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.
Off to Cancun and Loving It!
I love nothing more then to write these posts with less then 24 hours until Jenn and I head on our last vacation of 2010. Instead of doing our recent trend of jet setting over the Atlantic Ocean to Europe, this time we have our sights set on Cancun, Mexico. As much as we both love seeing new places and checking out the great sights of the cities in Europ,e is there really anything better then laying out on the beach and drinking a Pina Calada? So leaving tomorrow at around 9:30am we will be heading to Cancun from LAX with a stop over in Houston, Texas. If all goes well we should be arriving in Cancun by around 5 and make it to our hotel (Excellence Playa Mujeres) by dinner time at around 6:30.
We chose an all inclusive resort outside of the main Cancun hotel strip to just disconnect for a week and catch up on some much needed R&R time. It's been a crazy few months so this trip is happening at just the right time. I am not sure if I will be posting daily updates during the trip or once we come back. But stay tuned for all the latest updates on our journey south to Cancun!!
Book Review: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
When it comes to which books I choose to purchase I pretty much go right off of customer reviews. Unlike movies and video games which I try to keep a keen eye on what is going on, I just don't follow books near as close. However even if I don't follow books as close I would have to try to purposefully avoid seeing that the book The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was one of the most popular novels in the past few years. So without reading one review I purchased this book (in audio form) from Audible.com around 6 months ago. Like many books I started it, got bored of it, and decided to come back to it a while later.
For me I need a book that starts off strong and this is one that holds its cards close to its vest until literally the very end. Sure the book gives tidbits of plot away but its not until the back 25% of the novel that things really start to ramp up, and when they do the book is great. My biggest problem was that I really struggled to get into the story. I am not sure if it was the translation from Swedish to English, or whether it was the difference in lifestyles, I just never connected to this book in the way that many people have. Will I go and read the subsequent two novels, possibly, but it probably won't be my first choice.
A Triple Feature Weekend… Can’t Get Better Then That!
When you work as much as Jenn and I do we don't always get a lot of opportunities to go out and just relax and enjoy living out in Orange County. So this past weekend we took full advantage of having some time to just R&R and went out and saw two movies and a play. On Friday night along with my brother Jake we went and saw The Other Guys staring Will Ferrell. Saturday morning we went out and saw The Expendables staring every action hero you can imagine, and that evening we went out and saw In The Heights at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.
The Other Guys
Both my brother Jake and I are huge Will Ferrell fans. I still can't stop laughing when I watch Anchorman and Talladega Nights and I have probably watched those each at least two dozen times. So my expectations going into this movie were pretty high and I have to say I was a little let down. One of my main complaints is that a lot of the funnier moments in this movie were seen already in the movies previews. My biggest problem however with The Other Guys was I just never got into it. To me there was just not the right pacing in this comedy that has worked so well in past Will Ferrell movies. Don't get me wrong its a funny movie but not on the top of the list of Will Ferrell movies in my opinion.
The Expendables
If you have frequented my blog at all you know I am a big Rocky fan. In fact that is my favorite movie/series of all time. I am also a big action movie fan so when I first saw the trailer for what looks to be the reunion of some of the biggest action stars of the last twenty or thirty years who wouldn't want to see it. And to my surprise and delight I came out of The Expendables pumped up and ready for more. The movie was pretty much a guys dream action movie. It had a little bit of plot, a ton of explosions, and non-stop action from start to finish.What could be bad? Heck even Jenn enjoyed it!
In the Heights (@ Orange County Performing Arts Center)
Jenn and I trying to get out of our comfort zone more and one thing we don't do enough and we want to do more is going out and see plays/musicals. So our first stop on this quest was at the Orange County Performing Arts Center to see the very popular musical In The Heights. Neither Jenn or I would be considered real "musical" fans, but are always open to something new. First off we had great seats, near the middle of the stage and in the second row. But secondly and more importantly the musical was fantastic. It was upbeat, the music was catchy, and the story was really good. Honestly it was one of those perfect date nights that you just hope for.
