As requested here are pictures.
The vacation criteria was ..blue water, white sand, palm trees and cheap rum. We got all that and more.
I don't know how cheap the rum was, because the venue was all inclusive. One price for lodging, food, transfers, drinks and tours. The mini bar was replenished daily with drinks and beer. the restaurants were top notch and the service was all with a smile.
The five days and four nights thing, turned into three days and four nights. Thanks to two travel days. We got a half day at the pool the day we checked in.
Our second day we toured Chizen Itza, Just... WOW!
The third day was grey and cloudy for the morning, thanks to Ike.
The fourth day was sunny and breezy and we spent the majority of the day at the pool. I was under a palm tree and the Love of My Life was toasting in the edge of the pool.
Lots of cold beer and lots of good food, and nothing to do but lay in the shade.
I could probably stand a couple of weeks more there.
Some things stand out. The mosquitoes were big enough to molest buzzards. That's understandable, as the place is built in a mangrove swamp.
We had dinner in a beach side restaurant with open walls and no AC the first night, when we noticed the table closer to the outside had two couples seated and move to another table in short order. We were sitting close to a spice that was burned to keep the mosquito's away, and they were not in the draft that carried the smoke.
Poor babies!
I had bought insect repellent shortly before, for the next day on the tour and had it in my pocket. The second couple, apparently newly wed, were moved to a table just out of my sight behind me. The young lady, a tall thin, blond continued to swat and twist. TLOML was facing her and got the full show. TLOML was feeling pretty sorry for the girl and I was about to offer the bug spray, when TLOML said "OMG! cooter shot", I spit wine across the table and tried not to choke. TLOML looked at me and said "I swear she had her foot behind her head!"
Sorry I missed that.
The distraught young man was being berated by his new spouse and and was slowly sinking into his chair. You could tell he had "locked brain syndrome" and wasn't going to come up with any answers. I was a heart beat away from sticking my nose in when she asked a waiter if they had insect repellent. When the waiter turned away to go and ask, I put my can of bug spray in his hands. He offered it to the girl, who was massively relieved. The first couple who had been swarmed, also asked if they could use some. I asked them to go outside and spray, to avoid the flame from the little candles on the table turning the whole cloud into a fire ball.
I made four friends on the spot.
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Several things made a lasting impression, like the young ladies who came to the resort and could only afford half their bathing suits, and the half they wore was too small. I felt soooo sorry for them.
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In the resort every thing was beautiful, outside was grinding poverty. I know poor, and these people couldn't work their way up to mearly poor in a life time.
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The skill of the local drivers was on display a little too much. A short van ride resulted in a least six near crashes, not bumps, crashes.
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All things considered it was one of our better trips, I would go back tomorrow, and stay longer.
