It did not take long for Kyle and Nico to find a game of beach volleyball and only slightly longer for me to join them. With my torn rotator cuff I cannot spike or serve over hand but I can still bump and set fairly well. Few things bring more joy to a father than sharing a game he loves with sons who have become his equal.
We forgot to pack pool toys for the boys but they found an adequate substitute.
The most important priority for the day was picking up Kyle from the airport after he survived 3 nights alone, arranging to obtain an expedited passport renewal, and rebooking his flight to Cancun. Despite a 4AM departure for the airport he nearly missed his flight due to construction delays. Fortunately his flight arrived ahead of schedule and he cleared customs quickly. I collected him as he exited the terminal and had him on the beach before noon.
Our next stop was Valladolid where we enjoyed a wonderful meal and visit to the Zaci Cenote. This sinkhole is 150 feet in diameter and 260 feet deep. Afternoon light did not favor photography and these images do not do justice to the beauty of this natural wonder. Our return drive to Cancun was by way of the slower, non-toll road which passed through numerous villages (which we categorized by the number of speed bumps – ranging from 2 to 14). The views into typical Mexican communities and life was more than worth the additional travel time. As we entered Cancun I was pulled over by the Policia for speeding (which I was not). My research prior to the trip proved invaluable as I was armed with a Xeroxed copy of my license and the necessary strategy to deal with cops who solicit bribes from tourists to supplement their income. After 20 minutes we were on our way with no ticket and having paid no bribe.
We were rewarded for our early start this morning on our 2.5 hour drive to Chichen Itsa by beating the bus loads of tourists that arrived later in the day. Worth every Peso was the private guide we hired who brought the ancient Mayan ruins to life with his stories and knowledge of the history. Since Jeanine and I last visited, some 15 years ago, park patrons are no longer permitted to climb on the structures. Recent excavations revealed an entirely new layer to the main temple captured in the first photo. For me the observatory, pictured last, was the most fascinating structure, built with such precision and understanding of the celestial calendar it is hard to comprehend. Maya and Nico both enjoyed the ruins far more than I would have predicted (our guide Louis was a major factor, no doubt) and received lessons in price haggling as each purchased souveniers from the local artisans as we departed.
It didn’t take Nico long to find a game of beach volleyball about a 1/4 of a mile down the beach at a resort that caters to college students. I could watch him for hours as he amazed everyone with his raw skill and determination. He was the youngest person on the court and probably the best player.
Today was spent poolside and at the beach. Jeanine participated in a water aerobics class while I took advantage of the pool to do some rehab on my shoulder. Kyle made arrangements to get his passport tomorrow and will fly down to join us on Thursday morning. We got a preview of life when he leaves for college and it must be said that we all miss him.
After dinner, we set out to stock up on breakfast food supplies. Maya was in charge of bread and pastries which are gathered with tongs and placed on a tray before a clerk wraps them up. For under $40 we should be set for the entire week.
Our flights were uneventful and we arrived in Cancun about 3PM where we rented a car and proceeded to the Royal Sands. Our desire to explore the resort was overwhelmed by the need to eat so we headed out for downtown Cancun where we found a local seafood restaurant. The menu was in Spanish and the wait staff only spoke Spanish. Without Kyle, our only Spanish speaker, we were dependent on my limited command of the language to place our order. Jeanine enjoyed a seafood payaya. Nico and I were unsure if we had ordered shrimp or crab until our meals arrived (crab for me, shrimp for Nico).
As if to validate our choice of Cancun as a winter break vacation destination it began to snow this morning as we set out for the airport. When we checked in for our flight we discovered that Kyle’s passport had expired which left us with some difficult decisions to make. We decided to leave Kyle behind with the keys to my car. With any luck he should be able to renew his passport in Boston tomorrow (it is closed for President’s Day today) and catch a flight later in the day. Worst case we are hoping he can join us by Wednesday.
This evening we were joined for dinner by Rob and Cindy Shurtleff and their son Kyle and daughter Katie. Cindy and I met when I was at Stanford and we have remained friends since. They live in Seattle and are here looking at schools for Katie and visiting Kyle who is a freshman at Tufts. Jeanine prepared a wonderful Mexican meal and we enjoyed catching up and getting to know the kids better.
Everyone is packed and ready for our Cancun vacation which begins tomorrow. We are all looking forward to the warm weather and I will post again when we return next week.
Maya was in fine form this evening as she helped her team to victory with a powerfully struck shot for a goal. She remains the smallest player on the pitch (easily a full head height smaller) but is both fearless and tenacious. Her skills are developing nicely and she may well be on a path to follow in her brother’s footsteps.
I took this photograph at 11:30 PM. In Nico’s mind, this is a perfectly acceptable time to prepare a pasta dinner for himself and his friend Oliver. And I was worried I might not get an interesting photo for the day.
Kyle alerted me to a spectacular sunrise this morning and I wasted no time capturing the moment. Peak color lasts for little more than a minute so I have learned to run for my camera when the opportunity presents itself. My father, by example, taught me to dwell and appreciate two simple things in life; a beautiful sunrise/sunset and a waning fire. He did not simply observe these events, he experienced them fully. My thoughts were of him as I soaked in the beauty.