In the summer of 2004, I took a trip with some friends to a little place
called Cancún, México. These photographs chronicle the
story. The timestamps are accurate as of Eastern Standard Time, so they
are one hour ahead of the local time in Cancún.
Note: After rotating an image, you may have to
use the refresh button on your browser to see the effect.
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| cancun2004-0012.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:40 -0700 |
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This is a picture of the Westin, the hotel we stayed at, from the water.
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| cancun2004-0056.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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Time enough for everyone to get a good look at the photos. This is
about the time that people started demanding that certain photos be
"deleted."
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| cancun2004-0123.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:38 -0700 |
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But it turns out that the "evil" sea turtle was probably just digging in
preparation for laying eggs. Woops, sorry Mrs. Sea Turtle, didn't mean to
bother you during labor!
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| cancun2004-0033.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:46 -0700 |
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So John decided to go exploring about the hotel, and found this interesting
waterfall in the pool, over which John and Stephen would later float.
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| cancun2004-0117.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:14 -0700 |
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More award-winning photography from Mona. That sign is a warning regarding
crossing iguanas, analagous to the "Deer Xing" signs in America. I guess
they don't get much deer in México.
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| cancun2004-0014.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:40 -0700 |
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This "cute" pink building is our nearest neighbor.
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| cancun2004-0125.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:38 -0700 |
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After the overload of fun throughout this trip, some of us were downright
pooped. That's Mona on the left with her brand new Mexican blanket, which
she managed to haggle to an almost reasonable price from a kind and trusting
gentleman on the beach.
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| cancun2004-0040.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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Look at the anticipation in Mona's eyes. The nervousness exudes from her
every pore!
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| cancun2004-0059.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:14 -0700 |
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This is a shot of part of the limbo contest. You'll have to forgive the
blurriness, as I was partially (I prefer to call it "pleasantly")
intoxicated by this time, plus I was a bit miffed at having lost the contest
to this woman, who is clearly inhuman.
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| cancun2004-0010.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:40 -0700 |
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And already some of us can't keep our hands off each other... Ahem!
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| cancun2004-0003.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:38 -0700 |
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Tam is tired already... but the fun has only just begun!
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| cancun2004-0061.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:14 -0700 |
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Okay, this time the blurriness is due in part to the darkness of the
environment. The other cause of the blurriness is the swiftness of motion
as I perform nonsensical acts shamelessly called "dance." What you see here
is actually me doing push-ups - what kind of dance is that, I ask you! It's
actually part of a contest, where the women dance and then the men dance,
and the audience chooses either the men or the women as the best dancer. Of
course, they gave the women all the good moves, while the guys were left
doing push-ups. Figures!
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| cancun2004-0025.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:44 -0700 |
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A picture of John taking a picture, with a couple Mona's in various states
of focus thrown in.
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| cancun2004-0126.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:38 -0700 |
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Mona is ready to go home. She is sick of the beach, sick of crystal clear
water, and sick of the food. The sentiment was echoed by most of the rest
of the party. (I miss you Cancún! *pout*)
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| cancun2004-0118.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:14 -0700 |
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After a superb afternoon at Xel-Ha, of which I have no pictures because it's
a water park, Mona gets this great shot of the Xel-Ha sign at the entrance
as we leave.
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| cancun2004-0042.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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World famous photographer Tam Nguyen takes over with a shot of Stephen in
his belt and goggles.
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| cancun2004-0101.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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Mona throws John an evil look as he catches her in another natural
moment.
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| cancun2004-0063.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:14 -0700 |
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A visit to Tulum requires an insanely exuberant application of sunscreen,
the justification for which you will see in later pictures.
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| cancun2004-0032.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:44 -0700 |
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The preceding night's ventures left us all a little tired.
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| cancun2004-0119.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:14 -0700 |
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At night, John decides to bother this sea turtle, which has made its way
onto the beach with some dark purpose...
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| cancun2004-0095.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:44 -0700 |
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These are the great steps of the main temple at Tulum. If only we were
allowed to climb it!
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| cancun2004-0106.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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A shot of the members of the group not brave enough to venture down the
rockiness toward the beach!
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| cancun2004-0026.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:44 -0700 |
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After Wal-Mart, we went "local" shopping. That meant tons and TONS of
tourist stuff, including these $25 (US or pesos?) sombreros. Mona was ready
to buy half a dozen until she realized it was 25 American dollars.
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| cancun2004-0100.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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The most complex part of the trip was figuring out how to take a picture of
the group in front of this passageway without blocking the hundreds of
tourists trying to get through.
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| cancun2004-0075.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:38 -0700 |
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Tulum speaks for itself. It sure as heck didn't speak through our tour
guide, who definitely had some trouble relating its history to us.
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| cancun2004-0000.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:38 -0700 |
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We arrive at our hotel, the Westin Regina Inn and Resort, and we are all a
bit miffed by the barrage of flight follies and airport idiosyncrasies.
Mona and Stephen get ready for the first evening's outing.
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| cancun2004-0102.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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Part of the beach at Tulum. You can't tell from the resolution of this
photo, but the woman lying on the beach is sun-bathing naked. Oh,
those crazy Mexicans!
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| cancun2004-0124.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:38 -0700 |
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These are John's clothes, but Stephen had claimed them as his, even to the
point of sniffing the boxers! *shudder* This photo forever commemorates
that hilarious yet disgusting moment as a quaint reminder never to sniff
boxers, even if you think they are yours.
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| cancun2004-0036.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:46 -0700 |
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Everyone waits eagerly for the Scuba instructor. Today is the big day.
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| cancun2004-0086.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:40 -0700 |
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Tam snaps away with her nifty Casio camera with the strange model name.
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| cancun2004-0068.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:38 -0700 |
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It's shots like these that put Mona on the photographical map.
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| cancun2004-0122.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:14 -0700 |
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This is a head-on shot. I actually got hit by that sand.
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| cancun2004-0048.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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Done scuba'ing, we're all ready to get home before we start puking our guts
out (thank you motion sickness!).
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| cancun2004-0116.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:12 -0700 |
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Looks almost the same as an Oreo on the inside too.
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| cancun2004-0019.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:44 -0700 |
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John is feeling pretty super-fly in his shirt from Cozumel, México,
and his brand new sunglasses (having broken the ones he brought by
carelessly placing them in a vulnerable part of his luggage). If only he
knew how ridiculous he looks!
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| cancun2004-0011.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:40 -0700 |
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A beautiful shot of Mona and some of our neighbors, including Club Med. (I
have a great story about that particular Club Med...)
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| cancun2004-0038.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:46 -0700 |
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Fast forward and BOOM, we're all Scuba experts, although Tam has decided to
forego the actual real-life Scuba experience - the pool was enough for her.
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| cancun2004-0092.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:44 -0700 |
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Mona, natural, in front of the great steps of the main temple.
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| cancun2004-0013.jpeg |
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| Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:35:40 -0700 |
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These are the northern neighbors of the Westin, including most of the hotel
district.
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