Trip Report March 11 - 18 Minnesotans and Iowans

kgargr · 03-23-2006

Friday/Saturday, March 11/12th

My four travelling companions arrived from Iowa around 7 on Friday night. My daughter Gen (19), her friends Jenny (19), Biz (19) and Biz’s mom, Kristy …. We munch some great pizza, make a Target run, and settle in. I am excited to be returning to Playa with my older daughter (see my trip report from last March – with my younger daughter, Alex). But, I am exhausted from closing things out at work, and from getting the house somewhat ready to house 4 additional people. Also, making sure that things are organized for Alex, since she will be staying at both her Dad/Stepmom’s and my parent’s houses ….. I am ready to be in Playa ….. wish I could be ‘beamed’ there.

Saturday, up early, get coffee at Dunn Bros for Kristy and myself, more errands, get Brueggers Bagels for the plane, finish last minute organizing, and leave for the airport around noon.

I am a little anxious/nervous – I have planned this whole thing for the 5 of us. I have never met or spoken to Kristy (Biz’s mom) and just slightly met Jenny and Biz. My first time driving and parking. Drop the girls and luggage off at the airport, then Kristy and I drive to Park N Go (I wasn’t that sure on how to get there) ….. but yes, we find it, take the shuttle back, find the girls, and away we go. Have lots of time, so settle at Chilis for salsa and chips and beverages.

Here we are:

Flight leaves early, around 3 p.m. totally full. Uneventful except for a stretch of turbulence that had me crying. Arrive at Cancun airport around 7:15 ….. not too bad of wait at the first line, then we all get the green, and head out into heat (YES!!!!), humidity and a sea of humanity. The girls spot the driver holding a sign with my last name …. Our private transport arranged through playa.info – I am so glad I did this, was well worth it with 5 people traveling. Don’t like arriving in the dark, but nothing that can be done about it. My daughter instructs me how to say ‘Calle 2 entre 10 and 15’ and we direct our driver to our hotel – Casa de Gopola/Paraiso Azul (small, 16 room hotel .. a cool, calm oasis behind a wall -- totally removed from the activity on 2nd st.). I checked in …. Payment via travelers checks …… seemed to take forever, but I am somewhat of am impatient person ….. sign, sign, sign, sign …. We have 2 rooms, one with Kristy and myself (60 total per night), one with the 3 girls/3 beds (80 total per night). Add up for 7 nights, divide by 5, lodging cost: 197 per person. Rooms have air conditioning, fridge, ceiling fan, TV adequate water pressure, water coolers outside …. No complaints.

Here are a few pics of the hotel from last year (when my other daughter and I stayed here) …

We are starving, so head out ….. first stop the ATM on 5th, just south of Calle 2. We start wandering, but I am exhausted and not thinking very clearly … where should I have us eat!!!!! … finally, we randomly plop at Palapa Hemingways ….. too late to pick up our Playa Deal card, will do on Sunday. Everyone liked their meal, not sure if the margaritas were especially strong, or if I was just fatigued, but I felt that one drink in my toes (felt wonderful … sometimes one needs alcohol to induce relaxation). Some of my anxiety began to slip away …. We wandered back south on 5th … had another drink at the bar/restaurant on the corner of 5th and Calle 2 – forget the name. Then most of us returned to the hotel ……… to prepare for the beach early in the a.m.

donnaluv2cruise · 03-23-2006

What a tease...

Snowbirds · 03-23-2006

Oooh... great start! I can't wait to hear more about how your trip went! Did the turbulence really have you crying? (I'm not criticizing... I stood in the middle of Calle 8 and cried, so don't mind me.)

The hotel looks darling. The great things I learn from these trip reports!

missnurse · 03-23-2006

Great report so far......keep it coming!!

kgargr · 03-23-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowbirds

Oooh... great start! I can't wait to hear more about how your trip went! Did the turbulence really have you crying? (I'm not criticizing... I stood in the middle of Calle 8 and cried, so don't mind me.)

