More Beach Pics

Foto of the Day

What a wonderful day to be on Isla Mujeres!  The day went something like this: 
Breakfast at the new Barlito location.  Better than ever!  Shopping at Chedraui to stock the pantry.  A few hours on Playa Norte soaking in the turquoise waters of the Caribe.  Frappuccinos at Mogagua.  Relaxing in the pool at our home away from home and meeting Sparky.  Dinner at Green Verde.

That's an impressive start!

More to come!

One

Waiting waiting waiting . . .

Life's too short to wait!

Two

For today's countdown, two videos.

Three

 

Three more.  Have you noticed I'm counting down?

 

Four Step Program

Four steps closer to the beach!

 

 

I'm starting to believe!

Five

From May 2008.

Where did April go?

If anyone finds April, let me know.  I've been on a bit of a blog break, but don't count me out yet.

I could be open for business again soon.

 

Looking forward to almost a month of tranquility on my favorite little island south of the border down Mexico way!

Part of me doesn't want to jinx this trip by doing something silly like planning and packing, but I'm washing clothes, buying swimsuits, hunting passports and suitcases, and reserving my ride to the ferry dock! 

Stay tuned!

A Slice of Island History

It's Saturday, so I'm sharing something special from Facebook.  It's a slice of Isla Mujeres history found on Recuerdos de Isla Mujeres' Facebook page posted by Temo Zurita.  I collect old photos, so I naturally fell in love with this slideshow from my favorite little island.  The music's also fantastico!  Take a step back in time to Isla before the masses arrived.

Cocos! Cocos! Mama Mia, Mama Mia, Coconuts!

On Isla Mujeres, you can identify vendors by sounds.  One of my favorite refrains on Playa Norte signals the approach of the man who sells coconuts. I think his name is Felipe. He's been plying the sand of Playa Norte for as long as I've been visiting the island.  If you listen carefully, you'll hear his distant call.  

I took this video on Playa Norte in late November 2011.  Also take a look at the tide line and notice how much sand's been added since then. 

Mama mia, mama mia, coconuts! Hola amigo! Coconuts, coconuts!  Here he comes in his black apron with his machete.





 We've had a special relationship for years.  A friend of mine used to make a cat yowling sound whenever Coco Man passed and he'd just laugh and yell  Hola Amigo!!!  Later, when I'd be on the island solo, I'd let Coco Man know it was me with the same sound.  The first time I tried it, he came running over laughing, yelling Mamacita, Cuchi Cuchi!   He scared the living daylights out of me!  LOL  Now that Craig's retired and always with me, Coco Man yells out Hola Amiga!

On a recent trip when he spotted some topless women, he added Coco's, Chi Chi's, Coco's, Chi Chi's, Cuchi Cuchi to his song.  He's quite the character!


Love this man and hope to see him on the beach for a LONG time! He's an island icon! 

Next trip I will . . .

We missed our trip in November due to the bike debacle, so I've had time to think about the opportunities I waste when I'm in Paradise.  As the sign says, Imagine, Dream, Believe -- and build that to do list. 


Next trip I will . . . 

Strap on the gear and snorkel at Garrafon.   I've been like Goldilocks with water temps over the years in the tropics.  If the water's not just right, I make excuses for not taking the plunge.  Wonder if the same little old man is still selling tickets? 

Spend an afternoon on the back porch at El Varadero drinking Mojitos and watching the boats pass.  And don't forget the guacamole and chips!

Stick my head through the Poc Chuc menu board and once again get my photo taken.  In fact, Craig and I need to pose for photos multiple times.  He's afraid when I'm gone, there will be no photos because I hate having my picture taken!

Savor every sunset!

Snorkel under the bridge at Avalon Cove.  Yes, I know fish aren't as plentiful there, but kids were chasing mantas on one of our last trips. 

Swim or water walk in the water off Playa Norte everyday!  No excuses!

Hunt through the cemetery and find Mundaca's grave.  Geez Louise!  How long have I been traveling to Isla?

Add a visit to the bead ladies shop to buy some earrings, a tour of the turtle farm, dinner at Limon, and what the heck -- maybe a trip down the zipline at Garrafon to that list!  Hmmmmm.

Build that list!

 

2013 Favoritos

Yesterday I was in the local hardware store and saw a bag of Snake-Away and immediately grabbed it.  Score!  I bet that stuff will be hard to find in April.  When we got to the counter, the man in front of me turned around and kept staring at the package.  I was waiting for the comment.  Chuckle chuckle.  Do you actually think that stuff works?  (Translation -- city slicker, you need to put on your big girl panties.)

