Isla Mujeres 2022-Day 2 Surprising Hortencia

May5

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.

The beautiful tree that acts like an umbrella over the front terrace at Luna D’Miel.

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

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