This was a trip that the price couldn't be beat - by renewing Shayne's Jazz Season tickets they were giving a 6 night stay at a resort in Cancun, Mexico (Vidanta). We paid the daily hotel tax ($12?) and made a $100 reservation that guaranteed $100 voucher to use at the resort when we got there. Honestly - this was a steal. We had a free companion pass plus enough points to buy the other ticket - really this was the deal of the decade! Luckily, the grandparents helped with kids! Nana & Papa had the boys on the weekends and Grandma and Grandpa stayed at our house during the week. And we were off to Paradise.
This is Vidanta. The promotion was obviously a way to get people to their resort and listen to their sales pitch. The best choice of this trip was to say NO to the sales presentation. We didn't go to it. It was awesome. They kept offering more and more incentives and we said NO. Seriously - I can't tell you how happy that made me!!
The resort is actually 45 minutes south of Cancun. We were closer to Playa del Carmen. We went into town the first night. We ate food purchased for CHEAP from street vendors (BEST TAMALES EVER!) We also found Walmart - we decided to pout since we always end up at Walmart on our date nights (even in Mexico!). I also found my most favorite candies at Walmart and purchased 10 bags of them - only to return later that week and buy 10 more! Sweet GOMITAS! (gum drops - but yummy)
We bought a package to tour Tulum (ruins on the coast) and then to the water park Xel-Ha.
Tulum was beautiful and peaceful. We didn't have a lot of time here but got to see most of it and the tour guide was great.
They must have been my height!
Then to the water park - which is kind of like an outdoor adventure park that would never exist in the States. We loved it. There was Snorkeling, river floating, jumping off cliffs into the river, things to climb, and cenotes to explore.
While in town, we purchased a trip to go to Chichen Itza - we were positive we had just been ripped off! We had paid for half of the trip and I'm pretty sure we both were surprised that a tour bus did pull up to our resort gate and had our names on the list that morning of the tour! I consider it a miracle. This adventure was amazing - and frustrating. The tour guide was Mayan - and talked about his upbringing in Mayan culture and not even learning Spanish till he was 8-10 years old. He was fascinating. Well educated and fluent in many languages. We had a lame stop on the way at a small cenote - barely working toilets - and a lot of vendors trying to sell stuff. Shayne bought this cool hat.
Next was a long bus ride and we went to lunch at a buffet restaurant. Once again - many more vendors and performers hoping for a chance to earn more $. Then we went to a cenote - a large one. It was gorgeous. The pictures don't do it justice but when I look at the pics, I can remember the awe I felt! Looking down into the cenote and also when we went down and got in it! We both jumped off the ledge (there's a pic there with Shayne waiting in line) - it looked a lot higher when you get up there! There were birds chirping and the vines hung down the walls and it really was spectacular.
Finally - Chichen Itza. Our biggest regret about the trip was that we didn't know what we were getting with this tour. We just wanted Chichen Itza - but there were so many other stops. When we go again - we'll be sure to have more time here. We had a great tour guide tell us about Mayan life and about a few of the buildings - but only had less than an hour to walk around and see it for ourselves. We felt robbed! I loved seeing these ruins in person!
Unfortunately - that's the best pic of us and the ruins. phooey
After Chichen Itza - there was another stop in a small town. Once again we found vendors in the city park and tried some yummy treats. This was a churro filled with jam. I think I got mine with Dulce de Leche - yum.
Had to take this pic for the kids - a bike like they see in Nacho Libre
The next day we took it easy and enjoyed the pools and beach at the resort. That evening we did another park called Xplor del Fuego. We went for the evening/night shift - started around 6pm and went till 11pm. We really didn't know what this place would be like and in the end - this was our favorite park. It was POURING rain - and still in our swimsuits - we didn't feel cold. We made a friend, Vanessa, at our resort and mentioned we were going to this park and she could go with us. She came and we had a great time hanging out together. She lives in NYC (a nurse) but she immigrated when she was a child from Trinidad?!? (I think) She was very nice and we still keep in touch. Back to the park - it was in a cave. A HUGE CAVE. It was AMAZING! Inside the cave - we did a swim, a little boat floating adventure, and admired the cave itself. They had automated cameras - if I showed you all the pix - you'd see we had tons of pix trying to get the camera to work when we wanted them to work! Above the cave, we did the jeep drive and zip lines. There was also dinner included and the place was empty since it was a rainy night. (We had purchased our tickets in advance and couldn't cancel) It was a blast and I'd love to go back there!
What I don't have any pix of is our adventure Scuba Diving. But, FYI, even without pix - it still happened. We took the ferry over to Cozumel (early in the morning) and had arranged to go Scuba diving with a local company. The best part was that it was just us!! We got the benefit of having the guide to ourselves and didn't have to pay big bucks to have a private boat! The diving was the best we've ever done. We were on the reef - and there's a current on the reef. So, we were both a bit awkward at the start trying to figure out how to just go with the current - but the sea life and the coral was what I dreamed Scuba diving would be! We saw a shark too!! A turtle, sting-ray - and all sorts of smaller sea life. We definitely have to go back to Cozumel for more scuba!
When we walked around the town by the ferry we got Henna tattoos.
The following day we relaxed and used our resort voucher for golf and the Spa. It was the best way to end the trip in paradise!
The best part of any vacation is having time with just Shayne. Our lives are busy and definitely consumed with all things kids and work - knowing the boys were in good hands made the trip relaxing and unforgettable. I'm grateful we're still best friends and sweethearts!
