Time to leave and wend our way home. Xic we (sheek way). That’s Kekchi (one of the Maya languages) for goodbye for the person leaving. It’s been a great two and a half week with lots of photos to edit and review.
Some you’ve already seen on the blog. Others will go onto our website in our gallery. Arnie’s working on his images as I type this, as you haven’t seen any of his yet this trip. We’ll share our exhibition images in July when the show closes.
The last morning is always tough. I don’t know about you, but I’m always torn by the anticipation of going home and finding MooseCat greeting us at our door and not wanting to leave such a wonderful place.
We went to breakfast at our favorite spot down by the water and sat at one of the picnic tables looking out at the light reflecting off the water.
I never understand why people want a perfect bell curve in their histograms. After all, there is no detail in those highlights. Plain and simple. It’s part of what makes the scene what it is.
Breakfast came, along with our freshly-squeezed orange juice, and we ate leisurely, leaving the table now and then to do yet another photograph.
My brother and sister-in-law joined us, and Arnie did some videos and stills of all of us. No one really wanted to leave and finish packing, as you can see from this photo of Arnie.
A water taxi came in; a deep-sea fishing boat went out; and several Tropic Air (our airline of choice) and Maya Air puddle hoppers flew overhead. People meandered in and out, and still we sat, savoring the last hours of this year’s stay.
I couldn’t resist doing yet another photo of the thatched shelter at the end of one of the docks, with the beautiful azure blue, textured by sea grass and different depths, and the clear blue of the sky flecked with fluffy, fair-weather clouds. The speck of a small sailboat drifting by didn’t hurt either.
Why can’t we bottle this?
Eventually, we wandered slowly back to the place we were staying. I did a few e-mails and finished packing, leaving out my bathing suit and pareo for a last visit to The Lazy Lizard where we all had lunch.
They were out of shrimp, but the Don Julio margaritas and chicken burritos which each couple split were tasty.
Finally, it was just Arnie and me left. The old cement pier that had been decimated by numerous hurricanes beckoned, and we stepped over the various sun-bathers to a nice spot where we could enjoy the remainder of our stay.
Two-thirty, and it was time to go. Nick, who had valiantly and unsuccessfully tried to give us a tour of the island in his Club (golf cart) taxi, came early, as the taxi drivers in these parts usually do.
We had been kidding with him all week. After all, we walked everywhere, so there was no need or wish for us to do otherwise, but he was ever hopeful.
Several days earlier, when he took down our names for the trip to the air strip, he said, “I’ll put this in my computer,” as he took out his 3″ x 5″ notebook and wrote it all down. We laughed and said at least it wasn’t dependent on electricity.
We have been on Caye Caulker just enough so that the people at the Tropic Air desk recognize us. Without our saying anything, out came the FRAGILE stickers for our carry-on luggage that contained the laptops.
We said good-bye to Nick, and since I knew he was Kekchi Maya, I also thanked him in his own language, “Toh hoc re,” I said, although I don’t know how to spell it. It sounds like toe (with an “h” on the end) hohk ray.
“Oos,” he replied which is good or agreement.
We taxied down the short air strip, did a tidy 180, and flapped our wings for take off, at least that’s the way I always think of it in these small birds. The pilots have an excellent safety record, so I never feel nervous.
As we left Caye Caulker, I look down at the reef and gorgeous colors. [sigh]
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What a wonderful picture you painted with words! I can almost feel the breezes and the sun warming my face! Hope you had a safe trip home!
Karen,
Growing up, I was always better at descriptions than I was with compositions and fiction. I needed to be in touch with what was (and is) around me). I’m so glad the blog spoke to you, and thanks for writing!
Take care,
TBC