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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Vacation in Paradise


Gulf of Mexico

 Are you having a great year yet?  Are you ready for the perfect vacation?  I appreciate all the people that follow this blog, and I realize that I am blessed to have readers form around the world.  As members of this blog we have readers from 10 countries.  The largest six in order of readership; USA, Latvia, China, UK, France and Canada, to all the readers a big thank you!  For all those of you that follow from all over the United States, thank you and sorry about the extreme weather we have to put up with.  You can blame Phil the Ground Hog, I don’t understand how he keeps his job; I would have been fired already.

If you are anything like me you must be looking forward to spring like weather, and maybe even a getaway to some nice sunshine filled beach resort.  In the book that I am writing I mention a place off of the Gulf of Mexico where we as a family were treated to vacation when I was young.  I will take that excerpt from my book and share it with you.  Wish I could get away and be there tomorrow:

I should explain that my association with that side of the family was almost exclusively when we would visit on vacation. To this day I can't forget those vacations that were, as I imagine perfection can be. Everyone would cater to us as if we were VIP types. Family members would take time from work to take us on a trip by boat, two boats so large that we carried camping, fishing equipment and food for a week. We would travel for a day by boat towards what I imagine was the coast of Veracruz. The boats had shades built over them so that we were minimally exposed to the tropical heat. When we would finally arrive at our destination, from as far as a city block from shore, you could see the gulf bottom through the clear greenish blue water. The white sandy beaches helped reflect the sunlight to the bottom (no more than 8 to 10 feet deep).

I was amazed at the sea life I could see below the surface. There were fish, crab, shrimp, and we even traveled over an oyster bed. I remember that before we got off the boat we had caught enough crab with coat hangers to get the water boiling and dinner ready. The beach where we camped was not populated at all; in fact when I think about paradise, this is the image that comes to mind.

Our guides (family members, and friends) were familiar with the area, and would set up camp, for the night. Part of the preparation included gathering firewood mostly dry drift wood, procuring fresh water supply from nearby underground spring. The next day activity would include a lengthy hike through jungle like foliage. Eventually we would collect ripe bananas right from the plants and mangos from the trees. It was like going to nature's open market. While we were on the hike, two others were assigned the task of fishing for the meat part of the meal.

On the third day of the trip, we were met by local friends and distant relatives that came to the beach from about twenty miles inland on horseback. By pre-arrangement they brought with them five extra horses so we could travel with them to their house and get a break from "roughing it." Maybe my parents needed a break, but this humble vacation was one that I will remember until the day I die.

While I can’t be there tomorrow, I am making plans to complete my Bucket List Item #7 (Posted February 11, 2013 “Making a Bucket List”).  I will travel to the State of Texas (September 2013) to research material for my book.  I will swim in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico at Padre Island, and enjoy its seafood once again.  I wish you all a great year and perfect weather because you deserve a great vacation.  The best is yet to come….


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