Saturday, May 12, 2007

ATLANTA – 11 MAY

PHOTO : Luc with his Field Day Team.
Back to school for Luc, who really struggles to get up and does not want to do to school. In the end we are very happy that he went. It is the annual Field Day at school, where they play fun sports and games. The parents have muffins and tea to start the day with. I go home and promise to come back a bit later. In the end (after a nice lunch with Liz and more boutique shopping!), I get there right at the end of all the events! But Luc is very happy to see me (and I hope he still has no sense of time!). I go to the classroom with them and hang out until it is time to go home. He refuses to go with me – it is the bus for him! Friday night is girls night out and Liz has organized for us to go to a Gwen Stephanie show. I show my age by not really knowing who she is, but don’t feel too badly about it when I realize that Claude also doesn’t know who she is. Luc is histerical when he realizes that he has to go with Mike (without his mother!). It takes some negotiation and then Mike, Michael (in the pram) and Luc (hanging on to Mike because he insisted on wearing his Heely’s!). We go off in Heidi’s convertible for tapas and sangria. We only get to the concert at 9. Heidi and Liz goes off to the front (VIP’s) and the old ladies (Claude and myself) to the grass section. It was raining, so this area is not very full. We get good seats, high up and chill out on the grass. The show is very young! Dancing is great and her back-up singer fab! It starts raining right at the end and we crawl in under our “illegal” umbrella (which the security failed to detect!). We then go to the most decadent coffee shop, with some really amazing desserts to choose from. So we all get a decadent cake dessert and chat (will rather not reveal more info on the very interesting conversation we had!!!) until late. When we finally get home (3 in the morning) we find Luc and Mike in front of the television, fast asleep! I struggle to sleep after all the sweetness of the cake!

VANCOUVER/ATLANTA – 10 MAY

We spend the whole day traveling. It is very early start, but we are in time at the airport and managed to get a quick breakfast in. We fly from Vancouver to Dallas and from there to Atlanta. Luc really loves the sky train at Dallas Airport and is by now a seasoned user! Finally on the flight to Atlanta and all the time changes are busy confusing us a lot. When we get ready to leave the plane, the black man in front of us turns around and asks us where in SA we are from! Turns out that he is from Pietersburg, came to the States 20 years ago on a scholarship and never went home. He was really happy to speak Afrikaans! We are very happy to see Mike at the airport and chill out with Liz looking at Hanlie Kotze artwork the rest of the evening. Eventually realizing that my watch is still behind and that it was already 10:30 – and long past Luc’s bed time!

VANCOUVER 9 MAY



PHOTOS : Luc with Vancouver mountains. View tower.
Today we take the Hop On Hop Off bus again. Luc wants to go to the aquarium in Stanley Park. It is a long slow drive and we get there at 11. The aquarium turns out to be wonderful entertainment. We start off with a “scuba diver” show. I am not interested in the diver but in the most interesting fish (some that I have not seen in 14 years of diving!). The beluga whale show is stunning. We opt to sit downstairs in the underwater viewing area – they are really amazing animals! The displays are very interactive and I have my hands full to get Luc out of there. We take the bus around the city to our hotel stop. We need to get a suitcase and the shop is directly across Luc’s favorite sushi shop, Tsunami sushi, and we end up eating sushi again. We get back to the bus stop and after 45 minutes of waiting (should be 15 minutes!), a bus arrives. We flash our tickets and get on – to realize with a shock that we got onto the opposition’s bus!!! It takes us through Chinatown and Gastown, were we quickly jump off – just in time to see the famous Gastown clock reaching the hour. We go home and get dressed quickly. Tonight we are meeting Kristi, who just flew in from SA, for dinner. We find a stunning Italian place and after great company and food, we finally get home.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

