London Trip Day 3: Is it a Slight Left or a Slight Right? (June 4, 2011)
After a fantastic day exploring Stonehenge and Bath you always have to wonder how your going to top it the next day. I ended up getting woken up at around 10 AM from Jenn bright eyed and ready to make the day’s journey to Dover. We ended up heading out from the hotel at around 11 to make the 80-mile drive.
Today started very different then the last. The directions took us the complete opposite direction we had traveled the last two days. Instead of taking a few streets and hitting a motorway, we ended up going through side streets for an hour or so weaving our way in and out of roundabouts and slights lefts and rights. The Garmin GPS we were provided with our rental was nearly useless. There were more times then I could count that the GPS would say take a slight left and Jenn would say its wrong take a right and 99% of the time Jenn was right. We ended up tuning out the GPS voice directions and just went based off the map.
Around 45 minutes into the drive I thought it would be a good idea to stop at a gas station and fill up. Jenn's Dad went into pay and put down 20 pounds and I picked up a Red Bull and a Twix Bar. When Jenn's dad was filling up the car he just let the pump go past the 20 he paid for and it ended up at around 29 pounds. So we didn't think much of it and were about ready to leave when the gas station attendant ran out after us hitting the car asking why we were stealing from him. We got it resolved paid the difference and headed on our way.
Once we got through the winding roads of central London and hit the motorway the rest of the drive to Dover was pretty straightforward. We did stop at a McDonalds right outside of Dover for a pit stop and lunch. Jenn got a hamburger and fries, I got the big mac and fry combo, and Jenn's dad just did fries. All agreed it tasted literally identical to the US, however my Coke tasted awful.
Eating Some McDonalds in Dover
We ended up making it into Dover at around 2PM. Our main goal was to see the white cliffs of Dover and then head back to Leeds Castle. However while we were driving towards the coast we came across the Dover Castle and we all three quickly agreed to go check it out. So we parked, took a short bus up to the castle and spent the next 2-3 hours walking around the massive defensive castle.
Just Parked at the Dover Castle
From the moment we got out of the bus you could see everyone’s eyes light up. Unlike many castles we have seen in the past this one was still in amazing shape. One of the things Jenn and I both loved was walking through all of these Medieval tunnels throughout the bottom of castle. What was really neat to about Dover Castle is that it has been used for so many different time periods whether it was hundreds of years ago or as a defensive strategy base in WWII. The castle itself was gorgeous and worth the trip. We joked that you can always tell places we like by how many pictures we take and I would say between the three of us we took over 300 pictures during our time at the Dover Castle.
Side of Dover Castle
Jenn Looking Gorgeous at Dover Castle
Sitting on the Steps at the Front of the Dover Castle
Dover Castle
Another View of the Dover Castle
Jenn Looking Amazing In the Tunnels of Dover Castle
I Really Wanted to Take the Sword and Shield Home With Me
Another Shot of the Front of the Dover Castle
White Cliffs of Dover
We got done with the Dover Castle at around 4:30 and realized there was no way we were going to make it to Leeds Castle before it closed at 5 so we headed back for our hotel. The drive home was far smoother then the way out that morning and we made it back within an hour and a half.
Driving Back From Dover
When we got back to the hotel we parked the car and walked over to this Italian Restaurant that we had scouted out a few nights before. We all split a bottle of white wine, Jenn had a cheese pizza, I had a pepperoni and peppers pizza, and Jenns dad got a ham pizza. Jenn and her dad once again got ice cream for desert. It was one of the better meals I have had in London and one that I wouldn't be surprised if we eat at again before the trip is over.
Delicious Pizza Place Down the Street From Our Hotel
We Downed That Wine Quick
Ham Pizza
Cheese Pizza
Hot Pepper Pizza
The day itself was perfect. Sometimes the best times are those that are not planned and today was a perfect example. The original plan was to spend a few minutes checking out the White Cliffs of Dover and heading back to Leeds Castle however we were all so happy that we got to spend the day at Dover Castle.
London Trip Day 2: Stonehenge Rocks! (June 3, 2011)
After a very smooth first day of the trip we were ready to head out to our first road trip. We ended up waking up at around 10 AM London Time and were on the road by noon.
