The humble beginnings and true life tale of Sparky, hero of the Isla Mujeres Mysteries: Chapter 11

Chapter 11

I’m a hero!

“I’m going rollerblading,” Servant said to Driver. She carried a pair of boots with a row of wheels attached to the bottom, thick gloves, a hard thing like the motor-scooter drivers wear on their heads, and a broom.

“What’s the broom for?” Driver asked.

Good question. Why did she need a broom? I wondered.

“For sweeping the concrete pad at the park,” she replied. “The little kids like to toss pebbles onto the concrete. If my blades hit the stones, I might trip.”

“Okay, have a good time,” he said.

Wagging my tail excitedly, I waited for her to clip my leash to my harness and take me along. I had no clue what rollerblading was, but I wanted to go with her.

“No, Sparky, you have to stay home and look after the house,” she said.

I tucked my tail and slunk into my hiding place under the sofa. When she said those words, I knew I must stay home with the cats.

Servant bent over and looked under the sofa. “Don’t worry, Sparky, we’ll go for a golf cart ride later.”

I gave her my sad-eyed-don’t-leave-me look, but she just smiled at me and closed the door.

A short time later, I heard a horrible shrieking noise coming from somewhere down the street. Oh no! I think Servant is hurt. I raced around the living room, looking for an exit. All the doors were tightly closed. I jumped onto the kitchen table and slammed my broad shoulders through a partially open window. It hurt! A lot! But I had to save my friend, Servant.

“Sparky! Stop!” Driver shouted at me.

I didn’t stop. I dashed outside and listened. There. More screams. Oh no, I hope I can save her. I ran south towards the little park where I sometimes chase crabs and swim in the ocean.

I ran and ran, over the sharp rocks. Over the large boulders. Over the sand, and through the prickly bushes. Suddenly, the screaming stopped.

Panting and frightened, I raced into the park searching frantically for my human.

Then I heard Servant’s laughter coming from the street.

“She’s so cute. But my goodness, she’s noisy,” Servant said. She was standing beside a man and his daughter. They were all looking down at an ugly pink dog.

It was pale pink, hairless, and made snorting sounds like those dogs with smushed faces. It had two toes on each foot that looked dangerously sharp. The man bent over and lifted the weird dog into his arms, and it started to scream again. “She doesn’t like to be picked up. But she’s still too little to jump into the car on her own.”

Servant noticed me. “Sparky, what are you doing here?” She patted her thigh to call me to her, but I stayed back. My feet were planted. My sharp fangs were ready to use. I was prepared to spring into action if that pink dog attacked Servant.

“Oh, good, he’s here,” said Driver as he parked the golf cart beside us. “When the screaming started, Sparky jumped on the table and barged his way through the window. The one that we leave locked open, just wide enough for the cats to come and go. It was a very tight fit for Sparky!”

The man stuffed his weird little dog inside his car, and the shrieks stopped. “I’m sorry about the awful noise,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“It’s no problem,” Servant said, then bent down and called me to her. “Sparky baby, did you bruise your shoulders when you forced your way out of the window?”

“Guau-guau, jau-jau,” I answered. I was sore, but very relieved that she was okay.

“You are my hero! You saved me from the piglet,” she replied with a wide grin.

Her hero! I felt proud. That piglet must be a very dangerous animal. It certainly sounded dangerous.

Driver and Servant waved goodbye to the man, and we headed back home in our golf cart. A little later, we had lunch at Ballyhoo Restaurante in Centro, to celebrate.

Servant said we were celebrating me being her hero!

Available in online bookstores!

The humble beginnings and true life tale of Sparky, hero of the Isla Mujeres Mystery Series: Chapter 8

Sparky, my decorated golf cart.

Chapter 8

It’s Christmas!

“¡Feliz Navidad! said Driver.

“Merry Christmas, everyone,” Servant said, and then she kissed Driver. “Happy Christmas, my love.”

