New Prison on Isla Mujeres!

Ok, so the title is a little misleading. I'm really talking about how my house, or the entrance to it anyway, feels to me now. The aluminum guys were here over the weekend and finished installing all the "improvements" we ordered. In brief, I HATE IT!!!!

Here's a view of the corner of my upstairs patio, facing the cabana next door. The distance between them is a meter, or a little over 3 feet.

You can see it better if you enlarge, but notice the dirt marks on the cabana wall, just below the "trip line" that I had put up myself. (and evidently did not work to trip anybody!) Those are dirty foot prints where the burglars jump from my patio to the roof of the cabana.

Here's what that corner looks like now:

That's barbed wire fencing. It extends up and out four feet, a little over a meter. Ugly, but let's see the assholes do some jumping now!

The front of the house is the worst. I have had to completely enclose the entrance staircase.

Looks like the entrance to a prison to me. Here's my view looking down the stairs.

I had to enclose this area also. The creeps would get on this roof, then the top of the carport and on up to the front patio. From there they had access to the back of the house and the cabana roof. Not any more.

I've never given my main house a name. Now I'm thinking of calling it Casa de Campamento de Prisioneros. I think you can figure out what that means!

The Organizer's Perspective

Now that it appears that everybody has finished their posts about the "Blogger Blowout", I thought I would end with a few random thoughts. (We had a final breakfast on Sunday morning....all you can eat. People seemed happy, content and genuinely sad to be going. That about sums it up.)


There are so many people in the blogosphere that I admire, respect and truly find funny that I thought, "Wouldn't it be great to meet these people face-to-face?" People like Billie, Juan, John and Brenda, to name just a few. There are other people too, spread around the globe and the Caribbean Coast, to numerous to mention. Just look at my blogroll! At that time, I was emailing multiple times a day and developing a deep friendship with Andee of Chacala, who has since passed away. I broached the subject of having some kind of get together and she said, "Go for it!" So, why not?


I thought about it a lot and approached CancunCanuck with the idea and she graciously agreed to fill in and help out wherever needed. As it turned out, I didn't need her physical help as much as I needed her spiritual support and shoulder to cry on once in awhile. We decided on a date well into the future and sent out the announcement. Not knowing if I would get 1 reply or 101. Risky business! We ended up with 18 attendees and I'm glad it was not more!


Make no mistake about it. It is a lot of work trying to organize something like this. Especially not knowing until the last minute what the exact head count is going to be. The logistics were horrendous. For those attending, it may not have seemed like it, but it was no easy task getting those venues lined up. I had to choose several different ones, from a smaller, more intimate group to a large crowd because I was not sure how many people would be attending. As the numbers became more solidified, I had to cancell some venues and renew requests at others. And negotiate for better deals, special treatment, blah, blah, blah.



The hardest was the hotel. Mostly because they were in the process of installing air conditioning in all rooms and they kept constantly changing the prices on me! At one point, I had been quoted 4 different prices! No way was I going to keep telling people their reservation price would be increasing over and over. I finally threatened to use a different hotel and we found ourselves back at the original prices. So I guess we got a deal after all.


Making sure everybody knew where they were supposed to be and at what time was not as hard as I imagined it would be. Everybody showed up on time and made an attempt to find out where things were before they had to be there. Except for the golf carts. That was like a Keystone Cop comedy! People would arrive and leave to get a coffee or something, until I was not sure who was supposed to be there and who wasn't! I consulted my list about a gazillion times! The only glitch as far as I am concerned, was paying the bill at Brisas. Where they mixed up all the bills and Heather had to straighten out. I owe her big time for that one!


I spent hours getting this all organized and shit. (I think Heather has coined a new catch phrase...just add "and shit" too everything!) Probably way more than I had too, but I wanted this to be a HUGE success so that it would happen again. And I think it was. I think everybody had a nice time, with a few exceptions around the edges that I wish I had known about at the time because I could have easily fixed the problem.


