Lounging, Reading, Wind Surfing etc etc!

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"People say you can't live without love, but I think oxygen is more important." ~

Good Wednesday (Miércoles) morning. Another sunny day at the outpost. A few fluffy clouds in the sky, and the birds are singing and the palm trees are gently waving. It's been cool in the morning, but it manages to warm up to 25 and then off goes the sweatshirt. We're heading out shortly for our first breakfast on the beach and to see one of our favorite waiters, Juan. They make a wonderful breakfast & a very bubbly Champagne & OJ (happy dance).

So here's a bit of a geography lesson. The Riviera Maya is considered the jewel of Mexico, and occupies 70 miles of beautiful coastline, adorned by white sand beaches and turquoise waters unique to the Caribbean Sea. From Cancun you're approximately 45 minutes to Playa del Carmen. In between there are coastal towns of Puerto Morelos, then Playa, then Puerto Aventuras, Akumal (place of the "Sea Turtles") then Tulum which is considered one of the most beautiful places in the world to visit due to its ancient ruins, beautiful beaches, eco parks, national parks all nestled between jungle and ocean. There is a beautiful eco national park called Sian Ka'an which is a protected natural area in the state that covers thousands of acres, where you can engage in adventure all the while enjoying the dense vegetation of the area. You can see dolphins (in their natural habitat) sea turtles, starfish, and wild birds that live in the area, all the while enjoying lagoons, the sea and jungle. I could live here permanently and still not see and do all that the Riviera Maya offers.

The beauty of being here is the ability to visit these seaside beach towns which are all unique. So yesterday Al & I visited Puerto Morelos (the place where tourits go to avoid tourists!). I had discovered this little beach resort that has cabanas to rent for a week's stay but also has a small beach club you can visit for a day. A couple from Honduras bought it years ago and it's nestled between two huge resorts; Dreams & Excellence. Given it's getting into high season we expected it to be busy, and guess what? NOBODY was there except for us and another couple from Finland. Pure peaceful heaven with miles of ocean and the softest sand under our feet. There's a reason they bottle the sand and sell it here because it's known for its silkiness.

This little beach club continues on, and has not been bought out and demolished for some trendy beach club. It reminds me of the Walt Disney movie Up (voiced by Ed Asner) which is about an elderly senior Carl who was married to his childhood sweetheart Ellie for almost fifty years. Together they endured not being able to have children, to sharing their love of adventure and growing old together until Ellie gets ill. (I saw this movie with Lara's grade 6 class and I had to bawl into my popcorn bag). It was over the heads of the 10/11 years old, but wow, it sure packed an emotional punch for me. Anyhow, with Carl by her side in the hospital, Ellie passes away. Carl then finds a love letter to him from Ellie that says, "Thanks for the adventure, now go have a new one". Ahhhhh, sniff sniff. (I'm not sure I'd be that generous with Al!)

At one point Carl is offered to sell his & Ellie's home to make way for highrises, and he continues to refuse despite the grand gestures of money). So all this construction goes on around him, while he stands firm on keeping his home. Maybe that's why I like this little beach club so much; this family continues to run it on the turquoise shores of the Caribbean without being swallowed whole by the resorts that dot the coastline. I'm sure they'd make a pretty peso if they sold this little slice of paradise. Please don't sell Daisy! (the very friendly owner!)

So this is how Al & I spent our day, lounging under a palapa reading our books, feeling the gentle breeze of the palm trees while basking in the warmth of the sun. Denis the owner's son made us THE best margaritas, and an order of wings and burgers. For a small fee you can rent the kayaks, sail boats and wind surfers from the resort next door, so off Al went to windsurf. He's actually pretty good at it, which is rather strenuous using both your back and core muscles. While he was out I swung in a hammock and read this new book called Girl on a Train. It's a psychological fast paced thriller that's up there with Gone Girl which I had mentioned in one of my blogs a couple of years ago. (Thanks to inside info I always get a jump on the next best book to hit the shelves.) It's hard to put down which makes for the perfect vacation read.

It was the most perfect day spent together (thanks Ma for letting us get away!) We were back after 5, to shower and head out to Los Rancheros to see our friends who work there. What a fun evening. See pics of mom in her poncho and sombrero! We enjoyed a great platter of food and watched the table next to us have a flambeed dessert.

Today Martha and Lara arrive. Marth just had enough holidays to squeak out a week, and Lara had two exams this week which allowed her to leave today. So they'll be basking in the sun soon enough and I'm looking forward to seeing them.

I feel very rested; after being up in the middle of the night to get here. It generally takes a day or two to acclimatize. It's funny, Al and I are on the same page about most things except our sleep patterns. I like to be in bed by 11 PM during the week, nodding off with a book. Al is a night owl who can stay up late, or fall asleep on the couch in the basement. I never quite know if I'll wake to find him next to me or at what hour. So Sunday morning/night we had to be up by 2:30 am to head to the airport for 3:30am. So I finally fall asleep at midnight, only to hear the door open at 1:35 am exactly. So I pop up and think oh it's time to wake up & I also think, oh that's nice of Al to stay up, and come up and gently wake me. (HA, joke's on me).

Now this is how the female/male brain is SO different.

Male Brain: "Oh I'll be good and come to bed and get some sleep before I have to get up. Sal will be so proud of me that I didn't stay up ALL night".

Female Brain: "What the heck is going on? Why is Al coming in at 1:35 am when we have to be up in 55 minutes"? For god sakes of all nights to come wake me, why didn't he just sleep the extra 55 minutes on the couch"? (grumble grumble).

Male Brain: "Ahhh this is nice"...snore snore, winner of the log sawing contest 😊 (Love you Al haha)

Female Brain: "Oh for god sakes, is he actually snoring"? So I punch the pillow, toss & turn, lie awake, close my eyes and study my eyelids for pinholes. Tick tock, 1:45, 1:55, 2:00, 2:15, 2;30, 2:35...finally the bleeping ALARM GOES OFF.

Male Brain: ZZZZZZZ

Female Brain: "Al, wake up, Al turn off that alarm, AL? AL wake up for heaven's sake"! (Followed by a gentle poke to his ribs)

Male Brain: "What? What's going on...HUH"?

So anyhow, yep, nice to get caught up on my sleep after all that. (insert sarcasm here).

Signing off from a beautiful sunny morning. The beaches are alive with the sound of people.

(Pics below...may be on 2 pages today! You can read my other blogs simply by clicking previous entry or next entry)

Love from the Female Brain (Male brain has gone scuba diving)

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Comments

[zully A.]

My favorite photo Sal! Your mom looks priceless in that big sombrero <3
Hi Sal..good time to leave the cold behind! Your photo shots are awesome as in previous trips.Do you have the whole fam with you?..and Martha?....Dad? I see a new change in your mom's mobility...which to me is new. I hope she is okay. Bless her heart.! Hugs to all. and smiles. xoxo

[ava]

lounging fun
i LOVE your blogs and i also love the person who writes them!?

[Playagal]

Lounging
Glad you like them Ava :) You crack mommy up!