Day 11 - Adios Mexico

Today was a sad day as it was time to leave our home away from home and head back to New York. We started our morning with an early breakfast and some major packing. How is it that we were able to fit everything when going to Mexico and had a hard time coming home? The Mexican air must have expanded everything! :) We were on our way at noon and in a TGI Fridays at the airport by 1 pm. Our flight was uneventful which is always good. It was actually the first time we weren't together since the wedding - our late booking landed us separate seats! :(

We are home now and have a lot ahead of us in the next few weeks - and we are looking forward to every minute of it. I think Ed would agree that we had an AMAZING honeymoon. Yes...it wasn't what we planned and Yes...we had to scramble at the last moment to make it happen...but it was a great lesson in life and in our new marriage. Things are never perfect. Things get messy...and don't always go as planned...but when you have a great partner by your side and you can face it together...it makes it all worth it.

Here's to the next chapter - Salud!

Day 10 - Last Day in Paradise

We can't even believe that this was the last full day of our honeymoon - where does the time go! Seriously...when we are at work, the hours DRAG on, but when sitting by the pool sipping a Sea Breeze time moves at the speed of light!

This morning did not go as planned.

The Plan - sleep and be lazy until our champagne breakfast arrives at 9:30 am.

What actually happened: Out of control air conditioner making lawn mower type sounds wakes us up at 8:30 am.

So it was only 1 less hour of sleep...but I can tell you the sound was not good. We seriously thought someone was drilling a hole in the wall above our bed! Luckily the maintenance guy was at our room in a flash and the AC was fixed fairly quick...but the champagne breakfast did not happen. We got off our butts and headed to the morning buffet for eggs, toast and mimosas (of course!!!).

We thought that the day would be another wash out, but were pleased to see the sun make an appearance - just in time for our day at the resort's "lazy river". We found a lounge under a cabana (in case the looming clouds dropped rain), grabbed 2 blue floaties and were on our way. Now, the "lazy river" is just that...lazy. Well, not when we are in the pool. We decided it would be a perfect opportunity to be competitive and race! I don't think we participated in that much physical activity since we got here - well, outdoor activity that is. (again, sorry mom!) I'm not sure who won, but there were many onlookers who were both mildly pleased by the entertainment and mildly annoyed by the disturbance. :)

It was burgers for lunch and then back to the pool - this time for relaxing. The moment we sat down the clouds opened up and it started pouring down rain. Instead of hiding in the cabana, we figured, may as well hop in the pool! By the time we made our "lazy" lap, the sun was out - and boy did we catch some rays. We were so good ALL week but today we BURNED baby BURN! Needless to say we are resting now in anticipation of our last dinner here at the Excellence Resort. We are headed to Agave for some Mexican food and margaritas. And it's Circus Show tonight in the theater. We already saw it, but I am determined to get some video of the most AMAZING hula hooper I have ever seen. The Foundation girls will really appreciate it!!!

It's time to go home tomorrow which makes us sad, but we are so ready to start our life together as husband and wife in DC. There are so many things to look forward to - but we have to say we are so happy for the memories we have already started creating. :)

Day 8 - Happy Birthday Laura!!!

Feliz Cumpleanos Laura!! Today was my 32nd birthday otherwise known as 29 Part III. :) Getting older is not so bad when you are able to do it in a tropical paradise - and when you have all the mimosas you want at your finger tips! I woke up to a kiss from my husband and we made our way to The Lobster House for breakfast. My shrimp omelet was delicious as was our adorable waiter Jose who gifted me with a beautiful red rose. Uh-oh - PRESSURE ON Ed!!!!

Today's itinerary - lay by the pool...drink more fruity drinks...lay by the pool...take a nap...read some trashy chic lit...lay by the pool...dinner on a boat!!! We decided to try a new pool today and it was lovely - much quieter and all the floaties we wanted!! It was an early pool day since our ride was picking us up at 4 pm for our romantic lobster dinner on a boat. But before we left, I have to tell you that I have the MOST AMAZING husband!!! Upon returning to our room for showers, I was surprised with a gorgeous display of birthday flowers - check them out here: http://www.flipshare.com/view.aspx

Our trip to downtown Cancun took about 45 minutes and we landed on a dock with about a dozen other couples. Our captain introduced himself and led us to our evening's restaurant - a Romantic Pirate Ship! I'm not even kidding - our romantic birthday dinner was not taking place on a luxury yacht - but a mini pirate ship named The Columbus. We hit the high seas at 5:30 and made our way into the harbor. It was a gorgeous evening with a cool breeze and a setting sun. The crew on board was wonderful providing us with beverages and entertainment.