Getting to Stonehenge from London is about a 90-mile drive but the majority of the time is spent just getting through the city and onto the motorway (freeway). Our drive to Stonehenge was pretty uneventful except for having to find a quick pit stop in the middle of nowhere.
We made it to Stonehenge at around 1 PM and it was a picture perfect day. One of the first things we all agreed upon at arrival was how much smaller the rocks were from what they look like on TV and in Pictures. It was still a really neat experience to be able to see one of the most unusual stops on our trips. Obviously once you have walked around it once there isn't a ton left to do there nor is there anything in the surrounding area of Stonehenge so we paid the admission, walked around the sight, and were off.
Just Arriving at Stonehenge
Walking Around Stonehenge
A Great View of Stonehenge
Jenn Gives a Thumbs Up For Stonehenge
Jenn Loves All of the Sheep In the Background
They did have a small cafe at the entrance and Jenn and I got lunch there. I originally ordered a slice of pizza they were out, then I ordered quiche, and they were out, so I got a sausage roll and Jenn got a piece of shortbread. Mine was one of the worst things I have ever eaten in my life and Jenn's was pretty plain but at least was edible.
From there we headed to Bath to see the Roman Baths a 30 minute drive and from many people a must stop. The drive to Bath was absolutely gorgeous, some of the prettiest countryside you could imagine. Rolling green hills, tall trees, roaming animals, the whole bit. Having done little to no research on the city of Bath we all had very little in way of expectations. However it was one of the most beautiful cities I have visited in Europe. There is a beautiful river the cuts straight through the downtown area with a stone bridge.
We got into town right around 4 PM and we knew the museum for the Roman Baths closed at 5 so we had to hustle to find a parking spot. We found one and Jenn was smart enough to ask if we were allowed to park there which we weren't but we found out about a parking lot a bit down the road so I drove us down there and we walked up the heart of the city.
- Walking into the city of Bath
Jenn and I in front of River Within Bath
The Beautiful River Within the City of Bath
The Roman Baths museum was a bit of a letdown. Jenn had expected there to be much more beauty and ancient baths but instead there is the main center bath which was filled with an off green tinted water and the rest were unfilled and not all that interesting to look at. When we were getting our tickets the lady had mentioned that the average person takes around 1 hr. and 15 mins to get through the entire museum. Rounding up I think we spent 20 minutes.
Right In Front of Roman Baths
Roman Baths
After the short trip to the museum we wandered through the beautiful city. We didn't want to walk around for to long, as the drive back was a good 2+ hour trek. We did however stop for some delicious ice cream at this cart on our way back to the car. Jenn got literally 5 scoops of this strawberry ice cream and it was some of the best ice cream I have ever eaten.
Jenn Takes Yet Another Stunning Shot
A Great View of the River Within The City of Bath
Jenn Plowing Through Her Strawberry Ice Cream
We made our way back to the car and headed back for London. Once we got out of the city of Bath and onto the motorway Jenn fell asleep and I listened to UK Sports Talk (AM Radio) listening for updated on the French Open. We made it back to our hotel safe and sound at around 8PM. We ended up eating dinner at the hotels restaurant and were completely under dressed. Jenn got her typical Spaghetti Bolognase; I got Fish and Chips, and her dad a small roasted chicken. I did manage to get a glass of Pinot Grigio and they had a chef's special of roasted ham meat with a nut bread that was delicious.
Chef's Special
It Taste Like Chicken
Jenn's Go To Order
Delicious Fish and Chips
When Jenn was planning out our trip it was days like these that I was really looking forward to. If we do hold the course it looks like we have a few more "road trip days" and then a few days to spend in London. Let's hope they all can match up to the great day today.
London Trip Day 1: Crisis Averted (June 1st – June 2nd 2011)
And so it begins; another adventure through the great unknown. Or in this case a trip over the pond to London for eight days of exploration. The trip to London started easy enough. Jenn and I worked a half-day, and Jenn's Dad picked us up at our apartment and we headed down to LAX for our non-stop flight to Heathrow airport.
