Planes, Buses, Ferry's, Taxi's, Boats, Scooter's...

(Grab a chair and some popcorn.  It's gonna be a long one.)

Does the above quartet look like they needed a vacation?  I think so.  To get us all in the mood, we picked up festive hats at Target and surprised Brad & Pam with them.  This was taken a couple nights before we left.

We flew out at 12:50 am (red eye) and stopped in Chicago for a two hour layover before arriving in Cancun at 11 am their time (2 hours ahead of Vegas).  A bus plus lots of traipsing around town with ALL our luggage, then took us from the airport to La Parilla in downtown Cancun where we ate lunch.  We dined here a couple years ago and loved the ambiance and mariachi band.  We were a little hung over from the night.

After lunch we boarded a bus with awesome air conditioning and reclining seats.  Even Eric had plenty of room.  We traveled an hour to Playa de Carmen where we jumped on board the ferry, headed to our final destination - Cozumel!

We sat on the upper deck and enjoyed the live band playing requests. We sat behind six Israeli young girls who were having the time of their lives.  They were all footloose and fancy free, singing and dancing.  I was living vicariously through them for a moment.

  We walked in circles a couple blocks (is that an oxymoron?) from the ferry station with ALL our luggage until we finally gave in and jumped in a taxi.  Our hotel had been right under our noses but we didn't know how to read the signs.  In my defense, I was just like a sheep following her shepherd.  By the time we got to the "Hotel Flamingo," we were feeling pretty disgusting and sweaty.

We jumped into our bathing suits and "tried" to fit into the hot tub which was actually a cold tub.  Nevertheless, we didn't care.  It felt so refreshing.  Off the master bedroom there was a hot tub so we sat in there after cooling off.

We ventured out for dinner at a little Italian restaurant owned and operated by an authentic Italian.  The pizza was so-so.  I think everyone has such different taste on what makes a good pizza. I've decided thin crust is my favorite.  I've come a long way since deep dish Pizza Hut.

The next morning we stopped at a local bakery on the way to rent our scooters.  Eric was always trying to feed everyone.

This house is 135 years old and is the oldest, standing structure on the island.

This man is said to be the oldest, original man on the island.  His name is Ulysses.  Very friendly.

The scooters were my favorite part of the trip.  They were exhilarating!  I loved being among the locals and having my independence.  When we first arrived at the scooter shop, the lady told Eric she wouldn't rent to him.  After some sweet persuading, she gave in.  Brad and Pam pointed out that the two of them almost equal what Eric weighs.

We rode around the entire island (where there was a rode) and ate lunch at this place (don't know the name) which was situated on a nude beach.  Lucky for us, there were no bodies out during our lunch.  The view was gorgeous and the food was yummy.  Lots of guacamole and Coke Light for me.

This bull was just standing there, waiting for someone like Eric to jump on.  None of us were brave enough.  Pam was petting and I'm sure talking sweet nothings to it as she loves animals.  I kept my distance.  I don't trust animals.

We jumped in the ocean spontaneously to cool off and then just jumped back on the scooters and drove off.  No towels or planning.  I love that type of living.

Every time we saw a place that said, "Cold Beer," we had to stop.  Not that we were after a beer.  It just meant there was bottled Coke for Eric and Coke light for me.  Mexican soda just might be better than American.

Brad and Pam fit together like...Chocolate and Peanut Butter.  They were just meant to be.

I definitely held my own on this scooter.  Every time I tried to look around, my helmet would go skiwampus so I made sure to look straight ahead.  I sat up very proper.  Pam loved giving me a hard time at how proper I rode my scooter.  Traffic was crazy and no one blinked an eye at a scooter.  Scooters were everywhere.  They are very economical.  About $2 to fill the tank.

Our hotel room was fabulous!  It was the penthouse suite with 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, full kitchen, dining room, living room, extensive patios with 2 hot tubs and an outdoor shower.  The views were amazing (except for the tops of the ugly buildings).

Brad and Pam brought their own robes which meant there were 2 robes for Eric and I.  I asked Eric to put one on and he said there was no way it would fit.  Not only did it fit, but he hung out watching movies in it and even slept in it.  I woke up with waffle marks on my arms from being next to him.  We downloaded movies and had movie night almost every night.  We picked up snacks at the grocery store and had our own little theatre.

The main reason we chose Cozumel was for the scuba diving.  Eric, Brad, and Pam all got certified over a three day period.  I had/have no desire to scuba dive.  I am claustrophobic and have sensitivity in my ears therefore it was out of the question.  I snorkeled and was able to see them scuba diving below the water was so clear.  Of course, when they went way deep (70 feet) I couldn't see them.  Mostly, I lounged in my beach chair, read Mitt Romney's book, "No Apology," ordered pina colada's and Coke light's and fried my cheeks (back side) while they were out.  I also managed to squeeze a beach side massage in too.  I figured what the heck.  You only live once.

 They trained right off the beach and this is where we enjoyed nachos and drinks together.

After a shower and quick nap, we headed out for dinner.  This is a shot from our balcony.  Eric put the flower in my ear after dancing with me.  Brad brought his iphone with lots of Spanish guitar music.  There was a docking station with great speakers so the music really made us get in the mood, the Mexican mood that is.

I asked him to pose sexy and this what he came up with.  Why does a leg always go against the pole when asked to be sexy?

The beautiful courtyard entrance of our home away from home.

