Mexico Anniversary

Bob and I went to the Mayan Riviera to celebrate our 5th anniversary. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the culture, people, food and activities. Bob and I brushed up on our Spanish while we were there. We spend a lot of time snorkeling, laying around and eating chips and salsa. The great part about our resort is that it had like 10 sister resorts in the area so we could go to a different one and hang out each day. We went to Cozumel one day and visited many different beaches. The hotel we stayed at was an ecological reserve, so it was almost like a zoo--they had monkeys, deer (we got to feed them), birds, and other animals. We also got to visit Chichenitza and other Mayan ruins. If you want to see more pictures from our trip, here is the website: http://picasaweb.google.com/106338896800545130178/Mexico2010#

Below are a few of our favorites.

This was the kiddie pool. Although there was a sign for 12 and under, it could not stop Bob and I. All those fun slides and stairs called to us. We paid for it though when at the end of the slide you landed in water about 2 feet deep and either got a wedgie or a pool floor burn. Not good, but well worth the fun.

We went to a show that highlighted the Mayan ball game and other activities at a place called Xcaret. We snorkled through caves during the day and then at night we got to see the show. The people in the show dressed up in some of these crazy costumes.

Our hotel had been a booming place in the past but had been ruined a few years back by a hurricane. After that some of the land was sold and a man sits in this lifeguard tower to guard it. It is such a beautiful area.

Snorkeling!

Wish you were here! Totally inappropriate, I know, for me to even be posting on my blog, but just too funny to pass up. Bob and I went for a walk on the beach and were stopped abruptly by this image--a man, missing some clothes as you can see (he may have gotten confused and took the wrong piece off) facing the ocean. The best part was, there was a boat out in the distance that he was facing. Anyway, I didn't feel comfortable walking past him but Bob just had to take a picture, saying he wanted to make it into postcards to send to people saying "Wish you were here". So consider this your post card ;)

Botanical Gardens

Each month our apartment complex offers what they call a cultural enrichment where they pick a place (the zoo, a museum, etc.) that you can go to that month and they pay 90% of it. It has been a great way for Bob and I to do some things in Atlanta that we might not have done otherwise. A couple months ago we went to the Botanical Gardens. Here are some of our favorite pictures.

Let this be a lesson to all mosquitoes

One of the awful parts about living in the South in the summer are the mosquitoes. Especially because we live on the water, we have to be wary of those little buggers. It seems like no matter how hard we try, one or two always follow us in the front door. We are obsessed with finding and killing these pests, and they know how to hide. Each death is a personal victory that Bob and I bestow on ourselves, but this week Bob took it to a new level...

As we are laying in bed last night, I point up to the wall and say, "Look at that little spider." This is the conversation that ensues:

Bob (looking sheepish): That is not a spider
Me (coming to the realization of how this conversation is going to play out): It's a dead mosquito, isn't it
Bob: Yeah, I think I killed it last week
Me: Well, then go clean it up, that is disgusting!
Bob: No, it is serving as a lesson to all mosquitoes that if they mess with me that is what will happen to them

Nice. Whatever makes my husband feel like a superior human warrior...

The slip and fall

Last night we went out as a group to a restaurant called Max Brenner's which is known for it's chocolate. We really went for dessert but started with a light dinner. I shared a delicious peanut butter chocolate euphoria sundae with a colleague (yes, it was really called that one the menu), which we thoroughly enjoyed.

It was raining like crazy, so we were already a little wet as we entered the crowded subway with people heading home for the night. I went to slide my metrocard through and it said I didn't have enough money, so I turned around to go put more on my card. Because the ground was tile and extremely wet and because I was wearing my rainbow sandals (awful on the floor when wet), before I knew it, I was in midair. I thought for a moment that I was able to catch myself from falling, but no such luck. Smack! I hit the wet ground with no warning and no time to brace myself. I landed on the hard tile, hitting my hip, elbow and knee simultaneously, and no joke, the whole crowd went, "Oooh!". By this time all of my friends were to the other side. As I was trying to get reoriented and not to cry, I kept hearing this one highschool guy say, "I missed it! I didn't see it!", which at first annoyed me a bit, but then I started to think was funny. I kept reminding myself that at least I was not old enough looking for people to be really concerned about falling.