VANCOUVER – 8 MAY




Today we are planning to take the Hip Hop bus around town. We walk to the stop at Canada Place and manage to find place on a trolley. The ride is a lot of fun and we see most of the great spots and even take an extensive drive through Stanley Park, situated at the point of downtown. It is a massive park/forest and we can see the devastation of the storms they had in December. It is a long ride and it takes us 1 and half hour to get to our get off point – which is the ferry to Granville Island – a little island with great shopping and food market. By this time Luc is hungry again and we eat a very traditional fish and chips. I take him to the Kids Shopping mall – and it takes hours to finally get him out of there! Very happy as we got him his first Heely’s shoes. We eat a pastry from the famous pastry shop on the square and discover a really good singer – Luc so taken we have to buy a CD. Luc also creates some entertainment, as he tries on this shoes with wheels and everyone is in stitches! We take the promenade walk to the Vancouver Maritime Museum, with the real life size exploration antique boat. Once again I struggle to get Luc out. Lots of miniature replicas of all kinds of boats. We take the ferry back to the market where we get some good wholesome dinner to take to the hotel. We have to run to make the bus and once again dead tired when we get to the hotel. Luc put on his “wheely” shoes (as he calls it) and falls asleep with it!!!

VANCOUVER - 7 MAY

PHOTO : Room at the Victorian Inn Hotel

We are out in the streets early in the morning (9:30). And hit the best shopping street (by accident – not planned!!!). Luc is hungry early in the day and has been asking for Sushi for a while. We discover one of the most popular sushi restaurant in town – beautiful little boats circling from where you can choose your food. Luc loves this and cannot stop eating!! He charms two ladies sitting next to us and by the time we leave they know all about South Africa! We take the Skytrain to the Science Museum (and get harassed again by the druggies). This stop is an instant hit! We do the Omnimax – big Imax but with round screen that goes around you! Luc does not know where to look. And then hours of playing with all sorts of stunning gadgets – even mother is entertained! The next stop is the Vancouver Lookout tower - all 50 stories of it! Vancouver is a really beautiful mix of city, water and mountains full of snow. It reminds me a little bit of Cape Town and I can understand why people love the city. The downtown area is really small in comparison to the downtown areas of other cities and is clean and nice to walk in. We walk back and end up in the Pavillion shopping centre (not planned!), but Luc is hungry and feeling miserable, so we have Thai and salad in the food court. Early night again – Luc is exhausted!

WHISTLER & VANCOUVER - 6 MAY


We are up early to have a last bath – with the jets working! At 9 we are at the ticket booth for the ski lifts. The lady behind the counter hears the two of us speaking and the next thing we are having an conversation in Dutch and Afrikaans (she is from Holland and so happy to be able to speak her language!!!). Going up is not as scary as the first time. This time we go up the second slope and on our way up Luc spots 3 brown bears in the forest below us!! All I can think is imagine coming down the slope on your skis and the next moment there is a beer family in front of you!!!! Now I know why I don’t ski! We get to the top and decide not to go higher as it starter raining softly. Luc runs around in the snow and then it starts snowing softly!!! This is our first time in falling snow!! Luc moans because we cannot go up the next ski lift – which is a little open car. Eventually I feel really bad – and also realising that we might not get this opportunity again – so I give in. We are the only two people in Denims and sneakers on the slope and the attendant feels so sorry for us that she gives us two disposable plastic rain jackets. We have no idea of how to get on the car – and no time to think, cause it is jump and go – flying up high in the air and I am trying to hold Luc and get the safety bar down!!! And it is real Strydom luck, as the snow starts coming down and we can barely see in front of us. We are cold and wet and freezing! All that Luc can say is “My hands are dead!!!”. But both of us try to make the most of it and enjoy the moment … HA HA HA !!!! When we get to the top we decide not to get off but to go straight back down. But a little problem with that plan, as the safety bar hooks the emergency stop cable (cause it was down and was not supposed to be down!) and we manage to stop the whole line!!!! Never a dull moment when the Strydoms are around!!). We finally get down – frozen but happy. We go for lunch at one of the pubs – bad food, but great fire! Then it is time to get to the train back to Vancouver. The Whistle Mountaineer is a tourist train and Luc loves it! We get drinks, snacks, stunning scenery and good commentary. It is a really beautiful ride and such a stunning country. The bus driver of the transfer bus is so kind he drops us off right at our hotel (which is not on the route). In the street we meet the first of many, many beggars (most of the drug addicts), begging for money. I was a bit concerned about the hotel and mixed reviews, but we get a really nice room (with microwave and fridge) and great street views. Exhausted by the time we get to bed.
REFLECTION:
I ask the lady at the counter if it is safe to walk in the streets at night. So she tells us where to go and where not to go – and area with “crime”. So I ask her what sort of crime. And she replies “beggars and drug users who will ask for money” (!!!!!). Wonder what she will say about South Africa? WAR!!!!!