Tucked into the king-sized bed, between our humans, Tommy sleepily opened one eye. Being the most senior animal in the family, he was allowed to sleep in their bed.

Chica stretched and yawned. She liked her cozy little nest on the nightstand beside Servant. She jumped onto the bed to say good morning.

I was curled up in my comfy bed on the floor beside Driver. It was a good place for me to sleep because I could keep an eye on both entrances: the bedroom door and the patio door. As the only dog in the house, it was my job to protect everyone.

Christmas Day. I had forgotten this was the day I had planned to hide outside in the bushes, in case the cats were going to play a trick on me. I quietly slithered towards the entrance, hoping I could zip past when someone opened the bedroom door.

Servant hopped out of bed and opened the patio door. “What a beautiful day, warm and sunny. Just look at that view!” she said, pointing towards the turquoise Caribbean Sea. “I’ll go get our coffees and be right back.”

“Sparky, where are you going?” Driver asked. “Come here, little buddy.” He patted the bed.

I tucked my tail and slunk back towards Driver.

“¡Feliz Navidad, Sparky!” Driver said as he scratched my ears and rubbed my tummy. “We have presents for everyone, including you.”

Presents? For me? I gazed hopefully at his kind face.

Servant returned with a tray holding two cups of coffee and a pile of goodies; some were for our humans, and some were for us. She handed one cup of coffee to Driver, then distributed the treats to everyone.

“Okay, time for presents!” Driver said, pulling several objects out from their hiding place. Two were wide red sacks that were filled with colourfully wrapped items. Two were long and looked like oversized socks, and another was shaped like a large red paw.

Servant held up the fuzzy red paw, “Sparky, it has your name on it!”

For me? Just for me! I carefully took it from her hand and set it on the floor. I grinned happily as my tail swished back and forth. A present. A fuzzy red paw with my name on it.

Tommy looked over the edge of the bed to see what I was doing. “Silly dog, open your gifts,” he said.

“I did. It’s a big red paw.”

“That’s just the container. The gifts are inside.” He reached into his sock and snagged a brightly decorated parcel with his claws. Then he pulled it out and ripped off the paper. “See, this is a bag of cat snacks, and there are more things inside.”

I stuck my nose deep inside the fluffy paw and pulled out a stuffed toy. Oh my, I’d never had a toy. It was beautiful, a black-and-white dog that looked like my younger brother. We hadn’t seen each other since we were puppies, and I hoped he was having a good Christmas too.

Chica said, “Look inside again, Sparky. I think you have another present.”

I put my nose inside again, and yes, there was another toy, a silly yellow cat. This one didn’t have big, sharp claws. Two toys!

I like Christmas.

The Isla Mujeres Mysteries starring Sparky

Available in online book stores, public libraries, Coles, and Indigo.

Return to Paradise, Isla Mujeres

My favourite - Bougainvillea flowers.

The warm, humid air, filled with the scent of tropical flowers and lush vegetation, greeted me at Cancun Airport, making me feel as though I was returning home, even if only for a few weeks.

On December 23, 2019, fifteen months after Lawrie’s passing, Sparky and I moved from Isla Mujeres to the historic city of San Miguel de Allende, nestled high in the mountains north of Mexico City. 

Known as a refuge for artists and writers, I had planned to live in San Miguel for at least ten years, but the pandemic changed those plans.

Ultramar passenger ferry.

Starting in mid-March 2020, I received several emails from the Canadian government urging me to return to Canada because borders were closing and all air travel was being suspended. The emails said the government wouldn’t be able to ‘rescue’ any remaining citizens once the lockdown was in effect. I was on my own in an unfamiliar city, with no support system. If I became ill, Sparky would have been at risk. We flew back to Canada on March 20, 2020.

This trip marked my first return to Mexico since the pandemic. As we neared Cancun airport, my seatmate, a WestJet employee, noted that the small gold emblem on the front of my Canadian passport allowed me to use the expedited customs line. With nothing to declare in my small carry-on, I cleared customs smoothly.

