Drink the Wine, Eat the Dessert

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"If two people love each other nothing is impossible. Except deciding where to eat." 😉

Hi all, gee I think it's been well over a week since I checked in. We haven't been passed out under a palm tree from too much tropical living just so you know! Time got away from me, and the draft blog I started stayed saved.

To sum up our trip now that we are home, is wow. We feel very blessed to have had this opportunity to go off on our own, and we don't take it for granted for one second.

While this trip ended up being very busy with work, it was very productive and yet very relaxing. To say we were 'working' while being in a sunny paradise would be a big misnomer. If you usually ask someone who works at an office, "how are you doing"? and they answer '"awesome" then they are probably one of 3 things. A) Drunk, B) Practicing their sarcasm, or C) Retiring the next day. 😉 (For those that love their jobs, you are blessed.)

In our case, if you asked us how we were doing while working there, we'd answer AMAZING! Frankly I could make the beach my office any day! Hell I'd work 7 days a week if that were the case.

The true test of a marriage other than renovations, is working together. We make a pretty good team despite the odd spat over differences of opinion while doing the photos/video. There's that old quote: "If you don't succeed at first, trying doing it the way your wife told you to". There were maybe 2 small tiffs, but no one got thrown off the balcony so that's positive right? I appreciate Al's help so much on my work projects, and he appreciates the effort I put forth to get us on these fantastic trips on a shoestring budget. We live like kings on a pauper's budget when it's just the two of us traveling. And this time we actually kept track of what we spent, used our credit card only 4 times for small charges and came home with pesos in our wallet. Yippppeee!

Our weather was fantastico every day. It rained for a few seconds one evening. That was it. The humidity was reasonable, so we turned off our a/c and slid open all the sliding doors to the ocean. The rippling of the white waves against the turquoise/blue sea was a magic show that we enjoyed every day. The deep steel blue skies with white cotton candy clouds slowly moving by was like something out of a a travel commercial. With those types of views we could easily stay on our balcony for hours and watch the world go by. It was just so peaceful and when you live in a busy house, those moments are precious. (If I could only bottle it up and release it when needed.) For me, there is nothing to cure your troubles like sea therapy.

And to see the dazzling aerial acts that the seabirds (pelicans, herons, frigates) put on, flying so close to our 3rd story balcony was so picturesque. And watching them glide over the water and then dive straight down for fish is captivating. One wrong move and the jig is up.

We felt like we were in our own nature show. You can easily pass by these birds on the water or beach but they take on a new look entirely when they quietly glide by in the air with their extensive wing span. It is a joy to behold. I think the heron (one of Canada's largest migratory birds) is almost comical to look at because when flying they curl their neck into an aerodynamic S shape.

I have no idea if these birds like to taunt Al, but he will stand out there forever to get the perfect shot of them while they swoosh by. When he doesn't have a camera handy, those birds saunter by so darn close. I think they like to tease him a bit like, na na na na, try and catch us now once he's got his camera ready to go.

I was sitting out reading one day, and happened to look up just at the very moment to see this big pelican fly directly into the huge palm tree that's in front of our balcony. OMG, I was shocked and jumped up to see if the bird was still alive. What a commotion it made as it hit the tree and tried to right itself. Al couldn't believe it when I told him. Honestly, it was very strange and one could only think he had one too many margaritas on the beach. The poor bird. He took off after but I'm sure he had some explaining to do to his wife when got home in such a disheveled (hiccup) state. 😞

Overall Al & I got to hang out together and it was nice not having to worry about anyone else. Wow, I kind of like this way of traveling. I think I'll see a Doctor and get a yearly prescription for this. The 'doctor' says I need a vacation every six months. (Oh and I am also calling myself 'the doctor' these days). Hoo haa.

There's a part of me that misses when the kids & extended family/friends aren't there. Sometimes it feels lonely without everyone. However, it's a fine balance between having couple time/down time which is very healthy for everyone.

We really enjoyed some lovely snorkeling off of the northern beaches where tourists don't usually go because you can't walk the beach to get there. If you want to get there, you have to cab. Any place that is not teeming with tourists is my kind of place. It's quiet, serene and peaceful which this girl cannot get enough of. Plus the beaches are wider and less busy which is an added bonus.

We explored different areas, did a ton of walking, and discovered new restaurants, one in particular right off 5th that had a bohemian vibe, & very fresh healthy food. The girls looked like Rosie the Riveter and were lots of fun. We ordered a coconut chicken (melt in your mouth), accompanied by a spinach goat cheese salad with buttered pecans and strawberries and a pureed sweet potato with garlic. It was a huge portion so we were able to share it. It cost us about $8CDN for the chicken entree, and then wine was maybe $5CDN and beer maybe $2 if that. We stopped there a few times, and one day they had live music from 1-4. It was a bit overcast so we sat on a couch and listened to this duo and boy could the guy ever play some amazing blues. It was very inexpensive, for really great food and service, and the music was a huge bonus. So stop in at Caiman off 5th on 24th street - they won't do you wrong!