WHISTLER 5 MAY


Up early in the morning. We are now ready for the jet bath in our room. First problem – we cannot get the tap open. Finally a young man from reception sorts it out. Only to discover that the jets aren’t working!! We decide not to bother him again and to ask them later to fix it. We take the morning off to stroll through the village. Luc falls in love with the river in town and all the copper artwork around it. We pop in and out of all the little shops and even bump into South Africans (who recognise me!!!!). The jungle gym (that looks like it could come out of Lord of the Rings) is a big hit and I struggle to get Luc away from there! The next stop is just as popular – the Glass Elevator Sweet shop – where poor Luc just cannot decide what he wants. I manage to buy a beautiful swimming costume (in the heart of a ski resort!!!). But then I must add that all the hotels have hot tubs and pools. We grab quick lunch at the local shop and then take the bus to the sport centre. It is time for the local skating club’s annual skating extravaganza. It turns out to be very entertaining!!! From little kids to the University figure skating champion. The kids were so entertaining and the costumes divine! The name is Splash and it is all about the sea – from scuba divers to a big great white shark!! We get back to the village by 4 and then Luc decides it is time to go up the mountain. We see that the notice says the mountain is closed, but the gondola operator tells us to jump in. We go up in a closed gondola and of course there are lots of screams and laughter – Luc because of pure enjoyment and his mother because of pure terror!!! We can only go to the first stop, but I promise Luc that we will go back in the morning.
It is cold so we decide to have nice dinner in our room and just chill out.
THE BATH STORY: When we got back to our room at lunch time, we saw a note that said that the bath was fixed. I try the jet knob on the bath and it is still not working, so when we leave for the show I tell reception this. When we get back to the room in the evening, there is a little note from the maintenance man, informing us that the jet switch is behind the door – and on top of the note a big chocolate!!!! So challenged – these tourists!!!!

Saturday, May 5, 2007

WHISTLER - 4 May





PHOTOS : Our hotel and room. Luc trying out the snow. Bob sledge display for Winter Olympics in 2010.

My internal alarm was still set on Atlanta time, so I wake up at 4. Luc is up at 6 and we decide to get done as quickly as possible to try and get the early bus to Whistler. The staff at Whistler Reservations were so kind, they managed to accommodate us and moved all our bookings up with one day. We are eventually on the bus at 9:30 and it is harrowing drive – lots of road works, curvy road and crazy bus driver!! The Mountainside Hotel is very accommodating and allow an early check in. By this time we are both tired, hungry and irritable. We have lunch at the Spaghetti Factory and then straight to bed. After a very long afternoon sleep we are both feeling better. Whistler is a stunning ski resort town. There is a lot of snow on the mountains around us, but none in town – I can just imagine how stunning it must be in the winter. So far we are really impressed with Canada. The people are very nice and the scenery stunning! No cars are allowed in the centre of Whistler and you can walk every where on the cobble streets. As there is very little snow, we cannot do the dog sledge or the ski bikes, but we decide to take the gondola to up the mountain. It is not as cold and wet as we expected – perhaps we have just been having good weather! We are in bed early, despite Luc’s remark that feels that we should go out!

