Sunday, 7 June 2015

Isla Mujeres 2015 ~~ Day 2

Isla Mujeres 2015 ~~ Day 2





“Time to Wiggle the Toes in the Sand!”


The new time change is not working for me.  I’m wide-awake at 5:30, ready to head to the balcony for my first sunrise of 2015.  But, the skies are still pitch black.  I should go back to sleep but that’s not going to happen!  Finally at 6:20 I can’t wait any longer.  I tiptoe out to the Isladise main floor balcony to enjoy the show.   The sky is just beginning to colour and I sit back, relax and just breathe in the fresh morning air….







At 7:20 the sun finally greets me.  An hour later than usual…not a fan.   I feel like the day is already half over!  But let’s enjoy the moment…even Vince joins me….for 1 of the 3 that I think he got up for!




I spend the next hour or so unpacking a bit and getting our space organized until we move upstairs when Jason goes home on Saturday.   Jason is in strumming mode until we leave for brekkies and the beach. 



A moment to enjoy the view before we head off….



We decide on Alexia y Geovanny at the loncheria for breakfast.   It’s not overly busy but it is s-l-o-w.  We actually asked if they lost our order after 30 minutes.  I know, I know, it’s Mexico, but my toes are itching for sand.  It is definitely a bargain breakfast…2 omelets and 1 sandia….$95MXP plus tip.




Tummies happy and wallet still full, we take the last few steps to Playa Norte, settling in ‘Jason’s spot’, just north of Buho’s.  It’s a nice quiet spot that Jason has been enjoying for the past few days.  We would settle here many times over the next month.



The next few hours pass with reading and snoozing.  It’s funny to see Jason reading a ‘brush up on your French book’ while in Mexico, but he’s planning ahead for his summer Europe holiday.  It isn’t overly hot, but very comfortable and a bit breezy.  A perfect way to get acclimated.  Jason and I jump the waves and the water temp is very refreshing….that means it was actually a bit chilly!



We decide to head home around 3 so we don’t overdo the sol on the first day.  Noses lead us to Abuelos for a snack.  The new upstairs area is complete and there is a nice breeze.  One delicious order of pollo salbutes, guacamole, 1 cerveza, 1 water = $160MXP plus tip.  It was all very good….and great service too.  We found this place last year and it is even better than we remembered…



Back home again, it’s the perfect time to grab a drink and plop the tired toes in the pool…ahhhh.  Sit back and enjoy our first gorgeous sunset…..also an hour later than usual at 6:30.



Just after 8 we are on our way to one of our favourite restaurants….Olivia, Tastes of the Mediterranean.   Olivia, A Taste of the Mediterranean


We’re warmly greeted and quickly settled at our table.  We’re so excited to share Olivia with Jason.  He’s heard us talk about this place for years and now he finally gets to taste what we’ve been saying.  We start with tzatziki and warm parmesan bread…..Jason is already impressed!….


He orders a shawarma wrap….


I have my usual….beef kebabs and roasted potatoes…


And one of Vince’s favourites…chicken in olives….


Everyone is very happy…


We somehow make room for cherry ice cream….perfect dessert!



With 2 glasses of vino tinto….$720MXP plus tip.  Worth every centavo!  Jason is really happy and already asking to go again before he leaves!  One of the best things about Olivia is consistency.  We've been going here since they opened and the food is just as good now as it was then. They do not have any 'off' nights….it is always good!  The setting is very cozy and romantic in the garden and the service is always very personal and friendly.   A huge thank you to Lior and Yaron, their amazing chef Cesar, and all of the staff, Bryan, Diana, Charlotte, Humberto and more, that makes this such a special place!  ¡Gracias!





Thursday, 4 June 2015

Isla Mujeres 2015 ~~ Day 1

Well, it's taken me a bit of time to get going on the trip reports for our 2015 holiday.  Sometimes life just gets in the way!  Here we go!….

Isla Mujeres 2015 ~~ Day 1


























“Isladise, Here We Come!”

3:30am finds us driving to the airport in a fierce downpour.  Scary drive but at least it’s not snow! 

Why is it that we never get any sleep before we leave?  Airport silliness ensues….






Actually, he’s just trying to copy our son Jason, who left a few days ago and is already on Isla….



Vince is hungry and I suggest having breakfast now as we won’t have any more food options until tonight when we arrive.  White Spot brekkies hit the spot….although this will soon be a bad decision….



6am and our Horizon prop begins to taxi….before we even take off Vince is asking for ‘the bag’.  What bag?  I can’t get to the carry on right now.  No, not that bag, but the airplane bag.   Oh brother!  He does this every time!  Sure enough as soon as we’re airborne, he spends most of the flight in the bathroom.  He just can’t handle the bouncy little planes.   He’s still looking gray when we land in Seattle.  We only have 45 minutes to get through immigration, grab luggage, go through customs, drop luggage and go through security.  I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that Vince can make it.  What a way to start a holiday!  3 or 4 trains later we arrive at our gate only to find that it is delayed for about 20 minutes.  Whew…give us some time to rest.   I pick up some water, pepto and altoids…all at a premium airport price!  Vince is finally starting to get some colour back….think we might have to forgo any more prop planes in our future!

Our Alaska Airlines flight takes off at 850am….woohoo….now we’re really on our way!   Plug in the ear buds with Maná and we try to snooze most of the way.

We land in Cancun at 450pm to sunny skies….yippee!!  Love that smell when you exit the airplane….humid air, diesel fuel, a bit of mustiness….love it!   There is absolutely no line-up at immigration and we breeze through there but then have to wait a few minutes for our luggage.  Get the green light and we are out in the sunshine in record time.  The CARM rep is there to greet us and directs us to wait in a certain spot.  We end up waiting for 20 minutes but still make it to the ferry just in time for the 630 ferry and a sunset….


Happy smiles are on for the next 35 days!!!...



Isla Mujeres comes into view…..even if I don’t like the new concrete monstrosity that is the new ferry terminal, the sight of Isla is so amazing!   We quickly haul the suitcases to a taxi and we are off to Caribbean Casa, Casita Isladise….  Caribbean Casa




Up the stairs, we open the door and hear the sounds of a ukulele….Jason, we’re here!!  Jason asked for a ukulele for his birthday, which was just before he came down here and he has been happily strumming away in paradise.  Jason is a Physics professor at Selkirk College so he’s enjoying some relaxation on his reading break.  It will be fun to share some time with him as he hasn’t been back to Isla since 2008.



We quickly change clothes and then head off to our traditional spot for our first night dinner….Rolandi’s.  We start with a salad, some strawberry margaritas for Jason and me, and a Leon for Vince…


Vince and I share a Hawaii pizza and Jason has ricotta pasta…




It’s not very warm tonight but it’s fun to sit on Hidalgo and people watch.  Walking off our dinner, we wander the entire length of Hidalgo and then head for home….we haven’t slept for who knows how many hours now, so maybe we should seek out our pillows.  We’re letting Jason stay upstairs in the master suite and Vince and I crash on the 2 sofas on the main floor.  As I close my eyes around midnight, I realize that I will have a front row seat for sunrise without even getting out of ‘bed’….can’t wait!....