MEXICO

This was a long overdue vacation for Derek and I. We hadn't taken a vacation, without the kids, since Katelyn was born, which has been almost 12 years ago. We've taken little overnight getaways, but never a vacation this long. It was FABULOUS!!!

Some friends, at the fire department, had told us about a vacation that they had just come back from that they really enjoyed. We looked into it and immediately booked it. It looked and sounded perfect. The resort we stayed at, Aventura Spa Palace, was in a town called Playa del Carmen about an hour South of Cancun. This was an all-inclusive, adult only resort--PERFECT!! The moment we arrived we were treated like royalty. We were greeted with champagne at check-in and I was given a carnation. How sweet!! We were shown to our room which included a king-sized bed, a full-sized jacuzzi tub, a fully loaded mini bar with full bottles of tequila, vodka, scotch and rum. On our patio was a hammock that even had an ocean view. After getting settled we went to check out our new home for the week.

This was in our room one day after they had cleaned it. Every night our bed would be turned down and there were chocolates on our pillows. In all of the public restrooms were fresh flowers surrounding the sinks or on the countertops made into pictures or sayings.

This place was amazing. It had everything that you could possiby think of. The place was so big that there were two different lobbies--a North and a South. There was even a bus you could catch every 8 minutes that would take you between the two lobbies. In each lobby there were gift shops, restaurants, and other means of entertainment. The North lobby is where the spa was located and the South lobby had a discotech and a martini bar. Also in the North lobby was a fully loaded gym, an indoor pool with hot tubs and a juice bar--for those who wanted to stay healthy while staying at an all-inclusive resort (ha ha ha ha).

Outside were amazing pools, all with swim up bars and snack areas. There was a rock wall for climbing, ping pong tables, kayaking, and palapas (grass roofed huts) for messages right near the ocean. Kayaking was done in a little lagoon with tropical fish swimming all around. It was a breathtaking setting. The best part was the peace and quiet. No screaming or crying--just quiet. AAAHHHHHH.

Our days consisted of waking up, going to breakfast and hanging out at the pool. When we got hungry, we would go to the snack bar and get some chips, salsa and guacamole. The drinks were constantly flowing and the music was always playing. Some days we would go work out at the gym and some days we would play ping pong or go kayaking. The great thing was we could do whatever we felt like doing. Wow--what a concept.

At 5:00 pm we would go take dance lessons (salsa and merenge) and then we would go eat dinner at one of the 8 restaurants and then go dancing at the discotech where we would practice our new dance moves that we had just learned. We also participated in the theme shows that they put on every night. We met a lot of fun people at the martini bar and a lot of crazy ones too. We met one couple from Bend, Oregon, but most people were from the East Coast.

Part of the all-inclusive package included access to 7 other resorts that were all part of the resort system that we stayed at. This meant that you could go to any of the other resorts and swim in their pools, eat at their restaurants and participate in any of their activities for free. We didn't do this, because we didn't want to do a lot of traveling, but we could've if we wanted to. Our resort was the only adult-only and the others were exclusively for families. When we go there again in a couple of years--this time with the kids--we will resort hop I'm sure.

For the most part we just hung out at our resort, but we did take a few excursions while we were there. The first thing we did (or I did) was swim with dolphins. I had been wanting to do this for so long, but just couldn't justify spending that kind of money. Well come to find out, in Mexico it was a whole lot cheaper than in Hawaii--so I jumped at the chance. I was a little nervous at first because I didn't know what to expect, but once I was in the water with these beautiful creatures my nerves were settled instantly. They are amazing animals and very gentle. It was a little weird touching them, because they felt like wet velvet. They weren't hairy or anything, but they just felt that way. We got to do a few tricks with them and then we got to swim with them in the middle of the pool. For the finale, we each got to do what's called a foot push. That is where two dolphins come up behind you, while you are laying in the water, and use their noses to push you through the water by your feet. They went really fast and propelled you out of the water. It was kind of like flying. Talk about a rush!! I felt like a little kid. My face hurt from smiling so much.

We also went horseback riding on the beach and got to swim in the ocean with the horses. That was pretty cool, but didn't compare to swimming with dolphins. Needless to say it was still fun. I ended up with a grumpy horse. Everytime a horse got near it, that it didn't like, it would rear up and start kicking at it. It was try to bite the other horses as well. The cowboy said he would trade with me, but I decided to stick it out. When we arrived at the beach and it was time to dismount our horses, mine decided that it wanted to roll in the sand--with me on it. I didn't think I could move that fast, but I managed to jump off before getting squished. My leg got pinned, but I managed to get it out from underneath the rolling beast before anything bad happened to it. Of course, my horse was the only one that rolled that day. After that, I took the cowboy up on his offer and ended up with a really sweet horse named freckles. Derek's experience was uneventful.

The only other thing that we did was visit the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum. This trip was free for us for booking our trip through Costco. It was very interesting to see a village that dated back to the Classic Period (the earliest date lifted from the site is A.D. 564--taken from an incription on a stele). Tulum means "wall" and the city was christened thus because it is a walled city--one of the very few ancients ever built. Tulum was a major link in the Maya's extensive trade network.