VANCOUVER - 3 MAY

Today we are flying out to Vancouver. The trip was planned to visit our friend, Kristi, who was moving to Canada, and have not yet arrived that! As the flights were paid for, we decided to still go. Our morning started hectic with the flight from Atlanta delayed for half and hour. This really stressed us out as we have a bus booked that will take us from Vancouver to Whistler. The bus could only wait for us until a certain time as the highway closes during night for work on it (getting ready for the 2010 Winter Olympics). On arrival in Dallas we heard that our flight out was delayed with 30 minutes. This was not good, but we could still make it. In the end the flight was 2 hours late – we sat in the plane at the airport for more than an hour because of lightning alert! We now definitely missed the bus. There was no American Airlines staff to assist on the other side, so be booked an airport hotel and eventually got in bed at midnight.

ATLANTA 12 April – 2 May











PHOTOS:
Beautiful Michael, The Boys - Mike and Michael, Luc's school, Liz & their stunning new home! and Luc on his scooter

To all of you who have wondered where we are, because you have not seen us at the movies in Hydepark or in the Rhino & Lion Park, we are still on the road. Our journey from Cozumel took us back to Atlanta, which was going to be our home for the next month.

We are living with Liz, Mike and Michael in their brand new home in Decatur. The first week in Decatur started out being hectic – getting Luc into a school, having to sort out all the research for the book, getting ready for Michael’s baptism and saying goodbye to Callie. Luc joined Winona Park Primary School and we also joined the Intown Community Church. Liz had enough faith in my driving (on the right hand this time!!!) and allowed me to take her very nice Volvo! Uri came down for the baptism and it felt like a wedding reunion! The baptism was a grand affair, with little Michael not too impressed with all the talking and voicing his boredom very loudly!

Luc fell in love with his school (for a few days) and then got to a stage where he refused to go. He also went through severe separation fear and testing his borders, but we are slowly managing to sort this out. I drop him off at school (as he is still fast asleep when the school bus arrives in the morning) and he comes home with the yellow school bus No 64. He loves the bus!

We touched base with Katrina and Ellie (whom we met in Cozumel) and they made sure that Luc had a few entertaining afternoon’s out. From very nice play parks, to rope swings and swimming. Luc really impressed me when he did the swim test at the Emory University pool by swimming two laps (width) to be able to qualify to jump off the diving board!

Mike’s cooking made a great impression on him. One day on the way from shopping one day, he commented “The food in that house is really good!” Yes, that we know – we can feel it on our clothes!!! Liz has been also responsible for some good entertainment. The Reptile exhibition at Fernbank Museum was a winner. Nick (her sister’s son) came over for a weekend to play with Luc (and even Pat made an effort to come and play with the two boys. We took them to the Planetarium and the Inman Festival. They loved playing with “giant” Pat who treated them like real “men”!!

I joined the international group at the Intown Church and had two wonderful sessions with this group. Katrina managed to set up a talk at her church, which will take place the week we are leaving. We are so amazed that the time has flown so fast – three months nearly gone! I have been writing a lot and the book is nearly done. It has been an emotional journey, especially as we have been remembering a lot of the bad events during the last few weeks, which happened 7 years ago this time.

PHOTOS : To follow soon!

MESSAGES : To Pa, Ninah, Roni, Thys, Lizel and Alice - Happy Birthdays to you all!!!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

COZUMEL 10 APRIL





PHOTOS : Marketing tools to get you into the shops! Luc swimming!
We sleep late today and have a slow morning on the beach. Reading, swimming and getting a tan! Luc is very frustrated as the only kids on the beach speak French and cannot understand him! Luc forces us to cool off in the very cold Jacuzzi at the hotel. We take a long walk down the main street. Much less crowed today. End up having a late lunch at La Cueva del Chango (Monkey restaurant – all art creations!). Really good. In funky garden setting with really good funky food. As I said a very slow day – so we take a slow walk back and do some curio shopping. Luc finally gets his Mexico soccer shirt – after massive bargaining between Callie and the shop owner – with Mexico scoring the goal (and the best deal!). We go for sunset drinks at the backpackers joint on the beach. Luc plays soccer with a young boy and a backpacker. He runs back and asks if he could put on his soccer shirt – good for you my son, if you can’t play the game, at least you are good with the window dressing!! Cannot believe that we are nearly at the end of our 2 months in Mexico!

