Oaxaca, the Yucatan and other fables: July 2009

On the Way Back 2

>> Friday, July 10, 2009

We stopped in Solferino to look at a 1000 year old tree and found a cafe down the same side street. It was run by Vera. Vera moved to Mexico many years ago from Croatia and had lived in this cafe/gallery for the last 8 years. She was pretty circumspect about how she happened to be where she is. I'm sure there is a good story about lovers, money or family somewhere. Her art was quite nice and she made a good/strong espresso that we sorely needed after leaving Holbox so early no cafe was open for coffee. Vera's place was very nice and minimalist. I will post more shots of her space later.

The Way Back

The streets of Holbox. Sand streets and scooters and golf carts with ATV wheels for riding in the sand. Our time is up and we are heading back to "civilization".That's me riding the ferry back to Chiquila where we left the car rental. On the way back we saw the elusive flamingos we failed to find the previous day on our jaunt on the island.

Isla Holbox--Hotter than Hell!

>> Thursday, July 9, 2009

Isla Holbox. In seach of the flamingos. We rode in a golf cart almost to the end of
the island. We were unable to get to the part of the island with the flamingos but the trip was beautiful. The only snag was when the breeze stopped for a few moments and the flys and mosquito ferociously attacked us. We ran back to the cart waving our hands to keep the monsters away.

Isla Holbox

>> Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Today we drove from Akumal to Isla Holbox. It is in the northern part of the Yucatan. Northwest of Cancun. The drive was great. Mostly narrow two lane roads. Out in the boondox. We ended up in the town of Chiquila where we took a 25 minute ferry to Isla Holbox. Holbox is about 2 miles wide and 10 miles long. Once on the island you can travel by taxi in the form of golf carts, rent a golf cart or walk. People also use motor scooters. I haven't seen a car. Our taxi driver Coral took us around to several hotels. We settled on a place on the beach called Holdbox Dream. I went into town while Martha napped and rented a golf cart and drove around the white sand roads that cross the town. I ran across the town dump and the town cemetery. They were in the same place. It was hot. Tropical hot. The beach is beautiful. Tomorrow we hope to go to the end of the island where there are flamingos and other birds.

The Nikon Dysfunction

Camera Redux: The camera's sad refrain. Stuck in the half way position. Sand preventing its opening or closing. (See previous post for the awful details) Thankfully we have Martha's digital. After diving I was "stove up" in the head and rested most of the afternoon. I finished reading the trashiest mystery novel I've ever read. I wanted to tear the heart out of the author when done but at least it gave me something to live for. I've sunk into a sort of delicious pre-human level. My wants and needs are few: air, food, sleep. I sleep like an animal: 18 to 20 hours a day. In and out of naps and quesadillas. The occasional mead and then back to sleep. We did manage a few moments of consciousness. We noted the moon was full and that a walk on the beach at night would not be too strenuous. The conversation went sort of like: "Moon full?" "Si." "Walk on beach?" "OK." "Walk good." "Si."

Diving/Dead Camera

>> Monday, July 6, 2009

Today I made the mistake of holding my already broken camera too close to the surface of the ocean and a small wave lightly crashed into it. A couple of hours later the lens wouldn't extend all the way. I tried taking this picture during my resort course dive instruction. It is Martha and Shayla our gringa dive instructor. Alas the camera is defuncto. I wept, I grieved. Nonetheless after a mere hour of instruction I dove into clear waters off the coast of Akumal. I had taken a course 20 years ago and "certified" in Lake Jackson, GA.-- a murky tree strewn body of water. But this time I actually entered the ocean and dove to 45 feet. It was quite nice although I had a lot of trouble maneuvering. I couldn't quite get the hang of moving about freely. According to Shayla I was slightly bent like an inverted "v" and therefore adding more bouyancy to my already bouyant self. At times I almost had the hang of it. I think I needed one more weight on my belt but Shayla said no via her dive instructor "chalk board". Who was I to argue at that time and place? The reef was amazing. Too bad most of my concentration was on getting around. Martha, however, was like a fish in the water and was having a great time. She and Shayla kept a close eye on the rookie and I never felt unsafe or ill at ease except for feeling like a fish out of the water except I was a human in the water so the metaphor kind of sucks, sort of. Afterwards I was exhausted and a little nauseous aboard the boat but came out of it with just a few light remnants of emotional scarring. You know the kind where you think you are the manly man but your woman out manly mans you...... sigh... I'll have to readjust at the golf course.

