Feliz Navidad, Sorta

As fun as vacations are, I always like the part where you get home, unpack, and get to sleep in your own bed once more. First thing this morning at 2:00 a.m. when I made it through my door, I warmed up my computer and downloaded my photos. 453, my friends, that's how many I had. I must have taken at least 475, too, since I deleted some while reviewing them on the island. Digital cameras are neat.

Some Highlights:
-Getting sat next to an aggressively friendly guy on the plane who kept trying to make conversation despite my best attempts to ignore him, and who downed two Dos Equis and chewed multiple wads of tobacco on the way from Denver to Cancun. It was amazing. It was just like I was working at the bar, but without any possibility of walking away. I claimed the window seat after that.

-Riding the ferry to Isla Mujeres at 11:00 p.m. with a full moon shining, music playing, and a local woman singing along to her cute grandaughter beside me.

-Getting to know the stray dogs.

-Beach combing and finding a good 1-2 pounds of beach glass that will be perfect for jewelry, as soon as I figure out how to make it usable.

-Walking through the turtle farm and seeing all the itty bitty turtles that were about the size of my palm.

-Remembering some of my Spanish from 6th grade and hearing my brother, who took two years of IB Spanish, constantly ask people, "Do you speak English?"

-Lime flavored ice cream.

-Gorgeous architecture and decorative details.

-Seeing the skate before I stepped on him while I was wading in the ocean.

-Bumming around the hotel's open-air bar and beach, writing to Camii, taking pictures, and reading a book.

-Hearing Christmas carols and seeing Christmas decorations while walking around in shorts and a tank top.

-Having everybody (drivers, hotel staff, etc.) defer to Casey, even though all of the reservations were in my name and I was the one with all the info.
Driver: Do you have your reservation, Senor?
Casey: Uh...
Me: Here's our reservation slip.

Waiter at the hotel: Here, Senor. (Hands Casey the slip to sign for dinner)
Casey: (Slides it over to me)

And so forth. I mean, come on. Casey is obviously not an Alexandra, and yet... Feminism has not completely arrived in Mexico, it seems. Made for comedic relief though, when everybody was directing questions to him and he was giving them blank stares back.

Anyhow, when you go to Isla Mujeres, get a taxi to take you places, eat some ice cream at Cool's, skip Hacienda Mundaca, but make sure to stop by the turtle farm.