A Carnival Ride? Sure!

My reasons for doing it were good.  But the cost was pretty yucky! 

A midway came to town, about 2 weeks before Carnaval.  It's fun to walk through it.  There's all the usual colourful, noisy, yummy smelly stuff - games, food vendors, and of course, rides....

I get motion sickness pretty easily. In cars, buses, boats, and of course, midway rides.  So nope!!!!  I was definitely not considering getting on one!!  But then...

At a quiet end of the midway, we were watching a mother and her pre-teen daughter on the platform of a ride.  The mom really wanted to ride.  The daughter, not so much.  No one else was on the ride yet.  The mom makes eye contact with me.  Asks me to join her, instead of her daughter.  I said sure!!! In my best Spanish of course.

Why oh why???? Because I was under the influence of a mojito.  I wanted to support this fun lady. And be a good participant. 

The minute the ride started, I knew it was a horrible idea!  I tried with my eyes open . With my eyes closed. With my whole face pleading the ride guy to stop it!!  The minute the ride ended, I did a thing I thought was legend.  Was sick without letting it out...  Then I let it all out! In a patch of dirt beside the ride... It took about a day to fully recover.

Toby was a good sport.  He took pictures.  Laughed mostly with me.  Understood my good intentions.

Pictures

1) The ride...

2& 3) During Carnaval, some of the troops, give performances in various locations throughout the city.  I think people pay them, and it's a way to raise funds.  These were some.  It's amazing to watch them do this in the hot sun with it smiles on their faces.

4) There are 3 parades during carnaval.  Saturday ad Sunday night and on Tuesday evening, the day before lent.  Each parade can last up to 4-5 hours!  This is one of the more elaborate costumes we saw.

5) Each year, a series of Carnaval Kings and Queens are chosen.  This display in the Cozumel Museum, was possibly a previous years junior Kings costume.

6) A part of the fun is watching the "ordinary" people who attend the parades.  This includes the dude pushing the cart and the moose!

7) These dancers kept dancing, ad the ad kept playing eve as the truck pulled them away.  Kinda like the band that played on the Titanic! 

La Alberca Municipal

Thank you, Barbara, for showing me that I can use this wonderful swimming pool.

I've known for a while that there was/is a city run swimming pool in Cozumel.  I've even sat in the bleachers to rest and knit while my bicycle was being fixed, at a nearby repair shop.  

But I didn't think I could swim there. Unless I was a resident and agreed to give a poo sample and an unknown sum of money, to get a monthly pass.  Turns out, that's no longer the case.  I swam a few times with Barbara on a drop in basis. All I needed was a swim cap and 60 pesos (about $4.25 CDN).

Then I learned that I could get a monthly pass!  With my passport and 300 pesos (about $21 CDN).  This is for 2 swims per week, on Mondays and Wednesdays at 11 am.  Yep.  You have to choose the number of days per week you wanna swim, and they adjust the price accordingly.  You also have to choose the specific days and times.  Residents pay half these amounts.  I'm OK with that.  The average Mexican earns considerably less than the average Canadian.  

PS.....Yes, there's a wonderful ocean to swim in here.  But the pool is much more accessible, and less wavy.  I'm enjoying that for training type swims :)

Pictures

1&2) The pool has 8 lanes.  I think it's 25 meters long.  The saltwater is warm.  Delightful! I very much enjoy sitting in the stands after my swims.  To rest, snack, knit when I'm alone, and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere.  I especially like watching the little kids come for lessons around 1:30.  And watching a group of special needs (one blind young adult, a teenager with down syndrome I think, and a kid maybe with autism) young people take their lessons.  It warms my heart to think they have rewarding activities.

3) There are idoor washrooms for the pool, ut the showers ad hooks for clothes are outside.  Most people, who other to chage their clothes at the pool, do it outside.  Usually with a towel as a personal change space.

4) The pool is one component of a large sports facility with tennis courts, a soccer field, and baseball diamond)

5) Toby and me, looking very cool in our swim caps!

La Terraza de Mami and Ceviches d'Angel

Eating tasty food is important to me, for sure.  But for Toby, it's a sport! And we are on our way to a gold medal!                                     

When I'm alone in Cozumel, I mostly eat at home.  For a few reasons.  Including. It's kinda expensive to eat in touristy places, and I'm not motivated or brave enough to eat alone in most local places.  But once Toby joins me, the food adventure begins! 