The hotel looks darling. The great things I learn from these trip reports!

It did, how embarrassing .. the 19 year olds were perfectly calm, and my daughter reached back and across the aisle to hold my hand. I don't remember myself being this spooked on a plane, maybe it was just the fatigue and the excitement.

More coming, have to pause and get my daughter ready (other daughter) ..she is leaving for Ixtapa on Saturday.

debk · 03-23-2006

I'd have been crying with you! I hate flying! Can't wait to hear the rest of your trip! Sounds like fun!

W8N4Summer · 03-23-2006

I'm enjoying your trip report so far, looking forward to more! Thanks for adding the pics.

bighairgrl7 · 03-23-2006

Thanks for posting your report! Anxious to see/hear more!

kgargr · 03-23-2006

Sunday, March 12th

Here is the internet cafe across from our hotel .... open air, housed with a laundromat .... 5 pesos for 1/2 hour .. machines are slow, keyboard is spanish, but works well for a quick mail check:

Up early, cup of coffee to go from the Coffee Press just down Calle 2. I think 16 pesos. Aren’t set up to change larger bills. Back to the hotel where the others are getting up. We are going to the fruit stands by the ferry and the bakery on Juarez on the way to the bus station. It is a beautiful day. Minnesota was pretty much grey and brown when we left (no snow), so is wonderful to see the bright pinks and other colors…..

Coffee Press -- a picture actually taken an other day, but made several visits here for a quick caffeine fix

Oh no, Bakery is closed for good.

Carts on way to beach -- we didn't eat there, but plenty of people were:

Flowers on Calle 2 near beach

Fruit stands by beach – pic is from last year, but looks the same. Went from 1$ to 1.5$.

Back to the hotel to grab our beach bags and we start walking up 5th to Playa Tukan. It is pretty early for Playa … maybe around 9:00 a.m. Many shops are not open, or are just opening.

Arrive at the beach … 95 pesos for 5 chairs, 2 umbrellas. We settle in for the day, lathering on the suntan lotion. It is very windy, the water is beautiful, not crowded yet ….. we hear many languages, just like last year .. Here is a sample of some of the things we ordered from our beach chairs:

‘sex on the beach’ drinks: 40 pesos
quesadillas 45 pesos
beers 20 pesos or so
water 15 pesos

I decided to wander further north …. I walk and walk and walk …. Not considering that I would have to turn around …. It is Sunday, there are many local families on the beach …. I finally get back and swim then collapse.

Gorgeous day, here are a few pics:

Later, I tell the group that there is a 2 for 1 happy hour at a bar farther south on the beach … so we walked along beach to el Paraiso (?) (harder to walk on this section of beach, boat lines, the ‘yellow hotel’ that I am not too fond of, etc.) … we are ready for major margarita action .. oops … this is for beer only. We stayed anyway … very pleasant, relaxing, mariachi band (but sounded different than the ones on 5th, thank goodness) …, sat there and people watched, had a drink, then out to the street to go back to the hotel.

Kristy and I decide to go and get some pop and snacks for the room .. the front desk shows us two possibilities – one is Walmart .. we decide to go for it. Wow, another ‘sea of humanity’ … we didn’t need to go there for what little we bought. Kind of fun, though, walking around, trying to figure out what to buy On the way, we stopped at a Mexican bakery (much like the one that closed by the bus station) Then back to the hotel, shower, get ready for dinner …. Then the 5 of us head out for the evening …

We arrive at El Oasis …. An all seafood menu, which is why I didn’t eat there last year (younger daughter doesn't eat seafood), but this group is up for it. I am excited …. I try the shrimp taco, also have shrimp for dinner, a margarita …. Jenny tries octopus .. the flavor wasn’t bad, but the texture was too crunchy for me …. needless to say, it did not all get eaten ….. I would definitely eat here again.

