Freddy Medina, "I want to rename the Christmas parade in memory of Lawrie"

2011 Elmo makes his Isla debut

This week, our good friends Freddy Medina and his beautiful wife Yadira Velazquez (Eva) stopped by our little house on Isla Mujeres.

Freddy said, "I want to rename the Christmas parade in honor of my good friend Lawrie."

I was speechless.

Freddy continued, "Without his help, this parade would never have happened, and I want everyone to remember him."

I suggested that, since Lawrie's grandsons always called him "Elmo," why didn't he call it Elmo's Christmas Caravan?

This year, Freddy has set the date to be Friday, December 21st, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The Beginning - September 2011

“Hey, cool. We’re invited to a Halloween party on October 31st, 2011, at Curtis and Ashley’s house, Villa la Bella,” Lawrie said as he read aloud an email invite.

A month later, the local postman arrived on his delivery moto at our front door with an enormous cotton sack tagged with Lawrie’s name and our address.

“What the heck is that?” I asked, oblivious to Lawrie's recent online shopping.

That was an Elmo costume shipped from the manufacturer Claudio Mascots Oficial Lima Peru; a large, furry, crimson-red costume complete with a big head and googly eyes. It was amazing. Beautifully made, and an exact replica of Elmo.

Years ago, when Lawrie’s eldest grandson was learning to talk, he thought Lawrie’s name was Elmo, and the nickname stuck. The boys were coming for a visit in December 2011. Lawrie decided he could get double-duty from the costume for the Halloween party and greeting our grandsons at the Ultramar boat.

The Elmo costume was a huge hit. In the next two years, it was used several times by Lawrie when he greeted arriving nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, sister and brother-in-law, and friends at the Ultramar ferry docks. Elmo-Lawrie was invited to Barlito’s 1st Anniversary celebration when they were still on Hidalgo Avenue.

Everyone wanted their photos taken with Elmo: kids, parents, and grandparents. Even a few of the slightly dubious characters that hang around on the street corner late in the evenings wanted a photo with Elmo.

Then, in 2013, our friend Freddy Medina asked if he could borrow the costume for a birthday fiesta for a special young boy on the island.

Freddy was so overwhelmed by the happiness of the young lad that he suggested the idea of a Christmas parade featuring Elmo and our newest character costumes, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, purchased for yet another Halloween party at Villa la Bella.

2013 Elmo-Freddy makes his parade debut

The first parade in 2013 was hilarious. There were only about eight or nine vehicles, and a dozen or so motos.

Our jefe, Freddy, was late, and the golf carts had lined up neatly, facing north. We were supposed to be facing south to head into the colonias first.

What did we know? We were all new at this parade stuff. We eventually got turned around heading south towards the densely populated neighbourhoods.

The parade bounced through the colonias on a higgledy-piggledy route that the driver of the lead vehicle had mapped out in his head.

2013 Parade route. Alexis' photo

We had absolutely no idea what we were getting into.

The excitement on the faces of the youngsters.

The grandparents and parents ran to find the kids to come see Elmo, Mickey, Minnie, SpongeBob, clowns, and the Grinch.

The noise. The confusion. The laughter.

Mickey and his driver, Chuck Watt

Lawrie and I had bought five pounds of candy, but partway through the route, we asked our drivers, Chuck and Marcy Watt, for an emergency stop at Donasusa to purchase another five pounds.

2013 was also the year that we learned not to get out of the golf carts in our costumes.

Lawrie had waded into the crowd to say hi to the kids when a group of inebriated young men thought it would be uproariously funny to lob Mickey Mouse into the air and catch him – a few times. Picture this: a full-sized man, in a full-body mouse costume, including a large head, being tossed up and down in a crowd. Only in Mexico!

Lawrie, Lynda, and Sparky

Two hours later, our tired, ragged group disbanded in Centro on Rueda Medina. Elmo’s vehicle happened to park near the assembly point for the Municipal Presidente of Isla’s Christmas cavalcade.

The Presidente suggested to Freddy that Elmo should join that parade. Freddy, who had just spent two hours dancing in the back of a pickup truck wearing a full-body fur-suit, was soaked through to his underwear with perspiration.