These iguanas were everywhere in Tulum. They were called "Mexican rats".

This was the bluff overlooking the ocean. The beach below was absolutely gorgeous. The water was crystal clear.

Derek and I had such a great time in Mexico. I would highly recommend this resort to anyone. We were treated with the utmost respect and kindness. We really did feel like royalty. All of the staff members called us by our names and everywhere we went people were saying "hola" with genuine smiles on their faces--even the maintenance workers. Most of the employees could speak English, but if you spoke Spanish to them they were very happy. A few times, Derek would be speaking Spanish and they would think that he could speak fluently, so they would start talking really fast and then realize, from his glossed over eyes, that he only knew a little bit. We would all laugh and then they would speak English again. It was really funny.

If you want to get away to a tropical paradise then Aventura Spa Palace is the place for you. The place is first class all the way.

Adios!

NEW YORK CITY

We've seen it on TV, but we've never been--until now.


We parked our cars in New Jersey and took a ferry over to New York. Apparently, the cost of parking in New York is astronomical. Once we were off the ferry, we took a bus over to Ground Zero. It was really important for Derek to go see where all of his fellow firefighters lost their lives while trying to save people on that horrible day in September. I was afraid it would be really emotional and sad, but went anyway. I was right--it was very emotional, to say the least, and I didn't expect to see or hear what we experienced.


Where the World Trade Center actually stood was surrounded by fencing so it was really difficult to see. We did see one flight of stairs that were still standing, but everything around it was pretty much cleaned up. The buildings that surrounded the WTC were still being repaired from the damage they had received.








Right next to the Fire Station (whose crew all died that day) was a museum that had items found from 911. They had videos playing of people who were being interviewed, they had photos on the wall of the devastation and of the people that were missing, and they had the actual radio communication between the firefighters from that day. This was very difficult to hear, because you could hear the fear in the FF's voices. It was a very eerie feeling.





On display were some of the pieces of the aircraft that crashed through the twin towers. Some of it was melted so bad that you could only tell what it was because there was a sign telling you what it was. There were also personal items on display like shoes, hats and cell phones. One display was of the coins that must have been in someone's pocket that had gotten so hot that they melted together into a clump and you could barely make out the president's face of a particular coin. Pictures of people covered in ashes--like the images that we saw on TV only in person had more of an impact.


One wall was covered in photos of the family members that people had lost. Some had notes attached to them or personal belongings. I was holding myself together pretty well until I saw a photo of a younger, good looking man with a picture, obviously drawn by a child, attached that read: "Daddy, I hope you are having fun up in heaven. I miss you." The emotion that I had been struggling to keep inside came flooding out and I was a sobbing mess from that point on. I can't image what it was like to actually have been there on that day. It's really inconceivable.


The kids did really well, except for Katelyn. She took the whole thing pretty hard. Of course being the oldest, she understood more. I think what really bothered her was seeing a firefighter's turnouts that had been ripped and torn while trying to save as many people as he could before dying. She thought about her daddy being in that situation and couldn't contain herself any longer.




When we came out of the museum, this fire truck was parked outside getting ready to leave so Derek ran up to the engineer and asked if we could take a picture in front of it. He was very happy to oblige after hearing that Derek was a fellow firefighter.




This memorial was on one of the walls of the Fire Station dedicated to all of the firefighters--the ones who died and the ones that have to carry on. The wall says it all --"May we never forget."



















So now that we were emotional messes, we decided to go do something to lift our spirits. We of course had to go see the Statue of Liberty while we were in New York. So we walked over to where we could catch a ferry and hopped aboard. Once again, seeing her on TV is so much different than in person. I didn't realize just how big she was until I was standing beneath her. She's HUGE. Thank you France for such a nice gift.













After seeing the Statue of Liberty, we walked over to Rockefeller Center. On TV it looks like this ice skating rink is in a park or something, but it's actually surrounded by buildings. It was still cold enough for people to skate on.



While walking around, the kids discovered a two story candy store--so of course we had to go inside. I think it had every candy ever made. That was the highlight of the day for the kids.

We also saw St. Patrick's Cathedral, which was the most beautiful church I had ever seen in my life. We lit candles and said prayers while we were there. Of course you had to pay to do that. Nothing is free in New York. We then walked to Times Square which was quite a sight at night. Everything was larger than life. It was so much fun to be in a place that we've only seen on TV. We only had the one day there, but when we go back, we will definitely plan to stay longer and visit more tourist attractions.



So you have it--our whole East Coast vacation. It was so much fun and we loved spending time with our family that we don't get to see very often. It was a great learning experience for the kids and for the adults. There is sooo much history back there--it's amazing! I had never been to the East Coast as a kid, except in the airport while flying to Italy with my grandfather, but I sure felt like one while I was there. I hope you enjoyed our experiences and I hope that you will get to have some of your own one day. It's a place that everyone should see.

I will soon be posting photos of our trip to Mexico--mine and Derek's that is. It was our first trip without the kids since they've been born and we had the time of our lives--so stay tuned.