The trip down to LAX was smooth, you can never complain when traffic is moving especially the closer you get to LA. We all carried on so we printed our boarding passes ahead of time and made our way straight to security. We were a little over zealous and passed by all of the good eateries and made our way to the gate. Our flight was delayed a half-hour but we made that time up and some in the air. The flight itself was smooth. It seems like the more we fly these 10-hour flights the easier it is to deal with them.
Hanging Out at the Airport Waiting For Our Flight
Leading up the trip Jenn told me that she had five our six movies lined up to watch on the trip and I even spouted off a few. However we both only got through one (Just Go With It) and either slept or stared off hoping to sleep. The flight came and went and 9 1/2 hours later we reached London Heathrow and made our way through customs and off to the bus to take us to the car rental agency.
We Knew We Were Close When We Saw This Sign
After a lot of deliberation in the "trip planning" we decided to rent a car and tour England rather then retrace our steps on past trips. When we got to the car rental agency (Sixt) I was told that because I am 24 (not 25) I would not be able to rent the BMW 1 Series that I had reserved. So instead we got a less expensive VW Golf and a Garmin GPS. It was a quick inconvenience but we got keys to the Golf (sporting only 600 miles of use) and took off. Having driven on the wrong side of the road before (Scotland on our Honeymoon) I volunteered to take the wheel with Jenn taking shotgun and her dad in the backseat still a bit out of it from the long flight.
Tour of Our Room (Room # 401)
I somehow managed to get us to our hotel, the Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour in one piece. In all honesty though the Scotland driving did very little to prepare me for maneuvering downtown London with its crazy drivers and all to common "round a bouts."
Front of the Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour
When we got to the hotel our room was ready however Jenn's dads wasn't. We dropped off our luggage in our room and headed to the lounge for a late lunch. Jenn got Pasta Bolognase (it wouldn't be right any other way), I got a Club Sandwich with a beer, and Jenn's dad got a chicken sandwich. Not only was the lounge extremely relaxing but it was reasonably priced and the food was actually quite tasty.
From there we got the keys to Jenn's Dads hotel room that he received an upgrade on with a harbor view and a balcony. At first he wasn't all that stoked about being on the 1st floor but when he saw the room he let the front desk know he was happy. We went our separate ways to unpack and unwind for a few minutes when we got a call from Jenn's dad that his camera was not powering on. He had just bought a brand new Canon DSLR with extended battery pack and neither his standard battery nor the extra pack were working. So we went down to the concierge asked where a local camera shop was. We were told there was one that was only down the street a 15 minute walk. After a good 30 minute walk we made it down to Jacobs Camera Shop where we found that his camera was still working but just needed a recharge in all of his batteries. Crisis averted.
Walking Back From the Camera Shop
On our way back we stopped at a local Italian Restaurant where for the first half hour we were the only ones there. Jenn's dad had a glass of Pinot Grigio and Lobster Pasta, Jenn got a filet of beef, and I got rigatoni pasta. Jenn and her dad both got ice cream for dessert and I went with a cappuccino just trying to find anyway to stay awake for the walk back to the hotel.
- Happy to Have a Working Camera
Jenn Loves Her Steak
Rigatoni Pasta
Would You Like a Lobster With That Pasta?
Although first days are never usually the highlight of the trip this was a great way to start our adventure in London.
Looking Into a Few New Pocket Digital Cameras
In a few months Jenn and I along with her Dad will be taking a journey across the pond to Europe and I really don't want to bring our Canon DSLR along with us. Why you ask? Well for one reason, its bulky. There were so many times when Jenn and I were in Barcelona last year that I just got tired of lugging the camera with lenses around. Sure it takes breathtaking pictures, but I barely know how to do any of the ultra photo nerd stuff that would make it worthwhile to take the big camera along. However now comes the inevitable search for a new pocket camera that is both small enough to fit in my pocket (hint the name) but that's going to take awesome shots.
Here are the cameras I am looking at:
Sony TX9
I really like that this camera is ultra thin, touch screen, and has a 14 mega pixel lens. I do worry however that I have never fell in love with a touch screen that wasn't made by Apple. I also like that the camera takes 720p video which although I will probably use my Flip HD for video on the trip, it is nice to have regardless. I have to admit though looking at this camera it is pretty sweet looking and I had a ton of luck with my current pocket Sony camera. It looks as though it will cost around $250 or so.
