So…We didn’t go to bed until 4am last night, so getting up this morning was very difficult. I got up to the second alarm that sounded…Aurelio did not! He didn’t budge AT ALL. We were supposed to meet C&M, and Christina & Mitch at Roosters for breakfast at 8am, and then head out on the golf cart at 9am…but Aurelio wasn’t moving. All he did was make a groaning sound. This was going to be “Golf Cart Day” and Aurelio was going to miss it! Ahhhhh….! Golf carts were about 45 USD, so we only wanted to rent it one day during our trip. Everything else we wanted to do was within walking distance…except today!
I started heading down to Roosters around 9:45am, ALONE. Roosters is a tiny Euro-esque cafe on the North end of Hidalgo that specializes in breakfast and lunch. As I walk up, Michael is looking at me funny… “Where’s Aurelio?”
I just shook my head and said, “Man Down”.
(Aurelio did a lot of mixing last night…Beer, tequila, sangria, crown and then back to beer. Not a good combo.) We laughed a bit and decided to proceed with the day as planned and have Aurelio meet us later. C&M headed to get the golf cart while I ran by the condo to make sure that Aurelio was still breathing. He was. We were ready for our tour de la isla. Well, since I waited till almost 10 to get to breakfast, there wasn’t really any time to order food, so I decided to swing by this little Pepsi stand for a $1.00 taco! I really wish I had a picture of this food stand, but unfortunately my camera BROKE this morning. (Now the other days, it has fogged up from walking from the condo to the outside air, but it has never stayed fogged for more than ten min or so. I waited an hour, and it still wasn’t working. I took the lens off the camera to expose it to the humid ocean air, but that only made it worse. When I put the lens back on, then the damn thing wouldn’t even turn on! Now in panic, I just turn it off and decide to put it in my bag and wait…)
Secretly praying that my camera isn’t totally broken, Candace offers to lend me hers. I’m a bit of a camera snob, so I just smile, say thank you, and tell her “that’s ok”. I did snap a few shots though.
We drove through the town on our four seated golf cart, with only three people (Aurelio still in bed), looking at the beautiful town pass us by. It wasn’t staying sunny outside, so the water wasn’t beaming turquoise like yesterday, but still beautiful. When the sun did come out, it lit the water so bright. We passed tons of little houses that all had laundry hanging outside on a line, blowing in the wind. We also passed the most beautiful houses I’ve ever seen, mostly hidden by huge stone walls, but still beautiful. All of the houses, rich or not, had the most amazing view…The Caribbean Ocean!
(Did a brief camera check…still not working)
We arrive at Punta Sur (South Point) to walk through the sculpture garden and explore the other side of the tiny island. With my camera not working, and my husband moaning in bed, it just didn’t feel right to do this day without them. I knew I was going to have to come back another day with my two missing items. I walked around the little shopping area while C&M went to the sculpture garden. I got Trey a coconut carving called “Coco Loco” that looked like a pirate. I also got him a shark tooth necklace and a leather bracelet with a coconut bead on the front. I kept hearing “Hola Bonita…Hola Bonita” (Hello Beautiful…Hello Beautiful) but wasn’t really sure where this was coming from. It sounded like a man’s voice, but I just couldn’t seem to fine the man that was saying it. Everywhere I looked, there were women. I continued with my shopping and found a beautiful sculpture of a man and a woman standing face to face, touching hands. When I asked “Cuanto cuesta”, the woman said “dociento pesos” (200 pesos, which is about 18 USD). As soon the lady said, dociento pesos…I hear that man’s voice again “es demasiado caro” (too expensive) The lady laughs when she hears this. She looks UP and says “Callate” (Hush, or Shut-up). I look UP and it’s a freaking bird!!! I swear this was not a blonde moment, it really sounded like an adult man’s voice. I laugh and pay her her money, then head towards C&M to get ready to go.
Punta Sur.
Here is the Statue representing childbirth and fertility. Kind of strange, but nice.
C&M walked through the sculpture garden...here's some pics of their journey.
We then headed over to Villa Rolandis for some lunch, and hopefully to have Aurelio meet up with us. Villa Rolandis is located near the lagoon. It is in the middle zone of Isla Mujeres, overlooking the impressive Mexican Caribbean Sea and the breathtaking view of Cancun. We ordered a pizza and ate some fantastic bread while waiting for Aurelio to show up.
(still didn’t have a working camera, so no pictures were taken here either…poo.)
My cute hubby shows up looking a little like he’d been hit by a bus, but…had a smile on his face. We then get into the golfcart made for FOUR and head over to Zama's for another snack only to find that their kitchen closed at 3:00-it was 2:52. Nonetheless, we all ordered a beer and Aurelio and I practiced our Karate Kid moves on the dock. We took a few pics with our camera phones and then headed over to La Tortugranja (Turtle Farm).
Camera phone pic of Villa Rolandis
The deck.
As you can see, the sun is gone....
Watch out Karate Kid
La Tortugranja is located on the southern part of the island, and supported by Mexican government and private funds. Isla Mujeres has been home to the giant sea turtles, which lay their eggs on its soft sand, from May to September. During many years, sea turtles were killed for their meat, shell and eggs, but now Mexican Federal Laws protect them. Eggs are deposited in protected areas to keep them safe from predators. After they are born, the turtles are transferred to ponds and then taken to the sea by the local school children and tourists who help them return to their natural habitat. Seeing hundreds of sea turtles that survive thanks to the care and love of the islanders is a unique experience and an example for the rest of the world. The cost is 30 pesos (about $2.50 USD) and you just walk around and explore on your own. They also have an inside area with starfish, lobsters, snails, sea horses and more. They are in huge tanks and you can really see them up close. I wish we would have been there for the release of the babies, but it was still nice to see all of the turtles swimming around and doing so well. We even saw a sea turtle that was 150 years old!!! He/She was as big as a car!!!
Here's the BIG DADDY! You can't really tell, but trust me, he's HUGE.
I thought his eyes were super funny...
We went back to the hotel to get ready for the island-sunset at Buho's swing bar.My camera was still broken so Candace’s had to suffice-i think they turned out okay. This was the best sunset thus far. You can tell by the beautiful pictures. It’s amazing how many different colors the sun can make day to day. Sometimes pink, sometimes greenish purple, but tonight it was the most beautiful shade of orange…with a touch of navy blue above it.
A moment with C&M
C&M walking in the sunset
Me and Aurelio enjoying the sunset
I really have no idea what is going on in this picture, but I thought it was pretty funny.
We then walked over to Adelita's for another round and attempted a few more yoga moves. Boris from Cafe Del Mar and Sergio from Bamboo joined us for drinks. Michael, Candace and waiter Boris turned in around midnight and left the rest of the partying to Aurelio, Sergio and I. We headed over to She Bar and had drinks there as well. We stayed there until around 3 in the morning. Sergio is such an amazing person. He was telling us in English (not perfect English, but very close) about his girlfriend back in the US, and how he fell in love with her when she came to Isla. He learned English for her! He has been to her house in the US to visit her and her parents, and she has been back to Isla twice as well, to visit him. They are going on two years now, and I hope they can be together someday. Sergio is wonderful, if anyone that goes to Isla Mujeres, you HAVE to go to Bamboo and meet him! (Tell him Aurelio and Chabela say “Hello”)
I'm explaining my iPhone to Boris, and also showing him the silly yoga lady from the Austin airport.
It’s 3am and we are pooped…..
STILL in love with Isla,
Goodnight
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