Thursday, May 17, 2012

28 Sunrises

Actually, I'm only posting one sunrise here, but April 2006 marked four weeks of glorious sunrises from our bed in the upper south studio at Casa Luna Turquesa!

Sometimes things happen for a reason.  After being restructured out of his job, Craig ended up with the time to spend most of the month with me on Isla Mujeres.  The trip I'd planned as a solo turned into a month in paradise for both of us!


I don't remember a single rainy day.   Nothing but sunrises just like this and blue skies!


A friend loaned us two bikes we used to pedal all over the island.  Remember the vendors who set up tables at Playa Lancheros?  Pictured above is the pareo hut.


Craig loved the seafood tacos at Pinguinos then and swore they were the best on the island.  We'd sit on the porch and watch the beach across the street as the car ferry passed.


Someone will have to tell me whether this photo was taken at Picus (my vote) or Mininos, but the brothers were slightly younger and cordial to each other back then.


One evening sitting with a group of friends at the Posada del Mar beach, the cotton candy man came walking down the beach.  This is one of my favorite beach photos from Isla.


Our trip lapped over into May, so the regattas came to the island.  Love this photo of a red, white, and blue sailboat passing my lounger.


Some evenings we met friends at the Playa del Sol palapa bar to watch the sunset.



This little hut's been torn down since, but it stood next to the artisans market across from Poc Na.


Gate to the ocean on Juarez across from the Navy base.



The lifeguard palapa on Playa Norte was still standing, but rarely manned.  And that brings up an interesting question.  Does Isla still have lifeguards?  I know there's a white lifeguard stand just north of the Posada del Mar beach now.


One of Craig's favorite pastimes that trip was fishing from the dock at Playa Indio's.  He'd ride the bike out early in the morning and return before noon.  After grilling a couple of fish at Luna Turquesa for lunch one day, he started leaving his catch with Indio.  And no, he didn't bring the rock home. 


Kayaks for rent at Playa Indio's.  Unfortunately, Hurricane Wilma destroyed his dock, so he wasn't getting much business in 2006.


I loved this little hut.  It sat at the east end of the path behind the houses at Punta Sur.  I'm not sure when the house disappeared, but it's no longer there.


Remember the little mariachis?  Wonder where they are now? 


Loungers on Playa Norte.   I hear people say that Wilma eroded the sand from Playa Norte, but look how wide it is in 2006.   I think the erosion started after that.  This photo was taken somewhere in the area west of Ixchel I.  The second tower hadn't been built yet.


This boat sat alongside the road in front of the old Hotel Garrafon de Castilla for a few years.   Newer construction blocks this view now.


Craig left five days before our month was up to fly back to Seattle for a job interview.  I stuck around for all 28 sunrises.  On the last night, I sat with friends at the Posada del Mar beach for one last sunset.

2006 marked the first time we were able to spend an entire month in paradise.  Sometime in the near future, I'm hoping to extend that to the plural version of month(s)!

17 more sleeps!




6 comments:

Ann said...

Love following your trips again--they're just as wonderful the 2nd time around!

Janet said...

Beautiful pictures, engaging story. Thanks Becky. (20 for us!)

krisla said...

nice, nice, nice.
Good luck with your extension :-)

Life's a Beach! said...

Ann, I didn't realize it was such a saga! Janet, we'll be watching for you! Kris, sadly enough, we're kind of waiting on the dog. We think she's 14 going on 15. We adopted her when she was 9. Two weeks is about max for boarding her at Dog Bone Ranch. We may turn into vagabonds once she's gone.

drgeo said...

Howdy from London,
The marimba brothers play at Mininos these days ( can't say where in 2006).

Life's a Beach! said...

drgeo, I've seen some of your photos from London! Looks like a spectacular trip! I can't remember if those bano doors with Caballeros and Damas are at Picus or Mininos. I may have to check it out in a few weeks.