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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - FINISHED - 6/11/2012 1:46:26 PM
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gerber
Posts: 815
Joined: 1/22/2009
From: Alberta
Status: offline
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May 17 – 28 at ABR
Sorry no pictures the first day. Feel free to skip the day if you like. Hey, I get it, some people are visual. 
Our last trip report is back up on the first page, so if you want pictures of the resort… there you go. We got in so late we just didn’t bother this time.
By way of introduction, this is the first time we’ve traveled with Keith’s parents. His dad turns 80 this month and his mom is 83. I think they were older than anyone else at the resort by at least a decade. Having said that, they’re ACTIVE. They travel a lot. They’re always on the go. They are generally in Mexico twice a year for about 5 weeks each trip, but they aren’t resort or beach people. So we really appreciated them taking a bullet to do Mexico “our way.” We truly created some forever memories.
We thought we’d save some money this time by doing a layover in DFW for 5 hours on the way down and I think 3 on the way back. Honestly, we wouldn’t do it again.
Written on the 17th:
Up at 3 am. Picked up M&D by 4 a.m. Park and Jet by 4:30 am. Check in by 4:45 am. Security by 5 am. LOVED the Nexus cards! That was the one moment in the morning that Keith actually grinned.
Uneventful flight to DFW. THEN the 5 hour wait. Groan. Yeah we saved about $250 each flying A.A. and not direct, but still. We spent about $160 in food and drinks and the day was way to fricken long.
We got to the gate early and found they had oversold the flight by 4 seats and needed 4 volunteers to get bumped for $500 plus a hotel plus meals plus transportation. I think one guy took it. They upped it to $550, then $600 and finally we were able to go. I think we left around an hour late. Getting into CUN around 8:30, we quickly bought a couple bottles of Kahlua while mom and Dad found their bags. I quicky hurried out ahead of everyone and found USA transfers waiting without any complaint. Relief. I was SO worried they would be gone!
ABR just after 10 pm. Welcome drinks. Friendly staff. Got the 5th building as we requested. Top floor. They left sandwiches and bananas in our rooms which was really nice and appreciated even if it was white bread  . Back down to the bar for a couple quick beer and wine and off to bed.
I've GOT to say that day was WAY too long. No matter how much it saves you, the pain of the trip just aint worth it. Keith is sleeping and I want to watch the sunrise. I think it's midnight so I better head off to bed.
< Message edited by gerber -- 6/16/2012 9:48:43 PM >
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/11/2012 2:09:30 PM
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Jamie
Posts: 2548
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Southern California
Status: offline
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Really nice start, will look forward to the rest when you have time - have a great trip
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/11/2012 7:11:46 PM
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BlueBeachLady
Posts: 1528
Joined: 9/18/2005
From: Austin, Texas
Status: offline
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Look forward to your report! We used to travel with my parents, both 84, but the last 5 years not so much. Your parents are an inspiration and I look forward to reading about their take on the trip.
_____________________________
"I'd rather be on the beach!"
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/11/2012 8:07:46 PM
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Kwing
Posts: 7757
Joined: 12/23/2005
From: Ohio
Status: offline
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I agree - no way is a 5 hour lay-over worth $250! And get to the resort at 10 pm?? Uh no!
Gerber - love your detailed trip reports!
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/11/2012 9:24:54 PM
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Vancouver Sundog
Posts: 5908
Joined: 10/1/2006
From: North Vancouver
Status: offline
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quote:
LOVED the Nexus cards! That was the one moment in the morning that Keith actually grinned.
Did you upgrade / link your Nexus to Global One to bypass US Customes for your return flight - we did - we bypass 1+ hour lineups
_____________________________
AASB 13 Done it - AAFB in the planning
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/12/2012 8:53:06 AM
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gerber
Posts: 815
Joined: 1/22/2009
From: Alberta
Status: offline
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Mom and Dad really are an inspiration. They’re so young at heart!
Scott: What about us? You didn’t LOVE meeting us, too? I’m hurt, darnit. I do get it, though. They are just way more fun than us. Maybe when we’re retired we can attain that level of … fun-ness (ok, it’s early in the morning and my vocabulary isn’t quite there yet.