Gone were the customs and immigration forms that had to be filled out on the airplane after scrambling to find a working pen at the bottom of my purse. 

Gone were the massive lines at the luggage scanners, where each bag was rechecked before the owners left the security area.

Gone was the red-light, green-light lottery system that randomly (we were told) selected who would have their bags searched. That system was highlighted in an amusing illustration by my creative partner, Diego Medina, in The Adventures of Thomas the Cat: Las Aventuras de Tomás el Gato. It's a bilingual children's book that documents our cat Thomas's move to Mexico in 2007.

First photo - across from the Navy base.

Outside of Terminal 4, I quickly found the kiosk for my pre-arranged shuttle, and then we headed to the Ultramar passenger ferry. In previous years, when Lawrie and I returned from adventures abroad to our home on Isla Mujeres, we often took the inexpensive ADO bus from the airport to the bus terminal, then a local taxi to the Ultramar docks. This time, I wanted to be pampered, so I used a familiar shuttle service that included a round-trip ticket for the passenger ferry.

Arriving on Isla, I joined the line at the taxi stand and asked the driver how much it would cost to take me to my friend’s home near Maria’s Kin Kan. He quoted a price I expected, and I hopped in.

Punta Sur, a favourite spot for Sparky & I

For the next 16 days, I reconnected with many pals: permanent residents, part-timers, snowbirds, close friends from our old neighbourhood, and island friends whose great-great-grandparents had been born on Isla. We laughed, ate, shared a bottle or two of wine, and enjoyed the warmth of good friends and new acquaintances.

Different combinations of friends and I ate at several new-to-me restaurants, including the Isla Brewing Beer Garden, owned and operated by our friends Jeff, Rhett, and Anya McGahee.

Carnaval 2026. 

I searched for the tastiest tacos at Blue Ballyhoo, El Rancho, Loretta’s, Sabor de México, El Charco, also known as Deisy and Raul’s, Ulan Eatery, and Marina Bartolomé. We enjoyed tasty Italian dishes at De Nuccio’s. My friend Michelle and I dined at Rosa Sirena’s, where Debbie Crinigan de Chacon gave me a warm welcome-home hug.

The Medina family, Freddy, Eva, Diego, and Danaee, plus Carol Lawler and her cute pooch, Paloma, hosted breakfast at Sabor de México twice. On the morning of my birthday breakfast, a massive three-layer cake with a volcanic sparkler appeared at our table. Freddy and I served everyone in the restaurant a piece of cake and had plenty left over for the staff.

With permission from the owners of our beachfront home, I spread some of Sparky’s ashes on the sand. Sparky has many of his four-legged pals to keep him company: Thomas the Cat, Princess Chica, Missy, and Odd the Dog. And a little bit of his very best friend, Lawrie.

Sabor de Mexico.

On Isla, I zipped around in a rental golf cart, photographing favorite spots and comparing the photos with earlier images. I watched the always entertaining Carnaval parade. Michelle and I popped in to visit longtime friends Neil and Abbey Fox at Sac Bajo. 

My last night on Isla was spent at a successful fundraiser at my friend’s home, raising money for several worthy island causes.

Playa Norte, North Beach.

Usually, when someone has been on a tropical vacation, they come home with a tan. I am still a ghostly white. In sixteen days, I never once sat on the beach! (I did take a couple of photos of Playa Norte.) Neither Lawrie nor I were sunworshippers, even when we lived full-time on Isla Mujeres.

So, what had changed in six years? A lot. And nothing at all. There are more houses, more restaurants, more stores selling souvenir tat, and more golf carts buzzing around, but essentially, it is still Isla. 

The islanders are kind and generous. The food is delicious. The weather is perfect for this chilly Canadian. The scenery is gorgeous. Isla Mujeres is still very dear to me.

