Yep, we joined the minivan group last week. We were going to wait until after the baby was born and deal with splitting up the family in two cars since Marisa goes to church early each week anyway, we don't often all need to be in one car. The last few months at the office have been so good we were able to go ahead and get the car now. We kept the Passat for me to drive to work and we're keeping the Jeep for scouts and hauling things that are dirty (to help keep the van clean).
We love the minivan's comfort and convenience. It feels like we're driving around a bedroom with so much room. The kids are so excited as well and by keeping them spread out, there is soooooo much less fighting and problems on drives. We tested it out on a drive to Tacoma on Saturday to see the Monster Truck Rally with the Chapmans.
While making our Best of '09 post we remembered that we didn't post all of our Cancun pix. We had the pictures on two different compact flash cards and didn't get around to uploading the others for a while. Here is the rest of the original post....
We rented a car and drove to Chitzen Itza. We drove from there down to Playa Carmen and used the GPS to take a short cut that wasn't shown on any of the printed maps. Needless to say, the people weren't used to seeing a gringo drive down their roads through the jungle. It was a pretty cool drive to see the heart of the country side, and nice to save some time!
We love the minivan's comfort and convenience. It feels like we're driving around a bedroom with so much room. The kids are so excited as well and by keeping them spread out, there is soooooo much less fighting and problems on drives. We tested it out on a drive to Tacoma on Saturday to see the Monster Truck Rally with the Chapmans.While making our Best of '09 post we remembered that we didn't post all of our Cancun pix. We had the pictures on two different compact flash cards and didn't get around to uploading the others for a while. Here is the rest of the original post....
We rented a car and drove to Chitzen Itza. We drove from there down to Playa Carmen and used the GPS to take a short cut that wasn't shown on any of the printed maps. Needless to say, the people weren't used to seeing a gringo drive down their roads through the jungle. It was a pretty cool drive to see the heart of the country side, and nice to save some time!
This is a cenote at Chitzen Itza.
They were starting some new digging around the base of the pyramid that more closely dates the BOM times. That will be exciting to see what they find.
Marisa waiting on the dock for the ferry to take us back to Cancun after spending the evening in Isla Mujeres. Our FAVORITE place in all of the Mexican Riviera.
Eating at an Argentine steak house on Isla Mujeres.
North Shore beaches on Isla Mujeres. The area was so beautiful and peaceful. Because it is off the mainland a ways, the North Shore is at the right angle to have the sunset into the water, something you don't get in Cancun. There weren't very many people around, the water was bath tub warm, almost no waves, white sand...can you say HEAVEN! Holy cow, we want to go back there bad!
When we first go to Isla Mujeres we talked down a local guide to take us around the whole day for $15 doing sight seeing, snorkeling, etc. He took us to a place that had a shark you can hold. It was a nurse shark I think, bottom feeder, not white boy eater thank goodness!
Snorkeling around a sunken ship in some shallow water.
Eating at a little place on the road back from Tulum. Just a house that sold tacos on the side of the road. The looks I would get for speaking Spanish was always funny. They didn't expect that from a tall, white, USA guy.
Our lunch on Isla Mujeres.
Snorkeling in Yal-Ku. It is where one of the few above ground rivers (fresh water) meets the ocean and tons of sea life comes there to feed. My brother went there a few years ago on his honeymoon, but it sounds like they have made the place much nicer so go back if you've been before, it was pretty cool.
They were starting some new digging around the base of the pyramid that more closely dates the BOM times. That will be exciting to see what they find.
Marisa waiting on the dock for the ferry to take us back to Cancun after spending the evening in Isla Mujeres. Our FAVORITE place in all of the Mexican Riviera.
Eating at an Argentine steak house on Isla Mujeres.
North Shore beaches on Isla Mujeres. The area was so beautiful and peaceful. Because it is off the mainland a ways, the North Shore is at the right angle to have the sunset into the water, something you don't get in Cancun. There weren't very many people around, the water was bath tub warm, almost no waves, white sand...can you say HEAVEN! Holy cow, we want to go back there bad!
When we first go to Isla Mujeres we talked down a local guide to take us around the whole day for $15 doing sight seeing, snorkeling, etc. He took us to a place that had a shark you can hold. It was a nurse shark I think, bottom feeder, not white boy eater thank goodness!
Snorkeling around a sunken ship in some shallow water.
Eating at a little place on the road back from Tulum. Just a house that sold tacos on the side of the road. The looks I would get for speaking Spanish was always funny. They didn't expect that from a tall, white, USA guy.
Our lunch on Isla Mujeres.
Snorkeling in Yal-Ku. It is where one of the few above ground rivers (fresh water) meets the ocean and tons of sea life comes there to feed. My brother went there a few years ago on his honeymoon, but it sounds like they have made the place much nicer so go back if you've been before, it was pretty cool.
Chillin' at the hotel in Cancun.
Waterfront at our hotel in Cancun. My prescription sunglasses fell out of my velcro pocket in about 20 feet of water. It was so clear, and the sand so white that they stuck out and we were able to find them! Well, Marisa found them first and dove down and got them.
Can't wait to go again!
4 comments:
Cool! Laurel and I have been looking for something that we will all fit in when the new one arrives. I am not sure I am ready to go the minivan route however. We are thinking about going the huge, gas guzzling, SUV route. Cancun is awsome. It would be great to make it down there frequently. I enjoyed the "bubba carts" we drove around Isla Mujeres. Your lunch looks better than the one we ate there though!
Russ, I keep forgetting to ask you to send me a link to your blog since it is private. send it to deeppowderdds123[at]gmail.com (just take out the #'s 123)
Ahhhh, that helped make it through this monday... Such pretty pictures! It's funny to see pictures of Chitzen Itza because I went there in the 5th grade and climbed those same pyramids and saw that same cenote. I think the thing I remember most is about how they threw people in there as a sacrifice and also, the huge game court they would play a type of football/basketball in. It was an honor to win and get sacrificed if you did. Maybe it was just my 5th grade brain but somehow it turned into them playing the game with someones head... I know, not such a great education I got huh? Glad you got to swim in those waters, wasn't that one of the things on your "bucket list"?
Yay! More pics! :)
First, minivans TOTALLY make me think - I am not longer me, I am just a MOM (instead of me and a mom), but we'll be joining that club before the summer is over.
Mexico - awesome. Is that digging they are doing near El Castillo? That is amazing that there is so much more than we can see. It sounds like you guys had tons of fun. While researching for our trip I read over and over that Isla Mujeres is fantastic, so good to hear another positive review. If (really - when) we go down there again we'll have to make sure that we visit there too.
Thanks for the pics. It's always nice to see something sunny, warm and bright on a cold winter's day. :)
(Oh, and Jodee - yes on sacrifices in cenote, no head being played with in the ball courts, but the loser (or winner - I don't think there is a real conclusion) got their head(s) chopped off!
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