The Nexus cards are trusted traveler cards for Canadians. It means we’ve been pre-screened to be normal, law-abiding citizens who can be trusted to go through special kiosks and not generally have to talk to border agents. Our Nexus cards were Global One compatible right from the start (the US counterpart of Canadian Nexus). No need to upgrade. Coming through DFW we were in the line with the flight crew. Doesn’t work for Mexico, though. It worked great except when I had to declare bringing nuts and trail mix. Those things are allowed, but you do have to declare them or risk losing your Nexus card. It slows things down because then you have to talk to an agent. Next time – NO NUTS!
< Message edited by gerber -- 6/12/2012 9:36:08 AM >
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/12/2012 12:32:37 PM
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gerber
Posts: 815
Joined: 1/22/2009
From: Alberta
Status: offline
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Hey, Snow – at least I’ve started my report…
There’ll probably be more pictures of us than a lot of people put in their reports, because the reports are for us, too, and we like to remember people as much as places. There’ll be lots of Mom and Dad for sure. 
I was totally planning on getting up with the sunrise this morning. I love being up by 6:30 or so, enjoy the solitude, watch the beach come alive with people and families, watch the sun rise and maybe go for a pre-breakfast snorkel. By 6:00 I knew that wasn't going to happen. With a brutal headache from lack of sleep I looked out the curtains and was tickled to see that it was a dreary, cloudy day. Back to bed for a few hours.
Behind building 5:
Keith and I headed down to breakfast around 9:30 and Mom and Dad met us. We ran into Travelon and her husband and Liz of UPSdelilvers. Found out where Sherry's bday would be. After breakfast we decided to help Mom and Dad get their bearings around Akumal. We walked up the beach, posed briefly at the webcam, walked behind LolHa to Gallery Lamanai (sp?) then Mexicarte, Chomak and all the little shops. As usual, we bought a couple shot glasses at the place across from Pueblito for the Kahlua.
Don't remember this before in Akumal near the arch. Must be new:
At ABR we had only found one biodegradable sunblock which was SPF 50 so we bought a few more sunblocks at Chomak and Pueblito. We headed across the highway to the pueblo, wandered in most of the stores and finally settled on having beer and guac at Tequilaville. Ken and Mary are great hosts as we've heard and we enjoyed the atmosphere and friendliness.
In all our sweaty glory:
Dad had been trying all day to find a place that sells Readers Digest in Spanish. See, after he retired years ago, he decided to go to University (more impressive stuff!) to learn Spanish. Add on a lot of world traveling and courses all over, and he’s obviously been working at it. So, he'd like to keep up his language skills and needs good reading materials that aren't too difficult, I guess. Not easy to find!
Back at ABR Mom and Dad went back to their room and Keith and I hit the beach. I had a quick snorkel, too. I took the camera out, turned it on - looked good - and turned it off until I would need it to save batteries. It wouldn't turn back on. Grrrr. Batteries or camera?? Brought it back to Keith and headed back out. Permits, large houndfish, large bluehead, sargent majors, juvenile, intermediate and adult blue tangs, parrots, flamingo's tongue on a sea rod, banded butterflies, damsels, bicolored damsels, yellow snapper, bluestriped grunts, sailor's choice, schoolmaster, yellowfin mojarra and my favorite - of the day - reef squid.
At first I only noticed two of the squid, floating nearby just watching me. And they were probably over 12 inches long. We just floated and stared at each other, which is always cool. Then I looked a little further to my right and noticed it was actually a line of 6 of them all in formation basically, watching me. So cool. I did get some good pictures of them later in the trip.
After I came in, Keith and I walked in the water a bit, until the permits got bold enough to actually bump our legs a few times. Back at the beach, we enjoyed the last remnants of sun and came back. We had some Kahlua with mom and Dad on the balcony and then got ready for Sherry's bday dinner.
