We entered the world of all inclusive resorts with a top notch pick, Ocean Blue and Sand in Punta Cana. The weeks leading up to the trip were hectic with my end of the school year to do lists, changes in the bus business for Ron, Hannah's track meets and Algebra II tests, and finals for Tyler at Presentation. We were all ready for vacation. With an early morning flight, we stayed in Minneapolis Friday. A student had given me a gift certificate for The Outback Steakhouse, and as luck would have it, there was one just minutes from our hotel. I rated mine as the best steak ever! It was an early evening, as the clocks were set for 3:45. At five in the morning, we were at the airport. The flight was just fine, and four hours later we were at eighteen degrees latitude. The heat and humidity greeted us, and a few "uff da's" could be heard. The resort shuttle service guy shared a few tidbits about the island, and soon we were on the highway. Ocean Blue was less than a half hour drive. We pulled up to an open air lobby to check in, and it didn't take long before we were on our way to the first buffet line!
Dominican Republic 2015
We spent a little time getting the lay of the land, each staking our claim in the room, and of course checking out the ocean. Before long it was time to eat again, our first night we ate at an Italian Restaurant, one of four resort restaurants.
The nights were gorgeous with perfect temperatures and no bugs! Strolling along the walkways helped the idea sink in that we were finally here.There were speakers hidden in the landscaping, playing perfect Caribbean music, which Hannah thought was the neatest thing ever. I must admit, they did add to the ambiance.
Our first item on the agenda in the morning was to plan our excursions. Neri explained our options, and we chose the buggy rides through the countryside, zip-lining, and a day of snorkeling. That afternoon we were off, and the twenty minute drive to the go carts gave us a quick look at the local life. We donned bandannas and prepared for a dusty ride. We drove along the bumpiest road I've ever been on and arrived at a local beach. Ty and Hannah each ended up getting rather friendly with an iguana.
We went to a "ranch" and heard from locals how the cocoa bean is dried in the sun, pounded, and packaged, similar to the coffee bean. There was a cave with spring water, and many brave ones jumped in, including Ty and Hannah. They loved it. It was quite the adventure, though I must say we were all ready to climb out of those buggies- kind of a crazy ride, but a great way to see the area.
Day two was spent at the resort, where the main decision for the day was whether to sit at the pool or the beach. The day was complete relaxation. We kept an eye on the ocean in the beach lounge chairs and dozed on and off. Getting a bit antsy to do something, we checked out the climbing wall, and actually Ty, Hannah, and I each made it to top. The guy with the rope and pulley came in handy too!
And, aren't swim up bars the real deal? After supper, we bowled and took in part of the entertainment show. The evenings were perfect, and we continued to marvel at the absence of mosquitoes.
And, aren't swim up bars the real deal? After supper, we bowled and took in part of the entertainment show. The evenings were perfect, and we continued to marvel at the absence of mosquitoes.
Day three we had snorkeling to do, a first time for all of us. So many colorful fish and lots of coral. Tyler even found a sea urchin. It was amazing! When we signed up, I recalled something about a party boat, but party it was. Great music, dancing, drinks and snacks on the boat, then some time on a sand bar to wade around in hip deep water. A shot of mamajuana, a local concoction of rum, honey, and wine seemed to be the thing to do. What a blast! That night we discovered mango smoothies and iced coffees at Mike's, a little sweets shop at the resort. That could be habit forming.
Day four was another excursion day. Everybody rolled out of bed at 5:45 to see the sunrise. My oh my, as soon as the sun was up, the heat became intense. Ron and I had been rising early to get a beach run/walk in, and Ty and Hannah joined us this morning. There was a two mile stretch of resorts, so we could get in a pretty decent workout down and back.
After the first snorkeling stint, we had decided we needed one more turn, so it was off to the Marinarium. This was much more tame group. We were able to snorkle as much as we wanted. I even held a sea urchin this time! We tried out the motorized snorkeling device and swam with tiger sharks and sting rays. I was envisioning tiger sharks that were maybe three, four feet long. Okay, I was way off. When I spotted one of the six-seven foot beasts in the corner, my heart wobbled a bit, but they weren't interested in us tourists. We indulged in a massage and tried the paddle boards. An excellent day. We enjoyed another great supper and discovered the crepe guy. This would become my nightly dessert from here forward. Payback for those morning miles logged in the Garmin. We spent time strolling along the resort grounds, played a little bingo, did a bit of dancing, and enjoyed the music and atmosphere. All smiles!
After the first snorkeling stint, we had decided we needed one more turn, so it was off to the Marinarium. This was much more tame group. We were able to snorkle as much as we wanted. I even held a sea urchin this time! We tried out the motorized snorkeling device and swam with tiger sharks and sting rays. I was envisioning tiger sharks that were maybe three, four feet long. Okay, I was way off. When I spotted one of the six-seven foot beasts in the corner, my heart wobbled a bit, but they weren't interested in us tourists. We indulged in a massage and tried the paddle boards. An excellent day. We enjoyed another great supper and discovered the crepe guy. This would become my nightly dessert from here forward. Payback for those morning miles logged in the Garmin. We spent time strolling along the resort grounds, played a little bingo, did a bit of dancing, and enjoyed the music and atmosphere. All smiles!
Day five was zip lining. What a thrill through this lush mountain! The twelve lines were all exhilarating. There were guides at each platform to hook up your ropes and send you off, then another guy waiting for you at the other end. One of the lines was 800 meters, nearly a half mile long. But, before we knew it, we were already done. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The bus ride there was interesting as well. We drove past schools, a Catholic church, and many little shops selling mangoes, bananas, and other produce. Some were just along the road, others in a village, each with a plastic lawn chair or two, and people sitting around waiting for customers. The homes were small one room shacks, often pieced together with tin and scrap lumber. And, we thought the dune buggy road was bumpy-well this climb up the mountain trail had been given the name, "Dominican Massage". Yep, every bit of your body was jostled.
Day six, our final day, was spent hanging tight at the resort. We tried out the kayaks again and split our time between the pool and the beach lounge chairs. Hard to believe this was to be our last day. It was tough to leave the water that last day, though Hannah was appeased when we agreed to take one more dip in the morning. She and I woke up for a morning sea dip, played a little ping pong, and took a quick splash in the pool. Then packing, breakfast, and off to the airport shuttle. Mike's was the last stop for a mango smoothie and iced coffee.
We all had our favorites, but making the list for the "Best Parts of the Dominican Republic" were the zip lines, snorkeling, Mike's smoothies, crepes, seafood, swimming in the ocean, running on the beach, and best of all, family time. What a memory maker! Where to next?
We all had our favorites, but making the list for the "Best Parts of the Dominican Republic" were the zip lines, snorkeling, Mike's smoothies, crepes, seafood, swimming in the ocean, running on the beach, and best of all, family time. What a memory maker! Where to next?
