Back home at the lake and Amelia has a sleep over - March 28 - April 14

Nothing much to report. :) We had a few sunny warm days and then back to April showers/rain. Both of us just puttering.

Ray's been busy downstairs building my new vertical planters. I emptied, scrubbed and refilled our hot tub, a full day job. I am finally feeling better and able to get busy without coughing.

Ray did a quick trip to Nanaimo on Monday and managed a quick visit with Amelia before Jason took take her to an appointment.

The weather on Friday April 4th, finally a warm sunny day, so we started our first campfire in 2025. Hot dogs on the menu.

Saturday morning, our neighbour Pat's grandson Ashton, ded some of our pressure washing this spring. He is in need of cash and we are in need of some muscles lol.

Wit Ashton busy doing that, in the afternoon we went across the lake to visit with Warren and Debbie for a couple of hours. A great visit catching up.

Sunday the rain began but Ray did finish up on our sundeck with pressure washing. We have 3 weeks to get the house ready for the summer. Ray's cataract surgery is May 1st and the second eye June 3rd.  He will be unable to lift anything, or bend over for 2 weeks after each surgery. So the pressure is on :) For the first time since he was 11 he will not need glasses.

Monday I took a run up to Nanaimo to get checked out by my doctor..... I'm finally over this virus, yay! Managed a shop at Costco while it wasn't too busy. I always love having the time to meander around the store without rushing. I checked out the garden centre, lots to pick, but it's too early yet with our cool nights and a lot of rain.

The rest of the week quiet until Jason, Kristi and Amelia arrived on Friday afternoon. It's Jason's birthday weekend. After Jason's birthday dinner, prime rib, and Amelia put to bed, the kids left to go back to Nanaimo to have an "adults weekend".

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Next up a Big Bed Family Cuddle.

Amelia had a pretty restless night, so did me and Olaf as he heard her crying in her sleep. She does get nightmares frequently. Happy girl in the morning though. The next 3 days were very busy.

Saturday morning adventures. Building a castle with Papa.

Good morning Olaf!

Ashton's back to finish the pressure washing move our planters onto the deck and in front of the house today.  Amelia and I hid out front of the house to get out of the noise. Amelia spent quite a bit of time riding her bike and scooter in the cul de sac.

Sunday, Pancakes for breakfast before going shopping with Grandma. This would give Papa a bit of time to himself as she sticks like glue to him and he doesn't get a moment to just sit. 

First up Home Depot.

After our second stop at Walmart, we headed to McDonalds so Amelia could play in their play zone. Even though there were a bunch of noisy kids climbing up and down, Amelia included herself this time. Telling them "that's my Grandma".  Big difference from Christmas time when she wouldn't participate with other kids.

After an hour's play it's time to go back to the lake and get Papa for lunch. We went to Jake's. Since she had french fries at Mcdonalds, all she wanted was cucumbers and tomatoes.

Back home, Amelia rode her bike and scooter while we sat at the end of the driveway for half an hour. Next up "quiet time", for us lol

Before dinner it's bath time in the "princess tub". First time for her upstairs.

It was still nice and sunny outside, so she went out on the deck to blow bubbles before dinner.

Both Saturday night and Sunday night she was out like a light and slept right through until morning. I sure appreciated it.

Monday morning we had to get her ready and fed as Jason was picking her and Olaf up at 7:45 am so she could go to daycare in Nanaimo.

We had a great time with her for the 3 days. The rest of the day, we puttered a bit but did more relaxing as we were both tired. The sun was out so we sat outside on our front patio for a few hours getting our suntans back. :)

Cancun - last few days - March 24 - 27th

Sunday morning produced a beautiful sunrise.

Today is a beach day. It's quite hot and humid. We've been eating breakfast in the conference center as it's not so busy. It doesnt have as many option ... but I don't eat the Mexican stuff anyways. Here they do have an egg and omlette station. Can you spot Ray? lol

I also managed to get reservations at the Mexican Restaurant tonight. Not really my thing, but Ray enjoyed most of it. Their plating is fabulous, I just wish the food tasted as good. Most meats are way overcooked.

Looks beautiful, but the chicken inside was all dried out.

Monday morning we got locked out of our room for an hour. Our key cards did not work. We went down the elevator to the front desk 3 times for them to reset our card .... didn't work. Finally they got someone from security to try and get it working. After 20 minutes he ended up calling his supervisor. They had to access our room by going into the room next door and climbing over the balcony onto ours to open the door. Turned out the batteries are dead in the locking mechanism!

We'd planned to go back towards La Isla Mall for a late lunch for better food, but it's another hot one, so again we headed down to "our spot" and spent the day. Lots of relaxing and reading happening. At least down here the music is muffled somewhat. Ray wears his headphones with his music most of the time to drown the music and the pool exercise whistle out. 

Ray did managed to get into the ocean for a bit 2 days ago when it was calm.

I managed a reservation finally at the Steakhouse, again nothing to write home about. Ray ordered the ribs which were ok. I ordered chicken wings, which were over fried and dry, so left most. I don't like the taste of the grease they use here and most foods are fried. Most people gain wait at all inclusives, I'm losing as I don't like the food and as well as being sick these 2 weeks.

Tuesday, our last day here. I'm looking forward to going home. We thought about taking the bus to IHop for different food but I looked at their menu and it was mostly all Mexican type foods too. Back to the buffet we go.

