A grand day out Gromit?

The Yucatan Symphony Orchestra started it's 15th season and wow what a start. The programme was Johan Strauss and Franz Von Suppe. The orchestras home is the Jose Peon Contreras Theatre but this is closed for renovation so they are performing at the Teatro Armando Manzanero this season.

This theatre is mostly on one floor with a small first floor balcony. This is really a lovely art deco theatre inside and out and was  jam packed as they have reduced their program to just Sunday afternoons .

A little glimpse of the inside. Darn it I should have taken more photos

 It was a rousing performance  by Johann Strauss and Franz Von Suppe with all the familiar classics we know so well but can't always put a name to.

The encore  was brilliantly chosen to get us all clapping  .... The Rodetsky March.

It also gave us all an earworm too.... you know that tune that you just can't get off your brain and can be quite annoying in the end.

We didn't get our tickets until quite late and so most of the better seats were taken which is how we ended up in the neckcricking second row. It's funny what you notice when you are that close too.  For instance, 'd.j's' and stringed instruments !  Overall very dapper looking indeed , never the less on closer scrutiny ... bow ties are skew-iff and collars askew where that meddlesome little stringed instrument has interfered with that overall  touch of elegance but in doing so gave a rather whimsical appearance to the string section.

Also the poor harpist who sat bolt upright waiting patiently for her moment to strum so elegantly just to play maybe three chords. Wouldn't you think they would be better just skipping that bit? After all how many of us would really notice the missing  three chords?

Christopher Collins ( smiler) to the
left of the conductor

Last but not least I have to mention Christopher Collins,  guest first violin. This man plays the violin with such enthusiasm, he almost pops right out of his chair with his conviction to the piece he's playing. You can imagine what he was like when he played the Rodetsky March.... damn now I have the earworm back. He also has this permanent aura of amusement which you can't help but be affected by it. And to boot he is apparently ( not that I am up on these things) world renowned too.

During The Rodetsky March.

   All in all not bad for a little unknown place in the Yucatan.....see
   there are things I will miss. Oh and all this for I about $ 12 and
   thats for the best seats!  Beat that anywhere else in the world?


To finish the day we went to our usual little Italian just off Parque de la Maternidad where as it happens we began the day with a coffee and mooched around the local artists who display there every Sunday.

The usual crew..Jonna, Les and Nan, Stephen.

Parque de la Maternidad.

Best of British

The Brits are in town.........
So last week friends from England arrived for a few days , a few days that should have been longer and there aren't many people you can say that about. Our friendship goes back a good number of years to the  Lynton , North Devon days in England. Jane and Ben ran a posh Victorian double fronted Bed and Breakfast and we ran a three floor Victorian Bed and Breakfast not so posh in the same village. Neither of which we all do now.... thank goodness. They say " I could write a book" well between us we actually could and believe me it would be very entertaining ...... eat your heart out  Fawlty Towers. But hey .... another time maybe.

Jane and Ben live in a gorgeous little Derbyshire  village in the Peak district now. Stone built cottages, dry stone walls, a pub, a church and a  village green....... very English and quite the bees knees. The last time we saw them was about 8 years ago in Sundre,  Alberta. They have this wonderful habit of turning up to visit wherever we are ...... thank goodness . So as you can imagine we had some catching up to do. Also we had to fit a few 'Yucatecan" things in too so it was all go and way too short. They had just come from a few days in Mexico City and are heading for Palenque ( as I write ) then on to Guatemala. 6 weeks in total with only a couple of backpacks and a Galaxy between them...... Galaxy as in a nifty palm type Samsung  computer thingy and not a bar of chocolate just in case you were wondering.

Parwich

We first headed into Merida for one of the evenings.  Jonna and Nan and Les were joining us so we knew we were in for a fun night . I love showing off Merida it is quite the loveliest of cities and Jane and Ben agreed.... phew. They said it was better than Mexico City in many ways. Although having heard what  they said and seen their pictures of Mexico City it sounds like it should  definitely be on the visitors  'to do' list .

