Saturday, February 25th
Awake for sunrise!
I stayed here for a bit and tried not to think too much about the fact that I would have to leave this lovely place and all the experiences with it in a little over 24 hours. What a gift.
Off to breakfast...
Just for fun... Here are some mice I ran into at the buffet! Mice.... generally not something you want to see at a buffet....
Back to the beach. While beachside, I see a photographer from CID and wonder (as 2 shirts are beachside with me) if she would be interested seeing in the shirt. But she was moving pretty quickly down the beach- and I thought I'd exercise some self-control and not chase her down. I did tell myself that if she came back my direction, I would ask if she wanted to see the shirt.
Well, she did come back my direction. So, I asked. And she, enthusiastically, said yes. She loved the shirt! And then proceeded to have a little mini photo shoot of the shirt :0). She staged them in the sand and then did another shot with the shirt upright (me holding it, but she -after i asked- assured me that I wouldn't be seen in the shot- just the shirt :0). She said she really hoped that CID would choose one of the shirt shots for the final gallery (of shots they chose as a recap of the event) - but even if they didn't, I should be able to request them from CID later. And... here they are:
It's coming up on noon or so and one of the things that I had not taken much advantage of up to this point was the poolside concerts (by one or more of the nightly concert openers) that happened each day at about this time. Today, Carlos Varela (with Aldo at piano) was performing, and Shannon and I found a nice spot where we could enjoy the music close-up (and dunk our toes in as we saw fit)- soak it in! So glad we did! Carlos is from Cuba and is also known as, "The Poet of Havana". Lovely music!
Now, the poolside venue and stage is much more accessible than the nighttime concert stage. And - so in my short-lived brush with assertiveness (that I guess Mexico AND the message of love stirred up in me), I decided that I really wanted Carlos to see the shirt (part of that had to do also with the fact that he was Spanish-speaking- and he sang about love, so...). So, after Carlos and Aldo finished their afternoon poolside set, I took a few short steps (really, like I said, we were close) - well- maybe about 20 steps... And then stood at the gate between myself and the musicians. Carlos was further back, so I couldn't get his attention. But, I was able to get Aldo's attention. I showed him the shirt. Perhaps I was talking too fast or- I don't know- but I think he got the impression that I might do this kind of thing regularly - like I was a groupie or something- but.. anyways, he smiled politely but didn't say a lot. I asked if he could mention the shirt to Carlos (perhaps this is where he thought I was odd or a little pushy...). He said he would. Then he was quickly gone (I really don't blame him).
Well, I wasn't quite satisfied. So I stuck around. Now, i was not the only music enthusiast hanging out by the gate. There was a grown man with an HUGE rubber duck pool float right next to me- he was waiting for his duck to be signed (which he had apparently had gotten other signatures prior to this one- that duck was marked up pretty good)... So, I wasn't feeling quite so bad anymore- I just had a shirt. Shirt/giant duck... shirt/ giant duck... Yeah! I'm not crazy!
Somehow, he with the HUGE duck was granted entrance to the other side of the gate for yet another signature to add to the duck's skin. Hmmm. So off the grown man and his duck go to meet Carlos! Maybe I'm missing something. Very soon after that a person from behind the gate came up to me and asked if I wanted my shirt signed by Carlos. I told her I really had just wanted him to see it- but she again offered for him to sign it- so I thought Sure! I did tell her, though, I would really like him to read the shirt. Now, I (remember, I am not the one carrying a huge blown up duck!) was not invited past the gate. But- oh well. I did get to watch Carlos look at and sign the shirt from a distance. My view was obstructed a bit...
And, here you go! The shirt signed by Carlos!
Translation: With love and Cuban kisses. God bless you, Carlos Varela
And get this!!!! My friend Xochitl who is half-Cuban, half-Mexican (she is the one who did the translation for the shirt)- she and her husband used to be in the music industry full-time... Anyways, I thought I'd ask her if she happened to know Carlos. And she said- Oh yeah! He is good friends with my brother-in-law! There is also a documentary about him that HBO did called "The Poet of Havana". How about that! Small world! and- i think Carlos liked the shirt!
So- that is my signature story. Perhaps one day I'll get to go to Cuba- and hear Carlos there! I will definitely be listening to his music in the future! (And since I've been back from Mexico, I have pulled up songs others recorded on YouTube to relive the moment!)
Well, after this Shannon and I headed back to the beach for a bit. And then, the court called... they needed more players... Beach volleyball!!! On the Gulf of Mexico!!! Shannon encouraged me, and I answered the call. Had a blast! I apologized in advance to my team - saying that I would probably serve mostly underhand due to an old volleyball injury (that had reintroduced itself to me about a year ago when I was coaching my daughter's Y team- 20 years passed and then-- there it is, I remember that- rotator cuff injury). I soon felt at ease, though, when my other late 30's or 40 something teammates went on to share the shortcomings of their aging bodies as well :0)! Good times! And thanks, Shannon, for encouraging me to get out there!
Well- we didn't win- but it was still a blast... and now.... what is left to be done? Time to gather souvenirs for friends and family before I go. And then pack- booo!!!!