This trip was a mix of happy tears and heart-wrenching memories of my adventurous and romantic life with Lawrie. But I am glad I went. It was enjoyable to reconnect with some of my amazing pals. 

I missed seeing a few folks, but I am planning to return this winter. See you then! 

Cheers, Lynda

Top 100 Canadian Women Authors, Top 40 Mexico guides (But it's a memoir more than a guidebook.)

The humble beginnings and true-life tale of Sparky, hero of the Isla Mujeres Mystery Series: Gotcha Day!

 

Chapter 2: December 2013

That smells so good!

A few weeks later, I was exploring the beach, looking for something to put in my tummy. I caught the delicious scent of chicken cooking, and I followed my nose. The smell took me back to the nice white house on the beach and toward the kind man.

I was about to step inside the house when I noticed that a woman with short, curly hair was preparing the food. She wasn’t the friend who had been feeding me.

I was a little afraid, but I was so very hungry I had to take the risk. I lay down on a mat under the kitchen table and politely waited for the new woman to notice me. Please don’t chase me away.

The woman finally saw me and made a funny noise, “Hmph!” She pointed at the smaller cat and said, “Well, that’s Chica,” then pointed at the larger one. “This is Thomas, and who are you?” tilting her head like a puzzled dog.

I swished my short, bristly tail back and forth on the tile floor. I tried to answer her, “guau-guau, jau-jau.” It roughly translates to “woof-woof, ruff-ruff,” but she didn’t understand.

She laughed and picked up a square black object from the kitchen counter, then started talking to it. “So. A dog?”

I could hear the man’s happy voice coming from the black thing, “Yeah, his name is Sparky, and he’s yours. I’m returning to Japan, and I can’t take him with me.”

Chuckling at the man's words, she put the device back on the kitchen counter. She looked over at a bald man who was quietly sitting at the table. “This is Sparky, and he’s now our responsibility.”

Her laughter gave me hope. Maybe she wouldn’t yell at me or shoo me away.

The man leaned back in his chair so that he could see me hiding under the table. He smiled at me and said, “Hola, Sparky, you look hungry. I’m sure we have enough food to feed you, too.”

“Of course, we do,” the curly-haired woman said, with another chuckle.

She took three little white plates from a cupboard. She placed one scoop of food on each of two plates and a lot more on the third. I was so happy when she set the larger portion in front of me instead of giving it to the cats. It tasted awesome.

I ate and ate and ate until my tummy bulged, then I carefully scrubbed the plate clean with my tongue. Nearby was a bowl of fresh water, and I lapped up the cool liquid. My belly was full, and I felt so sleepy.

I didn’t want the friendly people to be mad at me for bringing beach sand and creepy crawlies into their home, so I went back outside to the patio. I crawled into a shady spot, under the sofa, where I felt safe.

I snoozed and had a pleasant siesta, a nap. I dreamed about being adopted by these kind people and never worrying again about my next meal or where I could safely sleep. It was a very restful siesta.

Isla Mujeres Mysteries

Or

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

I'm a hero! - excerpt from A Surprise Gift, Sparky's story

 

I’m a hero!

“I’m going rollerblading,” Servant said to Driver. 

(Servant and Driver are the names that Thomas the Cat gave our humans when he first met them.) 

Servant was carrying a pair of boots that had a row of wheels attached to the bottom, thick gloves, a hard thing like the moto drivers wear on their heads, and a broom.

“What’s the broom for?” Driver asked.

Good question. Why would she need a broom? I wondered.

“For sweeping the concrete pad at the park,” she replied. “The little kids like to toss pebbles onto the concrete. If my blades hit the stones, I might trip.”

“Okay, have a good time,” he said.

Wagging my tail excitedly, I waited for her to clip my leash to my collar and take me along. I have no clue what rollerblading is, but I want to go with her.

“No, Sparky, you have to stay home and look after the house,” she said.