In the end, I feel that I accomplished my goal. I got bloggers together who wanted to be together or could be together and I got to meet some of my favorite blogosphere people in my neck of the woods. And from Belize too! I am sooooo going to San Pedro! I think the friendships I made in person last weekend are going to last for a long time.




So, would I organize another one? Hell, no! But if somebody else picks up the ball and runs with the Second Annual Blogger Blowout, will I be there? Hell, YES!

Random Thoughts

We worked like dogs around here last Saturday, getting some neglected projects done. Nothing big. I mowed the cabana yard and the piece in front of it which we are trying to turn into yard. B spent over an hour in the cabana deep cleaning it. Things that Ofelia never thinks to do, like scrubbing the interior of the microwave. L pulled limbs down from the coconut palm in the backyard. That is always fun. Tons of debris and big red ants come showering down.

We rewarded ourselves by declaring Sunday a free day. We lazed around most of the morning. L made some "chill-out" CD's to take to Ivan, the owner of Aluxes Coffee Shop. Ivan and his wife, Jenny, (also a Minnesotan!) were out for dinner this past week and Ivan really liked the music L was playing. Thus the surprise CD's. We dropped those off and headed for the beach for a couple of hours.

We had made sandwiches to take so we had lunch on the beach. It was surprisingly uncrowded for a Sunday. I think because the Nabalam has put those beds out and now they have "planted" palapa trees with chairs for rent next to their wall. They have effectively driven the locals away. No local is going to pay to rent a chair in the shade. Reverse discrimination at work.

We did see Yaron and Leor, the owners of Olivia's. We chatted with them briefly. Otherwise there were only maybe 3 other tourists on the beach. And it was hot. In fact, the sand felt almost hot to walk on. Something that rarely happens here except in the deepest part of August. We were only at the beach a little over two hours and guess what? I sunburned my back! I can't believe it. And I thought I was pretty tan. Spent a horrible night last night, let me tell you!

Steve is back from his cruise. He has started writing about that. He is a great writer so you should scurry over there and catch up. He used a line yesterday that I love. I'm sure many of you can identify with it. He said "Flying is the penance we pay for a fun vacation." How true.

My friend Rose leaves this Thursday to go back to San Antonio for awhile. Sure will miss her.

Carlos, our friend who is a waiter at Adelita's, stopped by yesterday. He was the waiter at the Friday night venue of the Blowout. He had left last Monday for Vancouver for three months. Appears Canada would not let him in. He got through Immigration just fine but was stopped at Customs. They thought he was from the Philippines, traveling on forged documents! They made him sing the Mexican national anthem three times! He was interrogated in a little room at the airport for 8 hours! Then they moved him to a cell for two days, fed him sandwiches and coffee and then sent him packing back to Mexico. He had been saving his money for months for this trip. Now all gone. For nothing. Sad.

Tomorrow I will be posting my thoughts on organizing the Blogger Blowout. Later this week I will be sharing photos of what my house looks like as a prison! Plus some other surprises I'm sure. So, as Mr. Calypso would say.......stay tuned!

Homework!

As part of the Blogger meeting, Heather (aren't you all glad I have learned to hyper-link!) decided we should all randomly receive a page from her "how to blog" book, Nobody Cares What You Had for Lunch! I didn't like the first two I pulled out of the hat so I received special dispensation for being the host. So this post is what I got on my third and last draw. Here goes:


Promote Truth - Outline ten truths you believe to be universal.


I am going to amend this a bit and add some truths I believe to be universal where I live!


1. If something can go wrong, it will.


2. Never trust someone who says "This dog won't bite"!


3. Never buy shoes that you have to "break in".


4. Never think that your place in line is secure; somebody will always butt in.


5. You will always run out of gas while in the middle of baking something.
(see #1!)


6. Believe in "Mexican" time. Everybody else around you does.


7. The rules change every day.


8. You will never have all of the correct documents with you the first time.


9. If you are on time, the ferry will leave late; if you are late, the ferry will have left on time.


10. If you put your garbage out the night before, garbage won't get picked up; if you wait til morning, they pick it up at 5:00 AM.



Bonus Truth: It's always in the last place you look!


OK, back to posting about my life. This was hard!

