Butterflies

Just found this photo

While looking for something to post on my other blog I found this collage that I had done after an earlier trip to Isla. Looking closely I can see that the participants are wearing white t-shirts--that's the only way to tell what year it was from! that would make it 2005...

New wallpapers ( for the computer)

Just going through my email & saw one from Caribbean Travel magazine with 6 new wallpapers to download--much to my surprise one of them was Isla!

A little spring color....

I treated myself to a bouquet of flowers ( or 2 ) last week--we have a store that sells flowers 4 bunches for $10. These caught my eye right away because they were so bright & cheery! As I picked them out, a girl who worked in the store said those are the ones that always go 1st....They are some type of mum, don't have much of a scent ( that's great) and the cats don't seem to like them--that's even better! And a macro shot!

Another snowy day!

We decided to take the dog to a nearby lake to run around on the ice. Alan had thought there was an ice fishing derby today; turned out it was yesterday. This is a friend's house--the public boat launch is to the left of it. Our friend, Dan's dock. We go over here for 4th of July--the people all around the lake shoot off firworks--next year I am going to try & take a video of it!

Alan and Rafe out on the ice. He ( Rafe ) ran around for about 1/2hr. & is totally tuckered out now--on his bed near the woodstove.

Tried to do a 360 look around the lake--it's was snowing so hard it's tough to see the far side! Stay warm! All the little lights that look like tiny flashbulbs going off is snow!

Our visits with Gabriela

As many of you know, we co-sponsor a student on Isla with JoanneinCT her husband, Tim. We have been involved in the program for about 2 years and have been sponsoring Gaby about 1 1/2 yrs. We met her last year in Jan. for the 1st time & she was extremely shy--to be expected! we have been emailing all year long & we all were looking forward to seeing each other this year. We decided to surprise her ( she knew we were on Isla) & went to the class at LGES she is taking 4 nights a week (7:45-8:45). She walked in & spotted us & ran over & gave us both big hugs--melts your heart! We stayed for class-- this is an adult class & all were working hard ---even us! She is the one in the bright pink hoodie. Later in the week we got together with Gaby, her Mom & little sister & Tom & Maggie Washa for breakfast. She presented us with this portrait she had had a friend of hers do of her--it's from a photo that was taken on a trip to one of the water parks that she had gotten from school from winning a competition in literature, I think. I will be framing & hanging in our house.

Here's a photo of all of us at breakfast. I know she gets alot out of this, but we get some much also. It does my heart good to see someone being able to achieve so many goals she might not have been able to otherwise.

A year of crockpotting

Just a note to say that I read on her blog that the " year of Crockpotting lady ( Stephanie)will be on Good Morning America this Theursday. Even though her blog year is completed, she has been posting some great pork recipes!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Seaside Lace curtains

Just saw these curtains in a catalog--most of the curtains in my house are from Country Curtains--a store and catalog that was started in Stockbridge MA http://www.countrycurtains.com/index.jsp

They are called Seaside Lace and come in 2 colors--I think I might go to the Avon, CT store next week--they'd look great in our downstairs bath/laundry room in the natural color. Probably not too practical with the cats I have, but I can hope they won't try to go after the shells!

more Isla

I've been playing around with some of the sunrise photos I took on our last vacation. This is one of my favorites--sunrise on the 2nd day we were there. Here it is enhanced--- This is the original--I love the colors on the water in both of the pictures!

Ever hear of the phenomenon weekend colds? Me neither, but I think I've got it! The past 3 weekends I've woken up on Sat. totally stuffed up. It gets a little better on Sun & then during the week I'm ok. The next weekend rolls around & it happens again. Very strange!

Another Blog!

I may be crazy, but while on Isla I decided we should have a group blog for the Barracuda bash. Everyone I talked to was receptive to the idea, so last week I stated it up. I'm pleased to say the response has been good.
http://islabarracudabash.blogspot.com/
Leslie McD.-- If you are out there lurking, please send me an email so I can send you & your husband an invitation to post if you'd like....will this bring you out of lurkdom?? Nice to meet you on Isla. My email is in my profile.