I tucked my tail and slunk into my hiding place under the sofa. When she says those words, I know I must stay home with the cats.

Servant bent over and looked under the sofa. “Don’t worry, Sparky, we’ll go for a golf cart ride later.”

I gave her my sad-eyed-don’t-leave-me look, but she just smiled at me and shut the door.

A short time later, I heard a horrible shrieking noise coming from somewhere down the street. Oh no! I think Servant is hurt. I raced around the living room, looking for an exit. All the doors were tightly closed. Then I jumped onto the kitchen table and slammed my broad shoulders through the partially open window. It hurt! A lot! But I had to save my friend, Servant.

“Sparky! Stop!” Driver shouted at me.

I didn’t stop. I dashed outside and listened. There. More screams. Oh no, I hope I can save her. I ran south towards the little park where I sometimes swim in the ocean.

I ran, and ran, over the sharp rocks. Over the big stones. Over the sand, and through the prickly bushes. Suddenly, the screaming stopped.

Panting and frightened, I raced into the park searching frantically for my human.

Then I heard Servant’s laughter coming from the street.

“She’s so cute. But my goodness, she’s noisy.” Servant said. She was standing beside a man and his daughter. They were all looking down at a small dog.

What an ugly dog. It was pink and hairless and made snorting noises like those dogs with the squished faces. It had two toes on each foot that looked dangerously sharp. The man picked up the weird dog, and it started to scream again. “She doesn’t like to be picked up. But, she’s still too little to jump in the car on her own.”

Servant noticed me, “Sparky, what are you doing here?” She patted her thigh to call me to her, but I stayed back. My feet were planted. My sharp fangs were ready to use. I was prepared to spring into action if that pink dog attacked Servant.

“There he is,” said Driver as he parked the golf cart beside us. “When the screaming started, Sparky jumped on the table and barged his way through the window. The one that we leave locked open, just wide enough for the cats to come and go. It was a very tight fit for Sparky.”

The man stuffed his weird little dog inside his car, and the shrieks stopped. “I’m really sorry about the awful noise,” he said with a little shrug.

“It’s no problem,” Servant said, then bent down and called me to her. “Sparky baby, did you bruise your shoulders when you forced your way out of the window?”

“Guau-guau, jau-jau,” I answered. I was sore, but very relieved that she was okay.

“You are my hero! You saved me from the piglet,” she said with a wide grin.

Her hero! I felt very important. That piglet must be a dangerous animal. It certainly sounded dangerous.

Driver and Servant waved goodbye to the man, and we headed back home in our golf cart. A little later, we had lunch at Ballyhoo Restaurante in Centro, to celebrate.

Servant said we were celebrating me being her hero!

Woof, woof, Sparky

Read more of my stories in this book available on Amazon! 

And 11 mystery novels feature me! 

The End of an Era – Magaña scheduled passenger ferry service suspended

Magaña boats January 2006

Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women, is a small island floating in the Caribbean Sea. Boats have always been an integral part of its history. 

Dating back to the 1550s, the days of the Spanish explorers, and first the settlement on Isla, fishing pangas, and large sailing ships were the main mode of transportation. Later, as technology advanced, and more people discovered Isla Mujeres private yachts, passenger ferries, car ferries, and tour boats became part of the rhythm of island life.  So, when the original passenger ferry operators recently announced that they were suspending service, it signified the end of an era. 

Magaña boats out of service May 2016

The two passenger ferries are now tied up at their family wharf in the lagoon, and the employees have received their final wages. The bigger party boat, the Caribbean Princess, is still plying the waters between the mainland and Isla, bringing day-trippers from the hotel zone in Cancun, but the regular hourly departures from Isla and Cancun are finished. A victim of economics and stiff competition from the newer, sleeker UltraMar flotilla.

