All this talk of Bahama Breeze and Caribbean food have put me in the mood. No, not that mood... But I've been revisiting some of my favorite sailing sites, and just now I fixed myself a Lime Coke with a splash of Malibu. I've got my oscillating fan pretending to hit me with a sea breeze every few seconds, my bare feet are digging into the deep shag carpet like it's warm sand, and Brother Jimmy is providing the island soundtrack. Of course, the nearest salt water is the lobster tank at Albertsons, but I'm not gonna let that stop me from enjoying a few minutes of escapism.
Ahh...to be back in the Caribbean. It seems like a dream, especially to you unfortunate folks in the cold states. One of my favorite spots is Isla de Cozumel, just off the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Yeah, it's a bit touristy, but nothing like the spring-break atmosphere of Cancun, twenty-something miles away on the mainland. I like the fact that you can hop on a scooter and head south along the coast road, and every few hundred yards there is another thatched hut 'beach club' serving ice cold Corona, Pacifico, or Coca Cola in old-school glass bottles. If you're hungry, a plate of authentic nachos or some variation of fresh shrimp cocktail is there for the asking.
My favorite stop is Playa de San Francisco--a great little beach club with an infinity pool overlooking the bar and the beach. One can splash around in the cool waters of the western Caribbean, then dip in the freshwater pool and relax while the waitresses deliver huge Pina Coladas served in hollowed-out pineapples garnished with hibiscus flowers. And if you really want to relax, an attractive Mexican gal will give you a half hour massage--right there under the palm trees on the beach--for just twenty bucks.
If relaxing doesn't do it for you, there is always somebody willing to rent you a high-powered jet ski or take you parasailing, right off the beach less than thirty yards away. I could spend an entire week there, doing absolutely nothing but staring at the beautiful blue water and drinking island cocktails.
But too much of a good thing would ruin it, so eventually I have to hop back on my scooter and head back to town. My favorite spot in San Miguel is the Havana Club, a Cuban restaurant/cigar store/nightclub on the second floor overlooking the Malecon. I always make it a point to spend some quality time in there, drinking mojitos, smoking Cohibas, and eating some excellent Cuban food. And you can't beat the view from the balcony.
One of the best gifts I've ever received was acquired from the Havana Club--an 18th century-style 'treasure' map of the Caribbean drawn on parchment. My sister purchased it, had it matted, glass, and framed in bamboo, and then presented it to me at Christmas a couple years ago. It is truly one of my most prized possessions. Every time I look at it I'm reminded of the great trips I've had, and motivated to explore more undiscovered destinations.
One of these days, I'm going to take a month-long sabbatical and head back down there. I'll lounge on the beach all day, and hang out in the hotel bar all night, smoking cigars and pounding the keys on the laptop, cranking out an epic like Papa Hemingway did all those years ago in Cuba.
He had Havana, I'll have San Miguel.
Mikey
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