The cashier looked at the guy and said, "For $16.99, it's worth a try.  I got bit last year and tried to walk it off.  I spent three days in the ICU and it took 12 vials of anti-venom at $2000 a vial.  Your choice."  I looked at the clerk's little finger and it was red and gnarled.  And the guy in front was headed back to the aisles on a hunt for Snake-Away. 

On the way home, it finally hit me.  Why in the hell am I living in a place where Diamondback rattlesnakes can and will crawl into my yard!  LOL  I think it's time for some more tropical photos and a ticket out of here in snake season.

Dibs on this spot!  I have a new sun hat, new swimsuit, and even an unused collapsible beach chair  waiting for a date. 

Here's Craig trying to thumb a ride back to the island.  Watch for him on the beach next trip.  He'll be the mysterious man on the beach who looks like he survived a knife fight. 

What could be more iconic Mexico than  a chihuahua posing with a VW Bug?

Beach traffic jam with beer wagons and the famous Tarzan's jip.

Colorful paddleboards down by Fenix. 

The original Cheesehead.

I saw these vendors for the first time in 2013.  Nice hats!

The good news is we have a date!  No silly, not for Isla.  Craig's next surgery has been scheduled.  It's supposed to be easy peasy.  They'll cut it open and pull out that hook plate in early March!

Lost and Found

Kizoa slideshow: Isla Mujeres June 2011 - Slideshow

I'd lost these slideshows because I didn't pay the membership fees, but I ran across it today on the big worldwide web.  June 2011!

Bits of Blue

I'm been feeling a little like the mermaid lately.  Fragmented!  Maybe it's the cold medicine I'm taking -- again.  Today I'll just post some blue odds and ends and hope these cloudy Arizona skies and cold medicine haze pass quickly.

This boat was on the island in November 2011.  It was quite a sight sailing down Playa Norte.  The story eludes me now, but I think the owner built it and stopped on Isla for a little rest on his way to Panama?  Some such adventure.

Craig in front of Burgos Moto Rentadora back in 2004.  Now you can order a curried chicken pita there!

Now, and back in 2002.

Love the colors in this peacock mural at Hotel Las Palmas.

And speaking of peacocks!!!

The Second Edition of the Restaurant Quiz

As much as I'd love to be in the tropics right now, I don't feel bad about being stranded in Tucson, Arizona.  Online Canuck friends are complaining about -42 C temps.  Holey moley!  We're having a gorgeous winter with highs in the 70's and lots of the yellow stuff.  An arctic blast on Friday is supposed to drop the temps into the 60's.  This is our eighth winter in Arizona and so far, the warmest!

Enough bragging about the weather.  I've probably jinxed it and we'll see snow tonight!  Here's the second edition of the restaurant quiz.

 The quaint interior of which popular loncheria?

Hint -- one type of food dominates this restaurant's menu.

I'm eating in the first stall at the market which is _____________?

My favorite restaurant to sit with a frappe and watch the island pass by. 

I'll admit I've never sat on this porch or purchased a drink here, but I find this man fascinating.  The most puzzling man in the world (or at least on Isla).  Name this cantina!

If this is my view, where am I eating?  I think these people hid behind the sign because they didn't want to be outed in my photo.  What the heck's a piano bar?  That's another interesting topic.  Tee hee.

These colorful tables are located at _______________?

Here I'm dining with friends at one of my favorite restaurants on Isla eating delicious baked shrimp.  The famous owner is in the background.  What's his name?

Where's this head?  Or should I say whose head is this?

Petey was a fixture for years in this popular Isla restaurant.

Name this beach club.

We're sitting on the front patio of which popular El Centro restaurant?

Can anyone guess what's made here?

Okay, this is a gimme, but I've always liked this mural.

And here's another freebie.  Next time you're on Isla, stick your head through the menu board for your photo souvenir!  I obviously did, so it's my profile pic.

The sniffles are gone, so I can no longer award that viral prize for guessing all the restaurants in the second edition correctly.  Maybe I could throw in my two unused tickets to Cancun from November, but the fraud police would come after you since we opted for the full refund.

Stay warm my friends!

Answers in order of the photos:
 

La Lomita, Pita Amore, Alexi&Giovanni's, Mogagua, Hemingway's, Basto's, Mamacita, Fredy's, Bahia Tortuga (that looks like Danny to me!), French Bistro, Capitan Dulce, M&J's Cazuela, tortillas, Don Chepo's, and Poc Chuc.   And don't dock me any points on my spelling!