July9
The beginning of another glorious day on Isla. I sit with my coffee and watch the day come alive and take picture after picture thinking “This will be the last one, the sky can’t possibly get more beautiful than this”. And then it does and I take another.
For the previous couple of days, I had watched this family assemble on the shore from their rented house a few doors to the south. On this day, I went over and told them how beautiful they look in the sunlight and took this and a number of other photos for them.
We don’t always walk into Colonias, sometimes we head to Centro but I still can’t leave my camera behind and just walk. I MUST capture Isla so that I can relive that slow pace and the long shadows of the newly risen sun.
I love this house and the artistry demonstrated in the painting of it. I wish the lovely woman watering her plant had windows to see her beautiful island though.
We finally arrive at our destination-Café Cito. We miss Ziggy but still come for the pineapple/coconut/banana jam.
and Mexican eggs
and fried eggs with hash browns and their pretty good coffee.
We set off again, deliberating over the idea of renting bikes for the day. After waiting for places to open and then checking the condition and price of the rentals, we decide to pass. I am not really sure why we were so easily dissuaded and then I find out later that a friend of ours who had rented a bicycle was cut off by a scooter and received fairly serious injuries when his bike crashed. I guess our guardian angel was watching over us.
So we make our way back home but not without a stop at our favourite spot for real fruit popsicles-this one mango.
We spend the rest of the day luxuriating in our own little paradise. We keep the great kitchen in our apartment at Luna d’Miel stocked with juices, fruit, snacks, beer, wine and enough key ingredients to make a sandwich to eat by the sea.
The blues of the Caribe were particularly vibrant that day.
When I am not lying in the hammock writing or reading one of the zillion books the I devour on Isla, I have a lovely pastime.
I am a beachcomber, collecting heart shaped shells, coral & stones, beach glass-my favourite colour is the very pale sea-foam green and I am ecstatic when I find a turquoise piece. I also search for the inside spiral of conch shells. I bleach them and then glue a pin on them to give as gifts to my girlfriends. The strip of the beach in front of Luna d’Miel is perfect for collecting and I go out bright and early each morning and stand in the surf and let the treasures just wash up and find me.
When it was time for dinner we waited for Sister #3’s cab to pick us up on their way to Monchi’s. Since every vehicle going north to south and vice versa on the island can only take one of two roads, there was a 50/50 chance that we would be successful. With Facebook added to ensure that she request the east airport strip with her cab driver, the odds went up to 100%.
The Wee One, J2 and Veektooria were also at Monchi’s, together with Doona’s entourage that we had traveled and dined with on other occasions. When you add in Bro #3 and his wife, I think there were thirteen of us that evening.
I can never decide whether or not I like Ziggy’s (he has since moved to Barlito’s, by the way) Coconut or Garlic Shrimp. Lucky for me, Sister #3 was on the fence too, so we each ordered one and then swapped to ensure that we each had a combo. Most everyone had shrimp of one description or another but orders of grilled chicken and enchiladas were also equally enjoyed.
We stopped to appreciate the beautiful trees growing across from the restaurant before we walked back home. We often end the day, the way we start it, sitting in our chairs at the water’s edge, sipping a glass of something and gazing at the sky.
Kath’s quote: “Second star to the right…and straight on ’til morning“. -James Kirk
Love-that is all.