Isla Mujeres

These pics are the only ones I got.(no that is not Wayne in the pic with the girls) only the hammock and fishing dock are not mine.Stupid me. should have been clicking up a storm .





The History of Isla Mujeres (the Island of Woman)
Isla Mujeres has a long and colorful history. In Mayan times the island served as the sanctuary for the goddess Ixchel, the Mayan Goddess of fertility, reason, medicine, and the moon. The Temple was located at the South point of the island and was also used as the lighthouse. The light from torches was shown through holes in the walls, which could be seen by the navigators at sea. The Mayans to also came to the island to harvest salt from the salt lagoons. In March of the year 1517, Francisco Hernandez Cordova discovered the island. When the Spanish expedition landed, they found many female shaped idols representing the goddess Ixchel, thus Isla Mujeres got its name.
"During Lent of 1517 Francisco Hernandez de Cordova sailed from Cuba with three ships to procure slaves for the mines... (others say he sailed to discover new lands). He landed on the Isla de las Mujeres, to which he gave this name because the idols he found there, of the goddesses of the country, "Ixchel" and her daughters and daughter-in-law's "Ixchebeliax", "Ixhunie", "Ixhunieta", only vestured from the girdled down, and having the breast uncovered after the manner of the Indians. The building was of stone, such as to astonished them, and they found certain objects of gold which they took." Excerpt from "Yucatan, Before and After the Conquest" written in 1566 by Friar Diego de Landa.
For the next three centuries Isla Mujeres was uninhabited. The only visitors were fisherman and pirates who used Isla as a refuge and left their women on the island "for safekeeping" while they sailed the high seas. Hence the name. Famous pirates like Henry Morgan and Jean Lafitte walked the shores of Isla and as legend goes, buried their stolen treasure under the white sands.
After the Independence of Mexico, a small village began in what is now downtown Isla Mujeres. During the wars many Mayans took refuge on Cozumel, Holbox and Isla Mujeres. Mayan fisherman found the waters around the island to be a fisherman's paradise and the village slowly grew. In August of 1850, the governor of the State of Yucatan, Don Miguel Barbacano, named the village, Pueblo de Dolores.


Well this Island was half Ghetto and half incredibley Beautiful !!! On our walk from the ferry to the beach portion we saw stuff you will never see in America-at least not until the police rolled up and arrested them or fined. We saw an entire family of 4 on a scooter (it is like a motor cycle only not as fast). The 2 year old was standing between the fathers legs who was driving.Behind him was maybe a 3-4 year old and on the back was the wife!!!!! Talk about saving gas to take the family out on the town. Also saw bunches of cars driving around with absolutley no lights. You know,they were taken out!The buildings and streets are just delapadated(sp?) and tons of people selling stuff on the streets in little carts. Loose dogs running around. It is just a totally differant life style.Amazing.Isla Mujeres is located just 8 miles from Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula. It is only 5 miles long and half a mile wide and the downtown area is small enough to cover by foot.

We did get a few pictures but it does it no justice! The pics up top- Kirah and Amber and Wayne went out maybe a football field long or more out into the ocean and it was still up to the girls bellies.It was incredible! I decided to let Wayne-o take the girls first while I tried to get some sun and stay with all the stuff on the beach. I did take my turn and go in the water, it was so calm, clear and warm. Amber and I were riding the little waves out by were it gets a tiny bit deeper. I'm giving you this link if you want to see the Island alittle better.http://www.isla-mujeres.net/
It was alot of fun and thank the Lord for our only day of full sun.

Swimming with Dolphins!!!

Well this was awsome to watch, altho I would have loved to do it!It was expensive enough for them. This was Saturday Morning about 9:30. Kirah's group got to go first and then Amber's. Both sessions were 50 minutes long. When we realized where Kirah's group was being held, Wayne and I realized they put her way over there because they want you to buy their pictures for $16.50 a piece or their movie for $30. This is not pesos folks! So we barley got any of Kirah but we did buy a Pic simply because we couldn't see that much. THEY GOT US!!

Amber's however was much closer and we got tons of pics! -No we didn't buy one of her- Anyways amber was able to do all the cool stuff Kirah did only Kirah got to get a ride buy the dolphin, and Ambi did not. (still to little) you have to be 9 to get a ride. They had a BLAST even tho they were complaining that they were popcicles! That water was freezing! During the girls sessions Wayne and I took turns and we got a kiss from the Dolphins and we got to pet them,as part of our package. They are so cool too touch. Like rubber... kinda. Well on with the story-The place they had the dolphins was also a water park. So when that was all done we went on the water slides and wave pool. OH this day, Kirah decided to put sun block above her eyes when no one was looking and when we went on the water ride we had a catastophy!!!! She was screaming in pain crying . I rushed her to the bathroom to wash her eyes out and that wasn't working. So I guided her through the parklike a blind person trying to find someone that works there. They took us to the first aid stationand did an eye flush. I was nervous about the treatment after what happened at the mall. But they handled themselves well and everyone speaks English so It makes it easy.What a day! Well that day alittle more than half the day was sun, then it started to rain as we left the park. Just in time........ I'll continue the story later.

Love ya Buh Bye

back to the Cancun trip

Hello Hello,

The Cancun trip was very nice! The first 3 1/2 days were cloudy and cool.eh not exsactly what I would call ideal weather for a vacation to Mexico. Also ,none of the pools were heated so we did nothing except go to the mall or walk on the beach and splash around alittle. The day before While walking around the mall Kirah got an injury to her toe nail. SHe had flip flops on and walked into the back of her daddy's sneaker and it cracked right down the middle into the nail bed. Well upon asking the security gaurd for assistance,we find out just how things work there. Well the guy calls another guy and he comes with gauze,bandaides,iodine,triple antibiotic and procedes to clean her bloody toe with no gloves. After he sops up the blood with the gauze he uses *the same gauze*and tips it on the iodine and reapplys it to her toe! I was like AHHHHHHH. I almost had a heart attack!!!!ok yes ewe,how many time has he done that!!!

The ocean was warmer (by alot) than the pools.Well anyways Kirah's meet was that friday and as I wrote on my previous post, she did well. After the meet Kirah and Wayne went back to the hotel with Amber and I. Since the college meet was at like 6:30pm we decided to eat dinner and I would stay with Amber after, while they went to see Nikki (LSU gymnast/friend who got a full scholarship while going to our gym!!!!). Anyways, she did well and Amber and I hung out at the Hot tub cause that was all that was heated.She made some friends and I watched her.