We headed for the Plaza Grande first . The Cathedral being at its best when it is lit at night, although it is quite spectacular during the day too. It was the first time I had actually been inside but when you are with Jane you do tend to ' boldly go where no man has has gone before' It has quite an understated elegance I have to stay and I am not a churchy person by any means but I can appreciate it's beauty.

We then went to look at the Museo Casa Montejo. Built between 1542 - 1549 by Don Francisco de Montejo conqueror of the Yucatan Peninsular. It is a fabulous renovation  and well worth a visit. It is located on  Calle 63 x 61 y 60 Grand Plaza.

Casa Montejo

After the culture bit we got down to business and went for an aperitif... that would be a Mojito or two before heading for Panchos Restaurant.

For those who haven't been, Panchos is more touristy than most but we like the ambience and the food has always been good and tonight was no exception. The  flambe steaks were the best steaks we have had for a long time . It's funny but flambe steaks seems to have gone out of fashion these days. I think there was an era when flambe was very 'in' but I am not admitting to a decade. We had such a fun time. I suddenly relised that I was actually sitting at the table with three Oracles. That's what they are called by us anyway. Jonna is our Merida and all things Internet Oracle. Nan is our Chelem , Diario and useless (sometimes useful ) bits of information Oracle and Jane is travel/ tour guide and  general information  Oracle. As you can guess whatever the subject one of them knew something about it., which led to a very interesting evening which invariably led to lots of laughing and general stupidity....... as you probably gathered non of the rest of us are exactly shy and retiring types either..............We were quite a mix of nationalities around the table too. Four Brits, Two Scots and an American. I'm sure there's a joke in that somewhere but I'll refrain. (for now!)

It's the only photo I have of Panchos. ( too dark for our little cameras)
In the photo Les ,Nan and Ben.

So next, Uxmal.  This was jane and Bens only real tourist request . We had been before and as I am not 'into' ruins  but was pleasantly surprised the first  time we went but I did think that I was going to be a little bored the second time around but hey they were friends right? As it happens we were pleasantly surprised again and second time around really enjoyed it........ third time I may have to 'pull a sicky'.

Of course going anywhere with Jane is always a rather unique experience. I remember when we all went on ski holidays together, ah happy days. We nicknamed Jane ' Piste Master ' ( for Americans reading this please  please substitute 'trail' for 'piste',  just another English lesson  for my American friends....oh hold on a minute piste is a french word!? well I'll go to foot of our stairs... yes it is )  she always had the piste  map in hand and the ski trails for the day worked out ahead of time and once on the ski slopes we ' vood vait for zee instructions' from 'meine Piste Master ' Just as well because no one else had a clue. Well done Jane I jest with fondness and gratitude.

Anyway I digress. However, true to Jane's nature she did have all the  information printed out and proceeded as tour guide as normal. There is however one lovely moment that will go down as yet another one of those ' I can't believe it' moments..........

To get this photo Jane accosted a lovely elderly couple who as it happens were English living in Canada. Would they  be so kind as to take a  photo of us, and of course they said yes. Then Jane proceeded to give exact instruction as to how she wanted the picture framed , ruins in the background please , take two in case the first one isn't up to standard etc. All the time she was  being ribbed by us as to what else she would like our friendly snapper to do ( nervous banter I think it was ). The couple were laughing thank goodness and did say that we must be really good friends to be able to
give and take so much banter.....

 Despite all of the above our intrepid photographer did get  the shot. Wether or not it was up to standard .... well who cares.

Uxmal

The weary travelers

The happy wanderers

Hear no, see no, speak no?

 It was a great few days and we are lucky to have good friend who will come to come and see us and also great friends  here  who will come out to play with us.

Coast to Coast

Well Jonna and Mimi have been trying to get us back to Akumal for some time now but I was always reluctant as our border collies were old and couldn't do the trip and I would never leave them with anyone but sadly they are no longer with us so, Akumal became an easier trip. Barney our cat came though so there were 3 dogs and 4 cats in total and Barney never stopped complaining the whole time we were there. He isn't allowed out at the condo so spent the whole time trying to escape.