CHICHEN ITZA 9 APRIL









PHOTOS : Chichen Itza (we are in awe!). Luc the photographer. And one of his photos! Swimming in the cenote.
We leave very early on our guided tour to Chichen Itza – the most famous and best restored of Mayan Cities in Mexico (and one of the spots I wanted to visit). It is a long ride and we end up sitting in the back of the combi (not good for my “engtevrees”!). We have to drive all the way down to Tulum, from there through Coba and then to Valladolid. Here we stop to look at the different styles of architecture. We finally get to Chichen Itza at 11.30. There are millions of tourists, and groups, but it is so massive that you can actually deal with it. Our tour guide is very arrogant, but also very knowledgeable. We are astounded by the thought that has gone in behind the design and building of the city. At the vernal and autumnal equinoxes in March and September the morning and afternoon sun produces a light-and shadow illusion of a serpent ascending or descending the side of the El Castillos’s staircase. The Mayans are famous for discovering the number Zero, and also for a much more accurate calendar than what we are using now. Another famous discovery was that of penicillin – hundreds of years before it was “discovered”! To me, the most fascinating is still the ball game they use to play (see our visit to XCaret earlier on). Two teams played this game with a rubber ball they had to hit with all their body parts, except their hands and feet (mostly with their hips). They were also not allowed to kick the ball. They played this game in a massive arena and the game lasted for 2 solid days, during which they could not stop. The aim of the game was to get the ball through a ring on the two sides of the arena, 18 feet up in the air! What makes this game unusual was that it was played by priests and the purpose of this game was to win and then one of the members of the winning team could offer themselves to be sacrificed. This was a great honour, as the Mayans believed that we live 3 lives and this was a step to the next life! We get an hour on our own in the ruins, which is barely enough. From there we go off to a very touristy restaurant, with hundreds of tourists and buffet food. The highlight here is the Mayan dancers. We laugh when we realise that the description of our tour guide of Mayans are so true. They are short people, with triangular heads, slanted eyes, hooked noses and square bodies – no sexy curves for the women, hence the square traditional dresses! We are however amazed by their embroidery skills!
Our last stop is at a Cenote for a swim – the temperature was about 40C and we were very hot and looking forward to this swim. The cenote turns out to be a big surprise and awesome. We have to go down very steep stairs to a massive underground cave with a small opening high up above us and a fresh water pool. Even more steps to get to the pool and the water is freezing, but so welcome! We really did not want to get out when the time is up! We eventually get home at about 7 (just in time for the evening yoga class!! HA HA – we are too lazy!!). Stroll out for dinner at 100% Natural - a healthy chain group, but good food. We are bushed and Luc practically falls asleep on Callie’s neck! Must say, not too bothered by the noise of the hundreds of party goers!

COZUMEL 8 APRIL





PHOTOS : Ready to go! The cruise ships and ferry at Cozumel. Playa Del Carmen. Alambra Hotel (white one on beach!)

Today is our last day on Cozumel – we are very sad to go! What a stunning place to stay and dive! It is Easter Sunday morning and we decide to go to church. About 20 blocks of walking, and we get there just in time. It is an English service and a local choir performs – beautiful! Back home we finish packing up and then go to Caribe Blu to pay for the diving and have breakfast with Pedro and Eyal. Both of them compliments us on Luc (and the highlight is when Luc says to Pedro “It was a pleasure meeting you” and Pedro who cannot believe that such a sentence comes from a 5year old!). Sad when we finally have to go - Pedro and Eyal really made us feek at home and like VIP´s! Now we have a travel with all our luggage and my backpack feels 20 time heavier than it did when we left! We get the ferry to Playa and then walk the 5 blocks to our new hotel – Hotel Alambra. The hotel is situated on the beach just off the boardwalk and we feel immediately home after the warm welcome from Angel. We go for a long walk down the boardwalk – the closed off cobblestone main street, lined with touristy shops and restaurants (and millions of people!). Seems that the party never stops here! We eventually have a great dinner at a Moroccan Restaurant, Matubs, and Luc gets to have Lassi and interesting food!

