I thought that because it was my second sleep in a new bed that I’d sleep like a rock, but no. I was up for the long sunrise and a short walk around the Punta Sur road.

When the weather turned out to be overcast and iffy again, we made sandwiches and packed for both the beach and other adventures. I do need to describe these sandwiches because they packed really well for the beach and were delicious. We bought buns at the big Supermarket that were brushed with something sweet-we thought honey. At the same place we bought this mild white Mexican cheese that tasted really buttery. The final touch was the Lime Mayo (Light no less)-highly recommended.

We decided to rent a golf cart and tour the island. We found Hortencia’s and when we bought so many dresses, tops, purses and beads she gave us all little gifts in thanks. We stopped by Playa Sol and had a picnic that included another favourite –“pepitas” which were salted and roasted pumpkin seeds with a squeeze of lime. The beach vendor that we bought them from was named Maria I think. We loved her-she was so warm and affectionate with us.

With the golf cart, we ended up at a Zama’s Beach Lounge on Sac Bajo. We ordered $5 margaritas and Sister #2 tipped another $5 so we thought that we were safe in occupying their lounge chairs for a while. They were setting up for a private wedding reception so we knew that we did not have long. What a beautiful place for a wedding. We loved this part of the island so much that we accidentally caused bodily injury to Sister #3. Sister #2 was driving and I was supposed to be navigating for speed bumps. We were both distracted by a beautiful private home that we hit a speed bump at full speed and poor Sister #3 who was sitting in the rear, hurt her back.

We made a quick change for dinner and decided since we still had the golf cart to head into town for dinner. We watched the sunset from the pier at Sergio’s-exquisite as promised.

Went to Picus for “mixted” (as stated on the menu) ceviche & fresh fish. The ceviche was fabulous-even better I thought than when I ordered later in the week at Casa O’s. We sat right in the sand by the water’s edge. Everyone around us was drinking cokes so we did the same (it was an election day). Then we walked around the town square and purchased some beautiful silver pieces from the shop right on the corner of the square.

Lessons learned that day-Sister #2: sunsets are beautiful many places, Me: saw the both the sunrise and sunset and knew that it was good and Sister #3: rewrote a Madonna song-

Tropical the island breeze
All of nature wild & free
This is where I long to be
La Isla Mujeres

 Kath’s quote: “What a friend we have in cheeses!
For no food more subtly pleases,
Nor plays so grand a gastronomic part;
Cheese imported – not domestic –
For we all get indigestic
From all the pasteurizer’s Kraft and sodden art.”-William Cole

 

By 9:30 am I had already seen the sunrise, walked and explored for 2 hours and had coffee with my sisters on the veranda.

My first impression is that this is an island of contrasts: the coral cliffs and the garbage dump, the resort homes and the Colonias, the vast ocean and the locked beaches.

We had a wonderful breakfast of oatmeal, mango, banana, pineapple, Brazil nut yogurt and slices of fresh pineapple. We had thought that we would go to Garrafon but the wind brought in clouds & drizzle so we headed into town instead.

Our plan that first day worked so well we repeated it every other day-walking downhill to Lancheros to catch the bus and cabbing it home when we were full of margaritas and had groceries and shopping to carry.

We met the most wonderful couple from France via New York. This was their sixth year to Isla and each year they stay a week longer. When I saw this beautiful woman again it was at the Fat Tuesday event-she greeted me like I was an old friend.

This picture is with Sister #3 from a subsequent trip to Isla.  The gorgeous Betty in this photo now lives in Isla Heaven.

We shopped and then went to the Sunset Grill for lunch. We shared all the board recommendations (Julie’s board in those days): Coconut Shrimp (even though it is not usually served at lunch) were huge, lovely and sweet, Nuke Nachos and Chicken Chimichangas. I’d never tasted them before but Sister #3 said that they were the best she had ever tried. We even loved their chips and salsa but actually we loved them every Isla restaurant that we went to. We had Strawberry Margaritas that knocked us on our butts. The waiter got us beach chairs and Sisters #2 & 3 had siestas, while I walked the beach.

 

Upon return it started to rain (pour in fact) but we had brellies and walked to the big Supermarket to buy more groceries. We were getting the hang of Centro by then but still had not found the Navy store or Hortencia’s. Because of the rain, we cabbed back to the villa for books and siestas.

That evening we found out that the rumour was true-there is nothing happening on the south end at night. We tried the lounge at the Spa-closed and then thought that they must have a bar at the Castile… Instead we walked home for another villa night.

But we learned that day-Sister #1: that Mexican cats don’t look like North American cats and Me: that no matter how much you wish and hope, you cannot control the weather.

Kath’s quote: “It isn’t so much what’s on the table that matters, as what’s on the chairs.”-W.S. Gilbert of Gilbert & Sullivan

 

Pretty much every year since 2005, I have been on Isla at this time.  I’ve already come home from this year’s Isla time, so instead, I got out my travel diary and photos and have this (and many more) blog posts to share with you from my very first visit to Isla Mujeres. 

We enjoyed a fairly uneventful flight except when Sister #2 gets called back down to the check in counter because she had stated her birthday as a date that hadn’t occurred yet. She obviously needs a rest. I guess all three of us needed a rest. I was running on 2 hours of sleep. We agreed we were pooped but pumped!

We were seated in row 2 on a very big and full plane. The leather seats are exquisite turquoise. Row 2 should be an advantage for the immigration line but there was a whole section on the form that we had not filled out and so we waited for quite a while in line. But then green lights and we are on our way. Met by a driver from AGI holding a sign with our name. The 3 Sisters agree that it was worth every penny of the $38 US to see him there.