the camera goddess she is a harsh mistress

>> Sunday, July 5, 2009

I'm lamenting the destruction of the LCD screen of my digital camera. It was in a bag with other stuff and then something happened. Something smooshed up agin it. Curses! I say! I can't see what i'm taking a picture of. I have to guess at it. takes a little of the worry of composition out of the process, no?Is it day three or four? I'm starting to lose counts as the nap time seems to overtake wake time. the constant lap of the waves on the shore and the breeze through the house makes it impossible not to sleep. This morning I went to the pueblo Akumal in search of corn tortillas or tortilla de maise. They only have wheat or harina tortillas in the beach area. The pueblo is where the Mexicans who work in the beach area live. It is mostly concrete block homes and stores. I stopped at a fruit juice stand and bought a licuado de fruta melon grande and a licuado de fruta plantain medio. I asked the woman who ran the place where I could get corn tortillas and she said no one sold them. So I just took the juice and went back to our place. Later we went to the Yal Cu lagoon and snorkeled for two hours. We usually do about an hour but we lost each other by a reef and spent some anxious time searching for one another. I saw a three foot needle fish, a large sting ray, schools of tangs and sergent major fish. Martha saw a very large parrot fish. We also talked to the dive shop nearby about a dive class tomorrow. it looks like we are going to do it. I'm a little apprehensive but what is the worst that can happen?

Update 459

>> Saturday, July 4, 2009

We left the heart of Cancun and headed south. Either to Mahahual or Akumal or somewhere else. It is hot, steamy and pretty tropical down here in the tropics. Martha had read about a Oskar and Lalo's restaraunt by the sea. They were said to have good food and good snorkeling. When we found the sign to their establishment the arrow pointed away from the ocean. We turned down a dirt road toward the beach because this is Mexico and things can be turned around on occasion. The road took us by some of the most dense mangroves we've ever seen. at the end we came to a "T" in the road where there were chains across the road to the left and right. A security guard on the right said there were no cars allowed but we could walk to the beach. He said Oskar and Lalo's were across the street at the highway. Right where the arrow pointed. We walked to the beach. The water was beautiful. Only two people were in the water. they held each other and kissed. I thought they might be naked. We put our things under an umbrella and changed into our snorkeling gear. The water felt great. There wasn't much to see. A few fish and a conch or two but the water was clear and it felt good. It turns out the couple wasn't naked. they left and walked down the beach. we left and walked back to the car. It is really hot now.We ate at Oskar and Lalo's. The waitress was nice to point out to us "Did you notice the prices?" Which were a little high but not outrageous. After the food, the heat, the snorkeling and the drive we were tired and decided to Akumal which was close by. We are at that place. the Hacienda de la Tortuga. We napped. After a deep second nap of an hour and half I woke up and martha was gone. From the balcony I could see the color of her snorkel in the ocean. I grabbed my gear and went to the water. The water was warm, then cool and clear and the coral reefs were beautiful. I never found martha and after a while i went back to the beach to find her lounging. After a dip in the pool, we ate ate the La Lunita cafe where in a moment all the expat americanas and tourists showwed up within 5 minutes of each other. When we arrived I had felft sorry for the staff because no one was there but now almost all seats were taken.
From our balcony we could someone snorkeling with alight. That night i slept for 12 hours. and awoke to a classic tropical sunrise. the light soft, the breeze cool and the ocean calm.

Day 1 -- Plane is late 6:30 instead of 6. "the plane is getting a security check and being cleaned", no biggie right? right. 6:30 becomes 7. We taxi out. the emergency procedures are given. the pilot announces we are 5th in line for take off. we wait a bit. then we wait a little more. we begin a long taxi maneuver. real long. then out the window i notice we are approaching the gate area. hmmm. something is wrong. a buzz goes through the plane as we stop. the pilot announces that there is an emergency. someone is ill. an atlanta lime green emt rescue vehicle pulls up as the metal stairs are put in place outside the plane. people are looking around . 2 emts get on the plane with defibralators and go to the back. after 5 minutes they leave and behind a sheepish looking guy in a yellow tshirt and a black backpack with a wife/girlfriend file out of the plane. the pilot announces the emergency is over but now we need to refuel. 8:15 we pull out and finally take off. i'm a little tense.... until I get my tangeray and tonic gratis because of the delay. finally i feel like i'm on vacation.

we land and speed through customs and baggage claim. i head out the big doors, brushing aside appeals for taxis, hotels, tour guides and prostitutes (just kidding i think). martha is sitting at a table and I yell "Martha!". We head in to Cancun and find our eco hotel,.........El Rey de Caribe. demonia azul. It's hot out. Concierige Abelardo is gracious and helpful. we taxi to a restaurant, its closed. we walk in the heat and humidity for a tortilla, back to the hotel for a dip in the pool. fantastico!