Friday, October 28, 2005

SIX DAYS IN CANCUN

DAY ONE  -  Casa de la Cultura

But we just call it home.

We were one of the last groups to board the bus. That was to become our modus operandi. We took a short bus ride that was made a lot longer by the amount of people trying to escape the Hotel Zone.

We were driven into the city of Cancun and taken to an auditorium called the Casa de la Cultura, where we joined approximately 1,600 other evacuees from the Hotel group RIU. It was in their best interest to keep us all together. We were in two groups. The second group was setting up camp in the school across the street, LaSalle. I could not venture a guess how many. Hundreds. 

We arrived too late to be issued a sleeping pallet for the floor! Joe and I did not really mind, thinking that Wilma would blow through and we would resume our vacation. We even thought that maybe we would be offered extra days!

God bless us.

The day was bright and sunny. The wind was still strong, but not enough to stop the couple of thousand tourists from making a beeline to the WalMart on the adjacent street.

We purchased essentials. Sun glasses (ours were sacrificed to the Surf god the day before), bottled water, hair bands, moist towelettes, and a phone card. If only I had known then what I was facing........

On the way out there was a television set turned on CNN broadcasting in English. We were glued to the screen as the weather came on with news of Wilma. The hurricane was heading towards Cozumel. What he said next will be forever branded into my brain.

"CANCUN IS GOING TO GET HAMMERED"

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

HAMMERED!  I heard that too.  Just I didn't know I knew somebody who was down there.  

And as aggravated at your cliffhangers, ahem, I prefer this to having worried about your safety.  ;o)

~~ jennifer

Anonymous said...

I didn;t know I knew anyone there either.  And I'm glad I don't anymore!

Anonymous said...

OMG....
go on...; )

Anonymous said...

Oh its getting so exciting I bet you had no idea. thougths of the katrina people in the dome must have ran thru your mind

Anonymous said...

ok, I'm still on the edge of my seat!  This is to wild.  

Derek

Anonymous said...

I have been to both Cancun and Cozumel in the last few years.  I was on the edge of my seat, thinking about those area, so vulnerable and exposed.  I think you had the experience of a lifetime...I'm just glad that you're home safe and sound to share it.

Anonymous said...

Cancun is a narrow penninsula, right? So you get it from both sides. Ay carumba!
xoxo

Anonymous said...

OH MY!

And, I say that on so many levels.

Number People
Walmart in paradise?
No sleeping pallet.
Your naivete.
The weather
Everything.

Wow! :-) ---Robbie

Anonymous said...

SweetJesus

Anonymous said...

OMG!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you didn't tell us you were going to Cancun ahead of time. I was watching this storm grow into the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin about now.

Anonymous said...

Wow.  Whoa.  I'm on the edge of my seat.  reading on...

Anonymous said...

Can't click fast enough to read these entries... you write each entry very well!  
The dang weather has been so screwed up these past few years.

Hugs,
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Wow!
V