Back from Bonaire

and in hibernation. It's gorgeously spring out, but after two weeks on the small sleepy island of Bonaire, I'm a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people outside. And the busyness of the city.

Give me a few days, and I'll be back to my usual self. Until then, these are usually the moments when I feel like I don't belong in this city. That I ought to be living somewhere where my life is more outside and the pace of life leaves room for reflection...

Loving my time in Bonaire

(The first picture is of me with Tonky Frans, one of the world's best freestyle windsurfers, and the second picture is of the week's ABK gang. For more pictures of my week in Bonaire, click here.)

I'm almost done with my week in Bonaire, and I'm sad to know that I have to go back to NYC soon! Compared to my week spent in Bonaire last year, I am having an infinitely more fun time this year.

I came to Bonaire last year with a bunch of male windsurfing buddies in their late thirties and up. I didn't realize what happens to men when they spend a week away from their wives and children -- all signs of domestication fade within the first day, and they revert back to the juvenile immaturity of their patheticly nerdy and pimply high school years. By day 2, I had heard the same pervy sex jokes a million times, but with different names and locations inserted (no pun intended). I had my own apartment and was content to do my own thing, so I was surprised to find certain members of the group got upset when they had to do things alone. They demanded that the group be their entourage at all times. The group, on the other hand, was surprised when I did not take well to being assigned the role of team secretary/mom/restaurant reservation maker/make sure everyone gets up and to the airport on time and chose to dine on my own some nights. By day 3, two of the men rooming together were not getting along. Their behavior had regressed to childish and passive agressive cattiness, and they tried to get other members of the group to pick sides in their little fight (which they never would acknowledge was a fight, because that would be too adult). I've heard men comment about female cattiness, but that must be because they've never gone on a windsurfing trip to Bonaire with a bunch of male windsurfers before!

After the drama of my week in Bonaire last year, I resolved that I would go to Bonaire alone this year. It's been fantastic! Many of the people I met while in Bonaire last year returned at the same time this year, so I already know a few familiar faces. I can walk into any restaurant and have dinner without worrying that I'll have offended someone, and I haven't heard a single unfunny pervy sex joke all week! Plus, it's been blissfully drama free without all the politicking backstabbing. I get enough of that at work, thank you very much.

So far this week, I've eaten at El Fagon Latino, Mona Lisa and Wil's Tropical Grill. Not too much has changed on the food front since last year. I still dislike Wahoo. My fave restaurant on the island is still Wil's (I'd gladly have dinner there every day while in Bonaire), although the Mona Lisa is pretty good. I had heard good things about El Fagon, but the food was a little too greasy for me.

I made it into both footstraps!

Thanks to the ABK Boardsports crew, I FINALLY made it into both footstraps! I spent a week in Bonaire last year learning how to get on a plane and getting catapulted every 10 feet or so. I'm so glad that's (mostly) behind me, and I can focus on going crazy scary fast! :-)


(Yeah, that's me! Can you believe it?!?)
For more pictures of my time in Bonaire, click here.

My first night in Bonaire, and I learn that it ain't over until it's over.

(The first picture is the view to the left of my front porch, and the second picture is the view of the small beach across the street from my apartment. For more pictures of my time in Bonaire, click here.)

I arrived in Bonaire early Sunday morning, having taken the red eye from NYC late Saturday night. I spent most of my day running errands -- rental car, groceries, and settling in. I had planned on going for a run, but by the time I had taken care of necessities, I was bushed.

I woke in the dark (since Bonaire is so close to the equator, sunset is usually around 6) and disoriented. When I realized it was already 8pm, I hopped in the car and headed to town. My apartment didn't have a television, and the Superbowl had already started! Lee's was airing the game, and I joined the throng of scuba divers from the sunbelt and midwest and the local med students from NJ and LI (Bonaire has two medical schools, St James and Xavier).

1. Why would an island the size of Bonaire have two medical schools?
2. Why would Americans come here for med school instead of going to med school state side? And, how come it only takes med students a year to finish a program in Bonaire when I have friends that take several years to finish med school in the US?
3. Should I worry about where my doctors went to school?

Lee's was awesome. During commercials, the bartender would jump up on the bar and sing and dance. Not in the Coyote Ugly sort of way (because that's not too awesome), but in the Elvis sort of the way (pretty awesome). I have no idea who Lee is, but even Bonaire had its very own halftime show!

At 2.5 minutes left to the end of the game, I decide to call it a night. I was still tired, and I was a little cranky that the Giants weren't going to win the superbowl. My apartment was a good 20 minutes away, and I had an early windsurfing day ahead of me.

Of course it never occurred to me that Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress would save the game, and it was just my luck that almost immediately after I left, Plaxico Burress scored New York's winning touch down with only 35 seconds to go. Naturally, I read about it online once I got back to my apartment. Go figure.

It just goes to show, the game ain't over until it's over. I wish I was in NYC for the celebration.