Slow and mellow

Wed, Jan. 4 - With nothing planned until much later this evening, the sun called me to the poolside. As I lay there, getting some rest from the activities of the past couple of days, all the things I've seen and done started coming to mind. Beautiful tropical flowers, and interesting birds, including cranes, egrets, flamingoes, pelicans, orioles, and "Social Flycatchers". Animals that I never thought I'd see outside a zoo or pet store - iguanas for example, perched atop a delicate flowering bush. Crocodiles - fortunately not while I was kayaking, but in a penned in area here at the resort. White-nosed coati, which are cute little things that look a bit like raccoons.
Not so cute was the van marked "Federale Policia", resplendent with officers fully decked out in flak jackets and bearing AK47's at the ready.
Coconut palms, with coconuts hanging in various stages of growth and ripeness, banana trees, bromeliads and mother-in-law's tongue plants all growing wild.
The taste of real Mexican food like Marguerita shrimp and nachos the way they're supposed to be, having fresh guava and candied figs and fried cheese for breakfast, pineapple/spinach/parsley juice (sounds gross but quite tasty).
Wed. night - the Sunquest pub crawl in Playa del Carmen. A large coach bus picks me up at the lobby, and it's already full of guests from other hotels - 35 in total - all ready for a party. The plan is to meet up with another bus at a club called Coco Maya, stay there for an hour, then hit another couple of clubs for an hour each. To finish, we will go to Coco Bongo - which is quite well-known here for it's shows.

At the first pub, the club manager welcomes us (we're early, it's only 9 p.m.) with whatever drinks we want (except whiskey or wine for some reason), although they're a bit watered down. It's right on the beach and like most buildings here, there don't appear to be any walls or doors. What fun to sit on the beach in Mexico drinking a Tequila Sunrise! Interestingly, they really do have "beds" complete with drapery for privacy, along the sides of the club. Guess that's so that couples don't need to get a room.

Second pub was just up the street, and a bit smaller, but the drinks are stronger. I'm only partway done with the first drink, and the waiter brings over shots of tequila with lime for everyone. Not fussy on the whole salty thing, but when in Rome... Meet up with a group of young girls from Hamilton and as we're dancing more drinks arrive. Uh oh.

Third club is Mandala, middle Eastern decor, complete with hookah pipes at some of the tables. There I meet a couple from Birmingham, Mick and Josie, about my age, and they are just full of energy.
Finally we get to Coco Bongo, and it is simply packed. You literally have to shove and squeeze your way through the crowds, but the show is spectacular. Starts at midnight, and goes for a couple of hours. Full stage show, plus a huge screen, and actors/dancers hanging from drapes/ribbons from the ceiling and acting out everything from Queen to Guns n Roses to Lady Gaga. More tequila, and I swear Tattoo was asking me to "go with him to paradise". (Dee plane boss, dee plane!). I don't think so Herve.

Mick and Josie have to pull me along through the crowd as we leave at 2 a.m. to meet the bus. What an experience! When the bus drops me off at the hotel, the shuttles have stopped running of course, and I face a 20 minute walk back to my room (it dropped me at a different lobby). Of course, having had a couple of drinks, it's dark, I'm navigationally challenged, there's virtually no one around - even the hotel bars have closed by now), so it takes me closer to 45 minutes. But at least now I know where the spa is! Good thing I can sleep in tomorrow.