Isla Mujeres 2015 ~~ Day 14 - 15

Isla Mujeres 2015

Day 14

After a busy day touring around la Isla, we’re looking forward to a lazy day…yes,  another lazy day!  Of course I’m still up for my usual sunrise…can’t miss that!

Vince and Keith zoom off on the golf cart to the Mercado at the north end of Guerrero to get in line for cochinita pibil, yumminess that is only available on Sunday.  $25 pesos and we have plenty for a snack and dinner too!  They drop off the goodies and then take back the golf cart.

We then proceed straight out to our comfy balcony to bake in the sun, flip some pages in our books, all while listening to Maná.  

It’s a toasty 32C with 90% humidity so every once in a while, I take a break from the sun and sit on the eastern balcony in the shade to enjoy the view.

We have leftover pizza from Oscar’s Grill for dinner and then we decide to top it with some of our cochinita pibil.  Maybe that seems like a strange combination but it was delicious!  Don’t knock it until you try it!

And what better view for dinner….

I love it when the sunset just keeps going and going….

It’s Oscar night on TV so we watch them in Spanish…

Keith and Elisa arrive around 1030 after enjoying their last dinner out at Sergio’s Limón.  We enjoy our favourite pecan ice cream and Kahlua nightcap while sitting on the balcony under the stars.  It’s a perfect evening but unfortunately Keith and Elisa’s last….we will miss you!

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Day 15

We start the day a little differently….up at 530 to say goodbye to Keith and Elisa….gee, should have gone to bed earlier!  I stumble down the stairs with one eye open.  Hugs to Keith and Elisa…..gracias for all the fun and we will see you soon, in 2016! 

Back upstairs to bed for me, but Vince helps them with luggage to the ferry.  It’s still dark out!

I did open the other eye for the sunrise but it wasn’t spectacular so went back to bed for a while.  We have a breakfast date this morning so the alarm is set for 8.  By 930 we are hoofing it to M & J Cazuelas.  On the way we notice tons of frigate birds circling overhead.  Always fun to watch them dip and soar.  And then….SPLAT!!!  Yup, right on my head and shoulder.  Awesome.  It’s supposed to be good luck, right?  I have a few hand wipes along so Vince tries to clean it up a bit.  Now we’re late!  The gang is gathered….

Vince enjoys an omelet while I eat light and have toast and jam.  We have a great visit with everyone….watching the school kids across the street…

Back home again after picking up a nice bouquet of flowers and another bottle of Kaluha….who drank the first one!?!  A friend stops by for a bit of a tour….so nice to meet you Marie!  Just after 12 Frank arrives to move into Sonrisa and Vince has a nice cold ‘welcome to Caribbean Casa’ cerveza ready for him.  We give him the tour and fill him in on a few things and leave him to unpack.

So, that’s enough running around for today….time to hit the balcony.  Seriously we have to get to the beach one of these days!  Tomorrow for sure!

Ahhhh…

We decide on snack stuff for dinner…prosciutto, cheese, crackers etc…with the sunset for dessert….

And then we get a text from Frank to come join everyone at Bally-Hoo.  Off we dash, just in time for a bit of a sunset from there as well…

It’s Faith and John’s last evening….so sad to have people leaving.  The gang’s all here!  Nice purse Frank!  

After laughter and hugs, the crowd scatters…some for home, some for the ferry and a few diehards continue the party at Morgan’s.  Now these are yummy margaritas!...

More laughter and then it’s time to stumble home….literally….this was the night that Jan tripped on the sidewalk along Juaréz….no, she was not tipsy at all, just the usual uneven surfaces that made her trip.  Ended up hurting her shoulder quite badly and recently had to have surgery to repair it.  Sorry Jan!  Hope it’s feeling better now.  Walking on Isla is always a bit of an adventure!

Tomorrow….finally off to Playa Norte for some sun and surf!

Isla Mujeres 2015 ~~ Day 5 ~ 6

Isla Mujeres 2015

Day 5

Everyone is up to enjoy the sunrise today….

We enjoy the views while eating a quick breakfast…Vince and Jason are off on a snorkeling trip with Captain Tony Garcia this morning.

Shortly after 8 they are on their way to see the fishies.   They are followed by these nice fellows…okay, not really being followed!  At least I hope not!

While they’re gone I do some tidying and maybe just got a bit lazy and just sat and enjoyed the view some more….never get tired of it!