However it was great to get away. This time we did a few things we hadn't done before. Mimi had to leave early to help with the free Spay and Neuter clinic in Merida but Jonna stayed ( so were down to 2 dogs and  Barney  ) and we even extended our stay a couple of days too.

We decided to go to Puerto Aventuras which is  a man made area of lagoons, high end condos, shops and restaurants all connected by walkways. The lagoons house many dolphins and the displays are quite amazing.

How the other half live

Tricks a plenty

  

Enjoying a limonade or something

Mmm what are they renting exactly?

Next on the list was Playa del Carmen and famous fifth Avenue. I came here with Claire about 8 years ago and nothing much has changed....... there's just more of it. It's very touristy which I quite like actually. Tourists are usually in a good mood after all they are out to enjoy themselves. The thing is having lived in Mexico for two years I have realised that the souvenir shops are all the same wherever you are..... same old tat.

Playa del Carmen 5th Avenue.

Limomenta

We stopped for lunch at this little Thai place that Jonna knew where we had the best drink ever...Non alchoholic I might say. Limomenta we think it was called... It was like a slushy in texture and a mix of lemon and mint...Mmmmm delicious and refreshing.

Onwards and upwards as they say....Talum beach...................

Wow, I couldn't believe the sand  how soft it felt underfoot a, like silver dust . Actually Jonna had an explanation for this.  She said it probably comes from the vast amounts of coral that the parrot fish nibble on. So basically it's made from Parrot fish sh... It  tainted the illusion somehow but made me laugh at the same time.......So next time you walk on Talum beach remember.....Parrot fish sh..

Our favourite place to eat in Akumal is The Turtle bay cafe owned by Jen and Brad. they do a great breakfast and bake all their own pastries.

Turtle Bay cafe

Turtle Bay cafe

We were lucky to visit Brad and Jens house as Mimi had to pick up some dog cages. Jen is very much involved in animal care and rescue in Akumal and told us at one point she rescued 18 dogs from an animal shelter that was closing dow just so they wouldn't be put to sleep.

At present she has 5 dogs and numerous cats that roam freely . They have 3 hectares in the jungle....yes jungle... even the monkeys pay them a visit now and again..... Not everybody's cup of tea but hey it takes all sorts?

They have a lovely house, very open plan and one of the biggest bathrooms I have ever seen... but as Jen say the dogs follow you all over so you need a big bathroom..... yeah right Jen, just why I would have a big bathroom too ?........ but then, she is animal bonkers.

Mimi and Stephen on the porch.

They have the most amazing pool...it is made from an actual cenote and right outside their front door.

How cool is this?

Our last day was spent on the beach only a few short steps from  Jonna and Mimi's condo....

Bliss

The view over Half Moon Bay

The view from the apartment.





We really are lucky to have great friends......... especially the ones with such a great place in Akumal. We had a great time as usual.



Now I will leave you with one thought ... they say every picture tells a story......

..

This is a pitcher of Margaritas...........what was I thinking ?

Procrastinating....No more.......Happy 2011

So here we go again. It has been a year since I last blogged. I thought that I had run out of steam and that I had nothing   to say anymore...... I know , hard to believe that I had nothing to say. However I realised that I actually missed wittering  on about 'stuff' so here I am like a bad penny?


Also I wanted to change my blog format . Friends had been complaining that my old blog took too long to download and seeing as I am not very literate when it comes to this sort of thing it took a lot of procrastinating and re energising to get going again...........See I told you I missed chuntering on about nothing. By the way chuntering is a Yorkshire word, so for the Yorkshire speak illiterates out there don't go looking it up it only exists in a Yorkshire persons thesaurus.




We put both our houses on the market a year ago after deciding that Mexico just wasn't for us. A couple or three months ago we sold the beach house and last week we sold this house. In short we are on the move........... again................. This is my story past and present , warts and all or will be .................... 

Our house

Beach front house

This blog is short and sweet........ just to wet your appetite for more I hope. I just thought that if I didn't get started I would be dragging my feet once again through 2011.


So ................watch this space and do an link if you want to be kept in touch with the new blogs.