On my way to the shops I swung by the travel agent area of the resort to look for Victoria. I had decided that if she was there, I would give her a shirt. And thankfully she was working! So we talked some more. And then I asked for her permission to get a picture and share it with all of you (I wanted to be sure she knew this would be shared online, etc..). She was fine with that - and so now I can share her beautiful smile with you:
Though I didn't have the pleasure of spending volumes of time with Victoria, I imagine she is just as beautiful a person inside as out. I am so glad I got to meet her.
After visiting a bit with Victoria, it was off to gathering- this was fun! And I wore my shirt and talked with lots of the shop owners about the message. Again and again, the shop owners and shop workers showed appreciation for the message. At one shop I saw a piece of leather with the Seattle Seahawks logo etched on it- that looked like the perfect gift for my younger daughter who is a huge Seahawks (and Russell Wilson) fan. I was able to get her name burned onto the leather by another shop owner that I had visited earlier. When talking with the worker where I purchased the Seahawks piece, he said that he was getting goosebumps hearing about the message of the shirt. He then signaled to his mother to come over and see the shirt (I am guessing that she was around 60 years old). He spoke English to me, and then spoke Spanish to his mother as he showed her the shirt. He wanted his mother to see it- to see the message. Though now months have passed since that day, the memory still makes me smile.
I really enjoyed talking with the shop owners and workers that day- and seeing them smile beautiful smiles as I shared the Mexico love message with them! Another worker I visited made bracelets that she could personalize with a name- a good gift for both of my girls since they have less-than-typical names and I have yet to find a premade item that has had either or their names on it. The worker at this store said that she could have the bracelets made in "10 Mexican minutes". I can't remember how long it took her to make the bracelets, but I can say that i enjoyed the conversation I had with her over that time. She, too, really liked the shirt - and we did some language training- she taught me a little more Spanish and I taught her a new phrase in English.
Eventually it was time to stop shopping and get ready for the last night in Mexico. Night 3 of the concerts was opened by Vusi Mahlesela from South Africa. In South Africa, he is simply known as, "The Voice". He and Dave sang a song titled "The Mother of Africa"- (thankfully someone from the concert recorded it, and I have listened to it countless times since February) as well as "Everyday" together- happy music! Then Dave and Tim went into their set.
Dave and Tim, picking away!
And just like that, Night 3 of Dave and Tim at Riviera Maya was over.... but not forgotten.
Day 5
February 26, 2017
I woke early to gather all of my things (admittedly, no small task- i did most of the packing the day/night before as I am not a morning person...) and make sure there was time for Shannon and I to enjoy our last breakfast together in Mexico.
It was a lovely breakfast and we had the same server for this meal as we had for our first meal (or one of our first- I think Shannon would remember the details on that).
After breakfast, I grab the bags and get in line to checkout.
After breakfast, I grab the bags and get in line to checkout.
Checkout took longer than I anticipated but that is not a complaint. I got to chat with another CID worker and Shannon for a good portion of my time in line. This CID employee staff person was from Mexico and had a sister in the States. Shannon and I chatted with him about life,... and the shirt (I told Shannon that I hoped she didn't think I was being over the top with talking about the shirt- she did not believe so- and helped me come to the resolve that all the conversations about the shirt were not about "the shirt" but more importantly its message of love- and the message of love certainly is still needed and will not grow old) and his thoughts on life and current events - and how he and his sister have been impacted by such. Good to talk. Good to listen. Important to hear.
And now.... to get in line for the bus.... to the airport. At the airport, I got special attention again due to my bags. And again, I think they were looking for the second passenger to go with all of the bags. One bag was overweight so I had to take a few books out which I placed on top of the counter at the check-in desk. There were two young men grinning widely behind the counter as this packing-challenged girl unpacked a bit before them. I think they were checking out my literature- it was an interesting mix I believe: Unashamed by Lecrae (I have yet to read that one- but maybe this summer?), A book on racism in America, my Bible and perhaps one more- maybe something fiction... Hmmm. Well, I managed to find a place for those books in one of my carryons. Now off to security with just my carryons. I had one Mexico shirt still in my carryons (still a few more packed in regular baggage), and so I decided I'd try to find another person to give that one away as well. I spoke very briefly with a worker at one of the food stands and gave him the shirt along with the long written explanation of the shirt (I had written out on paper in Spanish the same message I had asked my friend Xochitl to translate for me- so that I had in Spanish the background story for the shirt---- sometimes I shared her translation by just showing it to someone on my phone- but this one was written out).
He seemed to really appreciate the shirt.
He seemed to really appreciate the shirt.
No shirt got to Dave or Tim- but I'm guessing, at least for now, the shirts weren't meant for them (even though I think they'd REALLY like them☺️) - they were meant for Victoria, and the man at the airport and the woman who took great care of our room at the resort (Shannon left a shirt behind in our room). They were for some new friends, acquaintances and strangers in Mexico. The shirts were- and are- for love. And I believe that message was sent: To Mexico, with Love. I hope I can go again. I am richer for my time there. Thank you to all of you who came with me. We came with a message - and we left a message behind. Mexico and the message would not have been the same without you.
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