After about 30 minutes we hoisted the anchor and it was time to cook! On the menu - Surf & Turf with veggies and a baked potato. Not so shabby! The best part about dinner, was where we actually ate it. As you can imagine, a pirate ship is not equipped with tables for 2 and fine linens. Instead, we had to sit on the deck and were strapped into what looked like adult high chairs. Since the photos are trapped in the camera, we took some video in order to explain: http://www.flipshare.com/view.aspx. TOO FUNNY!!!!!!

Dinner was delicious as was dessert - chocolate birthday cake! The captain had the crowd sing to me before heading back to the dock which was mildly embarrassing, but very sweet. All in all, it was a great dinner - something that we will always remember.

Our drive back to the resort brought us through downtown Cancun which was bustling! What a crazy place - no wonder Ed and the boys had such a good time down here for the bachelor party! Upon arrival at our hotel room we found that our fabulous wedding photographer sent us our first batch of photos from the big day AND THEY ARE AWESOME!!! It was such a perfect way to end the night...but wait...that wasn't the end!!!

Before retiring to our 4-Post bed, we hit the Excellence Theatre and caught "The Michael Jackson Show" complete with one reincarnated MJ and his back-up dancers. It's the same show as last week, but tonight was better - I had dance space!

It was an amazing night and a wonderful birthday. I think my 32nd year is going to be a good one! :)

Day 9 - Rain, Rain Go Away!

Today was a bit of a wash out so there really is not much to report. I unfortunately had a crappy night sleep so the day started out a bit later than normal. We lost power for the 2nd night causing the room to be more humid than a 95 degree day in Manhattan in July. Not cute - but alas the power was restored, the AC was cranking and we were staring at the pouring rain outside our window.

After breakfast we retreated to the suite for some relaxation and other stuff ...wink, wink :) The day was actually quite lovely - some tv watching, some photo viewing, some card playing. I WHOOPED Ed's butt in Rummy 500 which did not make him pleased, but it made for a good time.

Dinner was at our favorite restaurant at the resort - Spice. It is Asian fusion and we went to TOWN with a 4 course meal that included sushi, spring rolls, thai beef salad, udon and tempura ice cream (YUM!).

We ended the evening with another round of Rummy 500 over drinks. It truly was a lazy day - here's hoping to sunshine tomorrow for our LAST FULL DAY (sad).

Day 7 - Shopping!

Today started out the same as all the others - sunshine, cool breeze, amazing views. Pretty much the best way to wake up. I highly recommend it! After a delicious breakfast we headed to our room so we can lay out on the patio. I borrowed a book from the Excellence library since I already sped through the 2 that I brought. The day went by without a care in the world. But there was something to look forward to - SHOPPING IN PLAYA DEL CARMEN!!

We met our tour guide and group at 4 pm and were whisked away to the cozy beach town of Playa Del Carmen. Their famous "Fifth Avenue" boasts many a souvenir shop along with wonderful restaurants and quaint hotels. It's like being in Rehobeth only in Mexico! We have 2 1/2 hours to roam the streets, take in the scenery and purchase all the Mexican goods one can afford! I landed myself some beautiful scarves while Ed was in search of the perfect Mayan calendar. Seems that we should have taken advantage of the $1 deals while at Chichen Itza earlier in the week!

We made a pit stop at an adorable outdoor pub and took advantage of the 2 for 1 deal on Dos Equis XX. After several beers and some delicious enchiladas we were on our way. We met back up with the group and headed back to the hotel where we enjoyed a 5 Star dinner at the resort's French Restaurant Chez Isabelle. Another great day/night in Cancun - how is it that there are only 3 days left?? Tomorrow I turn the big 32 - getting old is easy when you are in the Caribbean!

Video of our shopping trip to Playa Del Carmen: http://www.flipshare.com/view.aspx

Day 6 - Beach Time!

Today was one of those lazy days that you dream about when you are sitting at your desk staring at a computer screen. :) We woke up to more beautiful sunshine and decided to hit the beach after a hearty breakfast. And let me just add - all inclusive meals and drinks is VERY dangerous. Especially when the food is as good as it is here. I think I have eaten at least 2 gallons of guacamole since my arrival here!

The beach was hot so we parked ourselves under some shade and proceeded to read and sweat! A quick dip in the ocean cooled us down and I have to say, it was a more successful swim than when we were in the Dominican Republic 2 years ago. I'm sure you all remember the coral/Ed cut foot incident! :)
After a few hours we decided to head back to the pool to finish out the day. Dinner was at a lovely Italian restaurant and afterwards we were entertained with some really awesome International dance styles including one rendition of Irish Line Dancing. We are back in the room now hiding from the enormous thunderstorm that has engulfed the resort. Only 4 more days until reality - boo!!! But we are going to live up every last minute of it!!!

