Mexican getaway

Matt and I were in Tulum, Mexico last week.  This was our first big trip since our Honeymoon almost five years ago.  We agreed on Mexico because I wanted tropical, and he wanted ruins.  The boy is obsessed with those damn Mayans, I tell you. 

Tulum is about two hours south of Cancun and an hour south of the big all-inclusives  “This place reminds me of Vegas,” Matt noted as we drove by the entrances of these mammoth hotels.  Big fountains, ostentatious fences and winding drives into their grounds.  Not that that’s bad, but we wanted small.  

Tulum is a funny mix: almost everyone here is white, either from America or Europe.  It’s half well-off tourists and half hippie enclave.  Everything is open air, and Christmas lights strewn in the trees and fresh fish, ceviche and good fruit.  The ocean water is teal and a few dogs, all belonging to the seemingly year-around transplants who run the dive shops and restaurants (and all beautiful, sinewy Europeans with long hair or dreads) - scamper on the beach, dodging the waves.  Our small hotel was literally on the beach and we fell asleep each night listening to the waves.

I’ve spied several topless woman (with great, small perky breasts...I mean, I would go topless too if mine looked like that) and a older, very pale man in a tiniest sliver of a g-string.  “That’s got to be a dare, right?” Matt said.  I replied that no, he’s just European.  “Don’t be so uncultured, Matt,” I added, although secretly thinking, “My god that is a sight...but I have to give it to him.”

And with that, here are some photos of our trip:

The beautiful view from our balcony.  

We're so used to getting up at 6:30 due to Annie, so we just kept the blinds open and rose with the sun every morning.  Gorgeous.

Every morning we ate breakfast on the beach.  This is Lorenzo taking our photograph.

We ate several of our lunches on our balcony and just picked up goodies from the local grocery store.  Here I am ogling the varieties of peppers.

Our Mexican rental car.  Note there is no clock, radio, or CD player.  The fingerprints are me pushing on it saying, "It has to be here somewhere!"  Sadly, no mariachi music for us on our drive down to Tulum.

Our hotel room. Very white.  Very austere.  Very peaceful.

Matt went scuba diving in a cenote, which is a water hole formed by an above ground portion of an underground river.  There is a complex maze of rivers, caves, and cenotes in the Yucatan.  We went swimming in one as well (photos later).

On the road to our hotel.  

Mexican bakery.  You KNOW I got my baked goods on!

I took a photo of this because I thought it would be Matt's last healthy hours on the trip.  He asked for a aqua fresca (flavored water) and asked if it was purified.  The waiter said "si" but with a glint in his eye.  Totally thought he was playin' us.  Anyway, Matt didn't get sick, so I guess that's good.
(Prices are in pesos, and the exchange rate is about 12 pesos/US dollar.  That's one cheap taco!)

We had a game throughout vacation calling "Lizard Spotting" (ingenius titling, I know).  Here I am with a bucket full 'o' lizards!

Visiting some Mayan ruins in Tulum on the beach. 

I'm smiling, but I'm already getting sick of these darn ruins.  Once you see one ruin, you've seen 'em all (don't tell that to the Mayans).

Then we went ziplining over a lagoon.

Take a look at this here action shot.

Now take a look at Matt in these photos...

Lounging back....

Relaxed....

Almost zen....

Then there's me hanging on for my life.  Schreeching.
Typical.

We fit in a little canoing.

Here's Matt jumping into a cenote.

Another view.

Here is Matt being suave (aka doing a flip).
Our guide - Raphael - said, "This one's good for the Facebook, no?"
Well said, Raphael.  Well said.  We'll have to upload this bad boy.

The next part of our little adventre was an underground cave tour!  It was pitch black
(these photos are taken with a flashlight and camera with a flash).

Making our way through the cave....doggy paddle style, yo.

Hands down, my favorite photo of the trip.  Bwhahaha.

Lunch on the balcony.

Matt and his lady friend.

I asked for "anything in a coconut, but it must be in a coconut".  You know, just for this photo opp.  Classy.

Matt relaxing.

This is Matt's favorite part of the trip, bar none.  He sincerely got a kick outta the old man in the g-string.  He said everytime he spotted him, he got 10 extra "lizard points".  (Boy was falling behind on the lizard points, let me tell you.)  Anyway, since Matt was so enamored he spotted this gentleman daily (look, this dude really piqued his interest), and thus clenched the win for "Lizard Spotting".  Unfairly, I might add.

Beautiful beach.

Nighttime in Tulum is magical: lights in the trees everywhere, people walking to dinner on the dirt road, flashlights in hand, and hotels aglow. Here is the pool at our hotel.

On our last day we went to Chichen Itza.  Matt was dying to go.  I was like, "eh, ruins.."  I know, I'm so jaded.

We also snorkeled and saw tons of sea turtles and took some underwater photos, which I hope to share when they're developed.  It was a terrific trip, but we were so happy to come home to Annie, who spent three days with my parents and three days with Matt's.  It's good to be home.

Busy beach days

This past week was Annie's first jaunt to the beach.  We were wary: heat, salt water and sand doesn't sound like a winning combination when you have a "I know what I want!" type of infant.  And I was getting over yet another cold.  But sometimes things just come together swimmingly: Annie surprised us and was utterly delightful, and I kept my cold at bay to enjoy our time at the shore.

Every summer Matt's extended family visits the little Victorian hamlet of Ocean Grove, NJ, and I know how wonderful it's been to be included in on their little traditions: dinners on the beach, bikes to breakfast, an annual cheese and baguette fest on the oceanfront hotel's upper balcony, walks to nearby Asbury Park, and of course the daily pilgrimage (just across the street) to the beach.  She's one lucky girl to partake in, and continue on, these traditions.

All dolled up for the beach!

Annie touching a baby crab, presented by Matt's cousin Rob.

Ever on the balcony: the scene of many breakfasts and chats.  Here's Annie and Matt before the annual cheese fest.

Father and daughter.

Matt and Annie perpetually goofing around.

David, Annie's "Poppy Hoppy" introducing her to the water.

I think she prefers to be held.

Me and Annie under the umbrella.

Annie on her "Granny Nanny"'s lap.  

I will say she did enjoy sitting on the blankets and playing!

Just had to include this because of that smile!  This is a new expression.
(She was also continuously pursing her lips together like a duck, but unfortunately didn't get to capture that.)

Forever interested in the camera.

Matt and Annie.
This was her very first foray into the water.  She cried shortly after this photo was taken.

One of the most memorable moments of the trip.
This is Matt's grandmother, Gram, her husband, Cliff, and Matt.
Cliff was trepidatious in going into the ocean, so Matt and Gram held his hands as they took to the surf.

Everyone came back down to the beach for dinner, later in the evening.
This is Annie partaking in her own meal by the surf.

Several members of Matt's family as we ready for another nighttime meal on the beach.
(That's Matt looking creepy in the lower right-hand corner.)