Cozumel

Dec 20th '78 [by Robert Darnell]
The three meskiters are heading to Cozumel. Jerre & Becky are opening their Christmas presents.

Got to Cozumel about 9. Dark, dense jungle, insects, snakes, gators, head hunters, and cannibals. We made it ok to the Sol Caribe, a beautiful hotel and surroundings carved out of the raw jungle. Beach, pool, and grounds you can't believe. Drank some rum, danced some. Really good music. They celebrate Xmas on the 24th. Have a rain forest bar called the hippopotamus which we will check out.

21st
Jerre hit the beach early. Becky and Rawb rode some motor scooters. Saw the El Presidente and a beautiful lagoon. Did not have much trouble with the head hunters and cannibals. Just flexed our muscles and stared them down.

Swam through a winding lagoon with overhanging jungle trees full of boas and monkeys. Also saw 3 toed sloth. Passed a jungle bar with underwater seats. Very cool. Wound up at a beach which was only rocks. Hard to walk on rocks. Water beautiful blue and clear.

Big crisis -- came back to the room and the A/C wasn't working. Hottern' Hades. Complained and the sent up a young fellow who changed out the whole A/C in 30 minutes. Now it's cool cool. Jerre also found some ice. Now if she can get her hair fixed we are going to eat.

We ate a big meal. Becky lobster, Jerre fish, Rob shrimp. Lobster too hot -- Beck and Jerre changed -- Jerre got mad at Rawb; ran back to room 100 mph.

22nd
Got on a boat. Two crew members six passengers. One crew man snorkeled and dove for conchs. He got a bunch. They trolled for swordfish but didn't get any. Then fished over the side and caught a bunch. We sailed through many dangerous reefs and rip tides finally arriving at a wild uninhabited island. After a gorgeous landing we finally got on the beach. They built a roaring pit fire and cooked the fish. We had five dishes and some fruit, cheese, beer, and cake. The beach was beautiful with white powdery sand and clear blue water and palm trees. Not many wild animals just geese, raccoon,
albatross, and sea gulls.

When we got back to the hotel our A/C was out again for the 3rd time. And it was the third time they replaced it. Here's hoping.

They are having a big fish fry down in the jungle but we are going to McDonalds for hamburgers and shakes.

Sat. 23
Rawb got up early and went down to the beach with some coffee. It was really pleasant down there that early. A man and woman from Canada were there exercising and swimming in the cold water. They were health nuts. Jerre and Beck came on down for breakfast and after that we rented a Jeep. Things down here take a long time and there was quite a wait getting the Jeep.

We finally got it and took off on a tour of the island and the Mayan ruins. We stopped at San Francisco beach which was totally unique Mexican. It was nice and pretty. We asked the guy there how to get to the Cedral Ruin and he said the first road to the left off into the jungle. We took it and got about two miles back in there and ran out of gas. The Jeep had been given to us completely empty.

We walked out and back to the beach, took a cab back to our hotel.

Rawb went back with a guy in another Jeep with some gas and we finally got going again.

This time we found our way into the Cedral Ruin. It was not down the first road where we ran out of gas. the people in there were so primitive you wouldn't believe it. They said that they raised bananas for a livelihood.

From there we went to a lighthouse and saw another ruin on the way. This was along the Caribbean side of the island.Very wild with large breaking surf. We saw some iguanas.

Back to the hotel and then into town to buy some t-shirts for Beck and her friends. Jerre had the Montezuma all day but stuck it out and kept going. Rawb got it later in the day and Becky that night. The hotel had a posada and Mexican food festival but we could not attend because of Montezuma. We tried to get something light to eat but couldn't pull it off.

Coming back to the hotel Rawb stopped at bar for bottled Coke and ice for Jerre's stomach's sake. Jerre & Beck went on to room. When Rawb got to room no one was there. He had no key so stood outside holding ice and Coke until ice turned to agua. He was most puzzled but could not scratch his head because both hands were full.

Some time later here came the two who said they had been trapped in the elevator. It wouldn't move or the door wouldn't open, Their rescuer was a small five year old kid who knew the mechanics of elevators.

Christmas Eve Sitting by the Pool at Sol Caribe
Mexican music cha cha chiatcha chi chi chi cha cha chiatcha chi chi chi
Palm trees waving in the breeze coconuts dropping on peoples' heads and fat bellies.

Jerre and Becky and other bathing beauties soaking up the rays. A palm frond covered bar with Mayan boys in yellow pants and white shirts running in and out carrying people rums and Coca Colas and pina coladas.

Two cats are out there playing volley ball in the pool. Many kids are splashing. The flowers and trees and bushes are beautiful red pink yellow, orange green violet and all shades ... Reminds me of the mown grass and mesquite beans at Abilene.

Everybody fritters oiling fixing turning walking running talking twisting looking eating drinking bending stooping stretching. Feliz Navidad.

Exciting wild apple eating contest going on down at end of pool. Whistle blows and contestants try to eat an apple dangling on a string. Squealing yelling snapping -- all striving for the grand prize. The one who eats the most -- if any of his apple in the prescribed time is the grand prize winner. Everyone fighting for the grand prize. Stretch snap gobble bite growl snarl. Tweet -- oh the winner -- What joy -- a six-year-old. The grand prize -- oh joy -- a bottle of Grand Prieur!

***

Running out of gas in the dense jungle while lost looking for the fabled ruin of El Cedral, Rawb used cuss words never before invented -- Jerre had Montezuma bad and could not walk but did anyway. It was so dark and dense back in there even at midday that you could only see small patches of light here and there. We had to carry everything out of the Jeep -- couldn't leave anything because the savages would strip it if they discovered it while we were gone. We started the hike not bravely at all, real chicken. The biggest danger was the tigers that domiciled in that area.

We sweated and strained and walked -- Jerre moaning -- Robert cussing -- Becky swatting at the swarms of mosquitoes. She couldn't stand it any longer so made a mad dash for a spot of light at the end of a long tunnel of vines which luckily was the road. Rawb and Jerre stumbled out sweating and exhausted and Jerre moaning with the Montezuma. We stood there in the open thanking our lucky stars that we had made it out, wondering what would happen next when lo and behold a jungle cowboy in a pickup truck came along and gave us a ride to San Francisco Beach.

On Snorkeling in the Caribbean
The rocks and coral are rough and tough on tender skin and feet. The trick is don't buck the wave action just float with it and pretty soon you're just floating around in there with the fish and eels. Becky saw a six foot long eel and it scared her to death. She came back in like a storm. Rawb went out to see it and sure 'nuff it was a scary thing. You don't bother it -- it don't bother you.
Allegro Nuevo Uno

Christmas Eve at Sol Caribe
We went down to El Presidente for a snack easy on out decimated stomachs. Got a bowl of fiery hot soup and sandwich. Here's hoping. What do you know -- the A/C just went off again. We are going down town to catch the festival if any.

This Christmas Eve is about like any other Sunday night. They all walk around the town square sit and eat fruit and candy off of carts -- they had a party in the town park but they do that every Sunday. Drink Cokes and beer and have hat dances, etc on a raised stage. The city donates baskets which are given away.

They were having a few private pinata parties -- where the kids beat on a stuffed animal with bats and beat goodies out of it -- jolly fun.

No St Nick no Christmas trees, no fireplace -- no presents, no jingle bells -- no Donner no Blitzen no Christmas Dinner -- no church service.

Going to bed hopefully no Montezuma tonight -- get up real early and catch that plane back to Houston -- neat and organized.