My daughter, Gen and I:

Used the playa deal card for a nice discount, then out into the evening …. Not sure what all happened next … a few pictures, perhaps a cocktail, but in fairly early as we were meeting the playa.info people for our Sea to Cenote tour at 7:30 the next morning.

The girls:

cmsitaly · 03-23-2006

Sounds like a great start, beer, beach, and margaritas!

Keep it coming!

ANDY&JEN · 03-24-2006

great report so far Karen, ive not been home a week yet but missing Playa like crazy, looking forward to reading the rest of your report

Buckly · 03-24-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgargr

It did, how embarrassing .. the 19 year olds were perfectly calm, and my daughter reached back and across the aisle to hold my hand. I don't remember myself being this spooked on a plane, maybe it was just the fatigue and the excitement.

More coming, have to pause and get my daughter ready (other daughter) ..she is leaving for Ixtapa on Saturday.

Don't feel bad! We hit a lot of turbulence last year and then had a crappy landing. My 34 year old BOYfriend was in a panic and about ripped the seat out in front of him from clenching it so hard. We laughed the entire time!

He doesn't fly especially well (I think he mentioned something about being afraid of heights!

)

donnaluv2cruise · 03-24-2006

Once when my husband and I were flying to Puerto Rico, we hit some turbulance and all of the Puerto Rican women pulled out their rosaries and started praying. Talk about freaking you out. There I was on my third or forth cocktail. LOL

lexiconmike · 03-24-2006

Hi Karen
Welcome back to reality, It was fun meeting everyone at the TB Monday and Thursday, it was nice that all the girls had fun( George really enjoyed her first drink) she says shes going to stick to caffine though. I will be posting some picks this weekend.

LEX

Sand Flea · 03-24-2006

Hi Karen - great start on the trip report - I'll work on our this weekend. It was wonderful meeting you and Kristy and the girls....we really enjoyed our time with ya'll. I'll have to look at pics when I get home....I get little boxes with red x's here at work. Look forward to reading more report...take care!

03-23-2006	#1 (permalink)
kgargr life=playa Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Hope, MN Posts: 763	Trip Report March 11 - 18 Minnesotans and Iowans Friday/Saturday, March 11/12<SUP>th </SUP>My four travelling companions arrived from Iowa around 7 on Friday night. My daughter Gen (19), her friends Jenny (19), Biz (19) and Biz’s mom, Kristy …. We munch some great pizza, make a Target run, and settle in. I am excited to be returning to Playa with my older daughter (see my trip report from last March – with my younger daughter, Alex). But, I am exhausted from closing things out at work, and from getting the house somewhat ready to house 4 additional people. Also, making sure that things are organized for Alex, since she will be staying at both her Dad/Stepmom’s and my parent’s houses ….. I am ready to be in Playa ….. wish I could be ‘beamed’ there. Saturday, up early, get coffee at Dunn Bros for Kristy and myself, more errands, get Brueggers Bagels for the plane, finish last minute organizing, and leave for the airport around noon. I am a little anxious/nervous – I have planned this whole thing for the 5 of us. I have never met or spoken to Kristy (Biz’s mom) and just slightly met Jenny and Biz. My first time driving and parking. Drop the girls and luggage off at the airport, then Kristy and I drive to Park N Go (I wasn’t that sure on how to get there) ….. but yes, we find it, take the shuttle back, find the girls, and away we go. Have lots of time, so settle at Chilis for salsa and chips and beverages. Here we are: Flight leaves early, around 3 p.m. totally full. Uneventful except for a stretch of turbulence that had me crying. Arrive at Cancun airport around 7:15 ….. not too bad of wait at the first line, then we all get the green, and head out into heat (YES!!!!), humidity and a sea of humanity. The girls spot the driver holding a sign with my last name …. Our private transport arranged through playa.info – I am so glad I did this, was well worth it with 5 people traveling. Don’t like arriving in the dark, but nothing that can be done about it. My daughter instructs me how to say ‘Calle 2 entre 10 and 15’ and we direct our driver to our hotel – Casa de Gopola/Paraiso Azul (small, 16 room hotel .. a cool, calm oasis behind a wall -- totally removed from the activity on 2<SUP>nd</SUP> st.). I checked in …. Payment via travelers checks …… seemed to take forever, but I am somewhat of am impatient person ….. sign, sign, sign, sign …. We have 2 rooms, one with Kristy and myself (60 total per night), one with the 3 girls/3 beds (80 total per night). Add up for 7 nights, divide by 5, lodging cost: 197 per person. Rooms have air conditioning, fridge, ceiling fan, TV adequate water pressure, water coolers outside …. No complaints. Here are a few pics of the hotel from last year (when my other daughter and I stayed here) … We are starving, so head out ….. first stop the ATM on 5<SUP>th</SUP>, just south of Calle 2. We start wandering, but I am exhausted and not thinking very clearly … where should I have us eat!!!!! … finally, we randomly plop at Palapa Hemingways ….. too late to pick up our Playa Deal card, will do on Sunday. Everyone liked their meal, not sure if the margaritas were especially strong, or if I was just fatigued, but I felt that one drink in my toes (felt wonderful … sometimes one needs alcohol to induce relaxation). Some of my anxiety began to slip away …. We wandered back south on 5<SUP>th</SUP> … had another drink at the bar/restaurant on the corner of 5<SUP>th</SUP> and Calle 2 – forget the name. Then most of us returned to the hotel ……… to prepare for the beach early in the a.m. __________________ Karen from New Hope, Minnesota 2005 Trip Report 2006 Trip Report Add your favorite margarita recipe Last edited by kgargr : 03-27-2006 at 06:56 PM.