COZUMEL 7 APRIL



PHOTOS : Courtyard at Villas Las Anclas & the diver fountain in Cozumel.
This is our last day of diving and looking at the rough seas we knew that our planned deep dive was not going to happen. The dive site is the Devils Throat (Punta Sur). The dive starts at 30 meters on the reef and then goes deeper into a deep blue (and this is the one I really wanted to do!). Luc is in tears when he sees the rough seas and I decide to stay on shore with him – so Callie goes off on the dive. We go for pastry and juice and to update internet and once again lunch at Rock ‘n Java. Callie is not back when we get to Caribe Blue and we chill out next to the pool. I decide to do the afternoon dive – this will be the last dives of the holiday!! How sad!!! When Callie gets back, we hear that they managed to do the Devils Throat!! But he only did the first half of the caves – so I don’t feel too bad. But they saw some other stunning things – splendid toadfish, snapping shrimp and a minute sea slug. He however says that he enjoyed the Santa Rosa Wall (2nd dive more). Our dive master is great and also takes us to Santa Rosa Wall. I decide to do a deep dive – all on my own as the rest where much shallower and I did not have a dive buddy. What a stunning dive! Lots of caves and stunning wall with beautiful formations. We see a massive turtle which swims up to me as I exit a cave. I stay most of the dive on 30 meters and eventually have to do a 6 minute deco stop. Which was not too bad, but then the dive master had to go up (this was his 5th dive of the day) and all the other divers decide to abandon me. On 3 minutes my tank came loose and I ended up doing the last 3 minutes with my tank under my arm!! The second dive is on Palancar Shallow, and we see lots of drum fish, I spots a Scorpion fish (the find of the day) and a massive lobster who goes for a stroll out in the open! By the time we get out we are freezing. Callie immediately orders a Cuba Libre and another one for me, and then Victor (the manager) gets us going on two massive strawberry Daquiries! By the time we get home I am wasted – deep dives and too many cocktails! I go to sleep and the men decide to hit the town. They end up eating at a very local restaurant, but Luc hates the food and thanks to him, I get Chinese take-aways when I finally wake up.

COZUMEL 6 APRIL






PHOTOS : Callie and Luc´s day full of adventure!

The weather has not cleared up, but I decide to honour my dive booking (Callie, of course arrives at the dive shop and starts making excuses about his ear – everyone just bursts out laughing!). But the sea is very rough, and we cannot take Luc on the boat. We have to take a taxi to the protected harbour as the sea is too rough to launch from the jetty. It is cold and I have no expectations for the diving. We do not go out far, but much better under the water than uptop. Turns out to be a stunning dive. Great viz and good sea life – highlight was the small pipefish. We go back to the harbour to rest – it is freezing and we seek the sun. Second dive on paradise reef and the mission to find the seahorses. Once again a beautiful dive. First small little reefs and then we venture into the sandy area where we finally find a little seahorse – amazing. Opal (the divemaster) also finds a dragon pipefish – it is so small, don’t know how she spotted it! We are just on shore waiting for the taxi when it starts to pour down! I am freezing by the time I get home! In the mean time Callie and Luc uses the scooter to go down south. They went to the Punta Sur National Park right at the bottom end of the island (where the weather was calm). African Luc was happy to see the massive crocodiles – he must be missing home! He turns out to be even braver when he climbs the light house (134 steps – no wonder his mother went diving!). Apparently he was a bit weary when looking down and opted not to stay on top too long. The Mariners and Navigation Museum next on the list and Callie cannot get Luc away from the big steering wheel. Whilst the divers are freezing their butts off, the two adventurers got all the sunshine! A boat trip up the Columbia lagoon for some bird watching (this lagoon opens up during the rainy season and this is the time when a lot of the sea fish come in to have their babies). The day at the park is ended off with a snorkelling session between the millions of cruise passengers in their life jackets! Luc then meets Bob Marley at a Rasta Bar!!! One the way back they get soaking wet in the rain, but the boys are not too bothered. I only hear later that Callie had a tough time stopping Luc to open the throttle of the scooter! Dinner at Rock ‘n Java - we are now locals here as well!

