Merida, Mexico, Part III

Tulum - now these Mayan's knew how to pick their location. These ruins are right along prime beach on the Mexican Riviera. If I were a Mayan, this is where I would stay. It was absolutely stunning.

You can't really see it very well, but on our way into the ruins, there was a python wrapped around an iguana ready to eat it. It was seriously interesting to watch. I really wanted to get a better picture, but wasn't about to step closer to a ginormous feeding snake just for the sake of a photo.

I just loved how this tree trunk and roots were integrated into the wall.

Tourist photo.



Just around the corner were stairs leading down the cliff face to a beach where you were allowed to swim. Once again, a tourist sight with a place to cool down. I'm telling you the Mexican's know how to do things. This particular beach however was a nesting ground for sea turtles.

After a long hot day of walking around, we really did feel this way.

We stayed the night at a hotel right on the beach. It was stunning. The beach sand was soft like icing sugar and really white. The sea was the perfect shade of turquoise. Mack went in for a swim promising me he would be back to to let me take a wander down the beach with my camera. Two hours later (after we were about to send a search boat out for him), he wandered up the beach smiling. He had found a small coral reef and was chasing a ray about, to try and get its picture. I was so mad, because the group was just waiting for him to come in so we could leave. I never even got to take a swim. And don't mention my lack of photos of one of the most idyllic spots we went to. (fume!)


The ray and a few other things Mack got to see on his swim.




Karma has a strange way of working things out though. Mack got a really funky sunburn and was in large amounts of pain the next day. If he had just come in he would have been spared the agony. Sympathy - I feel nothing!

Merida, Mexico, Part II

The place with the unpronouncable name: These were ruins that we were allowed to climb and walk over.



The bug looks like its suspended over the leaf, but it was actually sitting on it.

This was a water hole (cenote) at the ruins that tourists were allowed to swim in. I think every national monument in a hot country should have a swimming hole, don't you?

Progresso Beach:


This was Munchkins first visit to a beach. She didn't like the sand between her toes, but loved the water.

Merida, Mexico, Marvelous

We are back from a really fantastic holiday. It didn't start out too great for me though. Mack left on a Saturday, and Taz and I were supposed to leave the Tuesday after. We arrived at the airport on time, made it through security and onto the plane with not too much hassle. I was pretty apprehensive, cause this was the first time I was traveling with a baby and didn't know how she was going to react. But, Taz was an absolute darling and captured the hearts of all traveling with us. I digress. Apparently our plane was having technical difficulties, and after sitting on the tarmac for 4hrs, our flight was cancelled. They told me I could either go home, or take the next flight to Dallas and then go on to Mexico the next morning. Well we were already at the airport, so I decided to overnight in Dallas and then make it to Mexico earlier the next day. Mack was supposed to pick us up at the airport at 11pm that night, and I had no way of letting him know that our flight had been cancelled, so close to midnight I got a frantic phonecall to find out where I was. The poor guy.

Anyway, we finally made it to Merida. What a unique little town. There was a huge French influence in the area, so the architecture was all French Colonial - not what I was expecting at all. It was also smack bang in the middle of one of the thickest jungles I think I've ever seen - so not the Mexico in the Three Amigo's that I was expecting. It was also hot and very humid - great for my skin, not so great for my hair. It was fabulous though, cause I didn't feel the need to do my hair or make-up and so I pretty much just got up in the morning, threw on my bathing costume and went out. I showered at night, cause the place we were staying only had a cold shower, and I loathe cold showers. I could only face the cold shower at night when I was really dirty and sweaty and still really hot from being outside. If I allowed my self to cool down even a little bit, I couldn't take a shower.

Chichen Itza : Mack went there before I arrived. He said it was really cool, but you couldn't walk on any of the ruins.



The Temple in Merida:


Merida - Plaza Mayor - Town Square: Here you can see some of the non-Mexican looking architecture. The Cathedral on the Plaza Mayor is the oldest in North America .

This is how Tamsine liked to do her sight seeing:

Off to Mexico

We are going to Mexico for the next two weeks. Mack has to go for work, so Taz and I are tagging along. Too bad that Hurricane Gustav is so close, but according to the weather he should be past by the time we get there. We might have a bit of rain for the first few days, but thats no big deal right? We will be staying in Merida on the Yucatan peninsula, and according to my research it is really close to where all the ruins and stuff are. Excitement!

Flash Back

With my Ouma who turned 80 last November. I was either 4 or five in this photo. We were so stinking adorable. I'm having a flash back to good times, yip definitely good times.
Does anyone else notice the resemblance between Jeremy's chubby cheekyness and Tamsine's chunky cuteness?

Bad Hair Day

Once again I was tagged by Jen M. This tag however is actually quite funny. I have to post 5 bad hair day photo's, and one bad hair disaster. Jen actually got me started by e-mailing me this fabulous picture (she's the one in the middle). No, it wasn't the 80's. I have absolutely no excuses. None. I'm trying really hard to come up with one. Nope, not a one. I can't believe I'm posting these for the world to see. Sheesh!


