Celebrating Joan's Birthday

We met some great new friends at the Grand Mayan, Jack and Barbara Best, and they told us how fabulous the restaurant Tramonto was, so we splurged and went one evening with them the last week we were there. There was a special French chef and menu. And was it wonderful! Then, we found out that there is a special free dessert for birthdays and it was Joan’s that week and it came: a beautiful baked Alaska which they lit on fire! And a traveling violinist! What a treat!








See the Grand Mayan photos at

https://www.snapfish.com/library/photos/pgvw/siav/aid/474426009/isShared/true/oid/22435551/dc/AUS

Maya Riviera Nov 1-21

From Seattle, we flew to Atlanta and then to Cancun, on 2 separate airline reservations, which meant getting our baggage and rechecking it to Cancun. Essentially, we “nested” airline round trips, the DAB-SEA-DAB trip, Oct 25-Nov 26, then SEA-CUN-SEA, Nov 1-21st for Thanksgiving. (We will actually “nest” another flight – see the next BLOG.)

We were at the Mayan Palace again for 3 weeks and met 2 TUG families and another couple, Wayne and Marcia, and had a great time. The only major trip we took was to Chichen Itza. We had been there in 2004, but wanted to go again; we are not sure that we will return here, at least to the Mayan Palace. We feel too isolated there– the closest grocery stores are in Playa del Carmen, which town we love….perhaps we’ll rent a place there next time.

There were not many people here this time at all; I usually had this pool to myself to swim laps. 75 strokes one way, almost 4 times the length of most resort pools! Wow!

But there was so many mosquitoes this time; the first week was rainy and cool, then it warmed up. Of course, Hurricane Ida skimmed by the weekend of Nov 6th and the resort put up hurricane screens over all the windows – they are see-through mesh, but they were up for the rest of our visit so visibility outside was limited.

Natalie’s concert November 6, 2009 Benaroya Hall, Seattle

With the Northwest Symphony

This was one of the best concerts we have ever been to, notwithstanding that Natalie had a solo part. All the music was wonderful 21st century modern music, but not too “far out” for us. The concert was a benefit for the Children’s Hospital as it has been for the last 12 years. Mateo Messina, Hollywood movie composer, has composed concerts for it with the Symphony Guild.

http://www.thesymphonyguild.org/node/9

Natalie played a very short solo last year with a singing group and Mateo wanted to feature her this year, so in about March, 2009, he said he was composing a movement just for her. When he first showed Andy the music, Andy said it was too low for the range of trumpet. So he raised it – and now it is about to the limit for high notes!

The Symphony Mateo composed for this year was called “Symphony of the Superhero” and featured many local musical groups and children. The movement he wrote for Natalie was called “Calling the Calvary”. The concert was so enjoyable because he narrated between each movement and told various stories about the movement or the performers and he was very funny.  Here's a clip of Natalie performing it that night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehOPosdd97g

(A nice footnote is that our son, Andy, her father, is in the Northwest Symphony, playing trumpet.)

We flew back from Cancun to see it – and we are so glad we did. When we saw the website about it, We really wanted to come, but the airfare was too high. We watched for days and then suddenly, the Wednesday before the concert it dropped – hundreds of $$! So we booked for the next day and came!

Hear her piece as she played it in again July 4, 2010 with the Bellevue Philharmonic (go to her website and click videos) or search Youtube with her name.

www.nataliedungey.com