Playa del Carmen is where the entertainment, shopping and nightlife is located. We were bummed that we didn't have a hotel reservation here. Next time we visit we will spend a few days in a hotel in this lively area. This is a long street with cobblestones so bring great walking shoes and if you go clubbing bring a bag to carry a cute pair of shoes in, don't wear them or you'll be in blister world for the rest of your trip, trust me this is a long, long street and half the fun of it is walking around from bar to bar.

Fifth avenue is the main drag full of fabulous places to hang out. I don't need to go into detail about any of them because they are all pretty much open air buildings viewable from the streets. There is everything there, high end wine bars, chocolate themed bars and even a few dive sports bars. As you wander down the street don't forget to look up because there are some second story bars. Take some time to look down hallways and explore the courtyards as these have some creative decorations as well.

Take some time to go to the beach and stroll along the sand since there are clubs along the ocean, we went to a few. Just walk along the beach and find one you like. We found one with swings hanging around the bar. We drank at a living room on the sand. They set rattan chairs and loveseats on the sand and decorated small tables with candles. There is a bar with a wooden dance floor, a DJ and colored lights projecting on the sand and makeshift sheer walls.

Make sure to visit this area if you are into the clubbing or fine dining scene. They have a magazine you can pick up which includes a large pull out map. The online website to the magazine is www.la5ta.com/Quinta/View/Flash
It's a little slow and you don't really need advance research but check it out if you need more details.

We stopped first at Sam’s Club and were turned back at the entrance to get our free daily membership card at the booth right around the corner. With that in hand, we were allowed in to shop. Just like in the States and Canada, most items were available in bulk portions only, so it was not ideal for a week’s holiday. Ever on the lookout for bargains, I found these really cute little skirts for $8. Liquor was also being sold for a good price (liquor is not sold in these kinds of establishments in Canada). We bought a liter bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream for $17.

One time we even had lunch at the outdoor patio at Sam’s, and although the food certainly was pretty much what one would expect, the best one could say was that it was cheap!

Our next stop was at Chedraui, where most of the locals seem to shop. It is a huge complex, selling not only food, but clothes, house wares, liquor, electronics, shoes, jewelry, and just about everything else. By the time we got there, our older folk were exhausted and elected to sit on benches, waiting for us at the front of the store.

It took us a terribly long time to buy food. We had prepared a grocery list based on items we normally purchase, but everything was labeled in Spanish. There were also things I have never seen, and many things I was expecting to find were not available.

Milk is sold in cartons and is not refrigerated. Eggs, too, are not refrigerated. There was a section that had pieces of large smelly fish hanging up—gross. We met a variety of other shoppers who were obviously enjoying their shopping experience more than we were. One lady couldn’t say enough good things about wandering around with a large tray upon which she placed the different selection of breads and buns she was planning to purchase. After about 2 hours, we managed to leave with a large cart full of food, with which we prepared breakfasts, spaghetti, chili, and salad and chicken with vegetables. It was definitely an adventure—and cheaper than eating every meal in a restaurant. We were delighted that we didn’t succumb to any kind of intestinal ailments.