the Royal Haciendas

Saturday, March 20

Heidi & I drive to Toronto, fly to Cancun with Lori, Jay and Dan (about 4 hours) then take a shuttle to the resort (about 45 minutes).
It's about 75 degrees with a warm breeze ... and there's a 2 hour time difference!
First thing: visit the resort's store to buy stuff.
Heidi makes pico de gallo, I make Ponzoritos*, Lori, Jay and Dan check out the place.
Dan buys necklaces of great white shark teeth and black coral. Lori restrains herself and buys nothing ... yet.
Dan made a pass at Liz, our pretty hostess, who paid a visit to invite us to various resort activities.
Minerva, our maid, cleans the place ... spotless!
* Mango, peach and pineapple juices, bananas, ice and rum ... whipped frothy in a blender. It changes daily, depending upon what's available.


Dan (with necklaces), Jay, Lori & Heidi: checking the place out.

Relaxing by the Jacuzzi.


Our first meal
Some tasty kind of cigar-shaped, meat-filled, oven-baked things
and salad and (of course) pico de gallo and local beer.

Sunday, March 21

Attended the morning "show & tell" session, where we had coffee & sweets and larned all there was to know about the resort and Playa del Carmen.
A reservation was made for a (free) shuttle into Playa ... to Walmart (for massive shopping).
However, I had to buy some Mexican coffee (at the resort store) for our early morning caffeine.
At noon, there's a Welcome Party: $10 for hamburger, fries and unlimited beer.
Then it rains for 15 minutes, then we hide under an overhang, then the sun comes out in time for the shuttle to Walmart.
While the others shop at Walmart, I'm slaving at our villa, taking a nap cleaning, dusting, scouring toilets, etc.etc.

Party!!

Walmart was so crowded they bought stuff at the Mexican Mercato next door. They came home, loaded.
Dan bought a neato hat, Heidi earrings and Lori a pink sweater ('cause she was cold ???)
I made my world famous Ponzoritos: chunks of banana, pineapple, mango, grapefruit and papaya with mango juice and coconut syrup, rum and ice... blended.


Heidi makes enchiladas, refried beans (with a hot, hot sauce) and salad.
I threaten to make my (world famous) Fettuccine Alfredo.
Gotta have some WOP in here ... somewhere.

Monday, March 22

We wake to another beeyutiful day, Lori makes coffee, Jay displays his bug-bites, Dan checks his MP3 player and Heidi pulls out the left-over enchiladas.
Me? I'm still scrubbing the toilets.
Today, the kids register for scuba-diving. I might join them stay home.
Browsing the photos they took while shopping, yesterday, I found a picture of the hotel (in Playa) where Heidi & I would like to be ... next Jan or Feb:

Hotel Lunata: in downtown Playa


Dan says Liz is too young.
Ya ... sure.


Making breakfast with yesterday's leftovers.

Tacos, mole & beer for lunch. Chicken, rice & salad for dinner.


Three amigos, heading to the beach.

Tuesday, March 23
In the morning, grackles visit us, quickly snatching sweets from the table.

The kids take off for a day of scuba diving. We can hardly wait for the video!
This place is paradise!
Heidi & I talk to Marcelo about the cost of villas: $64K for a unit similar to where we're staying.
They run from $44K to over $100K (for beach-front villas).

When the kids return, they tell us old folk of their submarine adventures
... including Dan's upchuck into his mask over the side of the boat.
Have I mentioned that I've got the toilets finished?

From our balcony we can see cruise ships at Cozumel.
Some of us will be there in a few months.

We share our morning sweets
with Great-tailed Grackles.

Wednesday, March 24

Heidi & Lori walk along the beach, returning with a (dead) crab.
Heidi makes scrambled eggs, but serves Dan the crab. He's confused ... but only temporarily


Then we go shopping in Playa:

In Other news:
  • Dan goes diving and gets his certification.
  • Lori & Jay go night diving. Lori is nervous: Sharks appearing out of the darkness? Surrounded by strange animals?
    When they return (at 8 pm), she's jumping up & down with excitement. "It was fantastic!"
  • I have a small bout of Montezuma's Revenge.
  • I make my world famous Fettuccine Alfredo. Mexican parmesan? "It was NOT fantastic!"
    The cheese clumps. The pasta is clogged. Dan says it's Mexican Alfredo.
  • I check the market. Our coal stocks is doin' good.
         

Thursday, March 25

Another dellightful day. Lori & Jay go scuba diving, Dan goes to the gym & snorkeling.
Heidi makes devilled eggs and ham salad for lunch, then she & I play cards ...

... then we take a walk.

Then, tortillas wrapped around mole, chorizo and rice ... and another pound gained.

... then we watch another episode of flash.forward from Jay's neato Archos.

Friday, March 26

Our last day ... tomorrow we head home.

So, as a final treat, we head to the Breakfast Buffet.


Another day, another pound.

After breakfast, Heidi rents a car and she & the kids drive to Tulum (about an hour North of Playa).
I stay home (scrubbing toilets).

Epilogue
  • We leave the Haciendas at about 6 AM, reach the airport (via Thomas Moore van) by 7 AM and fly before 9 AM.
  • Heidi is presented a gift of silver earrings ... for doing all the cooking.
    And me ... for doing all the toilet scrubbing?
  • We arrive in Toronto by about 2:30 PM. It's sunny and clear.
  • Dan forgets his passport in the plane's magazine pocket.
    Lori & Jay wait for 20 minutes until it's retrieved.
  • We say goodbye to the kids and drive West.
  • We head immediately to the PetSmart Hotel to pick up Sandy. The gal says she loves Sandy.
  • Heidi makes dinner and I immediately head to the bed, exhausted. (I reckon it's all that toilet scrubbing.)

  • I check our stocks in the wee hours, Sunday morning. We done good:

           
  • And now ... a short YouTube video.