TOOOSDAY: Things that make you go Hmmmm...

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Noon-ish to Knoshing

Nady comes down from attempting to wake Jackie. We make a third pot of coffee hoping the aroma brings her back to the land of the living. We opt to give her another hour them we will pounce on her faster than Winnie the Pooh on a Hunny Pot!

Raquel comes back with two people following her. One is the housekeeper Carol. Carol lives a few doors down from the Shell House. Carol tells us she has a 13 year old son(Giovanni or Guerrmo, can’t recall which) and that little ray of sunshine following behind her is named Ixchel. Ixchel is wearing my favorite color…morado (purple). Her eyes are the color of a stormy sea. Freckles scattered across her nose adds to her innocent demeanor. It was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! I don’t have a daughter, if I did, Ixchel would be a Mini Me. Ixchel has lovely manners, attends half day 1^st grade classes, practices her English on us and was fastened to my hip every time we met. Kodi fell in love with her as well, Nady got a bit homesick for her daughter (turning 12 while she’s gone).

We hear movement upstairs. Jackie is starting to come out of her Mojito coma. She gingerly slumps down the stairs in jammies, appearing better than we expected, we say “Hello” Jackie utters “Hmmm” and grabs for the coffee pot. While Jackie awakes, I go to my travel bag for a few gifts to give Ixchel. I brought tropical (pun and flavors intended) lollipops, hair accessories, chalkboards, lipstick, body lotions and don’t even think about giving away my trolls. There are three (Blue, Purple and Yellow haired) already residing somewhere on this island as well as pieces of my braids – that’s a story from years back.

Ixchel and I are in the Baby Shell having a nice conversation in Spanglish. Our eyes light up when we say a word or phrase we both understand. She knew lollipop right off the bat! Her mother Carol was in the main house with the others explaining how often she would come by to clean. She and Kodi discovered they are both nurses and got into a heavy conversation of the new hospital being built on the south end of the island. Carol is trying to get her papers in order to be a nurse there and Kodi is ready to drop everything in America and become a nurse on her new island. Kodi is qualified to work worldwide and it would be the icing on her cupcake to be a “tropical nurse”. The new hospital is going up across the street from Mundaca Zoo. It’s going to be huge, by island standards, nothing monstrous as Baylor or Medical City in Dallas but a needed commodity.

Carol and Ixchel begin cleaning. Ixchel began by emptying trashcans. Punch flavored lollipop stuck in her mouth, I got so tickled watching Ixchel with her dust rag, going around wiping imaginary dust off the counters, tables, even the toilet seat, Carol changing sheets, towels, sweeping. Not much to clean as we clean up after ourselves…thus far. Jackie goes upstairs to change clothes while the rest of us mug for the camera. Ixchel saw the camera I was holding and I let her peek at it. As I placed the camera around her neck with her mother translating not to be rough with the camera, she pretended making photos taking sounds: whirr (twisting the zoom lens on manual)...eeek (zoom lens on automatic)…click(actual photo taken of the floor). I could play with this angel all day, alas we have other adventures to make.

Kisses to and from Ixchel, doors locked, reliable transportation, everyone awake, moneybags full, water and beer stowed, sunscreen applied, sunglasses found, cameras charged and bellies grumbling, we head downtown. First stop would be to get something to eat. I would have loved to dine at M & J Cazuela’s old location next to the Roca Mar. Now that they have moved across from Hotel Frances Arlene, the food is still fantastic but the view and space lack that Isla breeze. I throw the notion that we eat at the Market near Hortencia’s since that is part of our destination plan besides toasting on the beach.

Gee whizz that breeze feels great! It does feel like it’s gonna be a scorcher today. Kodi and Jackie are parked in back. Nady is my co-pilot. Click-click-click – Kodi is taking photos of everything she passes. We stop to get photos of the sign BEER SO COLD IT WILL MAKE YOUR TEETH HURT – I think she’s gonna enlarge that photo to place on her fridge now that she’s fallen in love with SOL beer. Did we just pass a giant paper mache iguana and Iguana Crossing sign? Yep. Nothing surprises me here but that made me stop cuz I couldn’t laugh and drive at the same time. Seems the Mango Cafe is closed at the moment – must get there before we leave. I’ve GOTTA have their BLTGA sandwich. Bacon, lettuce, tomato, guacamole and green apple on homemade grain bread.

Kodi's on auto-pilot and perks up as we pass her favorite house once again – it’s a pastel-crayola colored house next to a gas station along the coast road before we turn onto the main road.. Nady’s in vacation mode, hair blowing, and body reclined, thoughts nonexistent. The last remnants of the Mojito's Jackie had last night have been purged from her system by the heat and sea breeze. Sounds like a cure I wouldn't mind enduring stateside.

Around the bend, I...Whoa……….look at that helicopter on the strip! Up and down, left and right – new pilot no doubt. I’ve been to this island nine times before and have only seen one private plane, soldiers and countless iguanas on the landing strip. Now there is a helicopter, apparently doing rescue maneuvers.

Catz: Nady, grab the wheel so I can get some pictures!

Nady: Giggling like a madwoman!

Kodi: Click – click

Jackie: Oh WOW!!

That wasn’t a bright idea since my foot was still on the pedal and I was concentrating on the helicopter instead of the road. If I run into that golf cart in front of us, that copter will be taken us all to the hospital in Cancun! {After my HusBob saw these particular photos he called it Land, Sea and Air. How fitting.}

Nady steered, I took a few shots and the golf cart in front of us lived to see another stretch of road. The helicopter pilot continued training. We would see that same helicopter circle the beach a few hours later.

