My fall off the proverbial wagon all started with the suggestion of an approaching storm. Not that I wasn't indulging a little bit on Isla before Ida came into my life, but she was the final blow to any semblance of a healthy diet. B.I. (Before Ida), I was up early each morning in a routine of a long walk looping El Centro and the malecon followed by a trip to the seaglass mine and a swing past the little shop on Juarez that sells fresh cut up fruit and bottles of orange juice.
But it was around the morning of Friday, November 6 that a little bit of panic set in. I think Wayne had posted that he was deciding whether to begin hurricane preparations, and I read on one of the weather sites that Ida had sped up and was headed on a bulls eye run towards the Yucatan Channel and Isla. Instead of a Tuesday arrival when I would be long gone, it was now slated for late Sunday. I suddenly realized that I had a chance of getting caught in a big storm on Isla! So I went into big storm mode -- a longstanding routine dating back to my life in Washington State. When a big snowstorm and/or big windstorm approached, I'd make a run on the grocery store. I was a little worried about locals making a run on the supermercado and depleting the shelves of the necessities, so I was up bright and early Friday morning to make a run on the supermercado and the ATM machine. (I didn't realize that the locals wait a little later to make the run on the store!)
Mary, forgive me, for I am about to sin big time. Turn around and look away! I'm headed for the snack aisle at the supermercado!
The Bimbo stand! Let's face it, if you're in a hotel room and they shut off the power, you don't want anything that needs preparation or might spoil! So by all means, buy something with an indefinite shelf life packaged to withstand the ages. Those little Bimbo donuts (the grande package!), lots of those little packages of cookies, a bag of limon Sabritas, a supply of my favorite B Light drinks, some M&M's and a Snicker bar -- you get the picture! A little package of graham crackers was the healthiest purchase on my list. And I threw in a large bottle of agua purificado for good measure. By the way, I bought double on the Bimbo donuts (I guess I thought I was in for a long siege) and the maid at Media Luna inherited an entire bag when I exited the island.
Anyway, I was down for the count. Lying on the street by the side of the wagon I'd fallen from. By Saturday evening, I had to make another run past a mini-mart on my way back to the Rocamar because I'd already eaten half my supply of panic snacks! LOL And here I am two weeks later, still indulging.
I'm a little worried since Thursday is Thanksgiving and that marks the big slide into Christmas binge eating. Crap!
What I really need right now is a wonderful place right down the street I can stroll to in the evenings for a nice salad -- already prepared for me!
I promise to eat all my salad, go light on the dressing, and just nibble on a few of those pieces of toasted bread with roasted garlic! And even if I succumb to a meal off the menu, I'd order the fish in Cuban sauce. Mmmmmmmmmm. Just beam me back to Isla!
I never can get the name right, but you know what/where I'm talkin' about! Victor's Viva con Cuba Libre!
P.S. Stayed tuned for more Isla food next week!
8 comments:
SO glad you commented on my blog because I was NOT aware of yours. Love your writing style....and the binge eating for a hurricane brings back many memories of life on the Gulf Coast for mumblesomething years.
You are now bookmarked.
LOVE the pictures, both in this post and your previous one! Keep it coming as it's helping me get through the next few days before we head out to Isla!
And DROP the chocolate! :)
Reminds me of pre-Wilma panic shoppint. My friend Ricardo went to Cancun for stuff for tienda Ronco. He said the Mexicans in Walmart were walking out with bags of candy and chips while he carried batteries and beans. The candy, he said, was compra in panico. And when the food boxes arrived after Wilma, we got animal crackers but no candy. So, who were the smart shoppers?
Reminds me of my preps for Hurricane Emily. I had Jen and Miko here. Loaded up on what I thought was lots of snacks. They ate those up in the first hours - good thing that one wasn't like Wilma, we'd have been sunk. I was a lot smarter for Wilma (and didn't have Jen and Miko here either to gobble up our stash). I can just see you eating your way through your hoard - nothing like knowing it's right there in the room with you to make you hungry.
Viva Bimbo!!!
Still laughing at this one! I think I mentioned that the only empty aisles when I did my prep shopping was the snack aisle. Remind me sometime to tell you about buying fruit cocktail as a hurricane food!
Babs, I love your blog and scenes of your life in San Miguel! Just beautiful!
Donna, I wish I could ride along tomorrow in your bags! Say hi to Tinkerbell for me! And eat a big pescado frita at Mocambo! I'm dropping the chocolate again. (And hopefully not picking it up off the floor! HA!)
Zina, I'm definitely not the smart hurricane shopper, but I did get candles from the desk late Saturday night. The poor desk clerk who was still there because of me wanted to give me the entire box!
And Sue, proximity to the snacks was definitely a problem! I had a stash right in the bedside table. When they came to move me, it took an extra tote bag just to move the Bimbo purchases!
Viva Bimbo, Viva Bimbo, Moonie!
And Wayne, fruit cocktail would definitely have been a healthier choice! Next time I'm on Isla, we must hang out! I never just sat and listened to late night music at Fayne's this time. Some friends of mine were at Fayne's until late Saturday before the storm. Sorry I missed the rain fest!
Beck, you are hilarious!
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