Who Wants My Stuff?

Leaving the Blogger Blowout behind briefly, there were other things going on last weekend that I want to talk about now. Namely attempt #10 in 14 months to get into my house.

We got home Saturday night a little after 12:30 AM and found a pair of flip flops at the bottom of our entrance stairs to the house. We didn't think much of it and just left them there. We get drunks all the time, hanging around the house, sleeping next to my car in the safety of the carport or just passing by on their way to the local tienda to buy more beer. So off to bed we went.

When B and I got home from the Farewell Breakfast on Sunday, L showed us a pack of cigarettes, a lighter and a bunch of keyrings all hooked together with one key attached. He had found them upstairs, sitting on the plastic table that is on the balcony up there. We knew immediately that someone had been here again. And only 5 days since the last attempt where most of my screens were slashed.

Monday morning B and L took the stuff as evidence over to the police station to report yet another intrusion. They were offered shit and sympathy, neither one of any good to us. They were told to go to the Judicial Ministerio and report it. There was nothing, they said, that they could do. Typical, just typical for the police force on this island.



So off B and L trundled to the office to report the latest in the ongoing series. We have also documented every attempt starting February 15, 2007. They were told that they needed to speak to the director. Fine. Except he wasn't in his office. They had no idea when he would be returning. We'll call you when he gets in, they said. Didn't hold out much hope for that happening! But Lo and Behold, two hours later they called and asked us to come over and file a report!



They talked to the Director and were told to next take our documentation and evidence to Register of Public Security. Evidently the Director thinks we have enough evidence to force the police to actively and regularly patrol our house and neighborhood.

So we have all of our evidence and a history of the break-ins typed up and ready to present to Public Security. I really don't think it will do any good at all but we gotta try.



The lack of response by the police is overwhelmingly woeful. Is it going to take a murder or possibly a rape here like in San Miguel to get people concerned about what is going on? I wish that there was a more cohesive and organized gringo community here. There are a lot of us but we each have our own agenda it would appear. It is impossible to get people to join together and show a strength in numbers and protest or whatever it takes. Plus we are all afraid of retribution should we complain to loudly. Sad. Just sad.

Yesterday the workers finished turning my house into a prison. I hate it but I do feel more secure. I'll show you pictures of what a prison on Isla Mujeres looks like next week.

Saturday Night's Alright!

The whole group met up again on Saturday night for Happy Hour price drinks at another new restaurant on Ruena Medina, aka Bay Street. The owner had graciously set up a line of tables for us right on the waterfront. Here's a shot before everybody started to arrive.

It was really cool to be right on the water, sitting in the sand like that. Except if you sat with your back to the water, there was a slight incline. You had to smash the front of your chair into the sand to make it level.


I wasted no time in ordering up a drink while waiting. Before each one of the events happened this weekend, I was a nervous wreck. I was so afraid something would go wrong. But nothing went wrong and people arrived and seemed to have a walloping good time.



Here's a shot from our tables looking at the bar and street out front.

The banter was light and easy over drinks. The only problem came when it was time to pay the bill. We had asked for separate bills. And we got separate bills. Except that I could not figure out what was going on with them to save my soul. Heather to the rescue! Evidently they understood separate bills to mean that everytime somebody ordered a drink, they would write it up on a separate tab. So if I ordered a round at the same time that Jonna, sitting on the other end of the table would, we would get our drinks put together on a separate bill. Thank you Heather for cleaning that mess up!

Next we walked the two blocks down the street to the Cuban restaurant, Vinales. After we arrived, another guest made a surprise appearance.

Yup, it's Flat Stanley brought all the way from Belize by Laurie and Paul. Here Rob is trying to get him drunk. Poor Flat Stanley had a sore neck so he retired early.



After delicious meals all around, Heather, the queen of party givers, announced that we were all going to play a game! I watched with fear and trepidation as she unloaded gift after gift onto the table. What was going on?

Laurie couldn't figure it out either but it certainly got her attention!

Here's Heather trying to explain the rules. See how raptly everybody is paying attention!

