Oh my garsh. Go there. Go there right now. Drop whatever you are doing, get on a plane, and get some guacamole in your face. Blaine and Carrie and I (my sisters; trinity) had a fantastic four days at the Sandos Caracol eco-resort in Playa del Carmen. We’ve decided that this was the inaugural trip of what will be a yearly tradition that will last forever, well into our fifties. (This tradition technically began when, in 2002, at the ripe age of 20, we drove from North Carolina to California and back, without getting arrested even once.)
So: the resort had been closed for about a month, due to lack of business from the swine flu scare. We arrived on the first day it was back in business, so the place was extra spiffy and beautiful; its staff extra cheerful and kind. We were treated like princesses (It probably houses some 1,000 people – there were only 90 there.) I oficially know how to vacation. Decisions consisted of ‘ should we have a beer at the snack bar or tequila at the pool bar?’ (UM, IT’S A BAR, IN A POOL) or ‘should we swim in the ocean before or after the facial?’ or should we play beach volleyball or take a dance lesson?’ or ‘should I eat quesadilla number 7, or just sit here?’ Serious hard. We created a little world for ourselves – nightly outtings in ridiculous dresses, the starting of Dance parties at the Discotech – the nick-name giving to various guests and staff members (TEXAS! (a permanently drunk Southwest airline pilot) BRAZIL! (the adorable Dora, and boyfriend), MILANO! (awkward person who followed us around taking pictures) and HOT SECURIDAD!!!!!!!
Besides the beauty, other perks included unlimited, bottomless guacamole and chips, endless sangria and beer, nightly entertainment (Michael Jackson impersonators, etc), assorted wildlife and hot security guards (sorry, the husbands and boyfriends, but wow.)
I mayhaps got a little sunburnt (like, tomato back) but totally worth it. I got to talk for hours with my sisters, eat an amazing array of meats, patron the breakfast buffet (my favorite), RELAX, and, in to further myself into my own stereotype, got through half of Eat Pray Love. Also, I put an iguana on my head. That picture is forthcoming.