Canon S95
I currently own a Canon Rebel XS DSLR and love it. Although of course I am buying a new camera because I don't want to carry it around on the trip. I like that the Canon S95 is just a pure digital camera. It has a lot of the advanced features if I ever want to use them, but it is just a pure high quality digital camera. I like that I don't have to worry about the touch screen, but it also is a bit more advanced then I need in a pocket camera. It looks like the average price is a bit on the top of the pocket camera scale of $350 but it looks like a beast of a camera.
Those are the two cameras that I have narrowed my search on for now. I also know that I will be bringing my now outdated original iPad along with me and will pick up one of those Apple Camera Connection kits so I can backup my photos as the day goes along.
So I will continue to do more research and price surfing until I come across the perfect pocket camera for the trip.
Cancun Trip 2010 Day 6 (November 11th, 2010): Burn Baby Burn
It was a day of pure adventure, then a day of pure relaxation, what would our last day hold? The answer was by far the most beautiful day of the trip. We woke up to clear skies and the sun shining brightly. We tried to call for room service but our phone wasn’t cooperating so we went to the Toscana restaurant for breakfast, which was surprisingly really good. Jenn had waffles and I had a mimosa with a ham cheese and jalapeño omelet.
Right after breakfast we headed straight down to the beach for some sun and boy did we get sun. While down at the beach we ordered drinks, Jenn got another Pina Colada and I had the drink of the day that they called an ocean breeze. I literally was getting so fried that I took a walk back to the room to get away from the sun and came back down a few minutes later to get more sun with Jenn.
A Look Out to the Ocean
Literally after four or five hours down in the blazing sun Jenn through in the towel and we headed over the lazy rivers. Jenn more then I needed to cool down and the lazy rivers finally heated up and felt great. We rafted around for a good or hour or two just relaxing and enjoying some relief from the sun. After the lazy river we headed back up to the room and ordered room service. I got another Philly Cheesesteak (loved these) with a few Coronas and Jenn had Pasta Bolognase and a ton of water.
The Beach Area at the Excellence Playa Mujeres
After lunch the battle between the sun and Jenn was over and the sun had turned out being victorious. Literally within a few minutes of finishing lunch Jenn fell asleep and took a good three-hour nap while I watched TV, played on the iPad, and read my book Play Dead by Harlan Coben.
When Jenn finally arose from her slumber she was the most red I have ever seen her. I ran down to the gift shop and picked up some over priced Aloe Vera to try to relieve some of the pain. Given her massive burn we decided that it would not be smart to go out and hit the restaurants so we decided to stay in and it turned out to be one of the best meals of the trip. Jenn got her Mahi Mahi, which she has loved all trip. I got Ajillo Shrimp and Beef Tenderloin with two glasses of sparkling white wine. It wasn’t long after dinner that I finished packing for two of us and Jenn supervised from the bed in discomfort from her serious sunburn.
Our Last Dinner at the Excellence Playa Mujeres
We did manage to go upstairs on our terrace and once again enjoy a beautiful night under the stars and it was a great time to reflect on what was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable vacations either of us have ever been on.
Cancun Trip 2010 Day 5 (November 10th, 2010): We Feel Young Again
After what was a very crazy adventure yesterday both Jenn and I slept like babies. When we woke up we saw to us Southern Californians looked like a torrential downpour. So instead of rushing outside we went back to sleep and continued to try and recover from the previous days festivities. At around 9am in the morning we woke up ordered breakfast.
This morning I had a bagel with cream cheese and Jenn had pancakes with bacon. As we were eating breakfast we realized that today would actually be a perfect day to go to the spa. Originally we had booked it for our last day (tomorrow) but we decided while it was raining we might as well go get our couples massage. Jenn called down to the spa, they said no problem and got us in for a noon appointment, although we were told to come an hour early for our “hydrotherapy” treatment.
The Outside of the Spa
When we arrived at the spa we got into our bathing suits and were directed to the spa area to begin our hydrotherapy. We started off with five minutes in the sauna that felt great and then were directed to go take a quick dip in a freezing (no exaggeration) pool of water jump out and go into the small very warm pool of water. We then went into the main spa area to have a series of hydrotherapy jets for five minutes each. What we both thought would just be lounging around in the spa actually turned out to be extremely relaxing and felt great. The last ten minutes we got an upper neck and shoulder massage and were then instructed to get in our robes and go to the relaxation room.
