Making kids, big and small, smile on Isla Mujeres Mexico!

Freddy Medina & Yadira Velazquez 

"Santa! Elmo! Mickey! Minnie! Batman!” dozens of little kids ran giggling and laughing towards the parade. 

Participants riding in the decorated vehicles tossed glow sticks, small gifts, and candies into the shrieking hoards.

This was the second year that Freddy Medina and Yadira Medina Velázquez asked us to participate in a Christmas parade wearing the Mickey and Minnie Mouse costumes that were originally purchased for a Hallowe'en party at Villa la Bella. 

Marcy and Chuck - our drivers

The costumes are hot, clumsy, and exhausting to wear, but when we see the smiles on the faces of the kids, it's well worth the trouble. Behind our foam mascot-heads, Lawrie and I were grinning from ear to ear – not that anyone could see our smiles.

Our good friends Chuck and Marcy Watt again volunteered to be our drivers, plus enlisting their visiting friends John and Di Worhaug as the official candy-tossers for our golf carts. 

 Numerous other friends joined in with decorated golf carts or rode the funny bus. Too much fun!

A little Minnie Mouse!

The collection of vehicles was assembled at a wide spot in the road, next door to our house. 

Everyone was on time! Wow! 

And this year we had two motorcycle policemen assisting at intersections, keeping the parade vehicles together. 

At six in the evening, we started off with a flotilla of fifteen decorated vehicles and a collection of motorcycles.

No one had any idea where the parade route would take us. The bus driver and his navigator were responsible for deciding the route. 

It all depended on whether or not the bus could fit in a particular street, or if it would be too narrow. 

Dick, Tony, Paul and Mim

Even with these precautions, the folks riding on the top of the bus had to duck a few times to avoid low-hanging electrical wires. 

The excitement was all part of the fun as one of the bus riders would yell: Down! 

And then: Okay, clear!

Barlow, Brad, Tiff and Lior

We began by heading south, winding through the various neighbourhoods, up and down streets, around the Super X-Press, past the parks: waving, waving and waving.  Ahead of our vehicle, I could see Freddy (Elmo) dancing and waving for the entire two hours. That takes a lot of stamina!

Julie, Patty and Deb

Eventually, we turned north along Rueda Medina, passing the various restaurants and hotels, still waving and having a great time. 

Anna Karina and Lazardo

At the Soggy Peso entrance, the parade came to an abrupt stop while one of the ladies on the bus made a mad dash for the baños! Upon her smiling return, off we went again, winding our way through Centro, turning the corner at Jax Restaurant and finishing at Brisas Grill on the beach. 

Wbeymar Maldonado and his wife, Karina Avila, hosted an extended Happy Hour at Brisas Grill for the motley crew, allowing us to unwind and rehydrate.

As I gave Freddy a hug and a thank-you kiss on the cheek, I realized he was soaked with perspiration, right through Elmo's thick red fur. Have a couple of cold beers, my friend, you've earned it!

Freddy and Yadira 

Thanks again for including so many gringos in your fun. Our faces hurt from smiling!

Happy New Year to Everyone

Lynda and Lawrie

This week's photo credits: Deb Rosa Sirenas, Diana Worhaug, Kevin Petty, Marcy Watt, and the Medina family.

Tonda, Tuggi, Kay and Kevin

Mickey, Minnie, Luz Medina 

Hasta luego, Lawrie, Lynda, Sparky, and Thomas the Cat

Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

The Adventures of Thomas and Sparky

Disney comes to Isla; a Christmas golf cart parade!

A group of twenty motorcycles parked along the curb with front wheels canted at a forty-five-degree angle to the left.  Several golf carts with decorations fastened to every available surface gathered on Aeropuerto Road – pointing north.  

A large decorated pickup truck, complete with a Christmas tree and a generator powering the Christmas lights, swung into place at the head of the line!  It’s a parade!

And then Freddy, el jefe, arrived to tell us we were heading south first, not north.  Oops.

With the assistance of a local policeman, SpongeBob (Jimmy Picuri) in his too-wide costume was stuffed into the back seat of his decorated golf cart, and then the parade participants were directed to turn their vehicles around and head south.  

The Christmas tree truck and Santa lead the way.  Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Elmo, SpongeBob, two Santas, elves, a red-haired wood nymph, a pretty Disney princess, a reindeer-dog, dozens of kids and the motorcycles set off in a cloud of exhaust, with horns honking. 

Surprisingly, we weren’t very late getting started – about fifteen minutes behind schedule instead of the normal one to three hours. 

Weeks before the parade date, Freddy Medina asked us if we would like to participate in the parade being organized by the dance troupe - Algeria y Pasion Carnavalesca.  He asked us to wear our Mickey and Minnie costumes.  He would wear our Elmo costume, and find two other friends to be SpongeBob and Spiderman.  We readily agreed.  

Then I started obsessing about the route, the timing, and finding more friends to join in.

Daily emails to Freddy asking: “Do we know the route yet?  Everyone is asking.”  And the response was: “Not yet, or soon, or we have a meeting tomorrow. Don’t worry.”   

In the end, I stopped fretting and just trusted that someone would know what the heck was happening.  I worried for naught. As it turns out, the honking horns and backfiring motorcycles were all the notice that people needed to find the parade.  And find us they did.  The kids and adults came streaming out of houses and side streets, laughing and calling out to the various participants.  Handfuls of wrapped candy tossed towards the crowds created giggling pandemonium. 