Larger, newer UltraMar boats the competition 

When we first visited the island in 2002, the Magaña boats were the only option, and I must admit, even though I don’t typically suffer from seasickness, riding the Caribbean Miss was a smelly, stomach-churning experience as the vessel rolled through the waves, while clouds of smoky diesel fumes infiltrated the passenger area.  We gladly switched over to the more stable, catamaran-style UltraMar service when it became available.

Repainted in 2012, nicknamed the Barney-Boats

Over a period of ten years, the UltraMar has added more and larger ships to its fleet, while the older Magaña transportation company retained its original vessels.  The once familiar white, blue, and red ferry boats were repainted in 2012 with what was light-heartedly referred to as the Barney-Boat colours of purple and green. It was an attempt to ‘jazz up’ the image of the aging ships and attract more customers.  Sadly, the new colours didn’t improve the ride or the service.

Sultana del Mar from Recuerdeos de Isla Mujeres  

But the most fascinating ship owned by the Magaña transportation company is the Sultana del Mar.  

We have written about her before, as islanders such as Vivian Reynaldo, Dan Kane, Abby and Neil Fox, and Captain Javier Velázquez Euan have shared their personal stories about traveling to Isla Mujeres back in the day.

Mario Burgos Sánchez

There are more stories about the Sultana del Mar posted on the Facebook page Recuerdeos de Isla Mujeres. Islander Cuauhtémoc Zufita Landero in collaboration with our local historian Fidel Villanueva Madrid, has been adding fascinating narratives about Isla’s past.  

A Google translation works fairly well, translating the Spanish to English, but we still struggle with the finer details of the stories.  

Of particular interest to me is the story about Mario Burgos Sánchez, Carpintero de Ribera, the master carpenter who built the hull of the Sultana del Mar with ‘good wood, the right tools, and his hands.’

The Sultana del Mar was a grand old dame that is currently a sinking wreck. Slowly, month by month, she is sliding further beneath the waves, taking a piece of island history with her. 

Sultana del Mar , May 2016,  L.Lock photo

It is the end of a simpler time. A time when life was slower, unhurried.

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

Or

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

Isla Holbox – a different kind of paradise

Isla Holbox, Yucatan, Mexico

Isla Holbox is a little island off the coast of Mexico, similar to the island in Mexico we call home.  

A twenty-minute ride on the passenger ferries from Chiquilá on the mainland, Isla Holbox is nestled in the mint-green water of the Gulf of Mexico.  As the crow flies, it’s not far from Isla Mujeres, where we are surrounded by the turquoise Caribbean Sea, but it’s a world away in atmosphere.

Golf cart taxi on Holbox

Arriving on the island, a bright yellow golf-cart taxi drove us along sand-covered streets to our beachfront hotel, Holbox Dream, on the eastern side of the island.  

Okay, we could have walked the six or so blocks, dragging our suitcases through the mid-day heat, but this was our first time to Isla Holbox, and we didn’t yet have our bearings. 

A short, inexpensive taxi ride was a great solution.   

Cool, clean and good staff!

We were warmly greeted by Benjamin at the front desk and quickly checked into our rooms.  

Nice and cool.  Simple décor.  And clean.

After freshening up, it was time to look for a good dinner location.  

Viva Zapata for dinner

The local favourite is Viva Zapata, just a short walk from our hotel.  

It’s an attractive location with traditional Mexican dishes, oodles of fresh fish choices and tasty steaks.

Ambling around the town after dinner, we noticed the fun artwork painted on homes, stores, and businesses.  

One of the Holbox murals L. Lock photo

Our friends Becky and Craig McHugh were recently on Holbox, and her blog Life's a Beach features many of the colourful murals.  Here’s the link if you would like to see her collection of photographs: http://lifewithbeck.blogspot.mx/  

By the time our bedtime rolled around, our hotel was quiet, with the assorted vacationing youngsters tucked up in bed and snoozing soundly.  

Another one of my favourite murals L. Lock photo

We had a restful night, even though the two small pillows on the bed were thin, and well, darn it, just too small. I have a thing about pillows.  