Sherry and Tom are such lovely people to be around. We enjoy them immensely. We met Snowbound (Scott) and Chris as well. Such fun people! Soliel Soul and UPS delivers were there, among a few others I don’t recall. There was also another Calgarian who is a hilarious university chemistry professor. I think this vacation is shaping up to be interesting and a lot of fun.
At Sherry's Bday:
Happy Birthday, Sherry!
Is this the look that says, "We just met these strange people - why are they taking our picture? Ok, try to look polite... Maybe they'll go away..."?
Little bit of wine and off to join my dead-to-the-world husband.
< Message edited by gerber -- 6/12/2012 12:43:32 PM >
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/12/2012 9:19:22 PM
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gerber
Posts: 815
Joined: 1/22/2009
From: Alberta
Status: offline
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Not a lot of pictures today either. Better picture days coming up…
As often happens, the birds woke me up before the alarm clock around 6 am. Since today is mostly a beach day, I went down early to grab our favorite palapa. I don't think any palapas had been taken by then, but they started filling up shortly after. Snowbound was the second down and he took the next one palapa. Pretty cloudy so there wasn’t much of a sunrise to watch.
It's fun to actually know a few people on the beach. I chatted a bit with Snowbound and Travelon's husband, Tom. Another guest came by and chatted a bit, too. I hung out till almost 9, talking but also reading mostly. It was a bit cloudy so no snorkel. Found Keith back in building 5 and we met mom and Dad for breakfast.
Dad decided that he really liked my travel "purse" for his new camera so he's been looking at getting me something to replace it. The one purse I liked in the lobby store was great, but not at 460 pesos. Mom and Dad decided they wanted to head off to the Chedraui at Puerto Aventuras to get hangers and see if they could get brighter light bulbs (seriously) for their room. Off they went in the colectivo.
Keith and I hit the beach. We had sun off and on. Rain off and on. Mostly the rain came straight down so we didn't have to leave the palapa. Mom and Dad came back a couple hours later. I guess when they got off the Colectivo, they didn't find the Chedraui. It was pouring rain and they didn’t have their bearings. Not really sure where there were! They did buy me a purse in Akumal that was pretty much the same as the lobby store.
The afternoon snorkel was really quite good. Unfortunately, the Sealife camera was still not working! GRRRR. Good thing I always travel with a backup – but it wasn’t at the beach ready.
Anyway, there was good visibility and the sun was out. I mostly stayed straight out from Moonrise and a bit south of that so no turtles. I actually didn't see anything big. No barracuda, rainbow parrots, rays... Just lots of the usual suspects.
Back at the beach with Keith and Mom and Dad, we're all enjoying our bubbas. Keith and I walked in the water a bit. It’s so nice to just be here. I can't say enough about having breakfast ON the beach, having a room with a gorgeous oceanview ON the beach, just enjoying the water and sand and sounds. ABR is definitely our happy place.
THIS is probably my favorite picture. Mom getting serious with her Bubba-sized margarita!
Gotta love Bubbas. Dad was especially impressed with the combination of the Bubba and the self-serve beer tap. Being able to fill-er-up and head back to the room, or wherever, was a special joy. Hahaha. He thought it was pretty fun.
And the clouds are awesome to watch:
I'm still trying to get an amazing shot of a pelican. Camera is just never ready:
And the lovely beach and ocean never gets old:
Back at the room, we had a little Kahlua and got ready for dinner. We all strolled down the beach to Lol Ha for happy hour margaritas. 10 minutes too early. Oh well, they're very good so we did it anyway.
Dinner at Pescadore's was awesome as usual. We had conch cevice, lime soup and pulpo (octopus) to start. Dad, being a bit of a pulpo connoisseur, was quite thrilled to find they would cook it in its own ink. We didn't realize he had ordered it that way, in spanish, until the dish showed up. I do have to say it doesn't look one bit appetizing. I thought it tasted alright, though, if you could get past the look. Keith pretty much hated it. Dad was especially pleased because octopus can be difficult to cook without making it tough and it was really tender. All of us had forgotten cameras, which was disappointing. We did go back later in the trip and dad had it again – stay tuned for a picture on a later day.
