Where the heck are we now?: A Busy Visit...so sad it's over

Well we are back from Cancun and Anne Marie, Mike and Cooper are settling in back in Halifax to snowy weather while we are still enjoying very hot days! As I write this I am sitting here on the front patio and it feels like a sauna as the wind has died down and the water is calm. Our company were quite lucky with weather as they saw only sun, sun and more sun.

The rocking chair here on the patio is one of my favourite places to watch the world go by

We spent our days by the pool as we did last week and generally did very little only relax, drink and eat. Cooper was on a pretty strict diet as we monitored what he ate in fear that his small stomach would not withstand a bug of any kind. Proud to report that no one got any stomach aches only Don who is still taking medication, though things have improved on that front as well.

See all I get to eat are oranges and cheese. I know I look happy but where are the tacos?

And what about a beverage asked Cooper? All I got was filtered water in my sippy cup!

We did a couple of trips into Merida, one to Costco as they wanted to see what it was like compared to Canada. We also liked the lunches as it tastes like home.Cooper,being a Costco fan as well thought in all looked familiar but the books were in Spanish!

Mom wiping down the shopping cart just like she does at home...

Ok, I can't read this book let's check out the merchandise...

Now that's food I understand but will it be kind to my stomach?

We also went into Centro on Sunday and stayed for the night at the Luz where we stayed when we first arrived.. This allowed us to be on Cooper time but also gave Anne Marie and Mike an opportunity to go out for dinner by themselves. They went to La Chaya for traditional Yucatan food which they enjoyed very much. We went before while they got Cooper ready for bed but there was a long lineup so we went to the little hole in the wall we usually go to and I had my favourite which is cochinata pibil...pulled pork served with pickled onions.

The hammock in our hotel room, we stuck to the bed...

Some of the streetscape in Merida. I always wonder what is behind all these walls?

Since it was Sunday there were a lot of food stalls set up as well as stands selling handicrafts. We were too late for the street entertainment this time around but we spent the next day exploring some shops and looking at some of the neighbourhoods.

Now I like street food,what about some fried plantains?

Seems Anne Marie likes them as well, they are great with ketchup...

There were lots of dolls dressed in traditional clothes...

As well as hats of every colour...

What about a colorful sombrero?

On Weds when the cruise ship was in they set up a craft market in Progreso as well so we strolled up to see if Anne Marie could find a mask for her collection and after some bargaining she settled on one to take home. We then went to our local bar for a drink and of course Cooper was still the star.

Cooper sizing up the pinata...

Lots of woodworking...

Pina coladas,the margueritas were better!

Cooper and one of the bar guys.This fellow is always showing us pictures of his son.

This week as well had a special day celebrated by the Mexicans as Los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day). They celebrate this day on January 6 by having a family party with the centrepiece being a cake called Rosca De Reyes.This cake is served after the meal and inside is a small fiqure of baby Jesus and whoever gets the piece containing the fiqure has to make the tamales for the party on February 2. This party is held to celebrate the last of the Christmas festivities, 40 days after the birth of Jesus. Mexicans seem to have lots of excuses to eat and drink!

Two of the three kings we saw in the store...they look scary to me!

The Rosca de Reyes...the cake of the 3 Kings.They were for sale everywhere.

On Thursday we took the Platinum bus into Cancun so we had to fiqure a way to get to the bus station at 6am with all the luggage. So off Don and I trotted the night before to the taxi stand in the main square to find a cab that would pick us up at 5:30am. Much to our surprise and with our limited Spanish we made ourselves known, got the guy to drive us back to the house so he knew where it was and he said he would be back by 5:30am.We told him we had lots of luggage and that he needed ropes but I guess our Spanish is not that good as he did arrive at 5am with no ropes so we put some luggage in the trunk and held on to the rest for dear life all the way to Merida.

I finally have my own remote control but I don't know how to use it!

Cooper also enjoyed the first class comfort...

The bus as before was a fabulous ride and we were in Cancun and checked into our hotel by noon so we had all that day and the next and then the morning of Sat to enjoy the great resort. It was only half full so the service was great, the saltwater pool was fabulous and the meals delicious. Thanks Mike for this treat, a mini holiday in the middle of a longer one!