessa.

After a shower I head down to Melgar and watch a norte blow in. Cool, crisp, clear skies but rough water. Hopefully, it will not last long. I have dinner at La Altentina, just around the corner from the mini golf. Shrimp tacos and a fish torta with soda for 87 pesos. An early night watching ESPN Super Bowl highlights in Spanish-ahh Cozumel.

Monday Morning 1-29-07 it is blowing. Small boats are put on hold. Memo from the shop comes to the hotel and offers east side diving, but at $150 a day I am too cheap. There is so much more involved in diving over there, as they send a second boat in case the first boat breaks down. So I wait.

I walk to the Mercado. I see a great taco stand with a buffet type set up. You point out your fillings and they fill up your taco. It was packed and I looked out of place. I head over to Mission Parilla on 30. Huevos rancheros, beans, rice 25 pesos. These guys sell a ton of food for take out.

After breakfast I head to Bancomer to exchange my travelers checks. 10.95 to the dollar. 10 minute wait. I am now waiting to see if we go diving, and I see the Aquaworld big boats loading up so thats a good sign. Success, we have a noon departure from Caleta. Arrive at Palancar Caves for 66 minutes of marveling at the formations along with tons more turtles. Still, no eagle rays. 1 hour SI at Playa Mia then second dive at Yucab. The current was running from the west to east and our DM insists we swim across it. Good exercise. Since it was close to 5 p.m. we score a nice octopus at the end, an early riser. Diving with the Cole family from Minnesota, nice folks.

Off to El Pique for dinner. 2 arrachera tacos con queso, order frijoles charros. I grab a Pastor Panquetone to go for breakfast the next day. A panquetone is a sub sandwich. All was very good, along with 2 sols 116 pesos. A little more expensive than other places but very good quality.

1-30-07 A strange day on the boat. We start at Santa Rosa. The current is ripping. It is so strong it creates an underwater sand storm. Needless to say it turned a normally spectacular dive rather ordinary. Our second dive on Las Palmas went north to south. A strange dive day. Head in, grab a shower and off to Melgar. Here comes my tamale buddy with my $30 peso lunch.

Then it happens. I see my first scooter crash. As I was leaving the hotel I noticed a couple renting two scooters. Not two minutes later the husband rolls through the stop sign at 3rd and bounces his back tire off the median twice, but holds on. Then, the wife blows through the stop sing and plows into the no u-turn sign, crashing the scooter and she goes over the bars and lands on Melgar southbound. Luckily, no car was coming. The cabbies and police are there immediately to help. She is not seriously hurt. The police question her, she seemed a little perturbed, and is taken away until cost could be determined. Do not rent a scooter unless you know how to ride it.

Im up a little later than usual tonight and head over to Camillos for dinner. They now have two places, one on 5 between 2 & 4 north and on 10 between Salas and 1. Good food but more pricey than further up town. The one on 10 has Sr. Jose Foot, formerly of Las Palmeras and La Morena. I stop by Tony Romes and chat with him about twenty minutes.

1-31-07 Off at 7:30 on the Aldora 5. Just me and Sherwood from Villa Aldora today. Two divers and a DM, nice. We are in the water by 8:30. Columbia regular. We get started in a beautiful swim through and are greeted by a hovering Green Moray. Almost Disney like, he stays there and allows pictures. He then retracts back in the cave, almost surreal. Currents are normal today. We have a relaxing 67-minute cruise. We drift north over the bricks, caves and horseshoe. Beautiful heads of coral one after another. These dives are why I come back to Cozumel, again and again. 1 hour SI at Playa Mia with cold rain, then sun. Crazy weather all week. San Francisco for the second dive. We start off with a baby pipe seahorse. We then get to see this beautiful drum fish, followed by a parade with a black grouper and nurse shark. Awesome. This was the first dive of the week without a turtle. A perfect two-dive set.

There are 6 ships in port. I attempt to take it in from my perch on Melgar but the rain runs me off. I sit in the room and hunger strikes, again. I walk through the parking lot of the hotel to Sabores. They are only open 12-4 p.m. Almost all meals are under 50 pesos. For instance, tacos de pollo, chicken soup and a fruit drink. Thats for 4 tacos! I highly recommend this place. There must have been 25 divers there. Sabores on 5, between 3 & 5. As I am leaving the place the cheese guy walks by hollering Queso Oxaca! A nice, Cozumel experience.

2-1-07 Thursday is bright and sunny. We are off by 7:20. I was eyeing up the torta dude on 3 but held off. As we head south the wind picks up noticeably from the South. We pick up two from the Grand and go to Cedral. The current is ripping. I have mask fog, dammit! The wall is so steep you can stand up as you go by. We go to Playa Mia for SI> I chat with the cruise ship folks. They seem happy. Our second dive we go back to Santa Rosa as the viz is back to normal. A giant black grouper under a ridge as we settle in. Lots of lobster on this dive. 76 min.

7 ships in port and the town is hopping. I walk up to Los Cinco Soles for some gifts for my wife and kids. They are fairly priced and good quality. I go back to Tres Gatitos tonight. The only place I went twice. Chicken soup, 2 panuchos, pork torta and Jamaica. Okay, I am a pig. 67 pesos.

2-2-07 Last dive day. The wind continues from the south-southeast fairly strong. We try to make a last minute plan to dive Barracuda-San Juan but we cannot get a hold of the two divers at Grand. It would have been better conditions there. So, we bounce down the shore and pick them up. Its too rough south of Palancar so we drop in at the Horseshoe. Although the viz was bad from the wind, we have a nice dive and spend quite a bit of time in the gardens searching for nudibranch. We find quite a few. 2nd dive at Tunich and the current is similar to San Juan-roaring. It was better viz but still bad for Cozumel standards. Scorpion fish, moray, and more turtles. I just tried to relax and enjoy the ride.

Thus ended my 12 dives for the week. A shower and shave and I head up to 30 to La Palapa. They sell ribs and chicken cooked over wood. I get a whole chicken, spaghetti, rice, and noodles, with tortillas for 60 pesos. A two-meal deal. I make some tacos then head to Melgar.

Today was the first day of the new helmet law. Compliance at 6:30 a.m. was about 50% but after the police started writing 38 USD tickets compliance was 98 % by this afternoon. I understand the city provided helmets to the people paying the 38$ tickets.

Today the weather is awesome, one of only two days this week. Tonight is the Travelnoters get together. I meet scubabetsy, trudy, corki, palapa girl and several others whose names escape me. A very nice way to spend Friday evening.

2-3-07 Drat! Time to head home. First I head to the dive shop to settle up. $87 per day, plus 10% service tax and $2 park fee, 97.75 per day. I know we get big tanks and have long days. However, on two days when our boat only had two divers we went. I go to 3 and Melgar and the taco guy is set up. Two fresh corn tortillas and he tops them with ham and eggs or seasoned ham chunks, beans and guacamole. 1$. I noticed the locals taking cups of juice provided but I am not sure it is included in the $1 price.

I just finish my tacos and up pulls my friend Jorge, my first dive master with DP. He also has a new used car. We chat for a while and he offers to take me to the airport. Friendly Cozumel folk. USAir 1235 is late and I will miss my connection in CLT. 2 hours later getting home. Go USAir. All four segments this week was late. This was my first real solo trip in twenty years of marriage. It was strange without the wife and kids. We will all be together in April. It was also a 48th birthday gift. It shows that Cozumel can be done on a budget.