Sunday, December 30, 2018


What a good, good day.
Sigh.
GOOD day.


Woke up to the blues. 
The good kind of blues. The sky blues, the water blues. The Blue Planet Blues. 

We decided to take another trip to the other side of the island and so we did. We got on the the scooter and drove slow and easy down to the tip of the island and across, by beach and by jungle. We gawked at the huge mansions that people have built on the water, so big that entire staffs of cleaning people and gardeners and cooks and security must be involved. We passed beach clubs and all-inclusive resorts. We stopped on a tiny side road to get off the bike and stretch our poor old tired bones and muscles. As we drove I kept up a running commentary on Cuba and some of the reasons for the differences there and Cozumel which are two islands in the Caribbean so close together. In my opinion, of course. My poor husband. I have no idea why I felt compelled to share these things as we scooted through the jungle by the sea unless it was to distract us from the pain in our butts and our backs. 

The ocean on the east side of the island was as amazing as I've ever seen it and none of the pictures I took give the slightest hint of the colors we saw. 


Maybe that gives you a little taste. By now I had finished my Cuba theories and we both just kept saying, "I can't fucking believe this."
And we couldn't. 
It's like colors not found in nature except they're found in nature. Liquid turquoise, liquid sapphire, liquid emerald. Angel wing froth. 
Unbelievable. 

We stopped at Chen Rio again because we had to have more snapper and ceviche. We pulled into the parking area right next to a couple pulling in driving a shit-beat old VW Beetle who were from Canada. They had broken down on the way across the island but one of the Green Angel trucks who patrol the island roads to help motorists in trouble had gotten them going again. 
Free. 
They were in a state of happy disbelief. 
"Where can you get good seafood?" they asked. 
We said, "You're there."

We ordered our usual and before we'd finished the rain came in. It was a scene! Everyone scrambled from the tables under small palapas to the more protected places. Waiters rushed to try and make sense of what was left on tables and how they kept everything straight, I do not know. The rain was so light. It got cool and the air was delicious and I sat in complete happiness watching it all, the sky, the sea, the people, the rain and before we knew it, the sky cleared completely and was cloudless and blue again and everyone made their way back to the beach and began ordering more food, more drinks, and the little children played in the water in the protected lagoon. 

We paid our bill and got back on the bike and came back to town on the shorter circuit. Again we drove very slowly, taking in the sights. Cozumel is a place where Iron Man competitions are frequently held and there is a bike-lane for the cycling part where we were driving and Mr. Moon was actually in it, which we weren't supposed to be. 
"You know you're in the bike lane," I told him. 
"Let me know if someone on a bike comes up behind us. I'll move over and let him pass," he said. 
I laughed and laughed. 
We stopped at Chedraui for our daily gallon of water and some more coffee and beer. We stood in line to check out and the couple in front of us (gringos) had a problem with the price of a pillow and then decided that they didn't want the ice cream they were going to buy because it was melting and let me tell you something- in Mexico, it takes practically a court order to get something off your bill. That's just the way it is. But people standing in line got irate. The woman behind us actually yelled at the cashier or perhaps at the couple. I don't know because she was speaking Spanish. Then she began complaining to me, believing in error that I could understand her but of course I couldn't although I had a good idea what she was saying which was "fuck this shit!" 
Finally the couple just said, "Take it all back," and walked out of the store. 
It was pretty crazy. 


We drove on back to the hotel, tired as can be from too much sun, so much driving, good food and one whole beer apiece. Bagheera was waiting for us to see what we would bring her. I gave her some bacon I'd saved from breakfast and she ate it. And then she let me scratch her head which is all she'll deign to do and again, I felt blessed. 


We are all this way about Bagheera which is why she has such a good life. 

We decided to get in the pool and we did. It cooled us down and we swam leisurely back and forth from one end to the other, stretching our muscles and recovering from our long ride. It was heavenly. 

And then sunset, of course. 



Supper tonight was at a VERY popular restaurant on the waterfront. Guidos. Italian. It was so packed that we had to wait for at least forty-five minutes for a table sitting on the seawall across the street from the joint. 

It was worth it. We got delicious salads and split a pizza and had martinis. 




We ate in a beautiful courtyard and it was romantic and lovely. 