At the port, we had just missed the 11:30 am ferry so we had a couple of minutes to get our bearings. We met Judy who lives on Isla ½ of the year. Her husband is the artist who has pictures hanging and for sale at Casa O’s. She had been to Cancun to get some framing done and could not wait to get back to her island. LOVED the ferry trip – identified Garrafon and Lancheros from the water.

I love looking at myself and my sisters in this photo taken just seconds before our lives were forever changed by our precious Isla Mujeres!

We decided to get some groceries and have some lunch before cabbing it to Punta Sur. We consulted our trusty Map Chick map with recommendations of others and decided upon La Lomita. Wow-what a great way to start. Homemade Papa Fritos (French fries) that were perfect with the squeeze of provided lime. We also shared shrimp with garlic and polo frito (fried chicken) with “pink” rice and fuschia coloured onions.

The bed that I chose at Villas Punta Sur was pushed right up against this window so I could always feel the breeze and hear the sounds of the island.

We cracked our first cervezas while we unpacked and then headed to the pool for the late afternoon sun. Met Steve and Lorelai from Minnesota and a couple from Montreal who were also staying in the villa. While Sisters #2&3 lied in the hammocks under the palapa I went to explore our neighbourhood. Judy spotted me as she was watching the fading sun from her condo balcony and waving good-bye to the Garrafon day-trippers. I got just a bare glimpse of the sunset over the palm tops from our veranda.

Made us a light pasta supper. The wind was changing direction (from south to north) and kept blowing the gas flame out on our stove. We shared coffee on the veranda and chatted about things learned that day. For Sister#3: that even the word “EEZ LA” sounds like a happy sigh. For Sister #2: the amazement of travel-slept in our own beds and then had lunch at La Lomita! For me: that God made a colour I had never seen before-the colour of the water on the ferry crossing. We tried to read but I heard lights clicking off at about 7:30! The adventure awaits….

Kath’s quote: “Life is a combination of magic and pasta.”-Federico Fellini

Islanders love paint and I am enthralled byt the vibrancing of the colours that they choose.

Beauty in symmetry.

Purchasing advertising for a career, I was enchanted by this simple and yet effective manner to get their sales message across.

People who know me and love me-call me Kath.  I thought that Isla was speaking to me here, with a silent “k”.

Doesn’t this colour combination look like something out of the 50s?  Love it.

 

I am also fascinated by what seaspray and humidity does to wood and paint.

And even how the sea air shapes concrete.

 

I imagine if Ernest Hemingway ever came to Isla to fish, he would have stayed here.

I could live the rest of my days, in this simple place.

The additional touches of the palm trees are gorgeous.

You can see why I have a particular fondness for the doors of Isla because they are painted various hues from the sea (my favourite colour).

I also get a kick of focusing in really tight on something obscure-in this case the top ledge of the seawall.  I saw the image of a bird in the paint.

This chair could have been in Van Gogh’s bedroom masterpiece.

This one reminds me of our travels through Italy.

“Let’s go up the ladder to the roof, where we can see heaven much better….”

This door is coupled with my second favourite colour-lavender.

 

Hearts (=love in my language) are everywhere on Isla, even in their graffiti.

Almost sadder than the conclusion of an Isla vacation, is the drawing to a close, the recounting of our time on Isla.  On these days I wake in anticipation of snuggling up in my fuzzy turquoise housecoat with a creamy coffee in my hand-made turquoise mug (seeing a theme here?) to remember and write and relive the time.  I do so as the sun is rising on the Canadian prairies and even though it is not the Isla sun that virtually assaults you on the island, it still holds the beauty and promise of a new day.  You may think that I live a life of leisure-affording the time to be spent in this way.  In the spring I will spend this time discovering the new things sprouting in my garden,  in the summer by beachcoming the shore at our cottage, in the fall-with morning rides on my vintage turquoise bicycle (now you’re thinking that this woman is obsessed!), but in winter, I am content to spend the hours from 7-9 am in this way. And then the business of my life begins.

But for now, onto departure day….

We have a number of Isla traditions on our final day.

I always get up in time for our last sunrise.

We always take sad face photos while we wait for the ferry.

 

I love this view from the ferry dock but when I arrive, I am always so excited, that I never pause long enough to get out my camera.  But in an effort to savour every last, sweet moment, I often capture this shot just before the ferry starts the journey across the bay. 

I always hold a landmark in my gaze, until it disappears compeletely.  This time it was our west facing window from our hotel.

I always interview my fellow travellers to find out their fiondest memories before they have a chance to fade:

Most Memorable Meals: Rooster for New Year’s Day breakfast, Da Luisa, Poc Chuc loncheria & Bastos Grill.

Favourite Part of the island: the east shore in front of Naciente, the seawall, the hammock on our balcony, Play Medina Luna, the shelling beach.

Most Fun Day: first day at the beach, wedding anniversary dinner, watching football at Jax, night out with D.

Best Shopping on Isla: Hortencia’s, the leather shop, Navy store,the other markets stalls by Hortencia’s.

Biggest Isla Surprize: the lovely weather, the banos, that no one got sick, how good the beach massage was, what a wonderful host Don Salome was, the spider at Soggy peso, not seeing Javi a single time.

Place with the prettiest turquoise water:  between the docks on Palya Sol, in our swimming pool, by the Poc Na hostel, on the ferry ride, by the seawall, at Garrafon.

 

These beautiful eyes seemed very concerned that we would be returning to Isla again.  And so for this and so many other reasons, we will.  Isla will always be a part of our lives. 

Kath’s quote: “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay home.”-James Michener