Even though we didn’t take our pooch, Sparky, with us, I still woke up at the regular walk-the-dog time of 5:30 and I was impatient to get going.  

Strangely enough, my three travel companions, Lawrie, John and Maia, insisted on staying in bed until the sun was properly up and the smell of brewing coffee wafting in the air.  Hmph! 

Le Jardin Bakery - dogs welcome

Once everyone was up and dressed, we walked two short blocks to the Le Jardin bakery for fortifying coffees, warm flaky pastries, and other delicious breakfast items. Hugely popular with locals and tourists, the line-ups start well before opening time. Normal low-season hours are 8:30 to 12:30 Wednesday to Saturday, but be warned, they close when they run out of their freshly baked goods. They also have a communal dog water-bowl and welcome signs for the many furry, four-legged companions on the island. We noticed several establishments with water bowls available for any passing dog, cat or bird. It’s a thoughtful idea.

42 kilometres - primarily nature preserve

Mid-morning, we decided to rent a golf cart and explore the island.  Isla Holbox is a mostly undeveloped, low-profile sandbar that is about 42 kilometres (26 miles) long and 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles) wide. That’s huge compared to Isla Mujeres at 7 kilometres long.  

Centro Isla Holbox

We located a golf cart rental company near the square in Centro, renting by the hour for $150.00 Mexican pesos: cheap!  

We paid for two hours and off we tootled, bumping over the sand-packed dips and hollows created by rainstorms and vehicles. Unlike Isla Mujeres, there are not many fast drivers on Isla Holbox.  We actually had to speed up to keep the golf cart from stalling as we crossed over the one speed-reducing tope that we did find. Most of the islanders get around on bicycles, motos, ATVs and golf carts. 

Two choices of passenger ferries, same price

And then it was time to head back to Isla Mujeres. We checked out of our hotel and began our four-hour arrival journey in reverse.  First, the golf-cart taxi ride back to the passenger ferry. Then, a twenty-minute boat ride to the mainland community of Chiquilá, where we walked two blocks to Don Patricio’s parking lot, to retrieve our rental car.  

One of several parking lots for Isla Holbox visitors

We didn’t take our Mini-Cooper convertible on this road trip. We needed something a little bit roomier for four people and two travel bags. Lawrie found an inexpensive rental car at Car-Flex, located in the La Isla Shopping Centre in Cancun. Pepe, the customer representative, was amazingly helpful. The total cost was $100.00 USD for three days, including insurance. Great deal. 

Car-Flex rental - $100.00 USD 3 days

Next, we drove via Highway 5 back towards the little community of Kantunilkin, through a bit of road construction that, in typical local fashion, lets the drivers decide which side of the work zone they would like to drive on.  

It was a bit of a free-for-all, but eventually we got through it. From there, it was another hour negotiating through numerous speed bumps and topes in three tiny unmarked villages. Pressing on towards Nuevo Valladolid, my bladder was starting to suggest that we find a rest stop, or baños, soon. Very soon.  

John's turn to drive, with Maia navigating

We turned south once we reached Nuevo Valladolid on Highway 180 and stopped at the PeMex outside the town of Leona Vicario. Closed for renovations, no baños! Okay, then. We continued on to the outskirts of Cancun, coming in on Avenida Lopez Portillo heading towards the UltraMar ferry docks at Puerto Juarez. My bladder is now becoming quite insistent. 

Motorcycle-based transportation in small towns

Lawrie parked the rental car in the UltraMar parkade. He, John and Maia headed towards the boarding line. I raced for the baños and double-timed it back to the ferry dock. We slid on board as the ramps were being raised. Headed home!

We enjoyed our quick visit to the quaint little community of Isla Holbox, but also really enjoyed returning to our little slice of paradise on Isla Mujeres. 

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, and Sparky

Centro Isla Holbox

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

Or

Death in the Vineyards