Inside the Spa!
The relaxation room was a large circular room with about six or eight chase’s and very soothing music. After waiting around five minutes one of our masseuse came in and took us to a very large couples room. We got ready on the massage beds and fifty minutes later we both felt like new. Jenn who has had a lot more experience in massages then I have said, “best massage ever” and I tend to agree, it was incredible.
I Feel Young Again!
As we left the spa with champagne in hand the sun was shinning and there was literally not a cloud in the sky. We went back up to the room ordered lunch, Jenn had Mahi Mahi and I got a club sandwich and we spent the rest of the afternoon laying out and enjoying what was left of the beautiful day.
For dinner we went to the restaurant called Lobster House that you guessed it specializes in lobster. Jenn got a Pina Colada with the Excellence Shrimp (garlic shrimp) and I got Clam Chowder (very running) and Lobster with Chipotle Butter (one of the fishiest lobsters I have ever eaten) and a glass of chardonnay. It was one of the worst meals we had at the Excellence Playa Mujeres, which was a disappointment; given how much I love lobster.
The Entrance to The Lobster House
Regardless we did not let that ruin our evening so we went over to one of the nicest bars at the resort, The Martini Bar. Jenn started off by polishing off a Cosmo and finished it off with an Espresso Martini. I have to say the Espresso Martini was one of the best drinks I have ever had. I started off with an Old Fashion and finish off with a dry gin martini. We spent a lot of time just enjoying our drinks at the bar and just talking about the eventful week we had thus far.
Jenn and I at The Martini Bar
Enjoying a Dry Martini
After we polished off our drinks we went and played Ping Pong but I had so much to drink that Jenn worked me easily. It literally was an embarrassment to ping pong players everywhere. We went back to the room and spent a majority of the rest of the night on the second floor balcony laying out under the stars and enjoying every moment of it.
Cancun Trip 2010 Day 4 (November 9th, 2010): Welcome to the Cave of Wonders
When Jenn and I booked our trip to Cancun the main goal was to go and relax. However we both knew that if we were making the trip to Cancun we might want to venture outside of the hotel walls and go on some sort of adventure. So we both made a point to check out what sort of activities we could do while in Cancun and decided on our second day of the trip to go to the Xplor park for it’s selection of activities including zip lining something we both have always wanted to do. Xplor is located around two hours outside of Cancun in the city of Quintana Roo.
We ended up waking up at around 5:30 in the morning to get ready for our 7am bus ride to the park. We woke up ordered room service; we both got eggs and bacon, and got ready for our big adventure. The bus arrived on time and we drove around 45 minutes to a bus stop right outside of Cancun where we told to switch buses to go to Xplor. While we were getting off the bus we realized we left our hotel towels in the Hotel lobby and ended up having to buy towels for our trip, lucky for us the bus stop was also a tourist trap that sold everything you would possibly need for a trip to Xplor. We hoped on the second bus and made our way to the Xplor Park.
On the Bus Ride to Xplor
As we arrived to Xplor we were immediately taken to check in, get a key for a locker, given helmets and basic safety tips for the park, and were ready to go on our adventure. The first activity Jenn and I dived into was zip lining. Xplor has two different courses with a total of 13 lines. We jumped on the first course, made it up to the first platform and within about 3 seconds of reaching the platform Jenn was off on her first line. I have to say zip lining was actually more fun then we both anticipated.
Walking Into the Xplor Park
Ready To Go Zip Lining!!
Jenn Off On Another Line
There She Goes!!
With each line they through something different at you, and kept the excitement level way up. There were three lines that had you doing complete water landings, two of which you zip lined through waterfalls. You also had one line where it went over cages of live Jaguars and Crocodiles, and finally one that you take a waterslide down to and hit your next line. We ran through both courses (beat the rush) within two hours and were pumped for the rest of the day. Luckily there was still a ton more to do.
Trying to Avoid the Water
Making a Splash!
Look at Jenn Go!