Here I am all excited for my first day of School. Was I planning on flying there? Whats with the wings over my ears? I blame my mother for this one.


Here I was in high school. Looking at this pictures makes me understand the ridicule a bit more. I don't blame them as much. I still hate them, but don't blame them.


College. And once again I have no excuse. I should have been old enough to know better.


It was humid and cold.


And here is my hair disaster. I checked and it didn't mention anywhere in the rules that the disaster had to be my own hair. Jeremy with long hair. Oy Vey! In his defense though, he had to just try it. AND, I'm really glad that he never revisited it.

Tamsine's Blessing

Tamsine was blessed on Sunday only two days after her 2 month birthday. It was such a beautiful day, and it was so much fun having the whole family over, even though our little home is so tiny and it was a really tight fit. I made little cucumber, cream cheese and ham tea sandwiches, cupcakes (because I don't know how to make Petite Fours), and mini sausage rolls. My mom and Aunty Joyce made scones which we topped with strawberry jam and whipped cream, and Mack's parents provided homemade grapejuice. It was so delicious and there wasn't a scrap of food left over. Fun was had by all.

I absolutely love this little dress and booties that Mack's mom knitted for her. She also made a bonnet, that was unfortunately way too big for her. I thought she looked just beautiful.

Mack's Evil Plan

My dear husband has been angling to buy a gun since the "I do's". I however have been rather less than keen on having weapons in my home. Well the other day, Mack decided that if he took me target shooting (with a few borrowed weapons) that I might change my mind. Wanting to support my husband in his hobbies I agreed. We invited my BFF Gillian and her husband Jeff along. Gill and I decided that we preferred the .22 pistol and rifles better than the bigger guns that had way too much kickback. Yes, its true, these pictures are of me having fun. It was fun. Too bad I admited that to Mack.






The photos were taken with Gillian's Blackberry, because both of us forgot our cameras.

Tagged

Okay, so I was tagged a little while ago, but haven't had time to follow up on it till now. The Munchkin is with her Grammy (Mack's mom), so here goes.

I was tagged by Di, a friend from the good old days in South Africa. I am supposed to write 6 random things about myself that most people wouldn't know. Hmmmm.

1. I have a love hate relationship with hand lotion. I truly love the stuff, but absolutely hate it on my palms. I have bottles and little jars all over my house, and apply it regularly. When I put it on however, I squirt, pour or dab it onto the back of my hands and then rub the two backs of my hands together. If it gets on my palms I have to rub it off IMMEDIATELY! Ugh, just thinking about it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

2. I can put nail polish on my toes, but if I put it on my fingernails my nails get claustrophobic. They feel really heavy and my hands get lethargic. Its true. Stop laughing.

3. According to my husband (during an especially romantic moment) my eyes are "all green and other colours".

4. I have an African American child and brother. (Think about it)

5. I absolutely adore any sort of danish. If its pastry wrapped around some sort of fruit or cream cheese filling, covered in that white sugar icing stuff - swoon. I even like the really dodgy prepackaged ones they sell at gas stations, you know the ones that could withstand a nuclear bomb blast and be just as edible.

6. I lurve fake banana flavouring. Yes, banana sweets, banana yoghurt, oh, banana Jelly Bellies (I pick all these out), and especially banana Nesquick, I could drink litres of the stuff. I wish they sold the instant powder in this country. If they did I would be one happy camper.

All this writing about deliciousness has made me hungry. Too bad I'm on a "I need to lose the 20lbs of baby fat I gained" diet.

Okay so now I'm supposed to tag a few other people, but I never play by these rules (sorry Di). The only person I'm going to tag is the lovely Jen Salisbury.

Jen here are the rules - Tag you're it!

1. Link to the person who tagged you (i.e. me)
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Write 6 random things about yourself
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them
5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog
6. Let the tagger (me) know when your entry is posted

One Hand in My Pocket

I popped out to the shops a little while ago leaving Mack with a very sleepy Tazling. I found the two of them fast asleep when I got back, and couldn't resist snapping a quick picture. It really was an "awwww sweet" moment. Then I took a closer look at where Taz's hand was - deep in her father's pocket. Hopefully that won't become a habit.

What the Cat!

I came home from work the other night and heard Mack vacuuming. And I thought to myself, "What a thoughtful husband I have." I had pictures of Mack wearing a little half apron, humming merrily to himself as my carpets became fluffy and dirt free from his masterful use of the vacuum cleaner. Instead I found this....and yes that is our cat.

3 Years Today!

Happy Anniversary to Me.

Sleep? Whats That?

Sleep wherefore art thou sleep?

This is my child at 2am, just look at the wideness of those eyes - anything sleepy in there?