The beans went to Mexico for a day of sun, fun, and yard-sized margaritas. Here are the results.

Hola, amigos and sun worshipers, and welcome to beautiful Costa Maya, Mexico! the beans have come ashore today in the search for some sunshine, a dip in the crystal clear water, and a few tropical libations thrown in for good measure. Costa Maya is a combination of white sand beaches, amazingly blue waters, exotic jungles, and even a little historical culture thrown in for good measure, in the form of the nearby Mayan ruins at Chacchoben and Kohunlich. And as you can see from this smiling guy, the people of Costa Maya are a friendly bunch, especially to a traveling can of frijoles with a pocket full of spending loot. The beans were pleased to meet this happy amigo, and are glad to report that neither one of them have any cavities.

The pier here in Costa Maya was built primarily for cruise ships, so the businesses at the pier are designed for tourists who come along and stay for just a few hours at a time. You'll find lots of shops, bars, restaurants, bars, swimming pools, bars, vendors, and maybe a bar or two here at the beach. The day we were there they featured a mariachi band, dancers, a fire juggler, and a rock band that played everything from Pink Floyd to 50 Cent. Who says that you can't mix cultures??? The beans had a swell time wandering the stores and haggling with the local vendors. They were able to haggle down the price on an awesome bean-sized sombrero from $100 to only a quarter, but it wasn't easy. (If you promise to keep a secret, the beans will let you know how they did it:) Simply stand there and sing "La Vida Loca" over and over again until they accept your low-bid offer. As an added bonus, add some Ricky Martin-esque dance moves. It worked like a charm for the frijoles. (Actually, I think they would've given it to the beans for free if it meant they'd shut up and quit singing. But we won't spoil their perceived victory by telling them that.)

The beans thought you might like this photo - it reminded them of those beer commercials where the Yuppie chucks his pager into the sea while enjoying a bottled brew with a hot chick in a yellow bikini. Of course, the beans would never consider tossing any of their personal electronics into the ocean, for two reasons: One, that's littering. And two: If some passing dolphin were to stumble across the frijoles' PDA and discover what was actually stored inside, there'd be a whole lot of 'splaining to do... So it's best we just keep that information to ourselves. It's best for everyone, and keeps a whole lot of Vegas showgirls from having their feelings hurt. Speaking of alcoholic beverages, one of the highlights that you'll find at the bars in Costa Maya is "La Yarda", a $9 cocktail served in a glass three feet tall. Now, the beans don't normally drink from vessels 3 times as tall as they are, but hey - when in Mexico... I won't tell you how many "Yardas" they had, but let's just say it was closer to being "una milla" than "la yarda".

So there you go - a fabulous day on the Mexican beach. The beans had a swell time enjoying fine Mexican hospitality (aka "La Yarda"), and it's a darn good thing they found this life preserver to hold onto for the trip back down the pier. While there are lots of food combinations that go excellent with frijoles, take our word for it - a 36-inch tall glass of frozen mango margarita isn't necessarily one of them. Anyway, you'll be glad to know that the now-remorseful beans have fully recovered from their day of fiesta, and promise to remain on the straight and narrow from now on. Or at least until the next time they're in town. Ole!