I rarely go into town through the main drag (Medina Street) entrance off the airport strip road. I prefer to keep straight on the backside of the Naval Base up Juarez Street. Plus this is Jackie & Nady’s first time to see this section of town. We pass homes once again with curtains for doors, peeling paint, kids playing in the street, dogs and cats trying to find a cool spot to nap. Kodi says to Jackie and Nady, this is how the islanders truly live. Word up! We pass La Lomita, she’s open for lunch but we’re hungry for breakfast.

Because this is Jackie & Nady’s first tour I keep the speed of the cart down to a slow waddle so they can soak up the atmosphere. I Bust A U on Bravo Street and proudly wave at my Ice Cream Shop, (Michoacán) on the corner. Kodi points in the direction of Casa el Pio while giving the highlights of our overnight stay there a few nights ago. Following the road which turns into Guerrero we pass the original grocery store, town square, get a faint wisp of ocean breeze and feel the heat bouncing off the concrete buildings.

Catz and Kodi narrating: That used to be a coffee shop - That’s Hotel Frances Arlene, nice place– Oh we gotta have a Cazuela in that building – Oh – great roasted chicken in that place – Oh-there’s the Ixchel statue (who busted her arms by the way?)Oh – I can smell the Laundromat (Ariel) –Oh yeah – Digame – a great place to make a phone call, wash clothes and down load pictures - Nitro Night Club is up that way Jackie (she’s so ready to get her groove on), here’s Hemmingway’s Bar where the local men go. We wouldn’t be too welcome in there. Oh shoot – The Monkey Bar is closed! And we’re here at the Handicraft Market. Hortencia’s is around the corner. Let’s say we eat before we pass out!

I drive into the lot and park the cart in front of the market and scan the Launcherias.

Hmmm…Is it the norm for Alexia y Geovanny's to be the busiest Launcheria on this end of the island? YEP. She (Leonora) rocks the deuce. We could easily have a spot at the other three locations: San Martin, Poc Chuc and Tacos Tumbras. But I know a good thing when I taste it. We stroll up in sexy babe fashion (where’s the mood music). We must be looking good, got a couple of folks looking at us – or we could just be windblown or have that “feed me now” look upon our faces. There’s a table close to the counter with three chairs. Leonora nods in our direction and gathers another chair, then looks back in recognition as I call her name. Leonora has never seemed the type to give you a hug, so serious minded is she. But there must be something about Cathey that prompted her to reach for me. Honored, I accepted her hug and gave her one back. She grins and welcomes my Chicas and asks about my dos ninos (Aelias and his friend Mason)and espouse(HusBob).

Catz: Cónyuge es un viaje niñas – this is a girls trip!

Leonora: Spanish – Spanish – Spanish

Catz: Jackie, translate for me that I’ve been practicing that line and that’s all I know!

Jackie: Cathey sólo sabe que la sentencia en Español!

At that we all laugh and Leonora gives me a pat on the back and begins taking our drink orders.

I’ll have Horchata (rice milk with cinnamon), Nady and Jackie have Tea with Lime, Kodi an Orange Soda IN THE BOTTLE!! Pure sugar rush.

We’re looking over the menus. I spot Leonora’s daughter, she’s the spitting image of her mother but with new braces!! And I don’t know her name. What I do know is she enjoys speaking to my hubby Bob in Spanish cuz he speaks it so fluently and he messes with her mind!! It’s like a ritual with them. COOL! My husband comes to life on this island. We gotta retire here….digressing…

Nady is cracking up at the Divorced Eggs. (It’s been nine months since her divorce) I have no clue what those are but she wanted a photo of the menu. Click. I will try their version of Moretelenos, (I LOVE Amigo’s version), Kodi orders Steak & Peppers. Jackie is on the hunt for Tortas. Leonora describes how they make them at her place; the bread isn’t what Jackie is looking for so she keeps looking at the menu. Seems Nady and Jackie can’t find what they are looking for so Jackie asks Leonora if they can make Chorizo y Pappas. (Chorizo sausage with diced potatoes) Si. Two orders of that. I’m curious to see what that is. And of course, Nady was serious when she said she wanted Guacamole with every meal. Wish granted. Leonora’s chef-ess in the back makes the best guac on the island. Creamy and chunky at the same time, flavorful with lime, fresh tomatoes and cilantro, a hint of salt and fresh fried tortillas.

As we gorge on the guac, I take a photo of a toddler crawling under the chairs. There’s a lot of red going on in here. Even in the shade, it’s hot as Hades….naw…still on Isla.

Slurpage of each other’s beverages and a sigh in unison of thirsts being quenched. Yummy time. Orders arrive. Morts looking pretty decent with fried plantains resting on a bed of rice on the side. Not a fan of “jamon” (ham) in any country but this goes down well with the red sauce covering the runny eggs. I don’t know how to say “fry my eggs ‘til they squeal and bounce” in Espanol. I give this dish three grease stains (to coin a phrase from Holly Eats). Kodi (doesn’t eat as it is) picks at her beef & red peppers with rice and beans and a wedge of avocado. It was tasty; I could have traded her dish for mine. The Chorizo & Pappas were DEVOURED by Nady & Jackie. Their forks flying, no chance to sample their plates. Let’s just say it was so good Jackie and Nady want to comeback for a second round later in the week. I took the check – for our guac, luscious meals and drinks it came to nineteen bucks. We left a hefty tip that made Leonora’s daughter look at us like rich bitches. This vacation, we are. The RB’s from Tejas.

8:30PM Texas time June 15...Kodi was jonesing pretty bad a few moments ago so I posted what I had.....now I need another Manzango to get my groove back.....Love you Kodi!!