Highlights

A few highlights from our trip . . .

* the last taco stand on the strip of restaurants on the ferry dock. we sat with the owner and his friend while we waited for our boat to arrive. the owner was right when he said he was about to serve me "the best margarita" i would have while in mexico.
* the twighlight ferry boat ride AWAY from the lights and noise of cancun . . . the warm, humid air felt so good on my skin after our long long long cold cold cold ridiculous winter!
* as we rounded a corner, we heard the shouting and laughing of hundreds of children. herb thought i was about to navigate us away from the noise and he near-panickly declared, "We have to go see what that noise is!!!!" As we crested the hill, we saw what appeared to be half of the community out cheering on the middle-school girls basketball team.
* Nightly sunset cocktails on the third story rooftop patio.
* Walking through the neighborhood where we stayed and people watching. With the tourists being mostly contained to two thouroughfares, we really enjoyed tooling around the community.
*Watching the way other cultures do such a neat job of letting family, work, and play all sort of bleed together . . . life is life. None of this compartmentalizing stuff.
* The color of the water - unbelievable! i have never seen anything like it before!
* Making an unexpected connection with another guest at the hotel we stayed at.
* Taking pictures of the early morning fishermen cleaning their catches - one of the men moved the mouth of his fish, making it "sing" to me.
* Riding bikes with herb down the coast; stopping for a fun photo shoot on a hidden strip of beach that was covered in conch shells and then drinks at a peaceful hotel with an amazing oceanside swing bar.
* Being the only non-locals at an ocean-side restaurant.
* Took a $5 cab ride to the end of the island where we snorkeled and rested in a secluded park strewn with hammocks and little niches to sit. It was so quiet we could hear a half-dozen different kinds of birds.
* The guests in our hotel got along so well that one guest initiated a dinner party on friday night. Everyone work together to make the party happen.
* Amazing mexican breakfasts every morning made by jose.
* Waking up in time to watch the sunrise from the rooftop; then taking an early morning walk with my camera down the coast.
* Buying a coconut from a man with a machette.
* Great talks with herbie.

Counting Down

Today's snow storm seems like as good a day as any to say . . .
Two weeks from yesterday, we are getting on an airplane with the masses of high school juniors and seniors who are allowed to leave the country for spring break (still don't understand that one) . . . flying to cancun . . . saying "peace out, homies" to the high schoolers . . . hopping a ferry and . . . landing at this sweet place for 5 nights and 4 long, sunny days of lounging, exploring, snorkeling, and making out on beaches!!!!!!

Nirvana

There is something about floating in water that makes me so happy. Maybe it is because my childhood summers were spent at the neighborhood swimming pool. Or the fact that many of our vacations were spent at the Lake of the Ozarks or "creekin'" in southern Missouri while staying at our friend's cabin.

About three years ago, my mom and I discovered a delicious treat - the community pool near her home had a small water park, complete with a lazy river. For $7, we could sit on a tube and float for hours as we rested and chatted. Last summer, I discovered Pirates Cove here in Denver. Herb teases me about my adult outlet for my water love. My friend Libby teases me for yelling at the children who get too rowdy and splash me. I blame it on my time working at the treatment center. I still have not gotten the idea that it is my responsibility to discipline rowdy boys out of my head.

I have been hard pressed to convince Herb to join me on the lazy river. But I think deep down inside, he knows what he is missing. After all, as I pack up to head to Pirate's Cove, he says, "Have fun at Nirvana!" He knows. But until recently, he has refused to give into the joy of the Cove. It took the Whitefords visiting with their three children to convince Herb to give it a chance. Guess what? He liked it!