However, one does not say no to the Presidente. And away Freddy went, dancing and shouting Feliz Navidad for another two hours.

A new Elmo was born!

2014 parade, little Minnie Mouse

In 2014, more people joined the group, bringing the total to about twenty vehicles. Freddy arranged for the funny bus for participants who didn’t want to drive but wanted to be part of the event.

The funny bus is a two-level dilapidated vehicle, decorated with coloured lights and blasting loud music. It haunted the island streets for a few years, the operator charging a small fee to take people on an after-dark tour of the island.

2014 Funny people in the funny bus

That year, we followed a route dictated by the height of the double-decker. The low-hanging electrical wires are always a challenge in Mexico.

The typical solution is to have a person stand on the top of a truck or vehicle with a wooden broom to lift the wires out of the way.

Yep, lift live wires with a broom! Happens all the time. But when it’s a parade, there just isn’t the time to lift every low-hanging line and sneak past, while the passengers duck below the seatbacks.

It was easier to find a different route. Once again, the experience was amazing - noise, people, dogs, kids, and loud music. That year, we tossed fifteen pounds of candy to the crowds.

2015, Mrs. Claus and Santa

By 2015, and you would think we would have the routine figured out. More or less, mas o menos. The funny bus was once again available, which meant our route was similar to the previous year, heading south, staying on the main roads, and finishing in Centro near the new Muelle 7 Restaurante on Rueda Medina.

We had all of the usual character costumes in the parade, along with the addition of Batman Jimmy. Santa John Pasnau and Mrs. Claus Valerie Pasnau quietly inserted themselves in the middle of the lineup, giving the kids an additional thrill as Santa waved and said, “Ho, ho, ho.”

2015 our escorts

2015 was the first year that we had a police escort in the form of four motorcycle cops who tried their very best to keep us all together. It was like trying to herd cats, which, if you have ever been owned by a cat, you will know is an impossible task. Some of the vehicles broke down. A few drivers turned the wrong way. And still others had non-parade vehicles cut in between, causing more confusion. The laughing youngsters and their smiling parents made it all worthwhile.

2016 Participants lining up by our casa

And, then there was the 2016 parade, Saturday, December 17th, our 4th Annual Christmas Caravan.

We had trucks, cars, dozens of golf carts, two tuk-tuks, and a handful of motorcycles, but not the funny bus. It had finally died, expired.

We had Elmo, Santa, Mrs. Claus, Mickey, Minnie, and a Ninja Turtle.

There were at least four or five dogs, including our Sparky, dressed for the occasion, riding in their decorated golf carts. There were dozens of Santa hats, store-bought decorations, and handmade decorations. Music. Lights. Candy.

2016 Mrs. Claus and Santa

Without the bus, our route was more flexible. We wound south from our casa along the Salinas Chica neighbourhood, into Salinas Grande, Las Glorias, through narrow side streets along the main road, turning again into the colonias across from Oscar’s Pizza, popped out onto the main road by Chedraui grocery store, and back into Centro.

 But we weren’t finished yet. Our leader took us on a cross-hatch route along Madero, Medina, Abasolo, Guerrero, Juarez, Matamoros, and Medina again. At the end, we gathered in the square in Centro.

Wow! Just wow. Our faces hurt from smiling. Our throats were dry from laughing. The best parade yet. There were around fifty vehicles in total. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the celebration of fun and family. You are what makes this event so special.

Elmo-Freddy and Elmo-Lawrie

In 2017, Lawrie and I returned to Canada to celebrate Christmas with his large extended family. He was having serious health issues, and we sensed that this might be his last chance to celebrate a Lock family Christmas.

Rob and Julie Goth happily stepped in to become the new Mickey and Minnie for 2017 and for any future parades.

Elmo's Christmas Caravan is usually the last Saturday before Christmas Eve, but our intrepid leader Freddy Medina sets the date. If you want to join in next year just contact Freddy or me. Don’t forget to add battery-powered Christmas lights and a music system to your shopping list. Buying them here is very hit-and-miss.