Day 5 - Dolphins!!!

Another great day down here on the Riveria Maya. This morning we woke up and were whisked away to go play with some dolphins. The trip to the site took us through the bustling town of Playa del Carmen which is very quaint - we are headed there later in the week to do some shopping and after seeing the town, we are really looking forward to it.

We arrived at the dolphin sanctuary and were issued a locker, a life preserver, a trainer named Stephanie and a dolphin named Maya. The dolphins were all adorable, but of course Maya was the best. :) She spent some free time with us just swimming around so that we can pet her and then showed off some of her best tricks including a kiss, a song, some clapping and a foot push that had us moving across the lagoon. We shared the experience with a couple from Canada who looked no older than us but had 2 teenage kids at home. We hope we look like them at their age!!!!
After our visit with Maya we came back to the hotel and lounged by the pool for several hours. Dinner was at the Lobster House where Laura downed MANY a Mango Martini - damn things are good!! It was an early night after all the excitement. Tomorrow - day at the beach!

Day 4 - Relaxation and Romance

All we can say is OMG - what an AMAZING day!!! The day started off with lots of relaxation and fun in the sun. Can we tell you how much we LOVE that our room has a patio with direct pool access?! Makes for a relaxing morning when you don't have to wake up at 6 am to claim a lounge chair by the pool. :) We did a lot of resting, sunning, reading and drinking. Turns out that I married a girl - Ed's favorite drink is a strawberry daiquiri and he is not afraid to have at least 4-5 a day!

The evening was even more fantastic filled with more romance than I have seen in a long time. :) It was the night of our romantic dinner on the beach. We headed up to the lobby a bit early to get a drink and enjoy the mariachi band that was playing in the center courtyard. It was Mexico night - Olé! At about 7 pm we headed to the beach where we were met by our 2 adorable waiters - Noe and "Teddy Bear". They led us to our table for 2 and popped open a much needed bottle of champagne. The ambiance was amazing - candle light, moon beams, crashing waves and a bit more wind than one needs. :)

Our 6 course meal started with a goat cheese appetizer followed by some tuna tartar and avocado. Before the 3rd course was served we were treated to some amazing music on the harp played by our good man Gabriel. Next up, vegetable soup followed by some strawberry sorbet to cleanse the pallet. Then it came - the main course of stuffed lamb chops with grilled vegetables and a sweet potato mash. Can you say YUM!! The evening ended with a pear tart and ice cream which, as you can imagine, was Ed's favorite part. :)

And if that wasn't romantic enough, when we returned to our room we were delighted to see that it was all decked out with more rose petals, more swan towels and a tub filled with hot water and bubbles. Seriously - you can't get more romantic than this! All in all it was an amazing day that we will not forget. Check out the video of our beach dinner here: http://www.flipshare.com/view.aspx

Day 3 - Chichen Itza

Today started out bright and early. Our 7 am wake up call was greeted with a smile since the sun was shining and we were on our way to Chichen Itza! We headed to the lobby where we were picked up in a big ole' bus that we shared with 2 dozen other enthusiastic people. Our team - Luis the driver, "Tony" the operations guy and Carlos the tour guide. Tony provided us with some drinks and a lovely continental breakfast as we made our way to the Mayan ruins that date back to 1500 BC.

During the 2 1/2 hour ride we were introduced to the Mayan culture, rituals and their way of life. Our first stop was a Chichen Itza market filled with handmade goods such as carvings, smocks and all the silver jewelry one could need. After a quick bathroom break we were on our way to the archeological site.

Upon de-boarding the bus we were introduced to the 1 negative of the excursion - VENDORS. They were EVERYWHERE trying to pawn their goods on us silly tourists. What was so amazing was that everything was just $1. :) We headed into the site following our trusty tour guide Carlos. He shared with us interesting tid bits about the various temples and customs. The architecture was amazing and the Mayans were brilliant! After about an hour and a half he let us roam the grounds on our own. We did the best we could to hit each area, but with the blazing sun beating down on us we headed for some shade. :) We did manage to find the "Cenote Sagrado" which is really a big sink hole with some really nasty water. The reason - it was used as a burial ground where the Mayans made human sacrifices.

