Punta Canalivehereforever?
We have been home for a week and a half.
My how that first day back was a shock to my system! I found myself a little down!
After being pampered for a week, not having to cook and clean, seeing my hubs everyday, I almost felt like crying as I woke up in my empty bed, then got up to make lunches and breakfast for everyone!
There was no easing back into that... it was a slap in the face!
Don't get me wrong... I love my life!
But, being out of it for a week, then jumping right back in to my mountain of laundry and such, felt a little like jumping onto a treadmill going full speed... it took me a minute to catch up to my life again!
We are back at it, and it all feels normal again.
Sometimes, though I stop and remember our week. I feel a little twinge of loss, then gratitude for the opportunty to get away. We really needed that! We MUST do this more often!
Here are some highlights... I plan to make a mini book full of complete journaling... we'll see if that gets completed. I'll have to clean off my other desk :).
Wednesday:
Smith's here when we left, felt totally comfy w/ them staying w/ our kids.
Stopped, when we go to Philly, for food. Sat down, big mistake! Almost missed our flight... RAN to the gate! Were the last one's to board! Crazy!
M had a cough attack!
Good flight... loved seeing the water down below.
Crazy hot and humid, then loooong line to get through customs, but finally made it!
Glad we followed the guy to find our bus... it's not organized to the tourist onlooker! Only to the bus drivers!
Arrived at Melia Caribe, greeted w/ huge hugs from my sis and S. Such a blast meeting them there!
Check in, tour, fabulous rooms! Change and hit the beach!
Into the water, which is gorgeous, as well as the beach!
Played Frisbee on the beach, visited, changed and went to dinner. Japanese hibachi. Super yum!
Thursday:
Ran 5 miles on the beach, barefoot. Great workout!
Visited the Hard Rock resort. Time share... again! It was only sort of painful! It is a fabulous resort, no doubt! They have spared no expense! After lunch, tour and sales pitch we got day passes.
Boys golfed at the fabulous Jack Nicklaus golf course. Cand and I sat on the beach, body surfed, swam in the pool, got massages, shopped, then met our boys for dinner. We ate Brazilian (Churrascaria).
Got a bit crispy I did! Mostly my legs! That is some fierce sun! No tanning oil, only sunscreen!
Friday...
Up early to catch a taxi, to catch the bus to Higuey, which was about an hour away.
Love our new friend, who agreed to take her day off to show us around her city. She met us at the Basillica, took us to her home, we exchanged $, bought fruit from street vendors, visited another church, toured the market, drank fresh coconut water, played dominos in the street, shopped for treasures, rode in the back of a truck, met her son, ate lunch, then said our goodbyes. She worked at our resort so we'd see her again. Love her! Dinner at Americana, steak, hearts in our room, swam laps in the pool.
My how that first day back was a shock to my system! I found myself a little down!
After being pampered for a week, not having to cook and clean, seeing my hubs everyday, I almost felt like crying as I woke up in my empty bed, then got up to make lunches and breakfast for everyone!
There was no easing back into that... it was a slap in the face!
Don't get me wrong... I love my life!
But, being out of it for a week, then jumping right back in to my mountain of laundry and such, felt a little like jumping onto a treadmill going full speed... it took me a minute to catch up to my life again!
We are back at it, and it all feels normal again.
Sometimes, though I stop and remember our week. I feel a little twinge of loss, then gratitude for the opportunty to get away. We really needed that! We MUST do this more often!
Here are some highlights... I plan to make a mini book full of complete journaling... we'll see if that gets completed. I'll have to clean off my other desk :).
Wednesday:
Smith's here when we left, felt totally comfy w/ them staying w/ our kids.
Stopped, when we go to Philly, for food. Sat down, big mistake! Almost missed our flight... RAN to the gate! Were the last one's to board! Crazy!
M had a cough attack!
Good flight... loved seeing the water down below.
Crazy hot and humid, then loooong line to get through customs, but finally made it!
Glad we followed the guy to find our bus... it's not organized to the tourist onlooker! Only to the bus drivers!
Arrived at Melia Caribe, greeted w/ huge hugs from my sis and S. Such a blast meeting them there!
Check in, tour, fabulous rooms! Change and hit the beach!
Into the water, which is gorgeous, as well as the beach!
Played Frisbee on the beach, visited, changed and went to dinner. Japanese hibachi. Super yum!
Thursday:
Ran 5 miles on the beach, barefoot. Great workout!
Visited the Hard Rock resort. Time share... again! It was only sort of painful! It is a fabulous resort, no doubt! They have spared no expense! After lunch, tour and sales pitch we got day passes.
Boys golfed at the fabulous Jack Nicklaus golf course. Cand and I sat on the beach, body surfed, swam in the pool, got massages, shopped, then met our boys for dinner. We ate Brazilian (Churrascaria).
Got a bit crispy I did! Mostly my legs! That is some fierce sun! No tanning oil, only sunscreen!
This photo shows both how humid it was and how they trim the hedges with the machete! Love it! Eventually my lens did adjust!
Friday...
Up early to catch a taxi, to catch the bus to Higuey, which was about an hour away.
Love our new friend, who agreed to take her day off to show us around her city. She met us at the Basillica, took us to her home, we exchanged $, bought fruit from street vendors, visited another church, toured the market, drank fresh coconut water, played dominos in the street, shopped for treasures, rode in the back of a truck, met her son, ate lunch, then said our goodbyes. She worked at our resort so we'd see her again. Love her! Dinner at Americana, steak, hearts in our room, swam laps in the pool.
Saturday: slept in, excursion day, bfast then beach to book it, nudy Russians, long walk to the pier, kyacking, pool time, 'James Bond' for a day, watching our two boats... w/ heafty men in them... trying to plane out, snorkeling, watching two heafty men get back into little speedboats out in the ocean, anxious about having my camera get wet, laying by the pool, pina coladas, dinner at the Mexican restaurant, moonlight walk on the beach w/ M. Best thing ever!
Sunday: slept in, relaxed by the pool all day, I read a lot of Runner's World this trip not one photo from today, met C/S for lunch, today was their anniversary, ate Italian this night, surprised C/S with a cake after dinner, they sang and danced for us, played a dice game after dinner.
Monday: boys up early to golf, C and I ran again, the morning was ours together. We did 'yoga' Dominican style... mostly stretching, on the beach, private dance lessons w/ Jonathan, water aerobics, met the boys for lunch, worked on our tans more, all did dance lessons on the beach... good fun. Dined at the Thai restaurant... it was good, but maybe not... didn't feel too good later that night and M ended up being sick the whole next day, for our travel home... let me tell you it was not fun!
Wednesday: morning swim for me, get us packed, checked out, to the airport. M lay in bed, sick, while I got us all ready to go. We arrived at the airport w/ a ton of time to spare. He layed across the seats and slept until it was time to go! We made it home, but it was a sucky morning for him. He felt much better as we arrived in Philly.
Things about this trip to remember: Buen Dia (abbreviated Buenos dias), enyoy, peacock wandering around with us, our boys squawking to them, Matt's crazy hat, Maria, endless sunshine (don't believe it, is what the islanders say about the question of rain coming), beautiful water, international destination, pina coladas, laughing till our belly's ached, swarm of kids that arrived out of nowhere as we bought ice cream, obvious and blatant price inflation because we are 'tourists'!
It was amazing, of course. I am so glad we went, and would go back in a heartbeat. As mentioned this was an anniversary trip for Cand and Scott, we celebrated 15 last fall, this was our celebration for that.