We also had two orders of the seafood dinner for 2, I think it was. Basically a mountain of calamari rings, butterfly shrimp, grilled fish and mini lobsters. It was way too much food. Add on two bottles of wine and a few margaritas, and I think we'd all call it a good night.
Back at ABR there was some music and dancing. Keith and I went to bed around 10 but his parents... well they're the party animals. They stayed up till the band ended. Dad said it was the first time he and mom have jived since 2004, I think it was. The band was playing rock around the clock and mom was game. Dad is always game!
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/12/2012 9:47:53 PM
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gerber
Posts: 815
Joined: 1/22/2009
From: Alberta
Status: offline
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20th
This morning we had planned on doing a Tulum beach crawl and ending up at Chamico's for dinner, but Keith realized we'd wind up having basically the same food for dinner as we had at Pescadores the night before. So a re-think was in order. It was super cloudy and windy so I suggested it might be a good day to hit Tulum ruins which can be oppressively HOT on a usual day. Awesome idea…
250 pesos cab ride and the whole way it rained and stopped, rained and stopped. By the time we got there it was pouring. Passing a shop that had the flimsiest ponchos ever for $5 each, we got it down to 180 pesos for 4 and then 150 pesos for 4. Keith didn't hear me haggle the last part though, and paid 180. Whatever. It was just coming down! We decided to stop for a beer to wait the rain out.
As soon as the beer arrived, the sun came out. As soon as we got to the entrance it POURED again. Yes, it's warm but seriously it was intense rain! Here we were with ponchos made out of dry cleaning plastic, pretty much soaked underneath, 2 umbrellas that only served to keep your face relatively dry - temporarily, mom and dad in waterlogged socks and shoes. Poor Mom. Nice leather walking shoes that she might have just taken a shower in, water running all over her glasses, hair stuck to her head. Not one complaint, just a little giggle now and then. She’s awesome, but it was quite a sight.
We got to the stone tunnel entrance and there were so many people who were stopped IN the entrance, and others filing out of the ruins that it was almost impossible to even get in. Dad finally barreled through and stopped the flow of people exiting temporarily so some of us could at least get in. We could have turned around and left, but we were already soaked and we were THERE so how can you not at least see something?? Of course no pictures as we didn’t bring a waterproof camera.
We basically walked a straight line through the ruins to the exit. Keith and I kept saying how beautiful it usually is. How hot it usually is. How there's this really super beautiful beach that we just won't see today. Almost every path was turned into a lake and the rain just kept on. We've been to Tulum many times but never have we gone through in such a short time! Pretty much as fast as you can go. At the exit, we walked left, past the gate and got a cab. We had thought we would go to Tulum for lunch but decided we were just too damned wet. We thought we might go to the San Francisco store, but again, too damned wet.
Back at ABR the sun was just coming out as we returned. Seriously??????? Oh well, we had a completely memorable adventure. It really is hilarious, I think.
Anyway, Keith and I found a double palapa at the North end and Mom joined us for some margaritas and visiting. Dad sat at Moonrise for a bit and went back to the room - enough "fresh" air for the day. While we were there Keith and I shared a burger. Now we're from Alberta and we KNOW beef. And Keith really enjoys his burgers. Last fall when we were here he was pleasantly surprised with how good the burgers were, and today wasn't an exception.
It just poured again before dinner so, while we want to try other places for food, we decided to just hit the buffet tonight. Ran into Sherry and Tom again and they said there's some tropical storm coming in from the Carolinas, which is unusual (the storm, not the people, haha) and that it's supposed to be an early hurricane season. Oh well I guess you gotta get bad weather some time.
Fresh grilled fish, chicken in asparagus sauce, perfectly done broccoli and cauliflower, fresh pineapple... Lots of good stuff to choose from. After dinner was Miss Akumal in the main bar. With the insane weather and winds the place was packed so we dragged in chairs from the restaurant and sat with Snowbound and Chris. Portions of the contest included: walking to the bar and back like you’re on a catwalk, Signing 5 seconds of songs (without singing a repeat of one already done), gargle singing, kissing as many guys as possible in a minute, etc. fun to watch but it would be my worst nightmare to participate.
