Had a wonderful sleep and then we were up with the sun for coffee and pictures.

I love this quiet time on the island. The sun’s reflection on the water invites me to reflect on the blessings the island offers us.

This is our typical island breakfast. Even though we eat sugar and fat free yoghurt when we are home, we treat ourselves to creamy mango youghurt when in Mexico. Somehow the little bananas are sweeter there than in central Canada. I bring Almond Special Kay from home to top the concoction.

Next on the aggenda, we walk into Centro for cilantro and a couple of things forgotten while at Chedrui.

There are a couple of routes into Centro. We often choose the malecon for the shade and cooler breeze off the water.

We just had to scope out the new food offerings that had vacated the zoccolo and moved closer to the malecon.

I hailed a cab home and D stayed and reacquainted himself with Centro, looking intently for the spot where we could buy sour dough bread for sandwiches at home. I mistakenly thought we were looking for a bakery, whereas we were searching for a deli.

When D arrived home he ate the leftovers of the Rueben from Neal’s from the night before. I tucked into a cheese, cucumber, lime mayo and truffle sea salt sandwich. Delish.

We spent a lazy afternoon reading in the hammock and beachcombing.

Over the years the years, we have met so many wonderful neighbours at Luna d’Miel-Gloria and Hue from Saskatoon, Iowa friends Kelly and Peggy, Jan and Michelle from PEI and Susan and Bruce from…. approximately 1 km awat from us at home, in the same neighbourhood we live in Winnipeg!

This year was no exception-Lorraine and her Husband (his name escapes me at the moment) reside in Austin, Texas and were there for a family wedding. Very little chance we will see them on the island again any time soon because their travel agenda is to never see any place twice, unlike D and I who love the familiar and the adventure of exploring a new place. I tried to do a Facebook search on our new Texan friends to no avail. Drat-they were lovely.

We walked to the other side of the airport strip and then took our time along Medina as the sun was setting. When I recount being able to walk everywhere, it is with an explanation mark and I sigh of relief. I have been waiting to have me second knee replaced, but Covid has prolonged the wait list. I consulted with my surgeon and he thought that a shot of cortisone would do the trick and he was right! I had the shot the Friday before we left and I felt like a spring chicken on the island. I am sure the warm sun and the vitamin D did wonders too. I am my best self on Isla.

When time was dwindling before our dinner reservation, we did hail a cab for the last leg of the journey to a new and fabulous restaurant-Rinconcito Kahlo (see this link for all the detail).

D and I remembered that we were just down the street from our Mexican family-Hortencias! Although the house looked dark, we timidly knocked on the door. Suddenly Mary and Sara burst through the entry way, laughing and crying and hugging and kissing us! After a couple of minutes Hortencia and Marcello emerged bleary-eyed. We realized that we had called too late for the matriarch and patiarch of the family. But they embraced us the same way.

Our entertainment for the rest of the evening were Naftali and Irma’s boys, especially Mateo was so happy to have an audience. He danced and did acrobatic tricks with his dinosaur. All the boys joined us when Mary and her husband borrowed Marcello’s truck to drive us home. It was a wonderful gathering with promises of other times that we could be together.

We realized that it wasn’t the sparkling turquoise water, the ice cold cervesas or the delicious fresh food that we had missed the 2 years as we waited to return to the island-it was these precious people!

Kath’s quote: “When old friends reconnect, there is a refreshing newness, after great memories wash over you, the stage is set for so many more.”-Tom Althouse

You may know that we live in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada where as I write this, we are still surrounded by snow. It has been an unusually cold, snowy winter but our original plans were to bi-pass the end of winter by spending March on Isla Mujeres. As we missed visiting in 2021 due to Covid, we were particularly anxious to get to the island. As (bad) luck would have it, we spent a very frustrating day and overnight in Calgary due to a equipment malfunction on an Air Canada flight. But now that the day is months behind us and we had such a long and amazing time on the island, the frustration has been forgotten.

