Dolphin Encounters

I never thought I would spend so much time in the water with a large mammal that can balance me on its nose. But, fortune would have it that the father of Benji's best friend in school is a corporate V.P. for the company that runs Dolphin Encounters.

Our first adventure took place in Puerto Adventurus. We climbed into the dolphin pool and took turns streaking thorugh the water with the help of the well-trained dolphins.

After we had our fill, we then had a spiritual experience with the manatees. They are gigantic and ginger beasts that only care about chewing lettuce. We swam around them and stroked them and generally marvelled at how gentle they were.

Our next dolphin adventure was on Isla Mujeres. First, though, I must digress into a description of the amazing lunch we had prior to our dolphin experience. After playing on Playa Norte for an hour, we jumped on a bus and traveled down the island to a restaurant reknown for its traditional wood fired, smoky Yucatan fish. It was amazing!

Then, a short taxi ride and we were at the gorgeous Isla Dolphin Adventure site. After playing in the pools, we got a tour of the animals. There were rays and sharks and acrobatic dolphins leaping 25 feet into the air. We got up close and person with a pair of dolphins and fed them while they practiced their tricks. We touched their tongues, felt their teeth, stroked their bellies, kissed them. (Sounds like some kind of teenage first date.)

Jordan, Holley and Mike are now in Napa and we miss them. They are wonderful biologists, storytellers, and generous friends.

Saving the Blue Crabs

Under the light of the September full moon, the Blatts ventured out to the narrow strip of land in Cancun that separates the lagoon from the ocean to help transfer the female blue crabs across a busy road. Sounds quite romantic, doesn't it? Actually, the traffic was whizzing by and we hand to stomp through the jungle undergrowth while being attacked by mosquitoes until we spotted a terrified blue crab. Then we threw a bucket over it and scooped it up. The kids loved it, though, and neither the gloom of night, the torrential downpour, nor the late hour deterred their enthusiasm. Two got away, but we captured a third. I mean we saved a third. The best part was, though, that upon returning to the blue crab HQ, our crab was identified as a female with a belly full of eggs. Our work was done.

Driving in Cancun

It seems like an exaggeration, but driving in Cancun is truly a terrifying experience. What you have to know is that the only rule is that no one follows any rules. So, here's what we've learned. Always dart toward the open space. Don't assume that anyone is going to stay in any particular lanes. The only vehicles more unpredictable than taxis, who stop on a dime in the middle of the street or dart in front of you, are the buses, which will do whatever they want, including blocking several lanes of traffic while cutting you completely off. There are speedbumps on the highways, so don't cruise along with any calmness. The red lights, especially in the hotel zone, are merely ornamental-- the police will wave you through. The red lights in Centro, seem to be similarly optional. But, the yellow lights are fast. So when you see a blinking yellow, slam on the breaks. Mexicans drive extremely fast, as if they are late for an appointment. But, ironically, after waiting at a red light, they start surprisingly slowly. Be patient.

Everything in Centro is nearby. The town only feels large. But, depending on traffic, from Kabah to Bonampak can take 5 minutes or 25 minutes. The only factor that is worse than traffic is the rain. When it rains, it pours! And the streets flood to a good 6 to 12 inches of standing water. This will reek havoc with traffic. But, Mexicans have a good system of turning on their hazards while they drive in inclement weather to improve visibility.

One final note-- when a hurricane approaches, they dismantle nearly everything. So, don't be surprised if the traffic light along with all the streetlights and sometimes even the poles are all removed.

Ilana's Birthday and Isla Mujeres

Ilana has a favorite place and it's Isla Mujeres. Something about the endless stretches of white sand beach and the placid, turqouise water appeals to her. So, for her birthday, we brought her breakfast in bed, took her to Isla Mujeres, then in the evening it was seafood in centro and dessert with our teacher friends in a bungalow at the Thai Lounge in the hotelera.

Starting September

I've been ill. It started as a head cold, then a prolonged fever, then vomiting and the big D. I'm now eating white food and am on the mend. But, it's no fun to be sick in paradise.

So much to share.

The kids with our beloved housecleaner/nanny/cook Chaiyo.

Hurricane Dean came and without much fanfare left Cancun virtually untouched.

Teaching is good, but supplies are scarce. Without materials, teacher editions, and the ability to make more than a handful of copies, we are doing our best at being resourceful.

Kids are getting used to their new school. This is them at 6:15 a.m., having just been woken and frantically dressed for their first day of school. Benji is clearly not happy in this photo.

We bought a house in Bellevue and are selling our old house!

First Month Recap

Well, the first month is almost behind us and it's been quite a ride. There were many unexpected trials and tribulations, but the biggest surprise was the intensity of the heat down here. It's hot, hot, hot. We struggled to find housing, we bought a car that is a lime, because apparently they don't have lemons down here, and the kids took turns having high fevers. Benji actually hit 105 degrees before we pounced on him with drugs and ice. But, there have been a lot of highs, too. We found a wonderful condo in the heart of centro with a pool, a playground, and super neighbors. We've visited the plush hotels of the hotel zone as well as the mesmerizingly beautiful beaches of Isla Mujeres. We've journeyed south to fish in Puerto Moreles and to explore the ruins of Tulum. And, we have a housekeeper/nanny/cook who understands our mediocre Spanish and can make Yucatan feasts out of the meagerest of ingredients. We also love our school and are excited about the wonderful people we will be working with this year.

And, last but not least, we discovered that the day to go on vacation is 24 hours before a category 5 hurricane hits. The roads were empty. The gorgeous ruins of Tulum were empty. We've got our flashlights, our canned food, our water and our plywood ready. Bring on the hurricane Dean!

It's All Coming Together

Finally, it's all coming together. For an interminable period there, we were waiting for Cancun to get closer. It was too early to pack; too early to rent our house; too early to find a home for our dog. But, now that we are about 30 days out, we've got a lot of those loose ends tied up.

We found a nice house renter by sending a flier to the Boeing housing board. A family from Houston contacted us and, needless to say, was enticed by being in the Bellevue School District. The husband will be working for Boeing in July and the family will be following him from Houston later this summer.

We found a Ruby caretaker, too, via Craig's List. For $500 she is going to take responsibility for our dog for one year. We're very pleased with the arrangement.

Lastly, I got my official Leave of Absence from BSD and have begun training my replacement. With bitter sweet ambivalence, I leave this job that has given me so much training, opportunity for personal growth, and freedom, to take on a job that requires far less experience and expertise and many more hours in the trenches. But, alas, an adventure awaits in Mexico.

And, we've got the boxes piling up in the back, back room. So, aside from the perfunctory family visits, births, and weddings looming on the horizon, it will be a matter of selling Ilana's car and packing up the remaining detritus around the house.

We have a condo arranged for the first 5 days in Cancun. After that, we are flying by the seat of our pants. We'll need to buy a car and rent a house as son as possible. But, we're trying not to even start to get nervous about that yet. We have boxes to fill and utilities to cancel.