Marley and Ninja: Having Their Cake And Drinking It Too! Trip Report - April 2012

[marley9808]

We started getting heckled from a rowdy gang that was seated up at Ivan’s bar. They were yelling at us to finish our meals already and come drink! Wonder who that could be? So we headed back up to Ivan’s and assumed the natural and usual bar stool positions. I look over and notice Booger eating some pumpkin soup and I holler out, “HEY!” Because while we were at dinner I asked for the pumpkin soup and was told they didn’t have it that night, instead it was conch or something. So when I saw Booger eating it and then later Tizzy, slurping it, I was hot! Booger informed me he had the chef make him a special order (suck up) but at least he did share a bit with me so I soon forgave him.

mmmm pumpkin soup...slurp



I decided it was time for another drink and as I looked around at the smiling faces of all of my new family of friends I thought what would be a fitting drink to toast this night. I then remembered one of my favorite specialty drinks from back in the college days. We all used to go to a bar for Happy Hour on what they called “Thirsty Thursday” and order these for $2! Ahh memories. But funny enough, the drink is not always known by every bartender in the world so I am surprised when some bartenders actually are aware of it. I remember from our First Anniversary that Ty at Catcha is one of those bartenders who does know it, God Bless him so I holler out, “Ty! A round of Miami Vices for everyone!” He nods and smiles and all of the turtles turn to me and say “Miami Vice? What is that?” And so I just smile and say, just wait, you will see, and you will LOVE it! And they did.....




A Miami Vice is a Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri mixed together. Ty gets fancy with his and adds what I think might be a little bit of Blue Curacao
We all enjoy our tasty beverages and some laughs as usual, just like we have done all week.....and what a week it has been, with some really great people.



Next thing you know Booger brings out his ipod and gives it to Kevin to hook up to the bar sound system. In a few minutes we all join in on a very special “Kevin and Ty show” Luckily it was a song that we all seemed to know so everyone joined in as Kevin and Ty led. They even passed the flashy mic around to others for a verse, just ask Pooper....in my opinion, she stole the show!

The restaurant closes up and Vevienne joins us at the bar to celebrate her birthday. She wants to do a shot and we ask her what shot. She says “I want a Flaming Bob” and the crowd goes quiet. LOL She looks around “Oh come on, who will do one with me?” And to that challenge, Tizzy steps up and says “I will, girl!”



They both take those shots like pros and then some other antics ensue from the staff at Catcha to help Vevienne celebrate her birthday and with that we all have a good laugh. The staff there is the best! As the night is coming to a close we also realize that this will be the last night this whole group is together as tomorrow Booger, Pooper, Tizzy and Gonjon will be returning home. So we decide we need to take some sort of group shot and there would be no better place to take it than at Ivan’s bar. Tizzy points out a sign in the bar and says that would be the best place for us all to gather for the group shot. So we all move to the area and after a long and elaborate camera positioning, testing and setup process we capture the group shot under the sign that reads “Friends and Family Gather Here”



After the group photo it was time to let off our Chinese Lanterns. We had originally brought them to try and time it to let them off during the same time the folks on the beach were letting theirs off for Farmers Daughters wedding. I think they had originally said 9pm but we had been out there at 9 and didn’t see any. By now it was about 10pm I think or possibly later (either way I think we JUST missed them) but since we had done a practice run the night before we were much better this time. We handed out the lanterns to everyone including the staff at Catcha and even some other bar patrons and we headed to the cliffs to let them off into the sky. I can think of no better way to end one of the best trips ever than to stand on the cliffs under the moonlight with your friends and some of the best staff around which is also like family and launch wish lanterns into the nights sky. As I lit mine and let it go I looked around to all of my friends doing the same. Yes of course we were sad but still everyone of us was smiling. I looked at my lantern drifting up into the sky and realized my wish had already come true....as I had wished to share moments like these with good friends in great places for the rest of my life, and with this group I know that will continue to happen!












Stay tuned...up next Day 8 (Chilling at Catcha)