We actually had a great sleep in Calgary as the night before in Winnipeg I was too excited to sleep. We caught a reasonably timed shuttle to the airport and then enjoyed movies, my book and snacks on board. We were delighted by the ease of which we made it through Cancun airport. D had befriended a lovely woman on the flight. She was traveling alone and was taking a bus to meet up with her son in Playa Del Carman. So we stuck around an extra while to ensure that she was able to make contact with her son.

When we finally arrived at the ferry dock, we found that we had just missed the 7 pm one and that they only run once an hour at that time of season/day of the week/time of day. As we were famished, D ordered tortas from the ferry restaurant. Unfortunately, they took so long to arrive, we ended up gobbling them down as our ferry arrived. Our lovely friends J and B met us at the terminal for hugs and kisses. We hopped into a cab, and had a nightcap under the stars.

As always on the island, we were so excited to finally be there, that we were awake before the sun and had enough time to make our coffee before our considerable wait for its rising.

Our first task that morning was walking to Chedrui with our provision list for breakfasts, lunches and snacks. I was amazed when we were able to gather beer, bread, peanut butter, limes, mangoes, bananas, mosquito spray, yoghurt, butter, eggs, ham, manchego cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, lime mayonaise, a baseball hat for D and two bottles of Chilean Merlot for $65 CDN. Just yesterday I bought fruit in Winnipeg to make a fruit platter for an event and that cost me $65!

One of the reasons we have stayed at Luna d’ Miel over the years is for the beachcombing. This photo is from our place to the south. Just to the right edge of the image is what I lovingly refer to as “our beach”. Even though there is a coral ridge right in front of us, there is a break in the coral to the south. Unfortunately the beach is not suitable for swimming but you can stand ankle deep in the waves and sift through gravel patches to find enough sea glass to carry home without paying a fortune in extra baggage costs. This is typically my past time while D is walking his Isla circuit or has his nose in a book. On this day and subsequent days, he joined me. The waves were strong and knocked sizeable rocks against our ankles. I was happy for his company in case I was bowled over by the surf.

The Cuban castaway boat that landed on Isla the month prior, still rested on that beach. Imagine making that voyage?

After lunch, I did something very unusual for me. I nestled into a beach towel, with a cushion and had a long afternoon nap on a lounge chair. I don’t normally indulge in naps because it means, I have to start my day all over again and sure enough I needed a coffee and a shower.

Another nice thing about our favourite room at Luna d’Miel is the separate living/dining room. The light is beautiful and I always try to open the curtains to let the glorious light fill the room.

I let my hair dry in the warm breeze

and by then it was almost time to crack our first bottle of vino tinto.

As the sun lowers in the west the shade from the buildings creates a shady/cooler place and we linger for as long as we can to enjoy it.

There was a time when we first started staying at Luna d’Miel that we could watch an unobstructed sunset from the communal patio in from of the suites. But the brush on the airport strip has grown high enough that we now have to walk a couple of buildings to the north, to get a better vantage.

We waited for a cab (which are fairly plentiful and unoccupied at that time of day) and made the pleasurable ride to Isla 33 ahead of our dinner reservation.

We walked the cliffs across the street from the condo complex. My first trip to the island , we stayed near Punta Sur and I have wanted since then to explore this neighborhood a little more.

Neal’s Irish Pub (click the link for all the details) was a lesson in our eyes being bigger than our stomachs. The cab ride “home” was a pleasure with the breeze off the water filling our senses. A lovely way to start our wonderful time on the island.

Kath’s Quote: “Vacation calories don’t count. Right?” – Unknown

Love-that is all.

I cant say enough good things about our lunch at the Posada del Mare Beach Club. For 250 pesos for a day pass, you have access to chairs, umbrellas, pool and the washrooms. Your pesos go towards your food and drinks.

We arrived in the early morning, that is about 10 am ish. We like to be in sun early in the day when the rays are indirect and the air is still relatively cool. It was a perfect time to commence the day as the pool was virtually deserted and we had our pic of chairs and umbrella.

The only people who beat us to the pool edge was this young family. As parents, they had the day all figured out. They took turns entertaining the kids in the pool and when it was time for naps, a mother or mother-in-law arrived to take them back to their cool hotel room for their naps, thereby given the parents, some much needed adult only time.