Pam and her kitty, Wambe.  Wambe lives on the premise.  Because I don't trust cats, they are automatically drawn to me.  Go figure.  A little story about this black cat.  When we first arrived to our hotel, the air conditioning wasn't working so we slept with just the screen door open.  It was hot and sticky to say the least.  In the middle of the night, I woke up to this cat, nestled at the foot of my bed.  I was kind of out of it from the red eye flight and time change, that I just lifted my foot and the cat darted off.  I went right back to sleep.  I later woke up to this cat on all four's, lunging forward with it's wide cat eyes staring inches away from my face!  I screamed and Eric screamed and Eric grabbed at me thinking I was the intruder, ripping my t-shirt.  Brad came running in to see what was going on and told us he had already put the cat out twice.  He thought it was pretty funny and Pam thought it was even funnier.  Come to find out, there was a hole in our screen.  The next day our air conditioning was fixed and I barely saw the cat again.  No love lost there.

Love this picture of Eric with his arm around Jorge, his dive instructor and Pam and Brad.  Jorge was Pam's "underwater boyfriend" as she was glad he would hold her hand. The other girl was just along for the dive.  I asked Eric if she was his "underwater girlfriend" and he just laughed.  When Eric gets in that underwater world, he is mesmerized by the the color and beautiful creations it beholds.  He is very comfortable there.

Bartine, pictured with Eric, was Jorge's helper.  He was such a nice kid.  He took a liking to Eric and invited him to come to his football practice Monday night.

We even managed to go to church!  We rode in on our scooters and found lots of other vacationers there too.  Unfortunately I couldn't understand a thing they said, but the people were very friendly.

We ate breakfast afterwards at a yummy restaurant above a museum.

Pam and I thought maybe we could wear our sun hats to shade us better while on the scooters but it choked me.  It turned into a bonnet and a good laugh.

Pam showed she could handle a scooter too!  Mostly she rode on the back of Brad.

This is a classic picture of Eric with a Harley Davidson t-shirt, sitting on a scooter.  He is cool like that.

Eric just wanted to lay on the beach this day but we didn't like the beach line or the type of waves so his nap was short-lived.  We moved onto a better spot.

Dinner this evening was a little fancier at "Kinta,"  Brad said his food tasted like throw up (very fishy) but the rest of us enjoyed ours.  We were goofy and posed with our dish of choice.

I am such a dork!

Brad hadn't tasted how bad it was at this point.

Pam looks like she's fresh from the plastic surgeon.

Eric ordered something that wasn't on the menu and they did their best to amuse him.

We sure look happy...the truth is, we were (are).

The final dive we all went out on a boat to the location of the desired reefs.  

Sergio was the dive master Brad set the scuba diving excursion up through.  He learned to scuba dive by Jacques Cousteau!   He is 75 years old and told stories, and stories, and stories.  Regarding Eric's wet suit, we had to special order it over night.  It's a good thing because most Mexicans are more like Brad's size than Eric's. 

Sitting on the edge of the boat before going under.  They all did amazing!  But I was always relieved when I saw their heads bob to the surface.  I went along for the day and lounged on the boat while they were diving.  We enjoyed a catered lunch on the boat and great conversation.

Eric "hanging loose" or "call me."

Brad and Pam wishing for peace.

Sergio, Brad & Pam

Eric walking on the bottom of the ocean, checking his oxygen levels.  Because he's a little bigger than the average human being, his tank didn't last quite as long.  He usually stayed down about 40 minutes.

The beautiful scenery.  Brad commented that they do a very good job of recreating this at aquariums.  It looks exactly the same.  

Living the good life.  Eric can check scuba diving off his bucket list.  I am sure he will do it again but felt very fulfilled this day.  And if I can speak for Brad and Pam,  I am sure they felt the same

Our final night we dined at my favorite place but I can't remember the name.  It is owned by a New Yorker and the food tasted exquisite!  Lots of Americans and Canadians have businesses in Cozumel. It's a quiet little town with a slower pace.  We met a couple at dinner one night that owned a pharmacy. While on vacation from Canada, she met him at a restaurant he was working at.  I guess they really liked each other and got married.  They now have 2 children and love Cozumel.  They seemed very normal.  We stocked up on anti-biotics and vanilla at their store.

This guy was a one-man show and had the best voice.

Jorge picked Eric and I up in his Herbie the Love Bug convertible and we headed to the high school football practice.  It was 8 o'clock at night.  The kids go to high school in shifts.  First shift goes something like 8 am -  2 pm, then the second 2 - 8 pm.  Crazy seeing kids come out of school that late.  Anyway, Eric was in his element at this practice.  He coached them an hour and made them laugh with his antics.  I learned he's a good coach no matter what the language.  Kids listen to him.  Everyone assumed he was someone famous so the camera's were recording and taking pictures.  I just smiled from the side lines.

All the chicas wanted to pose with him.  At this point, he was dripping with sweat.  The humidity is thick!

Eric made breakfast burritos for us the last morning there.  They were delicious!  He is larger than life, especially on vacation.

Can you tell the vacation is almost over?  Back to the cell phones and computers and real world...

At the airport, Pam found one last animal to kiss.

A few things I won't miss about Mexico:

You aren't supposed to put toilet paper in the toilet

Thick humidity

Mosquitoes

Things I will miss:

my soft skin (from the humidity)

the friendly people

Eric in vacation mode

But from the looks of this picture, I'd say it's much improved on the one at the very beginning of this post.  Cozumel, Mexico, does a body good!  Especially when you enjoy it with great friends! Viva la Mexico!