4 Feb, Fri

Fri, 4 Feb. this morning was kind of confusing as to what we were supposed to be doing when. finally around noon it appeared that whatever we were going to do, wasn't going to happen, so Chris, Nicole and i grabbed our snorkel gear and headed for the beach. Abi was at an elementary school out on one of the Keyes. we left her a note to come join us when she got back. it was a very hot sunny walk. i know i'm not getting any sympathy from any of you :) so, we stopped at Driftwood for something to eat, and to get out of the heat! we sat over the water with a nice breeze blowing ... felt good! i had chicken quesadillas that were very good. then we headed past Chepes Beach to a place called Coral View to snorkel. the reef is close to the shore at this point, and there is a 2-story dock that you can snorkel from if you either pay US$3 or buy a drink .... the drink is cheaper :) about the time we got into the water, Abi showed up. Chris and Nicole stayed in the shallows and Abi and i headed out over the reef to the edge where it drops off into oblivion. i love it right on the edge there. it is exciting, and you see lots of fish and coral with nothing but dark blue as far as you can see in the distance. i had my camera and took lots photos. Blue Tang in the coral porcupine fish or puffer fish ... this is his normal size ... blows up to 'ball' shape when threatened i love the 'vase' corals i think this is a brain coral, but in the most unusual colors of green and pink: Spider Crab (i think) Elkhorn Coral: another 'vase' coral: coral with the deep blue in the back ground: Parrot Fish Abi and i finally decided to go in. we all stayed around and had a 'required' drink. then headed home to get cleaned up ... it's our first Friday night here! Abi and i headed back towards the Driftwood because we heard they had a band. i was skeptical as to the band and how long i would 'last' with the young kids. the band, 'older guys' played good ole music. we had met Mario, a musician from Montreal, while snorkeling; and he arrived at the Driftwood ... and ended up playing some great blues ! i LOVED it, and before i knew it, they were closing the bar! Abi, Mario, and i left there and started walking to the next bar ... the Jade SeaHorse. the bar is a 'tree-house' literally built into the trees! i'll have to get photos during the day of this restaurant, it is unexplainable! in short, it's a 'mosaic-makers dream'. After closing the Jade SeaHorse we stopped back at our room and i was shocked to see that it was 2am. ....on to the next bar, The Bar in the Bush, which is only about 100yds from our room. Last Wed night they kept us up all night with their boom boom boom 'music'. it was no different tonight, so we decided we might as well join them since we wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. i got to bed at 4am. there !! ... now i don't have to do that again while i'm here!