Carlos Alberto Cruz

What a great name! We hired Carlos to take us on an all-day tour to three different villages today. He used to work at the Sheraton before it was the Barcelo and later at the Barcelo befored starting his own tour company.

(Sorry, Barb, another Playa comment...Omar, the waiter from Rolandi´s e-mailed me today.) Back to Huatulco...

We saw a gigantic cockroach on the hallway floor and I took el foto.

We went to breakfast at the main buffet and came to Premium to use the Internet and Alejandra slapped my hand for not eating in the Premium section. She said that is what this area is for. She is so nice.

Our Tour
Carlos picked us up at 9 o´clock. He is about a whole head shorter than me, but a very nice guy. He has a lot of knowledge about the area. On the way there, mom naturally got sick. She said she was car sick, but it wasn´t even close to the drive to Sedona. I think it is the last time she will get sick on vacation with me again (because she won´t be going anymore). It is not like she just moves on...it is always a big production. I know that she wanted me to tell him to take us back, but I wouldn´t. I am not unsympathetic, but you can´t get sick on every single trip. I refuse to enable her. It´s a good thing that Mexicans have respect for the elderly. Carlos was very nice to her (although she´s not exactly elderly either....I should have at least 20 more years before she behaves this way).

The towns we went to were beautiful and we saw so many different things. We even had to go through a Military check-point. Puerto Escondido is a big surfer town and I would describe it as a cross between Maui and Acapulco.

In one town, we went to the Turtle Sanctuary and to a cosmetics factory that was started by the owners of the Body Shop in England for the women who work in the area.

Carlos showed us the Almond Tree and he took some down for us. They look and taste like peaches. Then, you open the pit and there is where you find the almond. No wonder they are so expensive.

Carlos and I spoke in Spanish a lot and he said I was doing well. I am really trying to speak to everyone in Spanish as much as I can.

On the way back, we took a different route and I told Carlos that he could drop us off in La Crucecita because that´s where he lives and that we would take a taxi back because we wanted to shop a little.

Came back to find a cheese platter in our room.

Dinner
Went to the main buffet for dinner. The stalker lady was there and I heard her tell the waitress that she was with some friends, but she didn´t know where they went. That is about the third time that this couple has ditched her, but I don´t blame them. We sat on the other side and Manuel and others were having an informal meeting in the buffet area. He told me that he wanted to introduce me to his manager. After dinner, I went to the Club Premium and he went and got his manager and Sales Assistant and introduced them to me. They were super nice and will definitely take care of my clients in the future.

After dinner I came to blog and Manuel brought his Manager and the Sales Manager´s assistant to meet me. They are all very nice. Everyone is working hard to promote tourism in Huatulco, but it is really a beautiful place.

As I was updating my blog, we had a small Earthquake. I can sing, "I felt the earth move....under my feet." Okay, if that song doesn´t give away my age, I don´t know what will!

I walked around the property for some exercise and then we had a drink in the lobby bar before heading off to the show. The show was an International theme.