In a nutshell, we had to throw a pair of dice. If you rolled doubles, you got to choose one of the packages as your very own. Later, after all the packages had been claimed, the table had 15 minutes to roll the dice and try for doubles again. If you got doubles, you stole a prize from anybody else.

Since she was the first person to roll doubles and win a prize, the legend of LuckySusie was born!

Waiter!!! Fill 'er up!

Next up to win something was Mimi. I don't really think she needs a pirate sword. Her pirate look would scare anybody!

Next up was Laurie, aka Tacogirl from Belize. I was instantly jealous. I have been looking for one of this Loteria games like FOREVER!

Then Rob. But what is that he is holding? He claimed the package said stir sticks, just freeze and use. Everybody else at the table had a different idea for their main usage!

Packages all claimed, it was time to start stealing. Notice that in my stash is the Loteria game. I was happy beyond belief that I got to steal it from Laurie!

But I didn't own it for long!

It turned out to be one of two things that EVERYBODY wanted. Of course, LuckySusie got her hands on it!

But not for long!

Time was called just seconds after the last pair of doubles was thrown. Look who came out of the pack to raise to the lead and take away the prize so many of us wanted!

Yup, that's Theresa and Husband pictured above. You can't tell me that that is not a smile of glee. Turns out she was the best stealer of the evening!

But what became of the stir sticks? They were the second most heavily traded item. Well, she didn't get the name LuckySusie for nothing!

She was so sweet and innocent, I don't think she ever really understand the smut that everybody was attaching to these things. Maybe ChicagoTom will explain it to her later!

After dinner, again everybody that had to left, the rest followed me over to OM Bar for a nightcap. In her defense, I have to say that Kelly did not want to go as she was just a bit tired. She didn't stand a chance of going directly to her room though. Heather and I can be very persuasive! OM Bar is a small, two story hippy/backpacker type place. Totally different from where we were the night before. I wanted people to get a feel for the diversity that is Isla Mujeres.

Here's Heather supporting Kelly that she will be ok if she has just one more. I can only guess what Mimi must have been thinking!

You have to be somewhat sober and surefooted to make it to the open second floor of this bar.

We quickly found a corner to stake out as belonging to us, the Bloggers.

View of the bar taken from where we sitting in the picture above.

Looking across the open space where the staircase is. They show a surfing movie on the wall over there. They have concrete "beds" for people to lounge on to watch the movie or just sit and talk.

They even have live musical entertainment. I'm not quite sure how to explain the type of music that Jesus plays. Lots of percussion and keyboard.

The whole place is really funky with something interesting to see everywhere you look. Even the lights are funky, mostly made out of beads or guords.

Folks, don't even think of ever giving a party without inviting Jonna and Mimi. I tell you, they are a great couple and enliven everywhere they go. Jonna is always laughing, bringing everybody in to laugh with her. Mimi is just a goof. In the good way. You will always be guaranteed a good time and laugh until your sides hurt when they are around.

Michelle gave some guy my camera to take a group picture of us. Just as he was going to snap it, Jesus the singer/keyboardist, jumped into the picture. I think he knew the guy with my camera and thought he was the subject!

Here's what he was really going to take a picture of:

Notice the guy with the blue face? That's L. He refuses to let me post a picture of him on the blog. So I made him look like a blueberry out of spite!

Tomorrow I have another post I want to share and Friday our homework is due. I'll be summing up the blogger meeting on Saturday.

The Fun Just Keeps on Coming!

I got a text from CancunCanuck (Kelly) early Saturday morning that she was on the ferry and would be arriving on the island in a few minutes. I hurriedly texted her back to wait and I would pick her up. I jumped on my scooter and raced for the dock, hoping to beat the ferry in. When I got there, no Kelly. I sat in front of the ferry dock for a minute or two, too stupid to realize that the boat was totally empty, which meant that I had missed her.

I zoomed over to the Hotel Carmelina on my Honda Beat and there she was, standing at the entrance, reading my text to wait! Oh well, we found each other. She agreed to check in and meet me at Aluxes Coffee Shop, which opens at 7 AM. But this is what I found when I got there at 9:10 AM.