Elmo is getting his annual post-parade bath

As for the Elmo costume of the 2011 Halloween party, it now resides at Freddy’s house. It’s a good home for Elmo. Thank you, Freddy, for being the good-hearted, crazy person who thought up this event. And thank you for honoring my sweetie by renaming the parade to Elmo's Christmas Caravan.

This year, Freddy has set the date to be Friday, December 21st, 2018, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The original Elmo-Lawrie Lock will be with us in spirit.

Elmo-Lawrie and Lynda - 2011

It’s a sweet, sweet life living by the salty sea – unless it’s metal!!

Still standing in 2010.    

A formerly intricate statue lay in a pile of unrecognizable rust. 

We had first seen the still upright structure in September 2010, when we visited the sculpture garden located at the southern tip of Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

Reading the plaques at the base of each statue, we had noted the artists were from various European countries as well as Mexico.  

In 2010, many of the statues had weathered the abuse of salt, water, and wind, but two or three had already collapsed. 

Same statue September 2018

We were told the garden was created a few years earlier with the intention of showcasing metal sculptures in the first year, wooden statues in the second year, and glass creations in the third year. 

But according to my local source, the original artists were not paid, and the entire project came to an abrupt halt.

A few weeks ago, I decided to take Sparky for a walk and see how the sculptures were holding up. Not well in many cases.

Sparky September 2018

Neither have the wooden railings that line the pathway leading down to the famous, if somewhat battered, sign declaring the location as the most eastern point in Mexico. 

This is the first place in Mexico where the rising sun strikes. The location where still-partying New Year’s Eve revelers toast the dawn of the new year.

I have photographs of the railings, painted a brilliant turquoise blue, then black, and then a muddy brown. Now the railings are almost non-existent, broken, or missing altogether.  

Punta Sur railings - 2012

This is Mexico. You are responsible for your own actions. You can’t sue anyone if you get hurt.  I repeatedly remind visiting family members not to lean on railings, any railings; there is no guarantee that they will hold your weight.  The inside of the wooden railings could be hollowed out by termite infestations, but painted to look pretty.

This country’s safety standards are back in the 1940s or 50s, as far as most North Americans are concerned. Weirdly, I find it refreshing as opposed to the over-protective, litigation-prone society that we left behind. 

September 2018 statue garden

The southern tip of the island is also the highest area in the exceptionally flat State of Quintana Roo, and contains an authentic Mayan ruin possibly used as a lighthouse or watchtower structure. 

The centuries-old ruin has survived storms, salt, and water far better than the modern-day metal sculptures.

May 2018, Mayan ruin in the background

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

A big thank you to one of my favourite authors, Jinx Schwartz, for her review of 

Tormenta Isla, Book #3 in the Isla Mujeres Mystery series:

 Click here to purchase

Jinx Schwartz

Author @JinxSchwartz  Click here to connect to Jinx

Recommended

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Action-packed, Easy-to-read, Entertaining Page-turner

Photo credit - Linda Madden

Tormenta Isla:

Murder and mayhem on a tiny island in paradise 

(Isla Mujeres Mystery Book 3) 

Lynda L. Lock

.
Crime Fiction, Action, and Adventure
A mysterious disappearance of a local man and the looming threat of hurricanes headed towards the peaceful Caribbean island of Isla Mujeres create havoc in the lives of Jessica and her rescue mutt, Sparky.

We’re signing off - with heartfelt thanks to everyone.

Us - a long time ago, 1980!    

It is time for us to take a break.

Our weekly blog Notes From Paradise started as an email sent in June 2009 to twelve members of our immediate families.   

Over the next two years, the list of followers grew to 500, and then in September of 2011, we switched to an internet blog page. 

We have had almost 630,000 page views since 2011.  About a year ago, we changed the name to Notes From Isla Mujeres, Mexico, to make it easier for new readers to find us.

Hacienda Mundaca Park

We’ve written blog posts highlighting the island’s intriguing history and the enchanting Mexican culture. 

We’ve introduced ourselves to many of the old-time islanders to listen to and to recount their fascinating stories. 

We've traveled to several cities in Mexico and written about their history, culture, and attractions. 