I was able to catch up on some reading including the fascinating story in Vanity Fair about the cyber hacking of Apple in 2016 by a groundbreaking spyware allegedly developed by the Israelis. It was a riveting story of a grad student who stumbled across a spyware program sent to him by a human right's advocate in the United Arab Emirates who has been targeted/followed non-stop. What he sent to this grad student was a suspicious text that he had been sent, which promised to expose secrets about those being held prisoner etc.(Which they wanted him to open...) It's a long story but as the grad student unraveled it, it became the first credible attack to remotely jailbreak an iPhone 6 and motherboard. If it wasn't for a this guy's intuitiveness and hard work to decode this spyware, Apple would've been in a really bad place.

The article went into great detail of how corrupt governments buy spyware from shady firms and just how sophisticated these technologies are. Apple goes through rigorous encryption to keep these espionage attacks out but they are becoming more and more vulnerable. (Apple it is said contributed to this type of espionage when the FBI spent quite a bit of money on spyware to decode the San Bernardino killers' phones.) Apple also did not take the warning from this grad student very seriously until he sent them all of his findings. Then they did an 'immediate patch' to avoid total chaos. There is no doubt that we are in a new arena of cyber-warfare. So folks, don't spend your money going to horror flicks at the movie cinema - just read this deeply scary story. It's not Back to the Future, it's Hack to the Future. The simple things that impact our daily life, like the privacy of your iPhone, using an ATM, or online banking could be in jeopardy let alone world-wide cyber attacks.

I also read about the 'sticky' business of the heavily controlled maple syrup business (cartel) in Quebec Canada and the heist of 3,000 tons of syrup worth $18 million back in 2012 and now coming to light with convictions. Maple syrup is Canada's liquid gold and 13 times more expensive than oil. I can attest to it, as I gifted our driver Jaime with some maple syrup products and it cost an arm, another arm and another arm. Quebec produces 85% of the maple syrup throughout the world FYI despite having less trees than the main producers in the US. Anyhow, it was a bit of a caper read of who stole the maple syrup and the elaborate plan they went to do pull this off. It's not like you can just roll heavy barrels of syrup out past a security guard without someone noticing and then go sell it on the black market! (There is a lot of resentment over the production of maple syrup and the federation who control the market). Anyhow, talk about sticky-fingered thieves and an interesting read about something going on within my own country.

A highlight of our trip, and there were a few, was meeting up with our very good friends Keith and Danielle who were staying at a resort near us. Hard to believe it's so hard to get together back home that it needs Mexico to bring us together. Anyhow, it was wonderful to see them and get caught up on all that has gone in our lives since our last gathering. (Keith is a fellow blogger who received Blogger of the Week in 2014 for his deeply insightful and emotional blogs of his El Camino walk in Spain).

We were just tickled pink to see them and enjoyed lots of chit chat, lots of laughs, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing both of you if you are reading this. You two are very very special friends of ours (insert hugs to you both right here!)

We have gotten to know the manager Edith very well and enjoyed taking her out for dinner and drinks for all she does for us. I asked her about storage in Playa since we drag the same stuff back and forth (scuba/snorkeling equipment, water/hiking shoes, sunblock, etc) and she said she'd pick us up a bin at Home Depot and we could use a spare locker in the condo basement. Well wasn't that a great plan! Starting to feel like a local!

All in all, after an amazing vacation, we were not ready to come home.

Unfortunately, our final night I got word that a very special aunt had become ill. When I got the news, I had no idea how serious it was, or how my uncle was doing so so I was pretty discombobulated and upset. This is a very special lady, who has been a part of every chapter in my life and she is woven throughout the fabric of my life. And the idea of her not being her usual chipper and healthy self is worrisome. Thank god for the incredible support system that she has, which is a testament to her.

We had planned to go out for dinner, but after that news, I just had no appetite and so we just stayed in and had a very low-key quiet evening.(Thanks to Tom for sending out updates on her progress. Right now she is weathering the storm and may she continue on this path. Bunny and Dominic - they represent so much to so many and they make the world a better place for just being in it. xo)

That night I went to bed and tossed and turned, and dreamt that my cousin Blaine (sorry for blaming you Blaine!!) was flying with us and I had given him my passport to hold, and then he got on the plane with it, and I couldn't fly because I had no passport and on top of it Al was on the flight with Blaine heading home. HELLO? Did you two not notice that I was not sitting next to you? (OK I know, it was just a dream, sorry Blaine & Al for being mad at you 😊 The next day guess who was paranoid where the passports were at all times? ;(

I woke the next morning feeling queasy, and very foggy. Luckily our fight home was without any mishaps. Once we landed I started hacking and coughing and ended up with a chest cold. Our house also had a case of strep throat so our first weekend home was very very quiet with everyone laying low.