Those of us who were in costumes could not see very well. I had to keep asking my friend and driver, Marcy Watt, which way I should be looking and waving.  Most of the time, she couldn’t understand what I said; my words were muffled by the large padded head, sounding much like a mouse squeaking – or as we called it, mouse-speak.  But we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  Marcy repeated over and over how this night would always be a favourite Isla memory for her.

The kids were everywhere, shouting: Minnie, Minnie, Minnie.  A few vehicles back, Mickey Mouse was experiencing the same reaction as we wound through small, crowded streets.  One small girl shouted Mickey’s name until he hopped out of the golf cart and walked towards her, then she turned and ran screaming into the house.  I guess the thought of a very large rodent hugging her was too much to contemplate. 

As we turned the corner onto the larger road that passes the Super X-press in the colonias, a group of thirty-something men having a pre-Christmas celebration near Zina’s Guest House, shouted Mickey’s name. Mickey decided to get out of the golf cart and meet some of his fans.  Oh, oh. Mistake. They wholeheartedly embraced Mickey Mouse, tossing him into the air.  Fortunately, they caught him before he slammed onto the concrete.  A hundred or so little kids watched in horrified suspense, wondering if their hero was going to be hurt. 

Then the route turned back towards the north end of the island, winding through the tight one-way street system in Centro.  We finished up on Medina Avenue, lined up along the street, posing with locals who wanted to be photographed with the characters.  

Eventually, the parade participants disbanded.  We were exhausted, thirsty, hot, and soaked in perspiration.  Our right arms ached from two hours of waving to the crowds. 

However, Elmo (Freddy Medina) was convinced to stay in costume and participate in the city parade, starting immediately after ours finished. Poor guy, he was in costume for four and a half hours. He likely lost ten pounds in fluids. 

Freddy, my friend, you are a rock star!  

Thank you again for a memorable experience, allowing your Disney friends to meet your Isla friends. 

Happy New Year to everyone

Lynda, Lawrie, Thomas the Cat, Sparky, and Princess Chica

Thanks to Darren, Alexis, Deb, and Marcy for letting us use your photos for the blog this week.

Murder. Mayhem. Revenge. Romance.

Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

The Adventures of Thomas and Sparky

Elmo, and pirates Invade Isla Mujeres, Mexico!

Take three kids, add eight adults, toss in a few pirate hats, pirate wigs, swords and eye-patches, and you get - a treasure hunt!

On Monday afternoon, we marshalled the group at our house on Aeropuerto Road, starting with the first clue that directed them to the downtown area with instructions to "walk east to where lost souls gather" and to quietly look for the secret clue behind Pirate Mundaca's gravestone. Shhhh. Don't let him hear you.  And be very respectful of other residents sleeping there.
 

From there, Lawrie (Captain Elmo) led them through town, with clues to "walk south past the brightly painted building with a name that translates to either tomorrow or morning." 

Then they trekked along the seawall looking for clue number three, which then directed the group past the Naval base with various directions, including "look for a man named Benito. The fourth clue is behind the golden hands."

I had the easiest job. I kept fifteen minutes ahead of the group in the nicely air-conditioned car, setting out the next clues.  

One stop included the Casa de Gallo - "House of the Rooster" where Chuck and Marcy helped out with clue number five. They also provided a cooling drink of "grog" for the pirates.

Out on the road again, the next clue included "Drive south past: beer so cold it will make your teeth hurt, and turn right onto the road to the newest house of God."  

As it turned out, I had to amend that instruction to avoid that particular route, as various carnival rides were now parked smack in the middle of the road.  Oh well, this well-equipped pirate had a cell phone to communicate with the drivers to re-route the cavalcade of golf carts.

At the Hacienda Mundaca park, in the centre of the island, the group paid the twenty pesos per person entrance fee and stormed the park. The sixth clue was inside Pirate Mundaca's Casa, "behind the light that does not shine." I was waiting hidden in the bushes at the park, watching to see if the group would take the correct path to the next location. Lawrie had dropped off at our house to make sure that the treasure was buried on the beach in front of our house.  

 

Our neighbours snuck onto our beach after the pirate cavalcade left the area, and created a giant X on the beach, along with a terrific sand sculpture of a skull and crossbones!  

Lawrie then buried the three sacks of treasure in the sand.


 
Meanwhile, still back on the treasure hunt, the pirates were told to "walk into the Jardin de Mundaca and look for the source of water, then draw up your seventh clue."  

Finally, the hot, tired group arrived back at our house to look for clue number eight, which directed them to our rooftop.

"Climb Up, up to where you can see the sea. Look to the east - then look down.  What do you see?"  

Pandemonium ensued while the three boys scrambled down the tower staircase to be the first to get their hands on the treasure.

Great fun for everyone. And a special thanks to everyone who participated. 

 

                                _________________________
 

In case you think that we don't do anything but goof around, well, you would be correct in making that assumption. 

This Wednesday week Elmo (Lawrie's secret alter-ego) made a guest appearance at the first anniversary celebrations at Barlito's on Hidalgo.  Judging by the many fans, big and small, clamouring for a photo with Elmo, he was a huge success!

Barlito's was jammed with invited customers and friends of Brad and Tiffany Wareing. Fabulous event, guys, especially the Piñata at the end of the evening. Evan and Ethan (the grand-kids) had a great time at their "first Mexican party."

Wednesday was also "Dolphin Discovery Day" for the guys.  They had a ton of fun there as well.  The Boyz head back to Canada tomorrow afternoon. We've had so much fun these last two weeks with Evan, Ethan, and John, but dear God, we are worn out!

Elmo gets the girl! Lawrie and Lynda

   

A very Merry Christmas, and a special Season's Greetings from all of us to all of you!

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Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

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Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

The Adventures of Thomas and Sparky