We’re alone now. Not only has our group abandoned us, but so have most of the tourists. Playa Arena (our hotel) is almost empty… just a couple of us diehards. Today and tomorrow are expected to be stormy.
Right now I’m sitting at our open-air restaurant enjoying the sounds of crashing surf and the scent of Fabuloso wafting from the cleaning crew. If you’ve ever traveled to Mexico, you know the distinctive smell of Fabuloso.
It’s hard to see the locals struggling to survive here. In first world countries like ours, people are terrified of catching covid and becoming ill and possibly dying. Elsewhere in the world they have more immediate concerns than a temporary illness—even if it leads to death. Right now they are just trying to feed their families. Maybe their acceptance of death is more pragmatic. All I know is that the USA shutting down again affects more than just Americans.
On a happier note, I’ve been having fun buying things I don’t need. I get to stand around and chat with locals without interruption. The porch of our room is completely tranquil without the usual loud-mouthed drunks wandering around trying to find their rooms. Last week we had a lady with a big group who really shouldn’t drink at all. One day when I was walking down main street, she latched onto my sister and me. That same evening we all went to a local restaurant and the manager asked if I was friends with Susie (alias). As soon as I figured out whom he meant, I wisely clarified that I didn’t know that woman. Smart move… her money is appreciated there, but her behavior—not so much.
We did get to the other end of the island while the gang was all here. Punta Sur is a nice little park. Bring pesos… it’s about half the price than paying dollars. The bar has a beautiful view, which was perfect for Joe to hang out at. We all made the trek around the point, down by the surf. It’s decayed much in the last couple of years. When we first started coming here a few years ago the park had at least ten metal sculptures from various Latin countries. We’ve watched those rust and finally, this time, they’ve vanished.
After leaving the park I highly recommend driving golf carts over to La Casa del Tikinxic five minutes away on the west side of the island. This is one of the few places you can get the traditional Isla Mujeres dish. There were 8 of us and we got two kilos, which was a decent sized whole fish. This includes rice, tortillas, and slaw. The waiter admitted that Mexicans usually can eat twice that size, so if you’re a big eater keep that in mind. We started with two bowls of guacamole prepared table-side. They have other menu items, but Tikinxic (tick-en-shik) is traditional.
Plus, you never know what you might see. For some reason a guy had created a wooden cage attached to the dock. In the cage he had a small shark. For a price you could get into this little trap and hold the friendly shark in your arms. Even more entertaining was the scantily clad woman who took a shot of tequila and got in. Her male friends were besides themselves with excitement. Naturally, I had to get a closer look, so Larry and I walked out to watch. I don’t know what was more interesting; the girl and the shark or the boyfriend who slipped and fell several times while trying to capture it on film. People really are very interesting… and you wonder where I get my characters from for my books and screenplays?
It’s our last day. Not sure how I feel about it. It’s a bit nostalgic because we likely won’t be back. This is our fourth time to this island and we want to explore other parts of the world. On the other hand, I’m looking forward to our own bed. The usual enjoyment of wandering around town in the evening is not possible this time. Joe can’t walk that far, so I sally forth every night to hunt us up a dinner. I cart it back to our room and lay it out on our little dresser-top. Then we watch yet another Lord of the Rings video. But it’s been fun in its own way. Last night we got a taxi to Momma Rossa’s for Italian food and a big glass of wine. Joe finally got to watch the pedestrian activity on main street. Tonight, I’ll get fish tacos from next door and we’ll watch the fourth video… so romantic.
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