Since he had been out partying with us the night before until 2 AM, he was understandably late in opening up. I just took a seat in my "office" and waited. By the time Kelly got there a few minutes later, he was open for business.

It took awhile to get everybody organized but, finally, about 10:30 AM we headed out for our golf cart tour of the island. I had told everybody beforehand that they were free to act like tourists, but the driver absolutely was not allowed to drink. They obeyed me to the letter. I don't think many of them were in any condition to drink again so early anyway!

The cart right behind me was loaded up with Rob, Michelle, Laurie and Paul. I got to sit in the lead cart, naturally, expertly driven by Mimi with only occasional comments by Jonna and me!

The last cart in our train of three carts was filled with the "Dude Magnets", Heather, Lisa, Liz and Kelly. Except Kelly is married so she was keeping her magnetism to a minimum!

I had plotting out our course in advance and had a fairly good idea of how long it was going to take us to complete it. (I am not anal retentive! I'm not!) We headed out the bay side of the island and turned onto Sac Bajo. After a quick stop to take pictures of the 2.5 million dollar house, we traveled on and I gave them a very special treat....not available to everyone. We stopped at my secret place where I go when I just need to get away from people and have some quiet time. I am not going to tell you where it is or how to get there. And I hope none of my fellow Bloggers tell you either! I got the impression that everyone enjoyed this little spot of paradise.

The group at work oohing and ahhing and doing, what else, taking pictures.

This is the view Mimi had of what was behind us. Had she cared to ever look! Just kidding. She did an excellent job of chauffeuring Jonna and my butts around!

Next stop was the Garrafon Overlook. It was a bright, hot day and the water was as beautiful as it ever gets. I was very, very thankful for the nice weather.

What is up with this thing I have for photographing people from the back? I didn't realize I do so much of it. This is Liz and Heather enjoying the breathtaking view at South Point.

At one point I looked over and saw this salesman handing Michelle a half peeled banana. Then he squatted down in front of her. Not knowing what was going to happen next, I zoomed in and waited. Whoopee. I got to see Michelle feeding an iguana. Then she bought a bowl from him. Seems that if the salesman gives you his banana, you have to buy something from him. At least that was Michelle's rule. Who knew?

We finished up our tour by zooming past the million dollar houses just south of me and a few pictures were taken of the shell house. Then we really zoomed on past my house with me failing to point it out. I think I succeeded in that. No way I wanted people to know EXACTLY where I live. What if they did not have a good time this weekend and were plotting revenge for my dragging them all the way to Isla? Nope, not gonna risk it!

We ended up at our lunch stop at the Fishermen's Co-op. We even got there 15 minutes early. At the other meal venues, I was not totally surprised that the meals came up about the same time. After all, they had had advance notice of what meals to prepare. The FC only knew that 13 people would be descending upon them, but not what we were going to order. I had decided to let people choose for themselves here.

The staff could not have been nicer. They had set up the tables where I had asked, right on the water and in full view of the floating boats anchored there. And just a little off to the side of where they dump and clean their catch of the day. I was really impressed with these guys. They took a myriad of orders and got them all out to us at the same time. Congrats to them!

Liz read the menu and then took some time to mull over what exactly she wanted for lunch. Paul has already decided and is heading for the chips and salsa!

Heather. What a gal. I would want her on my team anytime. She had brought along a book about blogging and gave us all homework. (ugh, homework!) Assignments are due this Friday so be sure to read all the blogs to see what this all about! ChicagoTom and LuckySusie are listening intently.

Well, at least Liz knew what she wanted to drink right away. I think it was just plain juice. If you ask her, she might tell you. Notice that star on her head? Ain't it purty? It's actually the frame of her sunglasses. Sorry Liz, but I just have to say, this girl is so pretty I could hardly take my eyes off her all weekend. Liz, you need to call Sports Illustrated!

Chowing down.

I thought I would end on this appropriate note. The book Heather had brought along about blogging was titled Nobody Cares What You Had For Lunch! So here's a picture of my half eaten shrimp ceviche.