Izamal near Merida 

We've described the lavish and laughter-filled quinceaños, weddings, and the baby's first birthday-baptism parties.

We’ve narrated some of our more memorable experiences, like watching the chaotic Carnaval parades, or trying to stay awake for the New Year’s Eve bash in Centro, only to be outlasted by the three-year-olds. 

We have written several times about being Mickey and Minnie Mouse in both the annual Christmas Golf Cart parade and the Day of the Kings festivities. Putting happy grins on the kids’ faces is the best reward.

Mickey, Minnie, and Sparky 

We've bragged about Isla’s sugar-white beaches and the endless sun, and then grumbled about tropical storms and hurricanes. 

We’ve written about swimming with whale sharks, the sea turtles nesting on our beach, helping friends rescue a trapped mama turtle, the roaming crocodile, and our lounge of lizards lounging in our backyard. 

(Apparently, a group of iguanas hanging out is called a lounge of lizards. I love that expression!)

We have promoted many of Isla’s hardworking charity groups, such as Isla Animals, HALO (Helping Animals Living Overseas, Isla Has Talent, the diabetes clinic, the free dental clinic, Helmets for Kids, Ruben’s Kids, Plogging for Isla, and many more.

If we liked a new business or restaurant, we happily gave them a free ‘plug’ in the blog. Neither one of us ever asked for anything – no discounts, no freebies, nothing. We enjoyed the successes of our fellow islanders.

We were advised that we should ‘monetize’ our blog and make some cash off of the advertisements, but quite honestly, we couldn’t be bothered with writing articles that pleased our advertisers. 

We wrote what interested us. We did, however, try Google Ads, and are happy to report that in total we made about $109.00 in revenue!  Woo-hoo! Impressive!

 The Adventures of Thomas the Cat

The discipline of writing a weekly article has given me (Lynda) the confidence to self-publish four books. My first book was a bilingual book for children, The Adventures of Thomas the Cat, followed by the three Isla Mujeres Mystery series: Treasure Isla, Trouble Isla, and Tormenta Isla. Book #4, Temptation Isla, will hopefully be launched late in 2018.

And we’ve tormented our family and friends with being included, photos and all, in many of our weekly ramblings. We have had hundreds of people tell us they really enjoyed reading our weekly articles, but we are signing off with this post.

We would like to thank our families, friends, and faithful readers for your support over the last nine years.

Thank you all!

Cheers from Paradise

Lawrie, Lynda, and Sparky

My Great Canadian Adventure – by Sparky

A Great Canadian Adventure.   

My legs twitched, my eyelids fluttered, my lips pulled back from my fangs. I moaned and groaned in fear. It was awful. 

Then Servant reached down to pat me, to stop my nightmare.

A month ago, my humans, Driver and Servant, started packing their suitcases – and then a dog cage appeared. I didn’t like that one bit. 

The last time a dog cage appeared, my roommate, Max, went away and never came back. Now there is only me living with my two humans, and I was sure that this carrier was meant for me.

View from upstairs on Ultramar

I had been having nightmares for several nights, wondering where I was going to be sent. I really like living here, even though I am a bit of a Divo at times. I am a very picky eater. I like to sit beside my humans on the sofa. However, I do come when I am called - most of the time. Well, okay, I'll come if it suits me.

But all of a sudden, we are all leaving, with suitcases, the pet carrier, and me! Driver and Servant kept telling me we were going on a Great Canadian Adventure, whatever that meant.

The first step was a golf cart ride with some of our human friends to the big blue and yellow boat. It’s the same boat my humans drive our winter friends to every April and then pick them up again in October. 

I usually get to come along to woof goodbye, or greet them when they return. My buddies Skipper the dog and Jax the cat met us at the boat with their humans. All of us four-legged folks were given the nice upstairs view seats, while some of our humans had to sit inside on the lower deck.

On the big tube stuffed with people

Next was a ride in a big white van to a large, scary place called the Cancun International Airport. I pretended I was an experienced traveler and was not bothered by the crowds and noises. I wasn’t even afraid of the weird little room with the sliding door that moved us to a different area. I think it is called an elevator.

