Thursday, August 20, 2009

Final Isla Post

I gotta wrap this up. We've been back from Isla from over 6 weeks and I'm still trying to finish the blog posts. This post will just be some of my favorite pictures that didn't make it to the other posts. In no particular order:

Seahawk Dive Shop - This is where we stay while we're on Isla. The owners, Ariel and Bonnie Barandica have become good friends over the years.

A beautiful sunset from the roof of the dive shop
What a pair!

Catchin' some rays!

This old guy lives on the patio of our room. He really likes tortillas, chicken, ham. He charges the patio door if he sees you coming with food in your hand.

Love the view!

Check out the handsome guys on the golf cart!!!

So many questions! Why does Steve have four arms? Why is he wearing a dress? Why, why, why?

We wanted to stop at this place, but there were too many rules for a bunch of yahoos!

Each side had the same message in a different language.

Barco de pesca

Really big turtle at the Sea Turtle Conservation Farm

Crab dodging the waves


Guarding the nest from a bunch of yahoos


We discovered the site of the mysterious flip flop graveyard (moment of silence please)

Patrick is practicing the ancient art of crab taming. He put the crab to sleep

Sleeping Crab

View of Isla Mujeres from the plane as we flew away. Can wait to return with Storyville!

If once you have slept on an Island, you’ll never be quite the same; you may look as you looked the day before and go by the same old name. You may bustle about in street and shop, you may sit at home and sew, But you’ll see blue water and wheeling gulls wherever your feet may go. You may chat with neighbors of this and that and close to the fire keep, but you’ll hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell and tides beat through your sleep. Oh you won’t know why, and you can’t say how such a change upon you came, but once you have slept on an island, you’ll never be quite the same. ~Rachel Field

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Spiral Island



On this trip to Isla we met a very interesting and special person, Richi Sowa. Richi built a floating island in the lagoon on Isla. The entire island floats on plastic bottles. This is Richi's second island. The first one (the original Spiral Island) was near Puerto Aventuras and was destroyed by a hurricane.
Align Left
Richi is an artist and musician and it was a privilege and honor to meet him and get a tour of his incredible island. The island contains his home complete with a composting toilet, a solar oven and several other interesting accouterments. Richi was very friendly and gracious. We were sad that we met him on our last full day on Isla as he invited Troy and Colleen (and the rest of our group) back to jam with him. That would have been an experience to remember. Hopefully we will be able to meet him again when we return to Isla.
Here are a couple of web sites for more information on Richi and his island:


Some pictures from our 3 hour tour! LOL:


Foundation of the Island


View from the shore


View from the lagoon


View from the lagoon

View from upstairs


Richi giving us the tour


Steve and Richi have a conversation on the conch phone

Steve and Colleen enjoy the view

Floating bed
Shower and sink

Solar oven (the cake was pretty good)


Guest quarters

Richi's wish for us all!