At 2:35 pm we headed for the bus and to our lunch spot. The buffet lines were long, but the food was worth it as was the entertainment. We were treated to a ritual Mayan dance which included a portion where the dancers balance bottles of Corona on their head. Now how authentic is that?!

It was back to the bus for our final stop before heading home. This time we headed to another cenote or sink hole, but this time, no human sacrifices. It was GORGEOUS! We had the opportunity to take a dive into the crystal blue water, but lamed out and just watched all the others enjoy. After another 40 minutes it was back to the bus for a siesta during our long journey home.

We arrived around 7 pm and headed straight for our room to wash off the stink that had developed during the very hot and sweaty day. We headed our fot dinner and drinks and enjoyed the "Circus Show" complete with acrobatics and the greatest hula hooping skills I have ever seen. The mud slides and strawberry daiquiri's were flowing big time leading to an early night in the room (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

All in all it was another great day in Cancun. Tomorrow - rest day and romantic dinner on the beach!

P.S. Here is a link to some of the video highlights we have so far: http://www.flipshare.com/view.aspx

Day 2 - Excellence Riveria Cancun

After one of the best night’s sleep we have had in a VERY long time, we woke up to a gorgeous sunshine. Time for breakfast! We strolled over to the Barcelona restaurant and found a very enticing buffet stocked with gorgeous fruit, delicious omelets and all the pastries you could eat. DIET OVER!!

After breakfast we meandered back to our room and set up shop on our patio that resides next to the pool. It is so nice to just walk outside the room and BE at the pool! I don’t think we could vacation any other way from now on!! :)

At 1 pm, it was time to head to the Miilé spa for our Excellence Couples Massage. OMG - what an AMAZING experience for us to have on our first real day here. The first hour of the experience was what they called Marine Wellness - a circuit that lets you work directly with salt water in aqua exercises, massages with jets, and cascades, with contrast with the iced pool and make the perfect preamble to the Hammam, the arab style steam baths. We also experienced a steam room, the sauna and several sensation showers included one where a bucket of lukewarm water is dropped over your head creating a wonderful sensation.

Our next stop was the Excellence Massage - Replenish and energize your body with this exclusive blend of Swedish massage, shiatsu pressure points, body stretching, aromatherapy and lomi techniques that will help to release muscle tension and ride the body of tiredness and fatigue.

I don’t think that we have ever been more relaxed than after that massage. We both literally fell asleep - there were actual snores coming from the tables! Once we left the spa we decided the room service was in order - especially since we missed lunch at all the restaurants. Another great meal! The food at this place is really great - and you know how much we love to eat!

We are back in the room after enjoying a night of music under the stars. Tomorrow we head out for our first excursion to Chichen Itza - should be a good time. Nighty night!!

Quick note - we do not have our camera card reader so you will all have to wait on photos until we return. We do have our Flip video camera so there will be video!

Day 1 - NYC to Cancun, Mexico

The day started early with a 5 am wake up call but we popped out of bed with smiles on our faces. We were FINLLY going on our honeymoon!! I seriously never thought the day would come but - YAH it’s here!! Our bags were packed and we were ready to go. The wonderful people of Camelot Limos carted us to JFK in a black stretch and dropped us off in the new and improved Jet Blue terminal.

After one Ed meltdown and two puppy dog expressions, we were able to convince the Jet Blue lady to give us seats together on the plane. Granted they were the last aisle next to the restrooms, but they were together! :) We landed in sunny Cancun at 1:15 pm and were introduced to possibly the longest customs line we’ve ever seen. What was worse was the line AFTER customs to scan the bags. There were people EVERYWHERE! I’m shocked we made it out of there in under 2 hours. After the bag scan we had to press a button to see if we needed a full bag search and wouldn’t you know - RED LIGHT! Luckily the guy that searched us was nice and quick.

We arranged for a car service to pick us up and that they did - in a very hip white Lincoln Navigator. We arrived at the beautiful Excellence Riveria Cancun 20 mins later and were met with cool towels and champagne. So far so good! After a quick check in we were brought to our room - a Junior Suite with swim up pool. The room is OFF THE HOOK!!! Can I say jacuzzi tub both in the bathroom AND on the patio?!! Seriously - we are never coming home after staying in a room like this! Check out the video tour and photos of the room!

After some quick unpacking, we decided to check the resort out and book some excursions for the week. Dinner was at Agave Mexican restaurant where Javier took care of us and treated us to a delicious dinner. I can absolutely say that margaritas taste better in Cancun!! Our night was rounded out with a Micheal Jackson tribute show...some fun on the 4-poster bed (sorry Mom!) and a restful night sleep. All in all, a GREAT first day!