Book Review: Under the Dome
I have never read a Stephen King book; outside of The Bible I have never even tried to read anything over a 1,000 pages. However neither of these things stopped me when I undertook the 1000+ page (34 1/2 hour audio book) thriller from Stephen King that looks at life in a small town after a dome is placed around the town lines. The book opens up at a snails pace introducing all of the characters, slowly building up their back stories and then continues once the dome covers this town. I have to admit I started this book around six months ago, got a few hours in and gave up. Read a few other books and decided to come back to it and give it a go. So I listened through the first few hours of the book twice, but the second time I got hooked. Once the introductions are taken care of and the dome comes down the book takes off. I am a big fan of movies/books that are based upon Apocalyptic settings. If you read my review of One Second After a book about a town after an EMP you can see that Under the Dome was going up against pretty stiff competition. What is so engaging about this book is the human instinct that overtakes the whole town. Literally the town of Chesters Mill goes from a small hick town to a Nazi regime in the matter of days.
There is a lot of metaphors used throughout the novel that really ring true to the history of the world and how fragile it really is. The slight hitch in normalcy can literally transform the world around you. Although I understand that if everyone got along and worked for the common good it wouldn't make for an interesting read, but a lot of the scare tactics that the leadership of this town use are very similar that of many evil nations over the years. The book portrays this "us vs. the world" and you are either with us or against us and how quickly friends and family can become enemies. Although there is no doubt that the book could have been shorter, the amount of detail into the characters lives truly made you feel like you were part of the story. Without giving away the ending, I will say that it is not all sunshine and rainbows and really holds true to the core flow of the novel. Having spent over a day and half listening to this book I can say without a doubt that if you like these kind of novels then you have to give this a listen. There are some very mature themes (some I think he took a bit over the top) but I would say for the average adult this book does raise some interesting debate.
Looking Back on Our Wedding
Jenn and I have almost been married a year now and I cannot believe how time has flown by. It seems like only yesterday I was proposing in St. James park in London and we began planning our wedding. It has truly been the best decision of my life and I look back on September 19, 2009 with nothing but pure joy. Recently we received our wedding book that we had the opportunity to work with a graphic designer on in developing. We spent hours on picking photos, thinking about placement, and ending up make final decisions on what goes where. I have to say the hours we put into the making of this book will not even compare to the hours we spend looking back at this book and this day.
I realize looking back that I never really took the chance to recap the day and all that went on. I remember the night before the wedding hanging out with Chris and Jake. We met Jenn's parents for drinks/dinner at the St. Regis not knowing that they only invited us so that the bride to be and her brides maids were out toilet papering our hotel room. It was a great laugh when the three of us got to the room and saw the great work the ladies had done. Looking back it actually helped me calm down and just truly look forward to the day. One of the moments of the night before the wedding was walking down to the wedding location. I remember standing there and running through the day to come. I remember standing there and looking out at the golf course and ocean and just feeling like I was literally on top of the world.
When September 19th rolled around I just remember waking up and not feeling nervous. It wasn't until the rest of my groomsman arrived at the hotel that the butterfly's started to come. I remember walking walking outside a bit to early but standing around wondering what I was supposed to do. When I finally walked my mom down the isle I couldn't believe the day had finally come. I remember standing at the alter looking down the isle at what is and will always be the most beautiful bride that has ever graced this earth. Her eyes sparkled, her smile was as contagious as ever, and I saw my wife, the love of my life. Sure I rushed my "I Do" and even missed some of the words on my vows, I was still a bit nervous, but I just remember looking at Jenn and knowing that there was no place on earth I would rather be then right there. The rest of the day flew by, the reception felt like it was only a few minutes long rather then a few hours. It was was truly the best day of my life and having this beautiful wedding book to help remember the day.
Finding Something to Watch During the Dog Days of Summer
Working full-time for the past two years has been an adjustment for both Jenn and I. We are both extremely grateful for having a job but there is no denying most days we come home and just want to veg. During most of the year we have a DVR full of shows to catch up on and usually that will help give us something to relax to during the week. Well during the dog days of summer our DVR is literally empty outside of the two hours of The Bachelorette and Friday Night Lights.
So this summer we have decided to give a few series that have been highly praised by critics and honestly looked pretty interesting and those are Mad Men and Breaking Bad both amazing series on AMC. Using Amazon Prime's two day shipping I have been buying these seasons as we go through them and I have to admit we are loving it. Both shows are extremely well acted and both super entertaining. So even though there may be nothing on TV during the summer at least there are two great shows available on blu-ray!