So far this year, we've discovered 2 new favourite places.  La Terraza de Mami.  A mom and pop place that opens at 7:30 pm. Or at 7:45 or at 8:15... And closes at 4 am!  One of the items on their  menu, that isn't on most menus are sopes. I've never had a sope before La Terraza de Mami.  Now I'm a fan!!  What's a sope?  A big corn tortilla with upturned edges like a small pie crust, grilled to a delicious crisp, and filled with delicious stuff like beans, cheese, meats, and avocado.  Super yum!  

Our n find is Ceviches d'Angel.  A take out place a few streets further into the hood.  They make the ceviche in what looks like their home.  And serve it from the front doorway.  It's well priced and yummy! Thanks Pat! For telling us about it! 

Pictures

1 & 3) The kitchen and hand washing station at La Terazza de Mami.

2) Sopes!!!

4) Ceviches d'Angel had 2 of these delivery bikes when we were there today!

5) The lineup today at Ceviches d'Angel!

6 & 7) The menu and our take out ceviche.  A small bucket of shrimp and conch ceviche for 240 pesos, aout $15 CDN. 

Imbolc and A Cute Green Parade

I was tickled pink.  By a green parade.  On February 2.

I was walking along the waterfront, slowly making my way home.  When along came a small parade of kids and adults.  All dressed in various shades of green, some walking, some on bicycles decorated with leaves, flowers and balloons. Then, a little boy from the parade offered me and Toby a potted plant.  We were confused.  I asked: un regalo? a gift for us?  Yes.  Mom was watching proudly. Then a little girl offered us a cute little potted cactus.  Also a gift.  What was going on??

A kind waiter, Raul at Jeanie's, saw all this happen.  He told us the parade consisted of students, teachers, and parents from El Collegio Cristobal Colon (Christopher Columbus College), a local private school in Cozumel.  It was an initiative to green the island.  The kids were giving plants to lotsa people along their parade route. Delightful!!

Then I learned more. 

This happened on February 2. A day full of different meanings. For Catholics, it's called Candlemas, the day Mary presented Jesus at the Temple, 40 days after his birth, when she was pure & clean again. OK....  For Pagans, February 2 was called Imbolc, which means "in the belly", referring to the pregnant ewes who would soon birth their lambs.  It was the feast of Brigid, Goddess of Fire, Creativity, and Fertility.  Including fertility of the land.  The Church of Rome turned her into Saint Bridget, to control her image.  Hmmm...

February 2 is also midway between the winter and summer solstices. Groundhog day for many of us.  The day to hope for an early and prosperous spring.  Happy Imbolc to all!!

Pictures

1) Some of the kids in the parade.  Very sweet!

2) Popcorn plants!!!

3) How may ways can a cat ignore you???

4) Some of the beautiful green plants on the second patio level at my Cozumel house.  I barely used this space last year.  I've been enjoying it much more this year!

5) Toby showing off the new basket on his bicycle.  And his jungle man look!

6) A lady feeding the pigeons in the main square.  Fun!! 

7) A leaf cutter ant. I stay clear of them!

5)

     

An Elegante Hair Cut

Getting your hair cut anytime, anywhere can be an adventure.  Getting it cut in Cozumel, adds an extra layer of adventure.  I kinda like it.

Most years, I arrived in Cozumel with longish hair that's easy to tie up. Practical in this climate.  Then went to Dona Lety to get it cut before coming home.  She was super pleasant, gave me a good enough cut (hair grows back!), and charged about $4.  Wonderful!!!

But her shop is gone now.  I truly hope she's happily retired & enjoying some well earned time off.

So time for a change.  A few changes!  Get my hair cut at the beginning of my trip. Shorter hair! At least in back.  Off my neck. No elastics required!  And a new shop.  There are many.  But which??  

So.....on my way home from LaMonina, with a mojito still affecting my capacities.... I stopped at "Elegante", a fancy hair dresser on the Malecon (main water front street).  I'm mostly happy with the results.  The cut is fun.  But I definitely have less hair than expected.  And without some clips holding the front parts back, I have some pretty big clown puffs at the front....

Pictures

1 - 3) How could I resist such elegance!  

4) My lunch at Billy's Asadero.  I need to come here at least once each year.  They moved since last year, just down the street a little.  Good call. The new location is bigger and prettier. Still a good deal. 1kg of perfectly BBQed boneless porc chops for about $21.

5-6) Such a nice sight!  A man selling plants from his tricycle.  I love how so many people offer so many services and products this way!