The next thing we decided to do was go off-roading on the first of two 3-mile tracks that Xplor has. Having gone off-roading once before in Alaska on a cruise we took with my family a few years back we were totally pumped to do it again. Jenn asked me to do the first track and I of course was 100% fine with that. We walked up to the starting line, jumped in a buggy, and were off. I was pumped so I just floored it around the turns and was asked to slow down a few minutes into the ride and one of the several checkpoints. What was so great about this off-roading was that not only did you have a great dirt track but also you also made your way through countless caves often times filled with a good foot or two of water.
In the Cave of Wonders
I Love Off-Roading!
The Off-Roading Track Ahead...
We ended up doing the second course later in the day and Jenn drove like a champ. She buckled up, put her foot on the pedal and was off and running. She did get to deal with what we called Mexico’s version of Jersey Shore, which was a group that was loud and obnoxious driving in front and behind her, but outside that we really enjoyed both courses that offered some gorgeous sites and great off-roading.
Through the Jungle!
Jenn Taking the Wheel
Before going to lunch we decided to take on the one adventure we weren’t necessarily as pumped up to take on which were the underground paddle rafts. For those that remember the “romantic” paddleboat experience at the Palace of Versailles in 2008 you will understand that neither of our paddling skills is all that strong, in fact I would go as far to say that they are nonexistent. We got down to the starting area and were given hand paddles and a wooden raft, and were off on the 500+ meter course. As you probably expected this was our least successful adventure but we did make it through the course in relatively good time and really enjoyed the amazing atmosphere inside this gigantic cave.
Off We Go Paddle Rafting Through the Cave
After our exhausting paddleboat ride through the cave we went off to the included buffet lunch which they called “international food” which basically consisted of a salad bar, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, and a desert bar. The food wasn’t anything to write home about but I think we both worked up a heck of an appetite from all the physical exertion from the morning activities so we ate quite a bit and were back off ready for more adventure.
The final big adventure of the day was a 400-meter cave river swim. You literally walk through a cave for a few hundred yards, are given a life jacket, and just jump in and swim the course. If there was one area of the trip that Jenn had some fear of it was this but she got in right away and we were off. The water was relatively warm, but it was such a hot day outside that it felt great to jump in.
Having a Nice Swim in the Cave
We got about ¾ of the way through the course before Jenn started to realize how much wildlife was actually still in the cave. I had told her before doing the swim not to look down but didn’t say to not look up because she managed to see a bunch (no exaggeration) of sleeping bats overhead. From that moment on she was a woman on a mission and I literally don’t think I have ever seen her swim faster. At the end of the swim there was a gorgeous waterfall that you went under, but Jenn was so freaked out by the bats she swam straight through it and was done with the swim. I will say we both loved the experience even with the bats and it was a perfect activity to finish off on.
Such an Amazing Swim!
After the swim we were both spent, we had our adrenaline fix, and were ready to finish off the day. We got cleaned up, purchased some pictures (taken throughout the park), and waited for our bus to take us directly back to our hotel. The bus came and picked us up at Xplor at around 4:30 and we ended up getting back to the hotel at around 6:30. The big positive for the way home was that it was just us and a group of 8 British folks on the bus. Luckily the British group was absolutely hilarious and made the drive go by extremely quick. It was literally like watching a British comedy TV show.
When we arrived back to the hotel we were spent, we ordered room service, Jenn got Minestrone soup with Spaghetti Bolognase, and I got a Caesar Salad and a Philly Cheesesteak with a few Coronas from the mini bar.
Today ended up being one of those days that neither Jenn nor I will ever forget in our lifetime. We had so many great laughs, so many great memories, and such an amazing time that I couldn’t have asked for a better Cancun adventure. There literally wasn’t one thing I would change about today.
Cancun Trip 2010 Day 3 (November 8th, 2010): If Ice Had A Brother It Would Be The Lazy River
After our first wonderful day at the Excellence Playa Mujeres we were pumped and ready for more. Unlike yesterday which was sunny in the morning and cloudy in the afternoon, today the Cancun sun was out in full force. We started out the morning bright and early and laid out on our 2nd story terrace while waiting for our room service to arrive. This morning I ordered the huevos rancheros with fruit and Jenn went with the pancakes and bacon.