03-23-2006	#8 (permalink)
bighairgrl7 very sparkly Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 38	more...please! Thanks for posting your report! Anxious to see/hear more!

03-23-2006	#9 (permalink)
kgargr life=playa Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Hope, MN Posts: 763	Sunday, March 12th Here is the internet cafe across from our hotel .... open air, housed with a laundromat .... 5 pesos for 1/2 hour .. machines are slow, keyboard is spanish, but works well for a quick mail check: Up early, cup of coffee to go from the Coffee Press just down Calle 2. I think 16 pesos. Aren’t set up to change larger bills. Back to the hotel where the others are getting up. We are going to the fruit stands by the ferry and the bakery on Juarez on the way to the bus station. It is a beautiful day. Minnesota was pretty much grey and brown when we left (no snow), so is wonderful to see the bright pinks and other colors….. Coffee Press -- a picture actually taken an other day, but made several visits here for a quick caffeine fix Oh no, Bakery is closed for good. Carts on way to beach -- we didn't eat there, but plenty of people were: Flowers on Calle 2 near beach Fruit stands by beach – pic is from last year, but looks the same. Went from 1$ to 1.5$. Back to the hotel to grab our beach bags and we start walking up 5<SUP>th</SUP> to Playa Tukan. It is pretty early for Playa … maybe around 9:00 a.m. Many shops are not open, or are just opening. Arrive at the beach … 95 pesos for 5 chairs, 2 umbrellas. We settle in for the day, lathering on the suntan lotion. It is very windy, the water is beautiful, not crowded yet ….. we hear many languages, just like last year .. Here is a sample of some of the things we ordered from our beach chairs: ‘sex on the beach’ drinks: 40 pesos quesadillas 45 pesos beers 20 pesos or so water 15 pesos I decided to wander further north …. I walk and walk and walk …. Not considering that I would have to turn around …. It is Sunday, there are many local families on the beach …. I finally get back and swim then collapse. Gorgeous day, here are a few pics: Later, I tell the group that there is a 2 for 1 happy hour at a bar farther south on the beach … so we walked along beach to el Paraiso (?) (harder to walk on this section of beach, boat lines, the ‘yellow hotel’ that I am not too fond of, etc.) … we are ready for major margarita action .. oops … this is for beer only. We stayed anyway … very pleasant, relaxing, mariachi band (but sounded different than the ones on 5<SUP>th</SUP>, thank goodness) …, sat there and people watched, had a drink, then out to the street to go back to the hotel. Kristy and I decide to go and get some pop and snacks for the room .. the front desk shows us two possibilities – one is Walmart .. we decide to go for it. Wow, another ‘sea of humanity’ … we didn’t need to go there for what little we bought. Kind of fun, though, walking around, trying to figure out what to buy On the way, we stopped at a Mexican bakery (much like the one that closed by the bus station) Then back to the hotel, shower, get ready for dinner …. Then the 5 of us head out for the evening … We arrive at El Oasis …. An all seafood menu, which is why I didn’t eat there last year (younger daughter doesn't eat seafood), but this group is up for it. I am excited …. I try the shrimp taco, also have shrimp for dinner, a margarita …. Jenny tries octopus .. the flavor wasn’t bad, but the texture was too crunchy for me …. needless to say, it did not all get eaten ….. I would definitely eat here again. My daughter, Gen and I: Used the playa deal card for a nice discount, then out into the evening …. Not sure what all happened next … a few pictures, perhaps a cocktail, but in fairly early as we were meeting the playa.info people for our Sea to Cenote tour at 7:30 the next morning. The girls: Last edited by kgargr : 03-27-2006 at 06:52 PM.