Shortly after 11 the boys are back….had a great time with Tony, as always.   Vince and I head off to Playa Norte and Jason arrives in the usual spot just a little later.

  

It’s another beautiful day….still not super hot, but very comfortable and much warmer than at home, of course!  The boys go for a swim….the water is still very refreshing…ie it takes them a while to get in!

  

We laze away the rest of the afternoon and then guess who’s hungry.  And guess what he wants…”Mom, what time does Olivia open?”  Yup, one more time! Jason must be Olivia’s biggest fan…next to us!  Off they go, arriving back a short time later with still-warm parmesan bread with tzatziki and an order of pastilla…chicken in phyllo. 

I seriously doubt that anyone has had a delicious picnic on the beach like this!!  Jason is definitely in his happy place here!  And with our yummy snack, we get to enjoy a beautiful sunset movie….

Another wonderful day in paradise….

When the sun has disappeared we wander home and then somehow, Jason is hungry again.  Off to Hidalgo where he decides to enjoy some grouper at Asia Caribe again.    I decide to have my favourite once again, California Special Rolls, while Vince has the pecan-encrusted grouper and Jason has the herbed grouper.  While we’re waiting for dinner I’m chatting with Cori of Caribbean Casa on FB.  She says to say hi to Annelise and Peter.  Of course I do that and then we find a fun way for them to say hi back!

Food arrives and it is delicious as always…..with 2 bottles of water, the bill is $495 pesos plus tip.  And it’s our lucky day….we are treated to a complimentary coconut cheesecake dessert….oh my…soooo light and yummy!  We’ll have this again for sure!  Gracias!

We wander home and take a few minutes to see the crowd at the zocalo where Carnival is underway.   Jason and I play a game of backgammon while sipping on kahlúa and ice.  Just around midnight we hear some rumblings out on the street…sure enough, it’s Keith and Elisa!  Our downstairs neighbours for the next 10 days!  Great to see you again amigos!

Day 6

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

My last sunrise from the sofa bed…it’s actually quite comfortable but I am looking forward to settling into the upstairs master suite today.  Sad for Jason to be leaving though, as we’ve enjoyed sharing our Isla with him.

Jason is flying out this afternoon so he needs a hearty breakfast….they head off to M & J Cazuela at 8:30. 

I stay behind and start moving our things into place….stopping to enjoy the view many times of course!

One last time to Playa Norte for Jason…..he finds a chica along the way…

It’s another really gorgeous day…..

This tree shall henceforth be known as ‘Jason’s Tree’!  haha….

Too soon it’s time for Jason to head to the ferry.  He’s enjoyed his time on Isla…a nice break for him.  As I write this he is busy planning a 5-week hiking trek through France and northern Italy.  He definitely has the travel and adventure bug!  Adios Jason!....hasta luego!

Since we’re in centro, we do a bit of shopping and Vince picks out a nice flower bouquet for me….aw, thanks sweetie!

When we arrive back at Caribbean Casa, our amazing house cleaner, Fatima, surprises us with her own homemade flan.  Wow….it is incredible….sooo very good!  That was so nice of her and greatly appreciated!  She does a wonderful job keeping Casita Isladise spotless!

We spend the rest of the afternoon lazing on our balcony, reading, with Maná playing in the background.  Isladise perfection!

We enjoy another wonderful sunset….the sky is on fire!

We had made reservations for Valentine’s Day at Olivia’s for the 2 of us, but when we found out Keith and Elisa would be on Isla then, we asked them to join us.  Just after 8 we walk together and are warmly greeted by all the staff.  Poor them…..they will be so tired of seeing us by the time we leave!  Just kidding….they are all so amazing!  We enjoy another wonderful dinner in the garden….

Keith, goofing around with his sweetheart!...

We share parmesan bread and tzatziki…I can’t get enough of this stuff!  I order my usual, beef kebabs…Vince and Keith have ribs in beer sauce…Elisa has pastilla…

We share a nice bottle of cab sauv and our portion of the bill comes to $670….very reasonable price for a wonderful meal!  Guess what…we’ll be back again many times!

Tummies happily full, we wander to the zocalo where dancing is in full force...

We continue walking home and then finish off our evening with an iced Kahlúa and maple walnut ice cream. 

Around 1am we fall into the super comfy king bed in the master suite.  Ahhh….now we’re in Isladise!