Sunday, April 8, 2007

COZUMEL 5 APRIL











No diving today - we were both beginning to feel the effects of all the long, deep, repetitive diving. We stroll through the shops (alongside the many cruise ship tourists!). Go for a pastry at one of the popular local pastry shops. The museum is a highlight (used to be one of the first hotels on the island). Very interesting the Mayan history and how they also fought to keep independence. Each young Mayan girl had to make a pilgrimage to Cozumel (The Island of Swallows) to pay tribute to Ixchel, the goddess of fertility and the moon. Small pox (introduced by the Spanish) killed half of the 8000 Mayans on the island and then only 200 survived the attacks by conquistadors. In the late 17th it became a sanctuary for pirates and then at the beginning of the 20th century the economy exploded because of the craze for chewing gum!!! (Chicle grew on the island!). Then it became a US military base for WWII, and when the military departed fell into an economic slump (need I say more!). It was Jacques Cousteau’s documentary on the fantastic sea life that brought tourists overnight! (We now heard that Bill Gates and Donald Trump is busy buying up most of Cozumel – for mega resort developments, and it is already ruining the reefs!). We struggle to get Luc away from the model of the Spanish galleon – he is completely fascinated by it! We decide to be adventurous and to go for lunch at one of the local food stalls in the Municipal Market. The market is an interesting place, selling fruit, veg, fresh meat and fish to cheap Chinese junk! Cannot understand any of the menus and decide to sit at the restaurant that looks the busiest (well trained by Uri!). Our waiter, who also becomes the chef (small family business!) helps us out and we end up with two delicious fried fish (lots of garlic!) and Callie finally gets to eat Camerones (prawns). It turns out to be the cheapest meal we have had here and one of the best tasting! The boys decide that they still have enough energy for more exploring and once again the set off on their scooter. I sleep the rest of the afternoon (OH – all those deep dives!!). This time they go snorkelling at Chankanaab Park, national park with dolphins and good reef. Luc cannot stop talking about the afternoon there, when they eventually get home. We decide to cook in and end up talking with the neighbour (who’s daughter made friends with Luc), swopping out food and wine! She is also from Atlanta (Decatur – where Liz lives and we will be next month!!!) and is not happy with her husband who when on a diving course last week because he knew he was coming to Cozumel!!! The long predicated rain finally arrives and it pours down (with lightning!!!)

