the view from the Royal Sands lobby
the view from my lounge on the beach
Last week, after a planned trip to TIU in Chicago went sour, I took myself up on a last minute wishful thinking trip to Cancun, Mexico to visit mis abuelos - howard & pairlee. From LA it's only about a 4 1/2 hour flight (pride and prejudice + 1/2 the family stone =).
HIU granted us a 4-day weekend for easter - Fridays are already my day off, but Monday was the extra. I converted my Orange County to Seattle to Chicago passes to a round trip LA to Cancun for only $72.43 more - sweet deal. Alaska only provides 1 flight a day from LA to Cancun and from Cancun to LA, so flying stand-by can get a little tricky, but my experience was a smooth one - fortunately.
Tuesday night before I left I spent all evening writing papers and studying for the classes I was to miss. While waiting for my plane to board Wednesday morning I wrote one of my Acts papers and emailed it to my professor after I arrived in Mexico. Customs, baggage and security was a piece and I spent no more than 15 minutes in the Cancun airport.
The sun was beginning its decent toward the horizon when I checked in and became situated at the Royal Sands resort. I took in the familiar view from the oceanside deck, this was my fourth visit to Cancun and third to the Royal Sands. My first morning, Gblock (Pairlee) and I hopped on a bus to Wallmart - yep there really is one in downtown Cancun - to satisfy her grocery list. Everything was in espanol so it was fun to learn new words. During the ride back to the Royal Sands resort I brushed up on my Spanish with the taxi driver.
We returned to the villa around 11am and I immediately grabbed a towel and headed to the beach to read, relax, and swim in the Carribbean sea. Later in the afternoon I migrated poolside where I played a friendly game of volleyball in the lap pool.
Gblock surprised grandps and invited one of his childhood friends, Dave, to come and spend a week with him in Cancun. Dave was a hoot - a classic old person. He told endless childhood stories and was always reminiscing with Howie. It was fun to hear about the dumb things grandps did as a teenager. Dave would use sayings like "going with" and "chum with." The best part about Dave is that HE COULDN'T HEAR or at least he couldn't keep up with me and would get really annoyed. Of course this entertained me immensely and I took advantage of the old man - all in fun.
That evening we had reservations to the Hacienda Sisal restaurant for a Mexican buffet and live entertainment and dancing. Grandpa likes to embarass me and harrassed our waiter into admitting he had a beautiful grandaughter. The waiter and I made small chat during the evening - i only know small chat in espanol - due to my grandps humorous tactics. I forget the waiter's name, but he pulled the chair for me every single time I departed from the table and removed plates and silver wear immediately after I was done with their use - which, I noticed, he wasn't doing for the other guests in the restaurant... ha. thanks grandps.
While taking pictures of the g'rents out on the dance floor a Jersey man in his late 20's asked to buy me a drink. He was a good-looking guy, not my type, and I was hardly interested. I dropped by my table for a few moments and then thought I would payback grandpa for embarassing me and harrassing the waiter and decided to accept the gesture... after spending 15 minutes learning about a guy who I would never talk to again in my life, I politely dismissed myself and returned to the wrath of my grandpa who wanted to know exactly what happened. Later he apologized, but I thought it was cute... I'm blessed to have a few protective men in my life.
I spent the next day like most of the rest: entirely at the beach and the pool. The waves were a little bigger and fiercer and the current a little stronger and I had a some fun getting thrashed in the ocean. Later that evening we all went to Luxury Avenue, a mall, where we perused a display of pictures documenting the Hurrican Wilma disaster that hit Cancun this past October. It destroyed a lot of structures, including homes of the locals. I donated $40 to the Royal Resorts Employee fund and got a cool bright green t-shirt.
Sunday was Dave's 75th birthday and he took all of us to breakfast at the Royal Carribbean. It was a good time. Later that afternoon was a fiesta at the Sands pool where there was free alcohol and music and dancing. Grandpa won a raffle and was awarded another Royal Resorts t-shirt... like he really needed another one. The next day we went to a taco party on the third story deck and I enjoyed the rest of the time I had at the beach before I was to depart back to LA and return to college life @ HIU.
All in all it was a sweet time in Cancun... I am most thankful that I was able to spend time with the g'rents because I won't be seeing any woarshington family very often for the next year. Thanks guys, I love you!
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