Mexico or Bust

Okay, so I have been really conflicted about how exactly to go about writing about Mexico. Initially I thought I would just do it in installments like the 1880's novels. Later I realized nobody cares that much about all the details of my fantastic vacation so I could save the installments for my journal and instead do a very reader's digest version for blogosphere. This seemed utterly overwhelming because it truly was so very magnificent that I feel like I am doing a great disservice to all of Mexico by eliminating what (to me) were crucial aspects of this trip. Alas I have finally concluded that the easiest way, one which I could live with and would convey a great deal of detail, is to simply write a list, like a catalog of my trip. No commentary, no interjections, just the hard cold facts. I will let my loyal readers decide for themselves the emotions accompanying these wonderful events. Also, I posted 170 pictures on facebook (narrowed from 1000 so give me a big pat on the back) so if you're interested in seeing vast amounts of pictures then just check out my face book. And if you don't have facebook, get with the program Myspace is so 2008 :) So, without further adieu: stayed up all night at the airport to travel for 13 hours, almost couldn't find Shannen at the airport and thought the shuttle guys were heading straight out of town, stayed the night in Cancun on the most gorgeous beach I have ever seen in my entire life, ate, slept, went shopping (totally not my thing but I will admit it was fun), took another shuttle to Maya Riveria, ate D-licious quacamole (probably the only somewhat Mexican food item indulged in over the entire week....but we ate it every meal!), went swimming, went to the ocean, went to our 2 bedroom 2 bath living room dining room kitchen abode, ate A-mazing food (really you can just conjecture that every time I say ate it was extraordinary because the food was out of this world), went swimming again, were in bed by 10 (sad to admit but that's true of almost every night), woke up and went swimming in the 9 gigantic pools and the ocean ALL day only taking breaks to eat some more (these pools were remarkable and hold the status of being the longest pool in Central America), night swimming, bed, went on an all day tour to a beautiful park called Xcaret, snorkeled around an underground river, walked on the bottom of the ocean with helmets that reminded me of astronauts, ate, looked at a million tortoises and baby turtles, dolphins, jaguars, butterflies, gardens, jungles, monkeys, aquariums, farms, and a Mayan village (mind you, these parks are like none I've seen in the states, no guard rails, no blockades and pretty much nothing to prevent you from jumping in and swimming with the hammerhead sharks and stingrays), went to a ball game encompassing the historical ball games from ancient times including no use of arms or legs only hips to hit an 8 lb ball back and forth across dirt and rocks roughly the size of a soccer field, then the game changed with participants using the same balls on fire being flung in the air and towards one another (barefoot and wearing loincloths) to actually making hoops, went to a really cool show of the music of the century beginning with mariachi bands and ending with salsa (everyone in the entire amphitheater sang along to all the songs and screamed when they announced the names of the dances forcing us to recognize that Americans have no culture...seriously!), went back to our hotel, ate, slept, woke up and spent another entire day and night at the pools and beach, late night crepes with nutella and salted bananas...enough said!, slept then woke and got on another tour bus where we went ziplining down 11 ziplines (one of which I went upside down and the guide spun me in circles pretending I was going to drop into the jungle and one of which I put my feet on the guide and arms out for what they accurately named "Superman"), all of the guides on this tour had so much personality it must have been a prerequisite, and they were hot to boot! Then we got to go to a cenote which is pretty much a sinkhole with an underground water source, ziplined into the cenote and then jumped off the cliff 5 times, ate, night swim, slept, woke and went on a 3 hour bus drive to the most beautiful cenote with the most refreshing water I have ever felt (Shannen and Kacie didn't swim here but 1000 wild horses could not have dragged me away from that glorious experience) ran down pitch black stairs in a tunnel/cave and jumped into this bliss followed by 45 minutes of treading water (I just didn't want to get out), went to Chitchen Itza which was extremely interesting and also extremely hot! This is where I learned there was a very fine line between vendors and beggars, went back to hotel, night crepe, night swim, bed, woke and went to the pools/ocean for another (and final) all day and all night. Oh yeah, somewhere in there we hit water aerobics a couple of times and pop trivia in the water. They had a bunch of fun activities that you could do all day long. So, that is that. I am well aware that this doesn't do a bit of service to this amazing trip, but....at least it isn't 20 pages long! While I was gone Xiana stayed at my brother's house with his wife and kids and my mom came out and stayed with them. I am soooo thankful to them for taking care of her and for helping me to feel confident that she was just fine despite missing her so much. I actually did pretty good and only cried once at the airport on our way out, but I was READY to come home to her and from what I hear she was anxious to have me. When I woke up in the morning I got back she was in the same room and she sat up and said, "hi mama" so excitedly and then let me snuggle her for about 20 minutes which in toddler time translates to 4 hours. The first morning that she woke up without me they were explaining to her that I went bye bye on a plane and she said, "call mama phone." Can't get anything past this one! She had a great time with her grandma and aunt and uncle (officially deemed "daddy" to Xiana even when she sees his picture) and cousins and my mom commented on how nice it was to really get to bond with her being the replacement soother/snuggler in my absence and I am grateful for that. This was a wonderful experience, a trip of a lifetime, and one I will not be repeating any time soon. I am so happy that Kacie got the idea, somehow talked me into it, and arranged the plane tickets way back when so that I would have no option but to go and enjoy myself (regardless of swine flu freak outs prior to departure). Also, without my parents' time share we would never in a million years be able to afford such a luxurious trip so I recognize what a blessing it was and am so thankful to all that made it possible.

This is me not freaking out about the fish!!! I have faced a serious phobia and come out alive!
Bombs away!!!!
Only one of the 9 splendid pools
My parents took a million pics of this statue in December so this is for them
Chitchen Itza
I told you the cenotes were the most beautiful things in the world!
Watching for the sunset
All dressed up for dinner and a walk along the beach...so romantic :)
I don't think I have to say a thing!

This is the river we snorkled in

On our way home from California I blew a tire on the freeway (roughly 9 miles outside of Mountain View). I then proceeded to drive on horrific roads with a donut the 220 miles home....it was pretty lame. Kacie and I agreed that our international travel had gone so smoothly something had to go wrong so at least we were safe. I went to get 2 new tires and was informed that they would not put 2 tires on an all wheel drive...only 4. Did I get swindled? Anyway, home safe and sound with a baby that has no intentions of leaving my side any time soon. And neither does her mother!