Punta Cana (continued)

Punta Cana continued

 

We are booked into the resort for 7 nights which I think is very easy to take. Beachside and poolside. Never cool, actually afternoons are very hot.

I decided to have some beach time on day 2 and the rest of the group hung around the pool as Joey was incapacitated! Fell asleep, quite burnt but now very brown and no peeling!

Meals are buffet style which is fine as there is plenty of salads, grilled fish and chicken plus lots of Cuban, Dominican style foods to be had. I am using all my strength to behave food wise but do give in to a small dessert and ice cream. Also have a good coffee machine with really nice Dominican coffee.

The afternoon was spent with the rest of my new family around the pool, in the pool and at the pool bar.

George and Sandra organised a buggy trip for the Wednesday and I tagged along. We travelled in pairs in very noisy, smoking go cart type vehicles , in convoy along a road and to a magnificent beach where we swam and had a bit of free time. We then travelled onto some caves which I wasn't that interested in but we had a lot of fun. Veronica who I shared with is a 22 year old girl who was hilarious in the buggies and kept ramming her grandparents which caused them some anxiety.

Thursday, another lazy day around the pool and beach, a bit of beach exercise class, early morning lap swimming and a beach dance class which was not repeated due to sore knee, unfortunately , as it was hilarious.

Joey was not having a lot of fun so we decided to have a look at his plaster and see how his ankle was. Took the plaster off and there was nothing to see, no swelling, bruising, nothing. No idea where the dislocation diagnosis came from. He spent some time on his crutches but soon disposed of them. The episode cost $880! Thank goodness for travel insurance!

The Latino people are great to holiday with, they really know how to enjoy themselves. They are so relaxed, have long and intense conversations with total strangers, are so social and love a good time. Dancing for them is like scratching an itch, they just can't not do it. The music comes on and they are up and at it, even in the pool! The music is playing all the time and the Latinos are doing the salsa, the bacchata, the merengue. Fabulous!!!

Most people were with big family groups, grandparents, parents, kids and they all hang out together poolside, in the water and at meals. My new family consisted of 14 people and we did a lot together or at times did our own thing but always in the pool around 4 pm all playing with the kids and having a drink until we all looked like prunes!

I experienced activities never done before! Crazy banana boat ride where I couldn't get back on! How embarrassing! Somebody behind pushing me up, the kids grabbing my legs and pulling me on. Just couldn't bend with the life jacket on and not enough strength to catapult myself out of the water like the men and kids could. We also went on a half day catamaran trip. Cruised the coast line, snorkled with toothless sharks and stingrays and had a photo taken with a shark in my arms! My face was apparently a look of terror but annoyingly the photos did not arrive as we organized and they had our deposit so am trying to sort that out now. We then danced on the boat, lay in the sun, swam and had another reef snorkel where we saw thousands of amazing coloured fish, a fantastic afternoon.

My last activity was a parasail , not as scared as I thought it would be but a lot of fun and saw a big turtle swimming in the water below us.

The evenings had us eating, dancing, watching the show that ranged from dance, magic and singing.

Joey started poking me in the tummy like he does to his grandmother ( he is 11). When I asked what was he doing prodding my fat , he told me that I was family now so he was allowed to!!

The family were disappointed with the resort as they have stayed at much better, parts were shabby and service slow but always with a laugh and a smile and willing to do anything to assist so I found it all a very pleasant experience.

The trip home was a trial though, a disorganized airport, late flight, so many queues and then to top it off at the end we had to wait for 2 hours in Miami airport for Joey to get entry clearance. He was born in the USA and has citizenship but every time he passes through immigration they take him aside and sit him in a room whilst some investigation is done. It would appear there is a missing or wanted person with the same name and that is the way it will be until this issue is resolved! Got to wonder how many 11 year olds are called Joseph Perez!!!

I also got the once over at immigration wanting to know why I had been coming in and out of the country in such a short space of time and I have the entry visa!

Then to top this all off , Jesus discovered that the car and house keys were still in the safe in Punta Cana! A cab home and locate the spares, a long day!

 

Back in Miami, weather warm and sunny with the occasional thunder storm and rain but not too long although heavy. Am sleeping in a very comfy water bed which is very hard to get out of in the morning after such a good nights sleep. Up and swim in the mornings, getting a kilometer in.

We don't do too much during the day, just hang around a bit, do some shopping. Yara and Jesus are such good company and so kind and accommodating.

Last night we went to the Hard Rock cafe casino and convention centre where we saw a puerto rican band called grand Combo de Puerto Rico. A group of about 20 singers, musicians and dancers, it was fantastic although a bit loud and I couldn't understand too much but the music and beat was great. Once again, the itch happened and everyone at some stage had to get up and have a bit of a dance the sit down again. It is just accepted if somebody stands up in front of you, just the way it is, so tolerant.

This venue is amazing, a big auditorium for the concert and then outside is a big open space with shops, restaurants, bars and music . This is jumping 7 nights a week, tourists and locals go along. A great place. We didn't get home until after midnight and were all hungry so mid night snack and then bed. None of us up before 8.30 am.

Tonight we are having dinner with some friends and then tomorrow a beach day which I am looking forward to. Saturday depart for Colombia.

 

Adios amigos, hasta la vista.

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