The Beautiful Morning Sun
Breakfast is Served
Once we got done with breakfast we went back upstairs on our second story terrace and enjoyed laying out up there listening to music and just enjoying the very warm sun.
Enjoying the Early Morning Sun with a Corona
We ended up getting to a point where the sun was becoming so brutal that we went down and laid in the lazy river. From an outsider perspective with 85 degree weather and the sun just bearing down on the lazy rivers you would expect them to be to warm for comfort but instead the opposite was true. The lazy rivers were absolutely freezing. It was so cold that even with the hundreds of people laying out in the scorching heat near the pools less then four or five were actually in the water, Jenn and I being two of those few die hard lazy river fans. We did manage to find some hammocks that are within the lazy river to lay on and relax which were quite comfortable, to the point where we were both nodding off in them.
Amazing Hammocks Over the Lazy Rivers
We went back the room after taking on even more sun down by the various pools to order some lunch. I ended up getting some nachos with a Philly cheese-steak sandwich. Jenn got Mahi Mahi with tortilla soup. Eating on the balcony, enjoying the sun, and having life slow down for once was really a great feeling.
One of the Best Room Service Lunches
After lunch we headed down to the concierge to take a break from the sun and also book our one and only excursion for the trip to Xplor to do some zip-lining. Once that was booked we made a quick stop at the ping pong tables (to Jenn's delight) and went back to the room and laid out on our balcony awaiting dinner.
Ping Pong Glory!!! Well at least she is pretending to enjoy it!
I Myself Love Some Ping Pong!!
Tonight we went to Asian inspired restaurant called Spice. The decor of the restaurant was ultra modern with all white tables and chairs and very bright and vibrant wall lights. It was something you would kind of picture seeing in a movie about the future and not necessarily expect in Cancun. Jenn got Miso soup and the NY Terriaki Steak and I got some Saki with an assortment of spicy sushi rolls (California, Tuna, and Salmon) and spicy duck for my main dish. We split some vanilla ice cream for desert. It wasn’t our best meal of the trip but it was more of an experience then anything. It was a beautiful restaurant with good food and was just a lot of fun.
Jenn at the Restaurant "Spice"
We knew tomorrow was going to be a long day with a 7am departure so we turned in early to our room, enjoyed the in room spa again and awaited our big adventure to the Xplor park tomorrow.
Cancun Trip 2010 Day 2 (November 7th, 2010): Easy Like Sunday Morning
For almost any trip Jenn and I take we always spend the weeks leading up to the trip checking out the weather. For a trip like Cancun, weather is crucial. As we got closer to our trip to Cancun we had seen everything (no exaggeration) from every day being forecasted to have rain to every day having sunny skies and everything in between. When we woke up on our first morning we were overjoyed to have clear skies and were ready to take on the day.
We started off our morning with ordering room service (a common trend for the week) where Jenn got scrambled eggs and bacon with cranberry juice and I got eggs Benedict and coffee.
Our Breakfast Room Service
With the weather looking clear we ran down to the beach and enjoyed laying on the loungers and enjoying some cocktails. I got a Bloody Mary and Jenn got a Pina Colada.
We did have a funny moment while laying out depending on what perspective you look at it. While we were out enjoying the sun there was a circle of birds that were kind of hovering overhead both Jenn and I and they were not moving at all. I looked over at Jenn and told her I thought they were going to unload there lunch on us and sure enough as they began to fly away a nice blob landed right on my foot. I don’t think we laughed harder the whole trip, it was one of those times I wish I wasn’t right.
Literally as we both started to get a bit “to much sun” the clouds began to come over us and the wind started to kick up so we packed up from the beach and headed up for another round of ping-pong. After a few sets of competitive action we headed to the Barcelona restaurant for lunch. Jenn definitely showed me how to work the Barcelona buffet when she got freshly cooked salmon, shrimp, and scallops all of which tasted delicious. I went with a pasta and pizza combo which was OK but no where near as good as Jenns.
Later in the afternoon we got a call from the front desk letting us know that our request to get our room change was granted. When we booked our room originally we booked a two-story terrace room but when we arrived we got one that had the terrace on the same floor. So Jenn called and just asked if there was a possibility to get a two-story room and they said they would let us know. We were so excited to get the new room because the views were much better and the rooftop terrace was ideal.
