The dream begins like this: We snorkel.

Steps Beach

Snorkel. This sounds like an absurd word and it is! Absolutely and fantastically! The word that fits the absurdity of the action. Snorkel. We put on a viewing device over our eyes and nose and a breathing device tube that goes from our mouth just to the surface of the water as well as propulsion device fins that turn us into half merfolk. Once the transformation is complete, we are suddenly free to float about under water breathing normally and sometimes even kick and duck under to fully immerse in this wet weightlessness.

And what an experience! As I popped up bobbing for a moment and looked back at the tropical coastline trimmed with tall swaying coconut palms, vibrant blue skies and golden sand as the water joyfully bounced along, I just couldn’t believe how incredibly amazing this was. And that was outside the underwater realm!

Underneath, we followed schools of fish that were the colors of iridescence itself. We saw the proud orange elkhorn coral and the round brain coral. The light refracted from the sea’s surface so that shadows were lines of wiggling light on the sea floor. We saw a sneaky long-nosed fish and then we saw the most gorgeous creature: a sea turtle. We followed him along for a long time as he swam through the fish gliding along and occasionally popping up out of the water for a gulp of air. He didn’t seem to mind at all.

As we leave this underwater wonderland and shake the saltiness off as we taste it on our lips, we are greeted by these most glorious trees: the red flamboyan. The impressive rouge tinge imprints its name as it truly is: flamboyant!

And as the dream continues, there are these gorgeous horses everywhere. Even regal horses towed along in their carriage instead of towing the carriage itself. It is quite possible these are unicorns on their way to coronation (or is is cornonation?).

Then out of nowhere we find a fruit that looks mighty evil with spikes and an odd testicular shape but which are actually surprisingly sweet in a strange sort of way!

Guanábana

And just as it seems the dreamworld is about to end, the sky shatters into a million shades of pink and purple before finally turning into a black velvet blanket speckled with diamond light and closes to the whistling noises of tiny tree frogs.

Sunset off the deck as the fog rolls in

Is this a dream directed by Wes Anderson? Or maybe it is a scene cut from the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy leaves the grey hues of Kansas for the Technicolor of Oz. As we doze off to the visions that sleep bring us each night I sometimes wonder which is truly the dream.