I'm so excited about our upcoming trip to Mexico and was thinking about all the great photos I hope to take when I realized I never posted anything about our visit to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic over the last holiday break. What's that old saying, "better late than never"?
When deciding what to do for New Year's Eve, E and I came to the conclusion that a trip away sounded better than any over-priced dinner or party in NYC. We both had a busy and somewhat stressful year and relaxation had definitely been in short supply.
We booked a last-minute stay at the
Majestic Colonial resort for 6 days and loved every minute of it. The first day on the beach, Indio exclaimed, "The sand here is softer than the Bahamas!" [I wonder how Riviera Maya will stack up.]
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attempting to distract himself from the "funny feeling in his tummy" |
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poolside |
It seems like the minute you leave NYC, everything slows down. Everyone we met in the Dominican Republic from the moment we stepped off the plane was friendly, relaxed and smiling, often a rare occurrence at home.
The resort was beautiful and well-maintained. The sand was ridiculously soft and the water was crystal clear. As far as all-inclusives go, the food was good, though a bit salty at times. Indio loved the fresh fruit and yogurt at breakfast but was disappointed that his daily dose of bacon was dripping in oil. Most importantly, the drinks were cold and the service was great!
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not crazy about the ocean, but loving the sand |
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beach bums |
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not so sure about the resort's "wildlife" |
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entertaining hibachi dinner |
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Indio's first foam party |
This trip was just what we needed: some time to wind down and decompress before gearing up for 2013. I accomplished everything I had planned for this trip. I read a lot, slept more than usual [a lot isn't possible with Indio], took a ton of photos and spent time with my boys. We were so grateful to have this time away from the hustle and bustle of home.
Funnily enough, the laid back culture of the island quickly diminished when we reached the airport with all the other vacationers on their way back home. Boarding the plane was much like the NYC subway system--frantic and chaotic. Luckily, we [barely] made our flight and got home safe and sound.
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homeward bound |
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