And Again, Please

The human male and I are currently plotting our next vacation - probably next spring. This April we took a trip to "paradise" aka Tulum, Mexico on the Maya Riviera for 9 days. It was a space and time to decompress. Something I didn't even know I needed.

As an adult, I'd never been on a vacation before. Vacation =  go somewhere exotic, do not work, do interesting things you've not done before, and do nothing. I learned several things.

1) I LIKE vacations
2) Getting LASIK was possibly the best thing I've ever done, in terms of expanding my life enjoyment during uncertain conditions.
3) The French do NOT know how to queue
4) When they suggest not swallowing the sea water, they mean it
5) Nothing deters the British from their "holiday"
6) The sea comes in shades of blue to rival any jewel and some you'd never imagine

Here is a visual sample of paradise:

ARRIVAL

Well, hello. What a lovely way to open a room. Snacks. Flowers.

The second night we went to this fascinating Mexican experience, Xoximilco Cancun, which was a flotilla of food and music. Many kinds of Mexican music. Many kinds of Mexican food, served family style. Easy to make new friends. (Also the point at which I realized item #2)

This was the breakfast view. (Literally shot this from our table. See the window's edge?)

This was from our private beach area. It was rocky - the better for the tiny fish to frolic in. I used goggles to watch them. They bring you drinks to the shaded tents - an excellent place to read about the history of rum. 

The sea was a different color every day. I'd never been to a tropical sea before. The day we snorkeled, the sea shifted from a transparent turquoise to a gold-stone navy depending on the depth. It was breath-sterlingly beautiful. Jewels have nothing on the sea. (Item #6) And now I understand how sailors feel into it, seduced.

This was the only foliage I saw the entire trip which was not vibrant. It was still amazing. The shape. The texture.

FOOD 

They set the coffee on FIRE. It was called Brazilian coffee. It was delicious.

Fancy risotto at the fanciest restaurant at the resort.

This was just a regular lunch! The plain buffet. (Where I realized item #3). Beet salad. Chickpea salad. Pasta salad. Fresh veggie salad. Regular salad. And a selection of scrumptious desserts! (The human male's plate looked like any day at home - I think he had meatloaf that day. Not image worthy.) This is the point at which I realized #5 when I helped quiet a colicky  10 week old British baby left with her 11 year old sister while her parents snorkeled.

FLORA 

This is the only filtered shot of the bunch, this two-toned hibiscus. For some reason I had glare, so the filtering helped with that. Every other photo is just what you'd see in paradise!

Random stop in Playa del Carmen. I just liked the pretty flowered tree and demanded my picture be taken. (I was a little sunburnt after snorkeling the day before and realizing item #4 -  then going to tour the Chchen-Itza temple ruins the day before that...) And I apparently wear this dress one every vacation....

FAUNA 

Regular raccoon. He found a shady spot out of the heat and sun.

They were solar charging.They did it every afternoon.

Special Mexican raccoon and one very surprised feral cat trying to break into the breakfast buffet.

He and a friend hung out around our cabana. They are endangered, but this was a protected area.  We gave them bits of apple and banana. I took this from our balcony.

For next time, I have a hit list:
- More cenotes exploration
- Xel-ha
- Possible zip lining, New Tarzania 
- More pool zumba
- Lots of rum-based drinks

Take-away - Plan as much as you like, but be present where you are. Moments are memorable when you are present. 

PS - My phone and our camera were actually in the room safe a lot of the time. We spent most days experiencing the day rather than Instagram'ing it. While I love Instagram, I highly recommend that approach even though it results in less photos.

Other posts you might enjoy:
- Welcome to Paradise 
- The Crescent City

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