We had a big welcome at home by our gals and Marth. The house was in good shape, and food in the fridge. What more could you ask for? This is a new phase of our life, to be able to travel alone on occasion and know the girls can take care of business. Thank you all for making this so special. Thank you too Marth for steering the ship. McDonalds is on me tonight. OK, hmm, let's go up a notch, A&W. (Pulling your leg Martha!)

Otherwise, dundun dundun dundun (shark music) BACK TO REALITY.

For those of you still on vacation, be prepared to put your seat belt on because reality is lurking by once it's all over.

Have you ever heard about the Five Stages of Post Vacation Grief? Where you crash-land into the vacation blues after a wonderful tropical vacation away?

Well here you go. (Intended to be humorous!) Here are the stages and I've almost hit every one of them since we've gotten home. This bears no resemblance to me at all. Did I just mention this bears no resemblance to me? 😉

DENIAL: Oh oh Toto, we aren't in KANSAS (Playa) anymore. How is it we were just having happy hour on a soft sandy beach and now we are looking at blowing snow? Si, I mean yes. Where's the mariachis & happy hour? How come I'm heading out to get the mail in flip flops and a sundress? And do I hear ocean waves? Why do I have sunblock on and it's -20C? Where's my hammock? HELP. (Next stage...bargaining.)

BARGAINING: So then your mind starts working overtime...What if we give up our cable TV, water, hydro, and eating food, can we go on another trip asap? Let me google jobs in Playa. A baggage boy is needed at Cancun Airport? I'll sign Al up! Surely we can live there cheaply. Find a few coconuts and we'll be good for a few days. Sleeping on the beach would be so romantic. Who needs fancy accommodations and/or a bed. Just get me back to the beach. Dear God are you listening? I will do anything, I will never make another sarcastic comment the rest of my life (gulp.) I will even be nice to the kid who kicks my seat on the flight. I solemnly swear. (OK so this isn't working...up next anger).

ANGER: Why do I live in a place so cold that my nostrils freeze shut? Other people get to live by the beach, what is wrong with me? Why couldn't I have been born rich instead of good-looking? Look at that show-off who just posted their beach pictures on Instagram? AHHH where's my margarita? What's for dinner? What do you mean what's for dinner...make it yourself. Service is so bad at this place (called home.) Life is just not fair. WAH. Anger, check mark. Time to move on to the next phase called depression.

DEPRESSION: Harrumph. Who wants to be here? It's so cold and white out there. No I don't want to play scrabble. Life is way too short to be living in a place with a winter that goes on and on. Why bother getting out of bed? Why is there an alarm clock next to my bed? OMG now my tan is fading. Isn't it enough I was ripped away from the tropical beaches but now my tan is leaving too? What next? Oh great, a snowstorm is coming. Nooooooooooooooooooo.

ACCEPTANCE: Alright I get it. Vacation is over. I will accept it. Time to open the pile of stacked bills. Time to finish that load of laundry and pack away those nice little sundresses. Wait, tomorrow is Friday. Sure, I'm not in a ritzy accommodations with the turquoise sea sparkling in front of me, but I've got a cold bottle of wine and an order of Chinese on its way over tonight. I've got this, I can do this. All I have to do is get through those pesky days called Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, then it will be Friday again! Oh and hey, look at my photos! Don't we look great! OK so I'll save up my pennies, and start googling flights. I'm sure there will be a seat sale just for me!

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OK all you soon-to-bound-for-home sad sacks, that is what you have to look forward to after your vacation. Dig deep my friends, you can too can overcome!

*(Hey wow, I just checked my lottery ticket, and I won $75! Woo-hoo Playa here I come! How come Al is rolling his eyes! Hey I can really stretch out $75. How come Al told me to go re-read my part about "Denial"?

Thanks for reading along even if it wasn't the most exciting blog this time! (Lots of odds and ends of photos below on 2 pages).

Life's short, so drink the wine and eat the dessert... (I just saw that a fellow blogger that I've never met has passed away. Beautiful story-teller and a full-pledged member of the travel blog community who even paid attention to my little blog. May the heavens open up for such an adventure seeker who wrote eloquently about her solo journey and her love of travel. "It's not goodbye Tara Cloud, but until we read you later"...

Love from the 'Queen of Denial' and her 'Non-Drama King!'

Sal and Al 😉

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Comments

[Zully]

Love Incarnate
You two look awesome in this photo! Only the Ocean is your competition rival....wait....., Sally: Your outfit makes that ocean so darn tooting jealous. xo

[Playagal]

Love Incarnate
Thank you Zully. The setting would make anybody look good but I'll give Al some credit for the happy glow!