Keith is now on the hunt for a cool Aloha shirt...
Aren't they CUTE???
A little more wine and visiting and Keith and I were off to bed. Mom and dad stayed up of course. Have you noticed yet? They're always game.
< Message edited by gerber -- 6/12/2012 9:48:19 PM >
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RE: May 2012 - ABR with Mom and Dad - 6/12/2012 10:44:33 PM
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gerber
Posts: 815
Joined: 1/22/2009
From: Alberta
Status: offline
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21st
I'm sitting on the beach this morning writing on the iPad. It's 6:30 and I've been here for a little over half an hour. I guess when Scott had come down to the beach yesterday around 6:15 "our" palapa was already taken. Especially with having mom and dad with us we absolutely need a good shade spot so that's not an option today. I actually had multiple dreams last night about palapas. It's serious business!
Scott had said last night that if he got out here before me, he'd save "our" palapa, and would I mind doing that for him. We're both pretty much out here with the birds it seems so, sure. I took an old t-shirt of Keith's that he was done with and put it on a lounger. I must have put it on the wrong lounger because not ten minutes later along comes a lady who put two towels on loungers under the same small palapa! And wow she didn't look too friendly or happy. Oh well - off she went. She was just planting the towels and leaving them, really not much different than my t-shirt trick for Scott, except that when he shows up, he stays for hours – before breakfast - like me. Whatever. Moved the t-shirt to the next single palapa.
It was lightly spitting rain when I came out and still is, really, but the sky might just be thinking about clearing. Towards the south end of the bay it looks socked in but up towards the north there are some clear patches. Now there's even a light rainbow at the south end. The sargassum on the beach this morning is really quite thick. Probably the most we've seen.
Sand crabs are my morning entertainment:
6:45 and the Mosquitos are definitely out, damnit. I've got on a huge long sleeved sweater and a big towel on my legs and they've found me. Scott is claiming his palapa and this report is becoming too tedious and up to the minute.
Later: Keith came down around 9 am and we met mom and dad for breakfast. They wanted to go to Playa del Carmen (I gotta ask – why?? Oh, right, hangers, light bulbs and Readers Digest in Spanish…). NOT our thing so we hit the beach. We’re realizing that they really don’t spend much time on the beach. Even on vacation they need a task. Or at least Dad does. He must think moss will grow on him if he stops too long.
We felt positively busy ourselves - walking in the water, reading, cloud watching... Around 1 pm or so I went for a snorkel. My backup underwater “system” is our older Canon camera in a dicapac. It’s really a glorified Ziploc bag with a spot for the lens to stick into. I’ve used it many times and it works fairly well. Never leaks. The only problem is that the ring that the lens sticks into sometimes gets into the field of vision. Could be worse, I guess.
When M&D came back we went to Naty's for chicken. Picked up a 6 pack of beer for 80 pesos up the street and late lunch/dinner was 100 pesos. Fantastic food for an amazing price as usual.
Reserved a golf cart for the next day from Marcelo at the arch at Hotel Akumal Caribe. Sat on the beach. Wore the day out. Dinner buffet for a small bite. Bit of wine, off to bed.
Underwater shots with the Dicapac:
Yellow Fin Mojarra
Yellow- Tail Damsel Intermediate
Yellow- Tail Damsel Juvenile
Urchins
Spanish Hogfish
? on the left and a Yellow Tail Snapper on the right
Yellow Tail Parrot Initial Phase
Blue Tang Juvenile
Surgeonfish
Anyone know what the little orange guy is here:
Reef Squid
Some color change happening here:
Stoplight Parrotfish Juvenile, I believe:
Bluestriped Grunt
Broadstripe Goby
I liked the coral in this one:
Stoplight Parrot Terminal Phase:
Slipper Dick (Intermediate phase, I think):
Love the juvenile yellowtail damsels. They look like they have the neon blue Christmas lights on!
Anemone
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