Got to love old Cruz del Sur. Comfy, and they did a special Christmas supper which was touching and depressing in equal measure. Rather than the usual rice plus hunk of chicken plus potato we got a really rather tasty fragrant sweet rice with turkey in some kind of spicy sweet sauce. Bit like a sort of chow mein but pretty darn good, and the christmas tree shaped brownie was darned good. All presented in red and green festive plastic boxes. Luverly.
Despite said relative luxury I was pretty excited to get to Mancora at long last on Christmas Eve morning. Hopped on a tuk tuk in the direction of the house, hand drawn map in Lonely Planet to hand. As I{d later discover, tuk tuks don{t go up the hills to Vista del Mar (unless you{re Clara and then only seemingly in exchange for sexual favours) - but just as we get out the map to figure out where we{re going, Becky and Rich appear like a mirage around the corner, and recognise my bedraggled traveller self as matching the "small blonde girl" description given by Clara. Rich very kindly carries my bag up the hill, and I traipse up behind him in the heat. We round a corner, and I see a positive mirage before my eyes - perched up on the hill looking down over the bay are 3 bungalows, one of which will be our home for the next few days. The view is stunning, the hammocks are hung out around the place, adn there{s even a pool.
I settle in and meet the others, and then we head for the beach. As it{s exceedingly windy (sand everywhere) we abandon this plan and instead I have my first ceviche - deeeelicious fresh fish marinaded in onion, lime, and herbs. So good. Thus revived I move on to Kris Kindle shopping, and then wider Christmas Day supper shopping with Clara. Turns out that despite being a Catholic country, everything is open on Christmas Day, so our keenness is a little unnecessary. See, I said Peru was Daddy{s sort of country - BET you could buy a Christmas tree ON Christmas day here if you wanted..... I endeavour going out that evening, but beyond a quiet drink on the beachfront I{m exhausted so give up and head to bed.
CHRISTMAS DAY dawns bright and very beautiful indeed. The sun is blazing, Clara cooks up an egg and potato tortilllary and fruit salad storm, and then we head to the pool to drink bellinis and exchange presents. Becky gives me an awesome selection of DVDs which will definitely be heading to South Africa with me. Also exchange presents with Clarita and Eimear and have my stocking to open from H so feel most spoiled. Call home and find it extraordinary to imagine the cold, and then head back to splash around in the pool for most of the day. As the night falls we get our cook on. I assume my typical role of vegetable peeler and assist in the creation of some pretty awesome dips, not to mention a killer vodka lemonade and lime for Head Chef Clara. Conor is put in charge of the kilos of meat we{ve bought plus the jacket potatoes, and a pretty damn awesome Christmas supper is assembled. We even have enough to satisfy the boys. Job done. Christmas pudding (all the way from home) lighting goes slightly awry as the booze isn{t warm, but no one minds the extra vodka. We then light sparklers and quaff yet more drinks, before heading down the beach front to dance til the small hours/ climb across from bar to bar 1 floor up (if you{re a crazy boy that is) from the ground. Eventually make it back to the house where a game of Marco Polo ensues in the pool, and then bed.
An amazing and unforgettable Christmas with a fantastic bunch. So glad Clara and Eimear decided to invite me to join them, and a million kazillion brownie points to Conor for finding such a fantastic house.
Boxing Day passed in a blur of hungover pain, and we very sadly checked out this morning from the house. Am now ensconced in Loki No. 3 (free t shirt yessssss) for one final night. Clara and I tucked into a cocktail by the pool - mine the aptly named Afternoon Delight - before joining Conor, Eimear, Dave, Will and Becky for cocktails on the beach and yet more ceviche.
Shower time now, and then one, last, final night on the town in South America.
I could get used to this travelling thang....
No comments:
Post a Comment