I love it when Newbies experience Isla’s golden sunset on her blue tresses…
The Crew is gathering their gear as the sun makes it way towards the other side of the world. I exchange cells numbers with Troy and Leslie. Kodi and Hope’s phones don’t get service here. I let them lead the way, not wanting to block their view of the dock. The dock we Islaholics love when coming, the one we loathe when leaving.
Well, ain’t this a pretty bucket of pig’s feet! The main street is not how I remembered it. The North Bound side is closed due to construction. I read about it being ‘renovated’ but this is just tragic. Rumor has it under the Current Mayor, they have less than three weeks to complete that side of the street before the New Mayor takes office. I am not getting in the middle of Isla’s politics but I have a source who knows both Mayors personally so I know the skinny.
The North Bound side of the street is dark and unappealing - businesses closed, no one hollering from an upper window to a passing car. Dust settling on my freshly sea kissed hair and fogging up my lenses. Where are the FRIENDLY honking horns?? I used to love playing "dodge the oncoming traffic" to get to the other side of the street. Now it’s sheer suicide.
Traffic is snarled, irritation is in the air. Irritation on Isla? By jove, get me to the south side of the island. Looking down the street, my best bet is to grab a cab at the taxi station. I will be taking the second or third cab towards The Shell House. Karma forbids me to get into the first cab that comes along.
Chance and Troy were looking for a family of five on a moto. Kodi told them they would see that here. And they would later in the week. Now the South Bound side of the street where we were standing, felt overcrowded, felt like (gulp) Cancun! We were trying to decide if the crew should take a cab, or have the Bicycle Man take their gear to their hotel. The Crew was under the assumption that the Bike Man would carry their luggage as well as their persons on his bike. I had to laugh. No honey, he will bike your luggage, you follow behind. Tell him where you are staying; he will just lead the way. There are five of you and one of him…odds are you can take him if need be. I think he was charging them 50 pesos total. DO IT!!! If for nothing but the experience alone.
The Crew is staying at Maria del Mar. I am staying at The Shell House. Five miles apart. Separate vacations with the promise of hooking up at The Shell on Tuesday for Bert and Wheyda’s Anniversary Party and of course the mandatory funfest at Miguel’s on St. Patrick’s Day. Kodi knows her way around Isla so her posse will be safe with her. I don’t know about ya’ll but I’m hungry. They invited me to come to their place, drop my gear and head to dinner on Hidalgo. I had to decline. I save Hidalgo for my last day. And I was to meet Raquel between 5PM and 6PM. She has plans to have dinner with friends and it is only common courtesy not to keep the Hostess waiting.
My advice to The Crew was to have their first meal with their feet in the sand, Mininos or Picus. Walk a block this way or that, eat and go to your hotel. They opted to go to their hotel first, freshen up and do Hidalgo. Good luck with that. You’re a wide eyed babe in the woods – at least don’t eat at an American Joint or anyplace that sounds American. Heeded, not taken I found out later. My love and kisses to them all and I grabbed the third cab out of the shoot (actually taxi #56) with the black and silver duct taped back seats, put my own luggage in the back seat with me and headed off to my destiny.
I am rocking in the back seat wishing the taxi to go above 40 mph. I am in no mood to chatter with the driver and he’s in no mood to be bothered with me. At least we’re reading the same book. When I entered the cab and said Shell House, he had the nerve to roll his eyes and sigh!! “Problema me lleva a Casa Carocol? “I asked him? I know a little Spanish, very little but I had been practicing for a whole week!! Eye Roller said “70 pesos, let’s go.” Well, well, well. We do read the same book.
I pulled my companion G. I. Troll (Orange hair and army gear on) out of the side pocket of my luggage and had him enjoy the ride along with me. Yes, I travel with Trolls. I never leave home without one or two in my possession. It took about ten minutes to get from the taxi station to the corner of the Navel Base where you take the coast road. Traffic to say the least. I sensed Eye Roller knew I knew where I was going and took the coast road. If he hadn’t I would have become a back seat driver no doubt. Same houses on the Airport Strip – lots of soldiers on duty tonight. I think G. I. Troll just saluted. Hello Mango Café, glad to see you’re open, teeth chattering beer place, I see the blur of the Crayon House and Casa Azul.