There was this one nice angel of a man who came and helped me up and asked me if I was all right. I was so thankful for him because honestly at that point I could use all the help I could get. I told him that I was all right, that I had just slipped, to which he responded, "Yeah, I know." Anyway, it's times like this that surprise me a bit and teach me some too. I really did not feel that embarrassed, which came as a surprise to me. I guess by now I have lived enough life to know that stuff like that happens. To all of us. Maybe not in NY in front of a crowd of people with one dissapointed that they missed your gymnastics, but it does happen to all. And I couldn't get over how thankful I was for that man. I think it will make me more aware of my surroundings when a stranger needs help. I realized that often times people want help even if it is not expressed. I know I did. It makes you feel not so alone. Anyway, I guess these are some of my ponderings as I sit here the next day with my knee and hip and elbow still throbbing. I am secretly hoping that bruises will pop up just so that others know how bad it hurt!!

Tour de NY

Bob came up to visit Memorial Day weekend and we exhausted ourselves with activity. We did all the touristy and fun things that our hearts could desire and found out we still did not have enough time. The first night we went to Times Square and the Hudson River. It is fleet week, where the navy ships come in and the men wander the streets in their uniform. I was hoping to see an action shot of the famous picture where the navy guy is kissing a girl, but did not get my wish.

We ate beignets at a New Orleans restaurant which were completely subpar in taste and way too pricey. After experiencing Cafe du Monde in NO, I can honeslty say that nothing else should be able to call itself a beignet. One of Bob's goals was to eat at as many pizza places as he could so we grabbed pizza at two different places one night.

I wanted to see Ground Zero, which of course now is nothing but a construction sight. They have a small commemorative museum nearby which was extremely powerful and worth the small entrance fee. Bob and I were both incredibly touched by the displays. Seeing pictures and hearing and reading people's stories made it so much more real. I felt connected in a way that I never have before to that incredible tragedy. I am sure that it helped to be in a place that was right next to where the monstrosity occured. I think the main thing I was left with was people's courage and the ability to unite and become selfless in times of utter vulnerability. I couldn't help but put myself in the shoes of a wife having her husband call from the air saying his goodbyes or the wife of a firefighter knowing that he purposefully entered the mess to do his duty aware that he most likely would not return. Gosh, it was awful and amazing. Another thing that particularly blessed me was this quilt that young students had made and sent to the firefighters and on each square it said "Somewhere today someone is..." and the children finished the sentence. The goal was to show that life can grow and continue even after extreme loss. The children finished with things like... planting a garden, giving someone a kiss, etc. I never cease to be amazed at children's vulnerability, hope, and life. Can't wait for some of my own :)

We also biked Central park, walked the Brooklyn Bridge, ate homemade ice cream, ordered take-in (so fun!), saw the Statue of Liberty, bought food from street vendors--worst churro and pretzel I have ever had, but also the best gyro I have ever had-- and ate pizza at Patsy's, a place that Frank Sinatra frequented and loved so much that he would have pizzas from there flown in to Las Vegas. We ate at S'Mac, a mac and cheese place that serves various gourmet kinds of the comfort food, stopped at Max Brenner's chocolate store but couldn't handle it at the moment (I WILL be going back) and visited the famous Strand Bookstore known for 18 miles of books.