One of the first items on our agenda was the opportunity for D to meet Romi, an Isla Icon. I had met him years before when I first became acquainted with Islaholics that I have known now for almost 2 decades.

We were told that we could sit at the shady bar to order drinks or from the bar, with our Beach Club day pass.

We preferred to have our double pina cooladas (I call them adult milkshakes) in non-breakable glasses so that we didn’t have to get out of the pool.

When lunch time arrived we knew that we should probably get out of the sun and sit at one of the gorgeous tables in the bar. But since it was next to our last day on the island, we stayed put under a palapa.

Ceviche has long been a favourite of mine. The first time I tasted it was my very first visit to Isla in 2005. We were at Picus and I was hooked! I like Mixto Ceviche best with some conch and octopus but this concoction with shrimp was perfecto!

I am sure you realize that you consume a lot of tortilla chips when you are on the island. Not all chips are the same. I like mine best when they have been freshly fried in new oil and all the grease has been shaken off of them. These were spot on!

D had a yen for chicken fajitas. He thought these were beautifully seasoned and chock full of fresh fixings like pico de gallo and quacamole.

We visited near the end of our time on the island and wished we had eaten there more often, especially at sunset, because their view is unspoiled by the various beach clubs that have gobbled up the shoreline and obstructed the sight lines of the water (think Coco’s across from Jax).

Actually I think their property should be supported because of their philosophy to keep the beach open to locals and tourists alike. Posada owners have been committed to this philosophy for 70 years. Way to go!

We had a long visit with our new friend Joch of the property. He explained that Posada del Mare started as two apartments available for rent and now, 70 years later, they have a number of hotel rooms as well as Restaurante Penquino’s, the Sports/Snack Bar called Ruta 15, the pool area and Romi’s Bar. So everything is now under the umbrella of Sabores Posada del Mar.

Yes, if we had it all to do over again, we may have stayed right in the heart of the action at the hotel and spent our days around the pool and across the street walking the beach. But there is next year, there is always next year…

Kath’s quote: “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.”–Mae West

Love-that is all.

Mixologists have gained popularity all over the world and on Isla Mujeres too. Swing bars are the rage as well. At Geisha Valentina, the team of Francisco and Carlos have designed both into one great bar!

I was totally enthralled by this masterpiece called a Dragon Ball- Vodka, Damiana Liqueur, cucumber and soursop juice. I headed to Google to find out more about Damiana Liquer and found out this (who knew?):

Damiana is a small shrub that can be found in the rocky hillsides of Mexico and other desert regions. In addition to its amour-enhancing benefits, the herb is said to improve digestion, treat constipation, and create an overall sense of well-being. The aphrodisiac aspects of the remedy are believed to come into play because the herb stimulates the intestinal tract, bringing oxygen to the genital area for both men and women. As there isn’t any scientific data behind these benefits, mainly what you’ll hear when you ask about the plant are tall tales of love found after ingesting the liqueur.

According to Healthline, damiana (Turnera diffusa) is a low-growing plant with yellow flowers and fragrant leaves. In addition to Mexico, it’s native to subtropical climates like southern Texas, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Its medicinal uses predate written history. Healthline says that “by the time the Spanish crossed the Atlantic, indigenous cultures had been using it for centuries as an aphrodisiac and bladder tonic.”

Spanish missionaries noticed that native tribes would brew a damiana tea with sugar to stimulate sexual performance. Although there aren’t human studies, laboratory tests performed on rats showed increased sexual performance in both males and females, but in particular those with sexual dysfunction. Still, both sexes exhibited increased sexual activity. Although the damiana plant is generally safe and nontoxic, like any herbal remedy, it shouldn’t be consumed during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or by anyone with diabetes.

My glass ball came complete with dry ice to keep it cool and whispy. I sipped mine through a glass straw. It was like a snow globe , but edible (or drinkable I guess).

D chose a Tipsy Buddha made with apple nuances enhanced by Japanese Whiskey and Prosecco!

We had a chance to sit back and enjoy the decor of the newish restaurant, staged in a minimalist Japanese style.

