We have been going to Cozumel at least twice a year for 23 years. Mostly in January and March because as a professor of sorts at two universities I could really only vacation at J-term and spring break. Well, I could go in summer but summers are so lovely where we live that escape to an island was better set in bitter winters.
We started in a small, one-room cabin on the beach in 1995 for our honeymoon. Small fridge, no TV or phone, porch with a hammock and friends nearby and a beach immediately off the porch that was the perfect setting for sunset and short steps into the water. At sunset all of the cabin folks, there were 9 cabins, would gather in a group on the beach and watch as the sun slipped beneath the water and we would all shout in salute "ADIOS MEESTER SUN!" To this day two of those couples are still dear friends and a big part of our lives though we only see them maybe once a year.
When hurricane Wilma wiped out our little cabana in 2005, we floated to friends' house a couple of trips and then found a place where the cabana pals stayed that was a studio apartment half a block from the water for sunset and 4 blocks from walking to the square for evening meals and bebidas. It was once again a little piece of heaven and we were soon to discover and fall in love with new family members who owned establishments nearby...Patti, Angie and husband Matt, Willy, Monse and Rasta Mama Patricia and Papi William. Soon we would adopt Gisela and partner Melita as our familia as well. And the list goes well beyond this... too many loves to name on one page.
This place... This place of our loves and rest and peace. This place of laughter and our familia letting us ride on their float for Carnaval. This beautiful place of our pal who owns a beach club where we sit and snooze and snorkel and read our books and drink beer and catch up. This place where the last 3 of our beloved puppies have come from. This place of our friend Martin's "Mexican limonade" and Rasta Mama's chicken nachos. This place of quiet in the heart. Of our time where we feel sun on our faces to warm our souls, Sunday family nights in the square dancing to our friend Eva who sings in the salsa band and where the beloved local people ask you to dance with them in celebration of another beautiful day...
This place of boat trips with Jenny and Greg and pals to a place named Cielo...Heaven in Spanish...where as we ride the waves in the boat out to float in the turquoise waters, a ray flies out of the water next to the boat beside us. Dolphins leap in the waters off shore late afternoon, sometimes telling of weather changes to come.
This place of fish on our plate, simmered in garlic...he was swimming this morning. And he is delicious for dinner. Of our friend Miguel who we met 23 years ago and has graciously invited us to his home to celebrate his son's birthday. Of breakfast at Addy's and buying talavera to take home that her husband sits there and paints by hand.
This paradise where we fed the birds at Cabana Ocho so many, many trips before Wilma took it away from us. Where we drive to the wild side of the island...no one lives there, no electricity, just beach bars and surf. We stay for a bit until the wind is enough and we want the calmer waters and a cold cerveza. Where our amiga Margarita always has our little VW convertible waiting for us to take for the trip...
Where the hubs walks to the little bodega, turned grocery, now turned full-blown convenience store to buy my "Mexican eggs" that the hen laid this morning and he walks home with in a little plastic bag to fix my breakfast each morning.
Where in our new digs at the Hacienda San Miguel, we sit on our patio and join other residents to walk to the sea wall with our cocktails or beer and watch Meester Sun fall to sleep for another day. Where the music drifts onto the patio at night from the restaurant in the next block with our beloved salsa music and the hubs will announce "this is my favorite song..." indicating how happy he is to hear it again and for us to be back.
We have traveled a good many places in the world in our 25 years together, we are blessed indeed. But coming to this place is our heart, where we have familia, where our fur familia has come from, where we rest when we seem to need it the most. Where we float in the water, feed the fish as we snorkel and read several books as we find peace.
Here's to this adventure to this place where we find love and our hearts...we are so blessed to have these people, this place, these experiences...heaven...Cielo...
We'll be welcomed home again soon...where we will hear and know...bienvenido a casa mis amigos...Welcome home my friends...
Traditions...first night dinner Casa Denis with Martin, Juan Carlos, Leonardo and Balthazar. Nightcaps at Ohana with Matt and Angie where I'm told I happily can be guest bartender (girl, you know your way around, you can get your own beer!) Where we dance in the square on Sunday once again...There are so many traditions...it's part of the homecoming. Part of the joy, part of the peace, part of the rehabilitation of the heart and soul of hard work and crazy lives.
We are 54 minutes from landing...Jenny is picking us up and though she lives near in the states, we have not seen her since last March, I am excited to see her and have a beer after we dump bags in the apartment. Excited for puesta del sol (sunset) and dinner at Denis. I love our lives at home, but this place...I miss it and yearn for it at this time of year especially. Not much longer...
Here we come MEESTER SUN, to read books in your warmth, to salute you at night, to spend time with friends on the playa...
Coming home of sorts...We are so grateful and so love THIS PLACE...
And as I sit on our patio with coffee and the birds singing this first morning I am grateful for Jenny AND Greg meeting us at the airport to take us to the hacienda complete with cold welcoming cervezas...joining us for first margaritas next to the water watching sunset at our amiga Patita's place, a spectacular sunset with friends and a sigh ... taking in the warmth, the love, the laughter, the arms around us to come back to. For our friends at Casa Denis at dinner last night...we find out Martin is an abuelo now (grandpa...) and coming into the apartment to find a beautiful floral arrangement, wine, and snacks welcoming us back home.
I am so grateful for this place...and all of the people here and connected to here...too many come to mind, I hope they know they are loved when they read this because I will not remember all of the ones to mention.
Thank you God for our blessings that include this place and its people <3
No comments:
Post a Comment