For dinner we were back at the Fisherman's Restaurant. Ray ate a great meal of well perfectly done salmon. Me, just salad and ice cream. I'm way too hot to eat.

Check out is 12 noon. We ordered up private transportation to the airport for 1 pm instead of 3 pm for our flight out at 6:15 pm. Just want to get out of here. I would rather wait at the airport and maybe get some better food for lunch.

At the airport, check in was easy with no waits and security was easy too. By 1:30 we were sitting in Wolfgang Puck's Kitchen Restaurant having a fabulous lunch. I ate a great Turkey Clubhouse and Ray one of the best burgers he's ever had. Delicious.

Now we waited for 4 hours before boarding our plane. The airport certainly got really busy around 4 pm so we were glad we came early. At 6 pm were loaded on the plane and managed to take off on time. Dinner was terrible, dry chicken and mole with rice ..... I didn't eat it. Glad I ate a big lunch. 

The flight was uneventful until we started going by Tacoma and Seattle where we saw a huge display of lightening on the horizen for several hundred miles (and we were heading straight towards it). Never seen anything like it. Unfortunately, this storm cell is massive, causing torrential rain at the Victoria Airport and our plane was unable to land. Apparently the Victoria airport's runway is on the short side, and with a larger plane the possiblity of hydroplaning off the runway we were diverted to Comox, up island. Being so late in the evening we waited 20 minutes for ground crew so we could be refuelled. As Comox does not have customs we couldn't get off the plane. The crew were informed the heavy rain had ended in Victoria so after refuelling we took off again and landed safely in Victoria. With everyone waiting for us in Victoria and wanting to get home themselves, baggage was fast and customs even faster. Stepped into a taxi outside to get to the hotel. Heads on pillows by 2 am (4 am Cancun time). 

After 4 hours sleep, we were anxious to just get home. I've been still coughing a bunch and not feeling 100% still after a month. We stopped at the Walk-in Clinic in Duncan, but there was already 20 people in line waiting. Well that won't work.

We decided to go to the Doghouse Restaurant for breakfast before heading home. While eating breakfast, I called our doctor's office in Nanaimo and got an appointment for 11:15 today with one of the other doctor's in the clinic. They know us as "Kristi's parents" lol Nice to have a doctor in the family.

Dr. Finlay said that she thinks it is a viral infection that is hanging on with my bronchial tubess wheezing causing the mucous build up, so prescribed a heavy duty puffer. She also sent me for a chest xray across the street which I did. I will be checked again in 10 days

Finally home at 1 pm. A very long 24 hours.

 

Cancun - El Meco - March 21 - 23

Friday, off by taxi to El Meco, a Mayan Ruin 40 minutes north of us. It's not really big, but something we've not seen. The front desk told us it would be 600 pesos, but the taxi driver said 700.

El Meco - Mayan Ruins just across the Bay

The original name of El Meco remains shrouded in mystery, but the nickname traces back to a local resident known for his bowlegged stride. This site, once a flourishing fishing village around 300 AD, witnessed a rebirth in the late 10th century. Structures erected between the 13th and 16th centuries stood testament to the villagers’ reverence for the Mayan rain god Chaac. The central pyramid temple, known as El Castillo, served not only as a religious hub but also a navigational beacon for mariners. El Meco was a bustling port and a religious nucleus, much like Puerto Juárez today, until the Spanish arrival in the 16th century cast a shadow of abandonment over it.

It's not a very big site, but so interesting. The visitor/ticket center is all new construction. They're still planting everywhere. The grounds of the site are completely redone. We're fortunate to be the only ones there touring for the 40 minutes. Just as we were leaving a two bus loads of school kids were descending onto the site.

All the pillars you see were the supports for the second floor level.

Blue staining from the pictographs that used to be on the walls with the original plaster.

It's very peaceful here.

After touring we went back to the ticket counter and asked him to call a taxi. The guy told us just to take the bus right outside. We had to take the R28 to the junction and then get the R6 to the Mercado 28 flea market downtown. Quite an adventure. The buses are really bigger vans with a large door and a circle of benchs. $1 USD each and we are on our way. Fortunately, another passenger who spoke English told us where to get off and catch the next one. He also transferred onto the next bus with us and told us where to get off for the market. The taxi cost $40 USD and the bus $6 for both of us lol The bus took us through what seemed to be back streets of houses and businesses. We noticed that there was no garbage everywhere like in PV.

We took a bus that looked like this.

Hotel Zone Bus

Everything looked pretty similar to the markets in PV

We wandered through but didn't buy anything. The usual people hassling you to buy, yelling "real cheap, how many you want, what you look for" ..... after half an hour we had enough, so went to the tourist stand to find out what bus and where to get back to the hotel zone and La Isla Mall. Ended up walking 4 blocks to catch the bus, but it was fine. 

Got dropped off at the mall and waited 20 minutes for the Ryoshi Restaurant to open. Another fabulous meal. 

Back to the resort by bus about 2 pm. We relaxed on our deck for a bit. Later, Ray went down to the Buffet for a bite and I stayed in the room and ate some yogurt. Still full from lunch.

Saturday is a stay at the resort day in our spot above the beach. Both of us are still coughing up stuff. This cold just won't seem to let go. We don't feel sick though, just sound like it. lol Dinner's at the French Restaurant again. Ray ordered the Coq Co Vin that was delicious and I only had 2 different soups.