March 3, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Lunch Today.

The Beach Restaurant is a beautiful place to eat lunch. The ocean sparkles and the sun shines but I sit in the shade, watching the world pass me by. Most of what I see is familiar. People walk up and down the beach. Vendors walk up to people to try to see any interest. Boats near and far. And always the waves, which today were high. But almost always something unusual happens. While waiting for my food, a large iguana came onto the beach. The papapas just the other side of the restaurant were empty so the iguana came onto the beach and headed toward the water. He was big and thick with a long tail and he acted as if he owned the place. I have never seen one of these big guys on the beach so I watched him as he sauntered towads the water. I knew it was a male because he had a large ridge down his back. Also he was big, perhaps 14 inches long in his body and his tail double that. I thought that these guys do not go into the salt water but I actually do not know. As I watched, he disappeared but after watching I realized that there was a small hill down to the water. I suppose he was going to scavenger food on the shore but mostly they eat foliage and flowers. I did wonder what all the people would think with that very large iguana sharing their beach. I never did see him come back off the beach. I always look for the flag when I first sit down. They have three flags, that fly on the beach just infront of the restaurant. Red to warn you not to go into the water, yellow to use cution and green all clear. In all the years I have come here, I have never seen a green flag. Once or twice I have seen a yellow. But mostly the red flag is flying. When I first sat down today I noted that the red flag was faded but while I was eating, a maintenance man installed a new bright red flag, which was double the size. It took him several minutes to remove the old flag and install the new one. He tied it at the top and bottom of the pole. Then I realized why the red flag is always flying. The flag was difficult to install. All along, I thought the management was protecting themselves by always flying the red flag. It is not their fault if these stupid people go into the water even when the red flag is flying. Now that may be true but I suspect it is just practical.. It is easier to leave the red flag flying every day. And that was what I observed while enjoying lunch at the Beach Restaurant..