This was the scene from our grill top across to another on the opposite wall. D especially appreciated the “hood” from his days as a broiler chef (when I met him!) This hood was enormous and not only sucked up the smokey fumes but provided air conditioning fo the guests.

You may have preconceived notions about a geisha. The true meaning is a Japanese girl or woman who is trained to provide entertainment and lighthearted company especially for a man or a group of men.

We enjoyed a couple of little bites before the main attraction. Here was our seaweed salad which tasted way better than it might sound. The greens had been pickled in sesame vinegar.

We also enjoyed a Dragon Roll but would not had ordered it, had we’d known how much food was coming our way!

If you order a hibachi meal you are seated at one of the grill tops. I thought that hibachi meant that the chef would be cooking over a live fire but I was completely wrong. Supper was prepared on a very hot flat top grill.

Chef Jose asked us if we were married and seemed impressed with our answer of almost 38 years. To which he crafted this heart, made it pulsate and then lit in on fire!

Our savoury fried rice was so generous that we took most of it “home” with us.

Somewhere behind these flames was our Teppinyaki Chef. In order to be designated one, you must train for a number of additional years as a chef.

We ordered these meaty scallops

and a rib eye steak

to create this delectable surf and turf. The scallops weren’t as sweet as our PEI scallops in Canada but were perfectly sasoned and cooked. The rib-eye (my favourite steak ) was well marbled and so expertly prepared that I even ate the fatty slices. My Dad, a professional Agrologist would cook rib-eyes like this for a weekend breakfast.

Our perfect evening was made even more so by our server Julian. Julian like many other Islander friends is originally from Argentina. We have two sets of Argentinan neighbours back home in Central Canada. I took his picture with D so if he ever turns up at our door in Winnipeg, we will remember that we invited him to visit us!

Kath’s quote: “I’m in favor of liberalizing immigration because of the effect it would have on restaurants. I’d let just about everybody in except the English.”-Calvin Trillin, American writer (New Yorker magazine)

Love-that is all.

We have visited this unique restaurant a number of times over the years including 2016, 2017 and 2020. With each visit I am more and more impressed by Sylvia the owner/manager of the cozy place and her passion for her original home island and Isla Mujeres.

Good friends dined with us that evening. We had all been to Tuscany together a couple of years prior. At that time we consumed a good number of Aperol Spritzes. Guess what we ordered on this evening?

To start, a simple amuse bouche (on the house) was served. Delish.

Oh my goodness! What came next was the Misto de Mare- a selection of hot and cold seafood appetizers. We ordered this platter for 3 but it easily fed 4 of us. Tuna “Meatballs”, Black Mussels Au Gratin, Seafood Medley in a zesty tomato sauce, Grilled Octopus and Potato Salad, Salmon Carpaccio and Octopus Carpaccio. AMAZING!

This course reminded me of a time spent in a Cinque Terre village in Italy. We ordered the seafood platter for two at lunch time. The delectable items were not served on a platter, but a zillion small plates that came out of the kitchen like a scene from Disney’s Fantasia! There was so much food that we overflowed the lunch hours and we ate almost until dinner time!

The biggest surprise of the evening was the Crispy Octopus in a potato sauce with almonds and tumeric-perfectly prepared! Sylvia’s own recipe.

Not as pretty in this pic, but so delicious-Lobster Ravioli in a Saffron sauce. A nightly special created by Sylvia herself.

Shrimp atop spinach ravioli -just the right balance of butter and garlic. Another of Sylvia’s creations.

The Seafood and Black Tagliolini was ever so hearty and delicious.

In Chianti, near Sienna, the 4 of us had dined on multiple courses of truffle dishes. In fact the restaurant only featured recipes with truffles. This Mushroom Ravioli with Truffle Sauce took me back to that amazing night. This was 1 of 3 nightly specials.

We concluded with mini tastes of Tiramisu, Pannacotta with Berry Sauce and Coffee Cream. That is, my GF and I did. The perfect sweet ending.

Kath’s quote: “No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.”-Laurie Colwin

PS I am quite sure that Sylvia’s recently departed Momma has looked over Sylvia’s shoulder as she creates Sardinian dishes in a Caribbean kitchen.

Love-that is all.