Familiar scents of the ocean I adore, my ears in tune to the crashing waves, eyes taking in every moving creature. Slow down man, I’m trying to savor back here! He must have read my thoughts and slowed down once we passed Colonia Guadalupena. There’s Casa Margaritaville, but wait? There’s no “o-dwa” coming from the dump! And I see they are recycling. Way to go Isla!! High Five!!
Tingling in my nether regions. I’m almost “home”. Can I shout out now? No….be dignified and wait til the cabbie leaves. I pull out 80 pesos. He grumbles, I fight my luggage out of the back seat and he asks in perfect English if I am staying here alone. “No Senor, mi Amigos come mañana.” With that he hauled ass and I hauled luggage through the coral iron gates. With a tear in my eye, and arms spread wide I hollered “HOLA MI CASA” at the top of my lungs.
Waiting for me was no one. I see the curtains at the front door blowing with the breeze. From the corner of my eye, I see Robert from Canada walking towards me from the house, Casa Marlin, next door. This is where he stays during the Canadian Winters. Robert is Italian, lives in Canada, speaks English, French and Spanish.
He is the groundskeeper for these two houses during his stay. He looks around for others only to discover I am solo this time. I embrace him, he embraces back, just like old friends. I bring him up to speed about my “travel companions” who could and couldn’t make it. House all to myself. Lucky You. Yeah, Lucky Me!!
Hola Catee!! Hola Mommie!! It’s Raquel – she was upstairs putting on her face when I arrived. She’s my mom here on the island – takes care of me, checks on me and has a bottle of tequila waiting for me each visit. God, I love her. I asked Robert if there was a place that delivers I could call. It’s been eons since I last ate and I don’t fancy heading back to town. Raquel said she has some meat marinating upstairs. Off she went after giving me the keys. Robert said he would cook for me . Just bring the tequila. Fair trade. I took my bags upstairs and thought I made it back.
I know the layout of the house and felt at ease, where I was supposed to be, where I had been daydreaming to be. Don’t worry Casa, we’re gonna get nice and chummy this week. Ten minutes later, I am knocking on Robert’s screen door – he bade me enter. Small talk and a shot of tequila he began preparing a simple meal of steak and salad.
Robert: Did you know there is no such thing as Italian Dressing?
Catz: Get Out!! (Texas thang to say!)
Robert: All that junk in something so simple. In Italy it is olive oil, good quality olive oil, a spritz of lemon juice , salt and pepper.
Catz: Bring it on baby!!
What Robert prepared for me was simply wonderful. It took me a while to eat – I talk, chew, giggle, chew and talk some more. We had a wonderful time, he on the computer playing the Stock Market, showing me some “moves” as he is a ballroom dancer. We chatted, told jokes, look up Fire Opals and Buffalo stones on the internet. We drank each other’s tequila, his was sort of sweet, mine was lemon flavored. The family dog (Chi-wa-wa) Chofi sniffs at my fingers and sits in his lap. Around 9:30 I was feeling the Sandman poking around my eyes as Robert turned in his ticket to the Sandman as well. Raquel came to say goodnight as she came in from her outing.
Thank you Robert for the wonderful meal. He said I fed you, if I cook for you it would be fancier! I love you too Robert!I am so in tune with the sunrise here I am wide eyed before the dawn. I do not sleep long on vacation. I sleep hard and fast on vacation. I brush my teeth, set off to make a pot of coffee downstairs. Cup in hand I sit on the balcony and enjoy the makings of a beautiful day.
And this is what I find waiting for me as I return from my first Isla sunrise. Horny little boogers!
That’s Bert and Wheyda. It’s their Anniversary week and if I heard it correctly and by the look of bliss on her face, Wheyda sighed.
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