Day 2 – July 12

We get a wake-up call from Brant around 7:30, but I was already awake. I am normally a very late sleeper, but for some reason, when I’m in Cancun, I wake up as soon as the sun comes up, sometimes before. (and sometimes I’m just getting home when the sun comes up, as you will see later) Maybe I don’t want to waste a minute of my precious time there. We order coffee and fruit from room service, and I finish unpacking.

I left my shirt out by the pool yesterday, so on the way to breakfast I stop by the lost and found, and there it is! They are sooo good here. They always find everything I lose. I could find the lost and found office with my eyes closed, and I know the whole routine. Describe my lost item, point to it when they find it, then sign for it in the little log book.

We had breakfast in the buffet today. At breakfast we order mimosas, and after my first one, I can feel my buzz already returning from last night.

We decide to spend the day at the Gran Caribe. After a couple of hours there, we’re fully buzzed and making many new friends.

one of our new friends

We eat lunch in the outdoor restaurant. They have a brand new menu, and although there are several good selections, there is NO guacamole, and no salads. The waiter tells us that the staff is not very happy about not having guacamole available either, because everyone asks for it, so I hope this is something that the hotel will change.

After lunch, we just go back out to lay by the pool and take pictures of people. See, I told you. Relaxing vacation. (wink, wink) Here’s one of me. Something must have been very funny.

We bought two of those Corona bottles with our picture on it, and as it turns out, this will be one of only two pictures of the two of us together that we have from our whole trip.

After a fun-filled day of screening contestants for the rear-of-the-year contest, we go back to the Costa Real for dinner. Then Regina heads upstairs to rest, and I go out to meet some friends at La Taberna. I take the bus to el centro, and walk over to Yaxchilan.

My friends are already there when I arrive. After a few drinks at Taberna, (well, it’s happy hour, so “a few drinks” turns into about 6) we went to Club 77. On the way there, I tell them that I want to go to the park and get an elote, since I didn’t stop there before Taberna. So, two friends say they’ll meet us at Club 77, and “C” walks with me to the park. He has never seen corn served this way, and declines my offer to buy him one. He was cracking up watching me eat mine, and said he will never look at an ear of corn the same way again, after watching me savor mine like it was my last meal on earth. I love that stuff! It’s an ear of corn on a stick, squeezed with limón, slathered with mayonnaise, and sprinkled with Mexican grated cheese, picante powder and salt. (Jack S. would die if he saw me eating it off the cart!) I almost bought a second one, but I was just too full to eat another.

Club 77 is OK, it’s a nice place to sit around and chat with friends, but in my opinion, the place just doesn’t have any atmosphere. So, after a few drinks there, we go to a little club downtown, near the new Pemex and Burger King. I can’t remember the name of it, but it was great! It was kind of a small place, dark inside, nice crowd, and great band playing salsa and merengue.

When we first walked in, there was only one high-top table available, so we took that. Shortly after, the people at the next table left, which was a better table, so I hopped over there. Then the waiter comes by and slaps a reserved sign on the table. Two minutes later he comes over to tell me “Señorita, this table is reserved.” But I’m ready for him. I pick up the reserved sign, and hand it back to him with a 50 peso note, and say “Now it’s un-reserved.” He looks at the note, smiles, and says, “That’ll work!” and walks away. I spend the rest of the night dancing up a storm (I’m really glad I took those salsa lessons!).

Way too soon, the bar closes. We say our goodbyes, and I get in a taxi to go back to el centro so I can get the bus. It seems like it’s taking a really long time to get to el centro, and now I don’t feel like getting on the bus anyway after a long, long day (and night) of drinking, so I ask the driver how much it would be if he drives me all the way home. He says 20 pesos, and that sounds like a bargain to me, so off we go. Back at the hotel, I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.