The vacation rental was supposed to be ready yesterday. Yesterday Marta told us the house would be ready this morning, but it’s 4:20 PM right now and we’re still taking up residence at the Café La Habana on the malecon here in Progreso, Yucatan, sipping coffee and watching the waves roll in from the Gulf of Mexico. It’s not a horrible situation, but we haven’t really seen the house we’ll be living in yet. I mean, we walked through it. There were a lot of workers and small piles of debris here and there from construction projects. But there was water all over the floors and no furniture. Faith is all I have to work with tonight. I do trust Marta and Iracema. And for this, I’m very grateful.
I’m expecting to eat another Free-doh Surprise meal, this evening. I don’t want to get my hopes up and then spend the evening feeling frustrated and wronged. I’ve read that this is a distinctly American disorder that it happens in response to the Mexican conception of time, but despite knowing this, I still find myself tangled in knots over timelines and high expectations.
Right now my inner scream is still at a fairly manageable volume. We haven’t eaten an actual meal in three days now because we try to steer away from trans fats and dairy and it’s hard to find that sort of thing at just any old restaurant in town. Breakfast for me consists of a lemon juice mix that I brought from home. I put these little crystals in water and drink it to try to make my tummy believe that it’s full. Then, for lunch, we have Builder’s Bars or a banana. Sometimes both (Woo Hoo!). Today, we got some tortillas and splurged by putting cold refried beans and Tabasco sauce on them for lunch. Yesterday, our exciting dessert dish was bread with honey, a huge treat for people who don’t eat trans fats or dairy products. It isn’t easy to find bread anywhere in the world that isn’t made with either of these things.
Right now, though, the waves are flowing up on the beach near the Internet Café (Cafe La Habana) where we’re stationed. It has a large roofed patio. The breeze is blowing. I’m sitting outside on a little sofa listening to a little girl giggling on the beach in the distance. Birds are swooping up and then down into the water about 50 yards away. The cruise ship that was here earlier has finally disappeared; headed to other, more distance places, perhaps Belize.
After our Spanish class this morning, Marta told us that we won’t have Internet for 15 more days in the house we’re renting (that we haven’t moved into yet). I’m not sure what my emotional reaction to this will be until we settle into a house. I put emotions “on hold” as much as possible when staying in hotel rooms. It’s hard to have a catharsis in a small space with other people, particularly a 12 year old nearby.
One day soon, I’m sure we’ll move into our vacation rental and then I’ll have some new thoughts, but until then, I’ll be here at this café for a longer shift than the waiters and waitresses (our waiter just went home from his shift…he was sure to tell us goodbye before he left, having spent so much time with us over the past two days).
Related Posts:
The Progreso, Yucatan Vacation Rental Part I — By Jennifer Shipp
The Progreso, Yucatan Vacation Rental Part III — By Jennifer Shipp
Vacation Rental Problems in Progreso, Mexico — By Lydian Shipp
Day 3 in Progreso, Yucatan: Last Night We Moved into our House — By Lydian Shipp
Robbed and Violated by Chu Chi Loco and the Have Nots
