Capitano's

It was hot and humid today. I went to the lobby to exchange American dollars for Pesos and ran into a large crowd of folks who must have arrived on a ground tour, or from a cruise ship. I quickly made for the line at the front desk or I would have been waiting for a very long time. After “reloading”, I went down to the cabanas at the beach, grabbed myself a lounge chair, slathered on the sunscreen, and soaked up some sun, while reading Third Degree, a novel written by Greg Iles. The light breeze mellowed the heat. The sound of the surf hitting the beach smothered the raucous noise of the children and adults frolicking in the waves. A group of six played beach volleyball to my left, and provided entertainment, rather than annoyance. It was easy to just BE.
I returned to the suite around 2:00 and called the Villa to ask Donna if the girls were up for pictures at 4:00, or so. I talked with London, as the “big girls” were napping, and told her I would call back later. I “piddled around” with camera stuff and the computer, and then went for a 30 minute walk around the grounds before showering and calling the Villa again. This time I spoke with Donna and we agreed to meet at the Villa at 4:00. The ladies and girls were ready when I arrived. We walked over to the Villa courtyard for a few shots, and then wandered toward the beach. The light was still a little intense at 4:00, so I had some challenging shooting conditions. At this time of day, I like to use an attached flash, with or without a diffuser, to assist in leveling out the ambient light. The flash provides fill for control of shadowing and softens the overall effect of the photo.
I was satisfied with most of the shots, other than my “walking away” photos on the beach. The sun was still overly harsh when I attempted those, so they were a bust. I think everyone had fun…only minimal grumbling from the participants…and hopefully, today’s photos help capture and explain the love and affection this family shares, not only each other, but also with those fortunate enough to be their friends.
Dinner was at Capitano’s. This was the last night for Vicki, Sue, and Nita, so Donna and Marco made sure it was an evening to be remembered. The food was fabulous! The theme for the night was seafood….shrimp, lobster, calamari, octopus, mahi-mahi…in all varieties and forms….grilled, breaded, steamed, ceviche, chile spiced and drenched in lime. This was accompanied by fresh cucumber, sweet red onion, and tomato, as well as steamed cactus and rice.
Drinks aplenty! Vicki, Sue, and Nita had Daiquiris, Donna, Chardonnay, and I had a couple of Pacificos, as well as two tequila “slammers” provided to me by my amigo Marco, who was doing his best in trying to improve my picture taking ability. Marco’s beautiful wife, Meriam, and their three girls also joined us at dinner. They made our visit to Capitano’s very special.
During dinner Senor and Senora Capitano stop at the table and greet all of us. They are always very appreciative for the business, and genuinely show it. Early on, we were entertained by a young American lady from Utah. She had a powerful, spot-on, Barbara Streisand, singing voice and took the time to socialize a bit with the ladies.
A wonderful evening! Enjoy the photos!