Punta Sur

One day we got golf carts with some friends and went out around the island. Had 3 newbies with us so we did some of the obligatory stops for them. Some shots from Punta Sur.

Saw this little guy on the pathway --it was very small--watched it scurry off into the underbrush. Not the the huge iguanas at Garrafon de Castilla! Another view of Punta Sur. Haven't made it down there for sunrise yet. Hope to see some photos from there this year.

Seahorses at the Turtle Farm

In all the years we have been going to Isla, we had never been to the Turtle Farm until this trip! Really enjoyed it & I have some video that I will post later. I was fascinated by the seahorses--so tiny! Turned the flash off on my camera & took a few photos. Probably should have done them on a macro setting!

Food, glorious food

We ate at a variety of places, but our favorite is still Seso Loco. We went there on several different days--Seso said starting last week he will be open 7 days a week. This is Aztec soup--I like having the soup & a salad, you also get puffy bread ( almost like a pita) with it. This is one of Alan's favorites--Yucateca chicken. I try & duplicate it at home, but it's never quite the same! It's chicken breast coated with achiote and wrapped in foil ( also has peppers & onions in the packet), then baked . Served with rice & salad.

We bought groceries and ate most lunches in & some breakfasts.

The 2 other reastaurants that really stand out are Victor's Cuban restaurant on Hidalgo--Alan had the Cuban sandwich--said it was great. I had pan fried chicken--amazing. The chicken skin was very crispy, but not oily at all. Served with a nice salad & 2 sides of your choice. A friend had black bean soup & a great looking salad.

And then Olivia's--it was wonderful! More expensive than most places, but for a special night out we really enjoyed it. We had Moroccan tapas to start--small dishes of a few things---

- babaganush, tabule, Moroccan carrot salad and matbuha. Served with pita bread. Then I had excellent lamb chops--I love them, but Alan can't stand the smell of them cooking, so I only have when eating out! Delicious. Alan had Mafrum - potatoes stuffed with ground beef cooked slowly in Moroccan red sauce and served over couscous. The restaurant is great!

I walked everday, so I only gained a few pounds!

A sea of green....

The T-shirt color this year for the Barracuda Bash was green. If you were walking by the Vistalmar on the mornings of fishing, you would have seen many people in these shirts! The first morning there were group photos taken--of all the captains & mates( plus Rosie)

And of all the fisher people--there were at least 8 women who fished--I think the most they've had. A few years ago a woman won--she was from the Netherlands. ( Pia was her name)

Carl--love those glasses!

It was great to see Carl again & to meet Debbie. We ran into them on Hidalgo our 1st night and after running a few errands,met up with them at Miguels. Before the start of the 1st day of fishing for the Barracuda Bash--Debbie was fishing with Sandia and Rambo!

At the Bash party, after the 2nd day of fishing. Talking to Maggie Washa. Carl & Debbie had brought 500 glow sticks and glow glasses for the kids and made many very happy this night! We had a ball making necklaces and bracelets for the children( and many adults) that were there --all the capts and mates are invited to come & bring their families. A great time was had by all!

1st morning sunrise

As i walked onto the malecon I saw the sun rising thru this buiklding--it's next door to the old Perla de caribe.

Along the malecon--I was there almost every morning! And the sunrise was different each day.

Early morning

I was up most every morning around 6 am and out walking shortly after that. These were taken 1/20--the 1st morning we were on Isla. On the malecon--I don't remember seeing these gazebos last year? Along the malecon. My routine was to go shelling & walk along the malecon, then do a walk around town, look for Fidel for the paper and walk a little more.

I took this shot of the sunrise through the shell of La Isla condos. Such a sad site--can only hope it will wash away in the next hurricane!