Needless to say, we had a wonderful time together and created many precious memories. Although Bob liked NYmore than he thought he would, I think he has become a Georgia boy. On day 2 he already missed the water and the trees and was ready to go home by day 3. When he got home, he mentioned how much cleaner he feels and how he can breathe better. I am getting ready to be back in nature as well, although I have a bit more shopping to do :)

Lunch on the beach

My observation today is in Queens in a beautiful area near the beach. I had some time today during lunch to walk down to the beach and take in the peacefulness and serenity. There weren't many people out at all. Figuring it might be the only time that I am at a beach in NY, I decided I had to get my feet wet. And take home a shell. I have had a happy feeling all day because even though I am now inside working, I still have a little bit of sand on my toes. Small graces :)

Jamie's coffee shop

we were graciously given a tour guide map of NYC by two of the women leading our study. It is a little black book so it is very inconspicuous when you have to pull it out to find where you are going rather than looking like a tourist with an enormous map.

One of the first things I noticed was that there was a coffee shop called Jamie's--correct spelling and all--so naturally, I was excited. I had the day off yesterday so I decided to visit it for breakfast. When I first saw the inside through the window, it looked like a diner, not too appealing, but I figured since it was given my name I had to at least try it. Then I looked up at the sign. And it was not called Jamie's, it was called Jimmy's. A typo in the map book. I didn't know if I was more disappointed that the shop did not share my name or more relieved that I didn't have to eat there.

Reasons to love NY

Okay, I have been totally surprised by my affection toward NY because in no way would I consider myself a city girl. I have pondered over my reasons for this new bent toward the big city and this is what I came up with. Reasons to love NY (in no particular order):

1. It is people watching heaven.
I love to people watch, and would even consider it a skill so that they don't know they are being watched--sunglasses is the trick-- and there is no better place then here. Previously I would have said the airport, but this tops the list. And the bonus is when you don't live in NY you get to go to the airport first.

2. The food (duh).
Everyone knows that NY is famous for it's food. And everyone who knows me knows that I am famous for loving, er, rather, adoring food. So the combination of NY and I is a very good one. And coming here on business gets you $71 a day to spend on food, which means you can try anything and everything without worrying about spending your own dinero.

3. The shopping.
While it is true that NY has any store you can imagine, the best part is that when you come here you are on vacation, so while you would never by that full priced dress from the same store at home, you can somehow justify it because you are in NY and that makes it a souveneir.

4. Walking everywhere.
It is fun to walk everywhere, and mostly because it takes care of number
1. Easy to do some serious people watching while you are walking and you even have time to contemplate why it is they are wearing those stilletos while traveling for 5 miles behind them (yes, somehow still behind them even though I have my running shoes on and they have high heels.
2. Walking=burning calories=eating more delicious food
3. You pass many fun stores while walking through the city


I know there are many more reasons, but these are a few I came up with for now.

Preposterous (spelling?)

Okay, naive and uninformed is what I am. Apparently. I have been in NY two days and am already missing my trees and rivers from Atlanta. So... while I had the day off yesterday I decided to walk to Madison Square Garden, hoping to see some flaura and fauna. Upon arrival, I was very disappointed (surprise, surprise) to realize that The Madison Square Garden is not a garden at all-- what a misnomer--preposterous!
(For those of you as unaware as me, it is an arena).

Then, I took an awesome picture from our apartment and sent it to my brother saying,
"Look at the beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower from my room."
To which he text me back saying, "That is not the Eiffel Tower. But it is beautiful. FYI, that is the Empire State Building."
Oops. For some reason I always get those mixed up. What a day.

New York Minute

So there are 5 researchers here in NY and we had our first NY experience when we arrived at the airport and the driver who was paid $15 extra just to have a sign with our name on it was nowhere to be found. When he was called, he said he must have picked up the wrong people. Who else would go to a driver whose sign said ISR researchers? Whatever, take what you can get, I guess.

Anyway, once we got it all settled and packed in the Escalade (what, what) much too close for our comfort we were on the road. I was sitting directly behind the driver's seat where he had a list of rules that he would adhere to. Within the first 5 minutes he had broken at least half of them including talking on a cell phone and texting--using 2 different phones-- while driving and honking incessently. We seriously almost got in an accident but thanks to the open lane on the left we were able to swerve because we definitely would not have been able to brake in time. But we did get there super quickly. In a NY minute!