A Video Tour of Our New Room with a Rooftop Terrace
After we got settled into our new room we booked our couples massage for later in the week and then got prepared for dinner. We decided to try out the out the hotels French restaurant Chez Izabelle and really enjoyed it. We got a bottle of Chardonnay which we both enjoyed, it was very light and very tasty. Jenn got French Onion Soup, Duck, and then Vanilla Ice Cream. I ordered the seafood soup, escargot, filet of beef, and crème brule with coffee.
The very tasty escargot
Filet of Beef
Jenn's Duck
Enjoying One of the Best Dinners of the Trip
We finished off the night by enjoying our spa on the patio and just enjoying the beautiful Cancun night. What an amazing day it turned out to be.
Cancun Trip 2010 Day 1 (November 5th – 6th, 2010): Here Comes The Sun
It may come as no surprise to anyone but Jenn and I love to travel. I might even go as far to say we live for it and try to do it as much as possible. Earlier in the year we were blessed to go to Barcelona, Spain and what an amazing trip that turned out to be. However after that trip we promised each other our next trip would be some where both warm and relaxing. So it comes as no surprise that we ended up with a week trip to Cancun, Mexico and boy are we both glad we did.
The trip started out with us carpooling to work and heading down to downtown Los Angeles to spend the night before our flight the next morning to Cancun. On our way to the hotel we stopped at a very trendy bar/lounge called The Edison (no relation to the company we both work for) for a few vacation starting drinks. We had a great time, enjoyed some cocktails and calamari. From The Edison we headed down the street to a small pizza place where we had a delicious pepperoni pizza and continued to enjoy the beautiful evening in downtown LA.
When the dinner and drink festivities ended we headed off to the Renaissance Marriott by LAX where we had booked a room for the night which included leaving our car there for a week. The check in and car parking went as smooth as silk and we were ready for our 9am flight to Houston and then off to Cancun.
When the time came to make our way over to LAX (around 6am) we literally walked down while the hotel shuttle was just arriving, it was truly great timing. We made it through security and were about 2 hours early for our flight. So we first made a stop at Cinnabun and got a regular cinnamon roll to split. In all honesty we both agreed that they didn't taste as good as we remembered. From Cinnabun we headed to a book store where Jenn browsed magazines and I picked up a book for the trip.
Waiting for Our Flight Out of LAX
Our flight from LAX to Houston was great, the plane had individual TV screens with a good selection of movies. I watched Salt and Jenn watched Despicable Me which made the 3 hour flight feel painless. When we got to Houston we had about an hour layover so we quickly made it up to the Fox Sports Grill and split a sampler platter while watching college football. Literally as we finished the platter our flight began to board and we were on our way to Cancun.
Fox Sports Sky Box in the Houston Airport
Sampler Platter @ Fox Sports Sky Box
The flight into Cancun from Houston is about 2 hours and it too flew by. We did have a lady on the plane next to us who had a few to many drinks during the flight who looked like she might loose her lunch right in front of us, but outside that it was a pretty normal flight. We made our way through customs and to our amazement our bags were the first off the plane so we grabbed them and were off to our designated pick up area where our driver picked us up and took us on our 45 minute drive to our hotel, The Excellence Playa Mujeres.
Getting to the hotel was kind of a trip, the hotel literally has three security check points you have to get cleared through before arriving at the resort. Once at the resort we were greeted with cold towels and champagne and were shown to our 2 story rooftop terrace and began to get settled in.
In Room Spa on the First Floor of our Roof Top Terrace
A Lovely Towel Fixture on Our Bed with a Rose
It was a beautiful night in Cancun so after getting slightly unpacked we went to Agave (1 of 7 restaurants at the hotel) a Mexican food restaurant for dinner. I had lobster bisque followed by ajillo shrimp and flan for desert. Jenn had tortilla soup followed by chicken/steak fajitas and vanilla ice cream. In very typical Cancun style we also had margaritas with our meal, Jenn had a strawberry one and I had a tropical.
Beef/Chicken Fajitas
Ajillo Shrimp
We finished off the night playing some very intense games of ping pong followed by watching The Dark Knight in our room. It was a wonderful and relaxing start to our Cancun vacation.