COZUMEL 4 APRIL




Even more diving!!!! Not often that we have such stunning viz and great diving. Today we take the scooter to the dive shop. I am very nervous, especially after hearing that Luc is allowed to help drive the scooter. So with Luc in front, Callie in the middle and myself at the back, we set off – very slowly, as requested by scared Monique! It is not that I do not trust Callies driving, it is the other drivers that I am worried about! Today we managed to book one of the best sites - Marachiabo. It is the last dive site, right at the bottom of the island and very deep. This is what we have come to do. We are with a really nice dive master (Pemba) and other good divers. We fall in and go straight down. The reef starts at 30 meters and then it is a wall straight down. Callie decides to go for it and levels off at 50 meters! 45 meters was good enough for me. The rest of the group is high above and suddenly we see them all go crazy and pointing upwards. I start to fin up and then also see the dolphin right above us. It is playing and swimming in circles! This is about the 5th time in my 400 dives that I have seen a dolphin under water. I stay below it as it swims out over the reef and as I look down, I see the distinct shape of a shark below me. I look around to show the others, but none of them look at me. Eventually I get Callies attention, but then it is too late. We are all on a high when we come out of the dive. Luc is not feeling well – did not want to stay on the boat, and I was really worried that something was wrong with him. He is asleep when we fall over for the second dive. One of the divers run into trouble and abort the dive, with her husband following suit. We finish the dive – really nice relaxed dive with lots of coral bommies. Eventually we both end up in a long deco stop (Callie 12 minutes), but he still spots a ray going up! More time next to the pool to keep Luc happy. He also goes snorkelling with Callie and they have a massive fall out in the water! So loud that the whole hotel hears it. Luc comes running out of the sea crying and refuses to speak to his dad, until he realises that there is a scooter and he needs to be friends with daddy again!!! We chill out at home and have a long chat with Joel (Pedro’s business partner) before going to dinner. We are not sure where to go, but Luc was keen to “get the partying going” (his new line from “Car’s”), so we end up in the most touristy, loudest restaurants of all! Food not too bad, but Luc is tired so we manage to escape the loud tourists!

COZUMEL 3 APRIL


More diving. Up early and ready for the deep dives. We are with our previous group on the same dive boat, but get to go to Palancar Caves. Really nice dive. Lots of swim through areas and stunning wall. We once again see lots of turtles and big barracudas. During interval we beach the boat and get to sit on the beach. Luc is very happy as he gets time to go and snorkel. Second dive is even more exciting. We go to Deleila Reef – with a very fast current. We go scream across the reef (lots of fun!!!). I spot a nurse shark sleeping below a reef, but the current is so strong that I barley have time to show Callie. In the hour dive, I think we must have done 3 different reefs!! Back at Caribe Blue Luc gets some time to swim and play with his friends. We are starving and decide to go to lunch at Rock ‘n Java Café. A decadent hamburger and French fries and we are all happy again. Callie decides to rent a scooter and the two of them sets off on a afternoon of exploration. I can just imagine what the two boys will do without the mother! Going down the street at 100kmph!!! They took the road across to the other side of the island and had a drink on one of the beaches. It is nearly dark when they get home and Luc is jumping up and down with excitement!! Seems that he loved the adrenaline! All exhausted and have a quiet evening at home.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

COZUMEL 2 APRIL




Today’s day of diving starts off in chaos. Callie thought that he had set the alarm to the new time, which he did not! So we are still in bed when Pedro comes knocking on the door!! The biggest challenge to get Luc up and dressed whilst he is still asleep! It is a far ride to the southern point of the island where we pick up the rest of the divers and where we dive. We were a bit unhappy to start off as there are certain dives we want to do and they promised to put us in advanced group. This group however is a father, daughter and son who is doing an advanced course and the younger son who just started diving. But eventually we reach an agreement and get to do Columbia Deep, which is a stunning dive! See eels and turtles and Callie even spots a scorpion fish. Luc goes for a snorkel during the sit-out time and loves it. The second dive at San Francisco Wall is just as beautiful. The visibility is just incredible! After the diving Luc snorkels in the pool and then we take a taxi back home (no energy to do the 2 km walk today!!). We have lunch at home and all fall asleep – these deep repetitive dives are too much for us oldies!! We are still struggling to adjust to the new time and cannot understand why we are starving when we wake up – just to discover that it is 8 already. Quick, but stunning dinner (pasta for the boys and the best tuna for me) at Le Chef. Where after I try to get my blog loaded and my emails sorted. Of course, now neither my wireless or ADSL is working. Something must have gone wrong whilst people were trying to help me get connected. I spent more than 30 minutes trying to get logged on and eventually ask if I can use one of their computers. Thank goodness it can read my memory stick and I manage to get some of the blog updated, and screen through the 240 emails (of which about 200 was junk emails!) collected during the last week. They just about kick me out of the internet café at closing time – ohh, it is so frustrating!!! Sometimes we do need the technology!!!



URGENT MESSAGE : To Uri – ET please phone home!!!!