ZimWex Family Blog

Mexico 3:: Resort Life

So, when you sit around a resort all week, without taking in much culture.....*

This is what you do!

You read...

You swim...

You show off your summer fashions...

You are brave...

You drink...

You look at the sky...

You spend time together...

\

You also fight with your siblings, get grumpy over trying new foods (Even when financially motivated!), really, really, really complain about putting on sunblock, bitch that your wife is working too much, spend time in the Playa del Carmen hospital, administer vile-tasting antibiotics, and try to figure out who hit who first.  Those things just don't make quite as cute pictures.  But they all happen, too.

All in all, I'll take the package.

AZ

*Hot Mayan Ruins aside....

Mexico 2:: Cooling Down

After the hot and dusty day with our good friends at Chichen Itza, our tour guide, who is a Mayan archeologist who my friend Megan hooked us up with, had arranged a gorgeous lunch and swimming expedition at a nearby cenote (which is a freshwater sinkhole, basically).  So cool.

We arrived, exhausted and were greeted with some nice lemonade.

We hiked down about 60 steps to get to the quiet cenote. (this is it from above)

And found ourselves in this absolute wonderland.

We had to consider for a few minutes before we got in...

But once we did, it was amazing. Once we got over the fact that it was (gulp) about 180 feet deep, we could enjoy this view above us.

And, then, Lunch! Wonderfully hand made tortillas...

Which, I think, may be some of the most delicious things I have ever tasted!

We really enjoyed our meal, even those of us who sometimes* are afraid of new tastes.

AZ

*always.

Mexico 1:: Chichen Itza

So, last week in Mexico we were mostly VERY lazy.  One day, however, we did get our butts in gear to make the big pilgrimage (a 3 hour drive) to one of the wonders of the world...Chichen Itza!  We got up extra early (and I left the young kids and Tanya at the hotel) and we were off.

We passed some great little towns..

We also passed a few police checkpoints...

And then pulled over for a quick pee break here..

And was very happy to find this in the convenience store!

And then, we arrived at our destination.

It was hot, for sure, but it was also pretty cool.  Some of the details on the buildings are pretty fun and spooky, too.

I especially enjoyed all the Mayan Vendors around the site..

Look! Here we are from afar...

And also, up close...*

We were really glad we went.**

And then also really glad we sat in the resort the next day!

AZ

 

*cool with the sundress and sneakers, right? I think I am being influenced by Violet's fashion sense here...

**Okay, well I was really glad that I brought them.  They were quite hot and maybe occasionally bored..but did hang in there!

Vacation....

We are off to Mexico....

And I am going to unplug as much as I can while I'm there.

Read a few books, play some games, soak up some sun, and hopefully stay off of the internet.

I've loaded a few posts up in advance, so keep checking..there should be one for each day this week...

And then I will be back live in a week...with hopefully lots of beautiful pictures and a replenished soul! See you all then.

AZ

San Francisco, Day 1

So, I recently got the opportunity to spend approximately 27 hours in San Francisco!

I hopped off of the airplane at 11:30 AM, got my rental car, and got busy!

I started off my visiting a friend who has a house in what is called the "Swish Alps", a hilly area that divides the Castro and the Mission (and is home to much of the LGBT Community, hence the fancy name...)

Pretty great view from her house.

She took me out to lunch at a great little place called "Slow Club".

We followed it up by a drive around town.  Word to the wise (and carsick).  Do NOT accept a ride around town, if you are not driving, particularly shortly after digesting a delicious pork Sandwich.  I had a blast seeing all of town, but my stomach was rebelling.  Was happy when I went out to explore on my own.

Headed off to Crissy Park, where I walked up to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. Marvelously peaceful.

There was a good view of Alcatraz, which was FAR closer to the mainland than I had expected.

And you could see back to the whole city.

I experimented with the Hipstamatic...

And tried unsuccessfully to take a photo of myself.  Eventually found a cute tourist couple to take one for me.

Found my way into the Warming Hut, where I bought the kids a few cheesy San Francisco souvenirs. Cute signage, right?

 

More tomorrow...

AZ

Home.

We're home.

Back in school.

Back to routines and alarms and homework and, yes, playdates.

But we are also sort of not back.

And without any end of year recitals, concerts, culminative projects, or Holiday gatherings (yet), I still feel a little bit like we're just visiting.

And, although it is a little odd, I am liking this in-betweenness.  Its a rare moment to reflect and think about exactly how much we want to jump right back into the way we've always done things, or rather perhaps we might have gleaned some wisdom in the past few months that we can apply to life at home.  Probably not, but you never know.

Hoping to get back to a little blogging now that we have exhaled, (mostly) unpacked, and eaten all of our favorite NYC foods.

AZ

In Bruges

Bruges is gorgeous.

Though a bit like a pavilion at Epcot Center in that it is PERFECTLY PRESERVED, not all that big, and filled with tourists.  Perfect place for a weekend away or a little mini-break.

We had a grand ol' time looking at these cute houses..

we spent 1% of our time looking cute like this and the other 99% sort of poking each other.....

we traipsed over little canals...

and even visited the "Lake of Love"....

BUT...enjoyed this at least as much!

AZ

Paris in Photos

The first thing my kids wanted to do...

Walking in the 6th Arrondissement

In the courtyard at Les Invalides

At the Musee Rodin, it had to be done....

then Violet got really into the statue game...

but was perplexed here...

check out Ruby's face!

just another night on the Seine.

and a rare shot of me! (thanks Mom)

Le Louvre.  We came, we Mona Lisa'd, we conquered...

There was much much more.

BUT

You get the picture....

AZ

What we've been doing

Eating crepes anywhere we can find them.*

Walking.  Kudos to Violet who is, at long-last, stroller free, and a total trooper.

Looking at art.  And commenting on the tremendous number of penises that we are finding on sculptures.

Playing in parks, and riding carousels.

Totally not stressing about "Seeing Sights"

Being shushed in museums.

 

What we are NOT doing:

Any school work at all.

Showing any restraint in the food department.

Going to sleep at a reasonable hour.

Speaking much French.  We realize we don't really know it.

Spending time with Tanya. :(

 

Back tomorrow with some photos of all of the above!

AZ

 

*Though one member of the family is convinced that he will never like them and is tortured each time they are mentioned.  Thank goodness there are usually pommes frites later that same day...

Scotland Day 3:: The Cairngorms

We hiked into the mountains.

To find these guys.

And feed them.

Though some of us preferred to keep our distance.

We got rewarded with this on the way down.

I'm going back!

AZ