Our taxi driver asked us on the way back to the hotel if we had been hippies. 
"I still am!" I told him. He seems to be fascinated with hippie times. The music, the cars, the food. 
The food? Is he especially fond of lentils and brown rice, I wondered? 
I think perhaps he had a slightly romanticized idea of what hippies were but that's okay. 
I asked him if he had children. I always ask the taxi drivers this. 
"Of course!" he said. 

In Chedraui a man was holding a darling new baby dressed all in pink, an angel-cloud version of a baby girl. I admired her and asked how old she was. 
"Twenty-five days," he said proudly. 
I loved that. Not a month old but twenty-five days exactly. 
"I love babies," I told him. 
"So do I!" he said. "That's why this is my second!" 
"She is beautiful," I told him. 
"Thank you," he said. The love he felt for that baby child was so palpable. 

Our server in the restaurant here has taken a second job. "For my children," he told me. 
This means he will work until late at night and then be here in the morning, early, so that the divers can get their breakfasts before they go out. 

Being here makes me so much more furious with that pretender in the White House. He is trying to stop the most loving, industrious, creative people I have ever met from entering our country. He vilifies them. The man who has never done one honest day of work in his entire life has the effrontery to label entire countries of people as thieves and rapists and drug dealers. 
He would absolutely DIE if he tried to do the work of one mesero de playa for one day. Not only could he not physically do it, there is no way he is up to the mental challenge of being a server. I absolutely believe that our president has neither the stamina or mental capacity of a typical Mexican waiter, not to mention the emotional stability. 

Okay. I'll stop now. I'm insulting servers everywhere with this comparison and I know it. 

Once again I started this last night but the internet just wasn't cooperating. It is cloudy today and raining, off and on. I am falling more in love with my husband every moment. I am falling in love with this island more and more every moment. 


I do not feel like the same woman I was when I arrived here. And I mean that in all of the most wonderful ways possible. 

Love...Ms. Moon








16 comments:

  1. I just absolutely love hearing about your adventures on Mexico. Although I have never been there, I have met (and currently know) many people from Mexico and other countries to the south of there and I completely agree with what you say. They always seem to be friendly, generous, hardworking folks with strong family values. All things Trump will never be and never understand.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think you need to go to Cozumel several times a year. Beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cozumel is certainly working its magic!

    ReplyDelete
  4. sometimes Americans make me ashamed to be an American. I remember one trip to beautiful Cozumel hanging out in the lobby waiting for something I don't remember and there was an American woman trying to rent a scooter or a car and he was loud and rude and verbally abusive because it was taking longer than she thought it should. I wanted to tell her to just chill out, you are in Mexico and things go by Mexican time. I agree with you about the people there and the pretender in chief. the whole man isn't even as good as a Mexican's pinky. and oh, what a gorgeous fabulous day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, dear, you are not allowed to think of the pretender in Cozumel. It can dull other perceptions.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Today I feel lucky to be able to post. Whatever the issue is with Google, a lot of times my posts just disappear and I give up. Reading this makes me SO happy for you. I think you are tremendous. You are cool, kind, honest, open, open-minded and accepting, talented and full of love. I love you and your family and your blog. The happiest of happy New Years to you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I loved that simple description - "Angel wing froth". Your enthusiasm for Cozumel is infectious. Are you ever going to return to reality? Maybe Cozumel is reality.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It makes me so happy to read these posts. Thank you for sharing your beautiful experience this way. May you and Mr Moon have the happiest of New Years.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'd watch a reality show where Donald had to spend a month in the life of one of his own immigrant workers. And he could get fired at the end. Yup.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've just caught up with your travelogue to date and I'm enjoying it.

    Don't even get me started on the Dotard.

    Happy New Year's!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a terrific post. I love reading about all your little exchanges with the locals and the tourists (for better or worse). It is hilarious to contemplate The Donald doing service industry work or picking crops, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  12. It sounds like a true vacation, certainly what an ideal one should be. It’s your spirit place, if there is such a thing. Much love.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am relishing your every word and photo. Happy adventures and happy new year to you and Mr Moon....... you are in heaven and will savor every moment. Love to you both
    Susan M

    ReplyDelete
  14. So very lovely. I’m so happy for you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. That man is such a piece of shit. He really is the worst President in the history of Presidents.

    ReplyDelete
  16. It makes me mad too to hear that kind of thing about poor people from over privileged gits. In your small way you are showing them what you think of him by being there and being nice and appreciating what they do.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.