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03-23-2006	#2 (permalink)
donnaluv2cruise way into it Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 141	What a tease...

03-23-2006	#3 (permalink)
Snowbirds way into it Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 110	Oooh... great start! I can't wait to hear more about how your trip went! Did the turbulence really have you crying? (I'm not criticizing... I stood in the middle of Calle 8 and cried, so don't mind me.) The hotel looks darling. The great things I learn from these trip reports!

03-23-2006	#4 (permalink)
missnurse ruined Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Eastern Maine USA Posts: 80	Great report so far......keep it coming!!

03-23-2006	#6 (permalink)
debk beachaholic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 437	I'd have been crying with you! I hate flying! Can't wait to hear the rest of your trip! Sounds like fun!

03-23-2006	#7 (permalink)
W8N4Summer beachaholic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Waukesha, WI (burb west of Milwaukee) Posts: 299	I'm enjoying your trip report so far, looking forward to more! Thanks for adding the pics.

03-23-2006	#10 (permalink)
cmsitaly añejo Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,990	Sounds like a great start, beer, beach, and margaritas! Keep it coming!

03-24-2006	#11 (permalink)
ANDY&JEN añejo Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In the midst of chaos Posts: 3,293	great report so far Karen, ive not been home a week yet but missing Playa like crazy, looking forward to reading the rest of your report

03-24-2006	#13 (permalink)
donnaluv2cruise way into it Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 141	Once when my husband and I were flying to Puerto Rico, we hit some turbulance and all of the Puerto Rican women pulled out their rosaries and started praying. Talk about freaking you out. There I was on my third or forth cocktail. LOL

03-24-2006	#14 (permalink)
lexiconmike way into it Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Vancouver Canada Posts: 174	Hi Karen Welcome back to reality, It was fun meeting everyone at the TB Monday and Thursday, it was nice that all the girls had fun( George really enjoyed her first drink) she says shes going to stick to caffine though. I will be posting some picks this weekend. LEX

03-24-2006	#15 (permalink)
Sand Flea beachaholic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AHHHH - living back in Texas! Posts: 252	Hi Karen - great start on the trip report - I'll work on our this weekend. It was wonderful meeting you and Kristy and the girls....we really enjoyed our time with ya'll. I'll have to look at pics when I get home....I get little boxes with red x's here at work. Look forward to reading more report...take care!

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