Often when we get to the end of our time on Isla, we change up our routine.  By this time we had used up all of our coffee so instead of making a pot for a plunk on the balcony, we went and had our morning coffee right on the water at Bally Hoo.  They make a great cup of coffee and watching the morning comings and goings of the sport fishermen is good fun. 

We don’t make any purchases until our time is drawing to a close on Isla.  So, after trying politely to resist the vendors on Hidalgo, they are shocked when we enter their shops, instead of strolling by.  We make very few purchases right on Hidalgo but I always make a selection of authentic pottery to take home for our collection.

We prefer instead, to purchase from our favourite vendors like the fellow who is an Isla second generation shoemaker.   D got a gorgeous pair of handmade leather flip flops.

We buy as much as we can from Hortencia’s.  She greats us with hugs and chants of “ahh mi amiga” when we arrive on her sidewalk.  Not only are she and her daughter (or daughter-in-law) excellent seamstresses, they know how to measure and fit women with real bodies, ie me and my Sistas.  Hortencia works six days a week taking care of her family in this way.  We have often met her husband there, but we think that she is the primary wage earner in the family.   The photo above is of her gorgeous grandchildren.  They have fun posing for their picture and then immediately want you to show them the results.  I imagine that the little girl looks just like Hortencia when she was the same age.

Hortencia’s prices are exceptional and she custom makes whatever you choose.  You pick the fabric from her inventory and come back the next day to see the finished product.  I have even brought pareos that I have purchased in other countries for her to sew up for me.  She is an excellent business woman who showers her regular customers with little tokens of her appreciation.  Well it has worked on me-I would never shop anywhere else.  She also introduces us to her friends in surrounding kiosks, if she doesn’t have what you are looking for-like Mexican blankets and hammocks.  By doing so, she says that we are getting the best price.  I couldn’t really say if this is true, but I feel very well taken care of. 

We also realize that after walking by our favourite Liquado and popsicle shop many times a day, we haven’t actually made a purchase. There are so many real fruit juice options.  I finally decide on the pina one and D the pistachio.  Look at the nutrition and goodness packed into this treat.

In addition to stopping at the places that we haven’t enjoyed yet, we also go back to our favourite spots one last time including: Sancochos for lunch.

We love the cats and dogs of Isla.  Daughter #1 has had a visit and a snuggle with every single dog we have come across on this trip.  This cat thought that he had struck gold with this frayed strap from one of our day packs and he entertained us while we waited for our lunch.

I had a this single taco for $1.50. 

Sure beats a Mickey D’s value menu item for the same price!

Daughter #1 ordered the Chicken Mole Enchilada.

D loved this chorizo and potato calzone.

The Son tucked in to the Spaghetti Bolognese.

And our Newbie enjoyed her shrimp enchilada.

We don’t hang around on North Beach very often, but spent our last sunset there while the girls had a beach massage.

You can tell that I am the primary photographer of the family as I rarely appear in my own recounting of a trip.  When we realized, that once again this would be so, we set up the timer for a beach shot.  We always get the giggles when we try to do self-potraits because invariably, we have only half of someone’s face or the camera setter hasn’t gotten position into the shot.

 

Me and my husband of almost 28 years.  I’m not quite into tennis and Springstein as he is and he’s not into Josh Groban and beach-combing as I am but in every other way, we are the perfect fit.  He is a planner and I am the archivist.  When we travel, he takes of every single detail and I feel so loved and cared for.

While I packed away some beach things, he took this breezy one of me.

Our last Isla sunset with God making Himself evident to us, once again.

One of those surprizing Isla rains blew in just after sunset and so even though we wanted to return to Fredy’s for another of his killer margaritas, we took shelter in Lola Valentina’s for our last happy hour.

While there, we recounted our favourite meals and decided where we should return for our last tastes of the island.

We started at the Fisherman’s Co-op  where shared their amazing shrimp ceviche with ice cold beer.  Someone also dining there, was from our home town and she came over for a visit.  They have a home on Isla (and one on the same area of Lake Winnipeg where we have a little cottage).  A couple of years prior, she had showed us their Isla masterpiece and invited us for cocktails on the roof at sunset.  They don’t call us “Friendly Manitobans” for nothing….

Next stop, by popular vote was Angelo’s.

Our Newbie ordered this gorgeous grilled portobello mushroom surrounded by other veggies.

D re-ordered the artichoke, ham, Italian sausage pizza and it came “quatro” style this time.  That is, each quarter had its own topping, this is typical of the way that pizza is served along the Amalfi coast in Italy. I had the Fruite de Mare pasta again-I know I am boring but the dish was anything but. 

And whatever else was ordered, now escapes me.  But I did a pretty darn good job of remembering most of our trip details, didn’t I?

And so the last day of our precious stay on Isla had come to a close.

Kath’s quote: “Food to a large extent is what holds a society together and eating is closely linked to deep spiritual experiences.” –Peter Farb & George Armelagos 

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