A Quick Report from the Yucatan

I am spending a few days in Mexico in Playa del Carmen on the Mayan Riviera. I have been pursuing getting my Open Water SCUBA PADI Certification. I completed my fourth dive this afternoon, and all that remains is a pro forma written exam tomorrow. Swimming with the tortugas was the delight of the dive this afternoon. The giant turtles feed in abundance a few miles south of Playa del Carmen, near the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum.

As I sat and read a book after a relaxing meal of "fish soup," I remarked how healing is the slow pace of life here in this sleepy Yucatan town. I like it better than Cancun. Given the recent rush to close up my office at Sales Consultants of Wellesely, to begin moving into my new space in Kendall Square and then dealing with the after effects of the tragic fire, the last two weeks were quite stressful. This brief respite in the sun is just what the doctor ordered.

My SCUBA instructor is a very patient and knoweldgeable man who easily walked me through all of the exercises that must be covered before certification can be granted. He laughed at my bout of sea sickness between dives - an occupational hazard that most divers face at some point.

Last evening, as I sat and watched the tourists walk by on "5th Avenue," I had a ringside seat to observe a group of break dancers who were entertaining the passersby. They were performing breathtaking feats on the course and rough concrete of the street - spinning, twirling, vaulting, somersaulting and dancing with a grace and energy that left me thinking of the Olympics. In 1988, I was privileged to spend two weeks in Seoul, Korea. Among the events I was able to attend was the Finals of the Men´s Gymnastics competition. The Russians were still dominant in the sport that year and swept Gold, Silver ands Bronze medals in Seoul. The athleticism I saw on the streets of Playa last evening were as impressive as anything I recall seeing on that Olympic stage.

That´s all for now. I fly back to Boston on Friday.

Enjoy the last few days of preparation for the Chritmas holidays.

Al