Servant had to carry me through the Security area so that the grumpy people in uniform could check my tummy for recent incisions. People have a lot of strange ideas. They should have had the other dogs sniff me and confirm I wasn’t carrying anything illegal in my stomach. As if! Famous dogs like me don’t do bad things like that.

My bed and blanket kept me warm

Then we walked inside a big tube-shaped thing, stuffed with people. I was a bit nervous for a few minutes, but the WestJet staff made such a fuss over me, telling me how good and brave I was, and I pretended it was nothing unusual. Oh sure, I ride in jets all the time.

Many hours later, after a long and boring time without even one pee break, we landed in a dark and cold place. 

I was sure we had travelled to the North Pole for a visit with Santa Claus, it was that cold!  Driver and Servant said we were in a place called Kelowna, and would be spending the night at Skipper and Jax’s house. I was so relieved to get to their house with the big yard, where I could pee, and pee, and pee some more.

View from our place in Westbank

The next day, we moved to another pretty house in Westbank. 

Servant and I walked all around the neighbourhood, but I had to be on a leash all the time. We went every morning to a special park where dogs are allowed to run free and play. 

I met many Canadian dogs who loved swimming in the lake. I put the toes of my right paw in the water, then quickly pulled it back. Brrr, they must be nuts! It was freezing cold.

This water is cold! Not going in there.

Canada is not like my colonia in Mexico, where I can run up and down the beach visiting my friends Izabella and Luna.

The funny thing was, my good friend Luna, whom we waved goodbye to the week before on Isla, was also living nearby. I really liked Luna’s yard! I spent one whole day playing with her while my humans did things they called appointments.

Anniversary lunch at Quail's Gate Winery 

Driver and Servant took me for lunch with Servant’s cousins, then we drove for an hour up a mountain so that they could introduce me to snow. 

I was excited because I thought Snow was the name of another dog, but no, snow is cold sand. Very cold sand. I sniffed and got back in the car. 

Shut that door, please!

Open the car door, and turn the heat on!

After teaching me about snow, we drove to another city, where we stayed at the Days Inn in Penticton. Servant used to work there before she and Driver moved to Mexico. The people there were very nice to me, and the owners invited me to their house! It must be because they know how famous I am.

I also got to meet two more dogs that my humans have known for many years. Cleo and Sophie were friends of Thomas the Cat when he lived in the nearby city of Summerland. 

I met the family. Caitlin is missing from the photo

We stayed several days while Driver had more really boring appointments. 

The great thing was, while we were there, I got to visit with more of our family, John, Maia, Caitlin, Ethan, and Evan. 

It was really fun to see them and to meet the younger generation for the first time. I liked them a lot, and I think they liked me too. They gave me lots of tummy rubs.

Brrr. Still cold. But at least I tried it.

In Penticton, I finally had a quick dip in Skaha Lake. 

It had been a month since we had arrived in Canada, and the weather had warmed up enough that I decided to try a swim. Once! Still too darn cold for this low-to-the-ground Mexican.

After our time in Penticton, we drove back to Skipper and Jax’s house in Kelowna. Lots of people, plus my friend Luna, came to say Buen Viaje.

Nicole, Lawrie, Linda G., Kara

The next day, we flew from Kelowna to Edmonton, where I got to stay in a beautiful hotel. 

Then we went through the same procedure of being walked through Customs, onto the plane, and home to Mexico. 

The WestJet staff let Servant hold me up to see out the window, once!  Wow! What a sight, seeing my home from a way up there. It’s beautiful.

A quick peek out the window.

I am now back on our island, I’m happy to be running on the sand, swimming in the warm Caribbean Sea, and settled into my Divo routine in our little house.

I would like to thank everyone for their generosity, hospitality, and love on my Great Canadian Adventure.

Cheers

Sparky,

etuk twhered figure whoboat – tLynda and Lawrie

Caribbean Sea - flying into Cancun

Join Sparky on his Caribbean adventures 

in the Isla Mujeres Mystery series!

Available online as e-books or paperbacks.

Pirates, buried treasure, kidnappings, murder, and mayhem on a tiny island in the Caribbean Sea.