PHILIDELPHIA

Of course, while in Pennsylvania, we had to go to Philidelphia. That was a no-brainer. We saw and learned so much in one day it was unbelievable!! When we first arrived, we walked to where Betsy Ross used to live and saw her house and gravesite. Then we walked to Benjamin Franklin's gravesite (it was good luck to throw a penny on it) and where he used to live.

Derek learned that Benjamin Franklin organized the first Philidelphia Fire Company.

We then walked down the oldest street in America called Elfreth's Alley. This alley was named after blacksmith Jeremiah Elfreth and has been continuously occupied since 1713. The houses standing date from 1728 to 1836 representing Colonial and Federal style architecture.

While walking to Independence Hall, we stopped at The Christ Church. As you can see from the sign it was founded in 1695. While inside we learned that most of our first presidents attended this church. Church back then was an all day process, so some presidents would wander in and out during the day. Down the middle of the pews were actual gravesites that were in the church floor itself. The pews were also marked with the names of the presidents that used to sit there.

Our next stop was Independence Hall. Being there and knowing that was where the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution was drafted and signed was an incredible feeling.

Being in the actual room that that happened in was even more incredible. They had copies of these documents on display for us to see. Wow--did those men have beautiful penmanship back then. After we got home the kids rented National Treasure and saw all of the places that we had visited on the movie. That was really fun for them and a great learning experience as well.

We then went to see the Liberty Bell. That speaks for itself.

We also visited the U.S. Mint, but unfortunately don't have pictures, because we were not allowed to bring cameras into the building. We learned so many things about how our coins are made. The kids and I are collecting the state quarters so it was really interesting to learn the history behind them. We saw the huge rolls of flat metal that are used to cut out the coin blanks. These rolls are a foot wide, 1500 feet long and weigh 6,000 lbs each. We learned that the highest tonnage force is placed on a nickel to give it it's smooth appearance and the least tonnage force is exerted on a dime. It takes 60 tons of pressure to stamp the images on the front and back sides of a quarter. We watched as the coins were being made right before our eyes. The process is really fascinating. There is way too much information to put on this blog about how our coins are made, but you can visit this website to learn all about it and take a virtual tour of one of the Mints www.usmint.gov. This website also has fun games for the kids to play. Check it out.

Believe it or not, we did all of this in one day!! We also had to stop and have a Philly Cheesestake sandwich before we left. I think it would've been considered a sin if we hadn't. So there is our day in Philidelphia. Stay tuned for our trip to New York City.

Celebrating Easter with Cousins

The kids decorated eggs the day before Easter and had fun spending quality time together. Easter morning, we woke up and the kids opened their presents from the Easter Bunny and hunted for the Easter eggs.

After breakfast we attended a church in downtown Doylestown. Very traditional to say the least. There was a graveyard right outside of the church doors. The men all wore nice suits and

a lot of the women wore hats and bonnets. The kids were dressed to the hilt as well. The service was a little dry (correction--a lot dry) and there was a lot of sitting and then standing...sitting and then standing. The church was absolutely gorgeous and had the traditional organ and pipes. The architechture back East is really beautiful, especially the churches.

After church the kids played while the women worked really hard in the kitchen. I have no idea where the men were at this point. Probably napping somewhere I'm sure. Some friends of Rob and Lisa's came over for an early Easter dinner and we all sat around the table and talked. It was a lot of fun. The kids all played in the basement and with the door closed we couldn't hear a peep. Let me tell you--I sooo wish the West Coast had basements. This basement was HUGE!!! They had just remodeled it and added a home theater in one corner. The equipment hadn't even arrived yet it was so new. The kids played in that basement the whole time we were there. It almost felt like we didn't have the kids with us on vacation. What more could parents ask for, right? I'm just kidding. I love my kids being around, but I must say it was nice to have some adult conversations without being interupted every 2 minutes. I'm getting myself a basement!

More Photos of Washington D.C.

Our tour guide told us the story of this painting that completely circles the rotunda. Apparently a man whose name I've since forgotten, started painting this mural of the progression of our country. It started out with the pilgrams and then continued with all of the major historical events of our country. While painting this, the man fell off of his ladder and injured himself. After he had healed, he was too afraid to get back on the ladder to finish the painting so he had his assistant finish it. The assistant realized that the original painter would be receiving all of the credit for this beautiful story of our country even though he wouldn't be the only one who had painted it. When the assistant started painting, where the original painter left off, he painted a picture of his very own face in the trunk of a tree. That was his way of leaving his personal signature on the painting even though it was really signed by the original artist himself. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, take a look at the tree that is in the middle of the photo. At the base of the tree there is a cluster of leaves--at the very top of the leaves is the assistant's face. We would've never learned about this fact if we wouldn't have had a tour guide leading us through the Capitol.

This was one of the hallways in the Capitol. The paintings were very exquisite and very beautiful to look at.

This is the base of the rotunda. It held statues of important people from each state.

This is our whole family standing in the exact middle of Washington D.C. inside the Capitol building.

This was one of the older cable cars that took the Senators and their staff members to and from the Capitol via the underground tunnels.

These are the underground tunnels leading to the Capitol building.