01-21-2011
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#1 (permalink) |
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añejo
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Twin Cities
Posts: 5,900
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"Where I Wanna Be" - JG, TG, and Friends in Playa - January 2011
Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Time To Have Another Beer in Mexico - Click HERE to go directly to Chapter 1 Chapter 2 – I’m Too Sexy for Tulum - Click HERE to go directly to Chapter 2 Chapter 3 – All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Down to Playa - Click HERE to go directly to Chapter 3 Chapter 4 – If You Drink, Don’t Drive, Do the Puerto Morelos Crawl - Click HERE to go directly to Chapter 4 Chapter 5 – Come on In, Baby Take Your Clothes Off - Click HERE to go directly to Chapter 5 Chapter 6 – Who Wants to Ride the Cowboy? - Click HERE to go directly to Chapter 6 Chapter 7 – Too Many Rounds with Manne’s Tequila - Click HERE to go directly to Chapter 7 Epilogue – JG's Guide to Playa - Summary of Restaurants, Bars, Nightlife, Excursions, Tips for Newbies and for Traveling with Kids - Click HERE to go directly to the epilogue Foreword The two months leading up to this trip were easily the most stressful of our lives. TG and I were tighter than ever, but there were a variety of ugly things going on all around us. We longed to get away from it all, and get away we did. Once that plane touched down, all of our worries were gone. We came to realize that a week straight of hard partying doesn’t solve our problems, and thus you will probably see a more tame JG and TG going forward. But we gave it one final hurrah, and had a lot of fun in the process. If you don’t care for a lot of stupid drunk antics, just wait until this report is done and skip to the Epilogue. Onto the madness. Dedication This report is dedicated to Sue’s friend Ed, owner of the Cantina Habanero in Puerto Morelos. It is people with hospitality and a sense of adventure like Ed who make these vacations special. We were fortunate enough to spend some time with Ed at his bar on this trip, and here he is with one of his bartenders.  Ed passed away suddenly the following day. May you rest in peace. Acknowledgements The title of this report is taken from a song written by Mike Grabow. Here is Mike performing it at the Luna Blue (video taken by Rick several months prior to our trip). I love this song; it is so true.
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JG's Blog 2011 Trip Report - "Where I Wanna Be", including JG's Guide to Playa 2012 Playa/Tulum Trip Report - "All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down" Last edited by January Guy; 02-20-2011 at 05:02 PM.. |
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01-21-2011
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#2 (permalink) |
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añejo
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Twin Cities
Posts: 5,900
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Chapter 1 – Monday – Time To Have Another Beer in Mexico
When we woke up at 4AM on Monday after only 4 hours of sleep, one might have thought that we would be a little tired. But, in just a few short hours, we would be on Mexican soil. That’s enough to wake me up in a hurry! The 6:15AM flight was ½ full (Minnesota Peeps, I highly recommend Sun Country Airlines). TG and I each had our own whole rows, and I was able to sack out most of the flight. There was no line at immigration, although a couple years ago I put my passport through the washer/dryer on accident and it got kind of beat up. I thought for a second that the immigration officer was going to not let us in. That would have been a bit of a downer. After giving me a certain amount of crap, he fortunately just made some mark in the computer and said, “Last time amigo!” and we were on our way. TG had to snap a pic of me hauling all of our bags, including her large pink purse.  In case you were wondering, here is the ATM. After you have picked up your bags and are standing in the customs line, it is to your left. We tried to take another pic of the customs area, and security quickly advised me to delete the pic. Si, senor!  The view as you are leaving Terminal 3.  Such a welcome sight. First beer on Mexican soil.  “Yo, JG! Get your butt back there and buy me a beer.”  JG, “A short one, babe?” Whack! “Okay, a tall one.” 80 pesos for a 24 ounce beer, much better deal than 60 pesos for a single bottle.   Here is where the ADO bus parks, this view is from Coconuts bar, which is just to the right after you exit Terminal 3. The bus cost us 110 pesos each, and we bought our tickets right at the bus. It amazingly showed up right after we got out there, and left 15 minutes later. It stopped at Terminal 2 for 10 minutes and then we were on our way to Playa…  We arrived in Playa an hour later. I always get really pent up until I get my first walk on 5th. So, we decided to walk up 5th to the Luna Blue, which is maybe ¾ of a mile away. With our suitcases on the cobblestone road. Stupid idea! I was pouring sweat by the time we got there. But at least I had seen 5th. We arrived at the Luna Blue to see old friend Mayte (former bartender at Captain Dave’s/Keith’s Bar, Beer Bucket, and owner of El Bar). She even let us check in early, and the cleaning ladies were still in our room. We just said, let us get our swimming suits on and we will be out of here! We stopped at PG’s Sandbox off 1st and 26th for a quick beer and lunch. They have raised the prices of the fish and shrimp tacos from 19 to 23 pesos in the past year. Still the best tasting fish/shrimp tacos in town though! Plus, they have the coldest beer in town for 25 pesos! I also had onion rings for 50 pesos, quite tasty.  My future is so bright, I gotta wear shades. Actually, I got an ulcer in my cornea just 3 weeks before leaving for Playa, so I gotta were glasses for at least part of the day. Chicks dig my dad’s fit-over’s.  “Hey JG, do you think anyone will believe this is straight orange juice?” “Sure babe, just like they will believe this is non-alcoholic beer.”  The Luna Blue gives free passes to Mamita’s, which is a nice perk as chairs and umbrellas normally cost 30 pesos each. Through the Luna Blue, you also get 10% off food, but nothing off their 44 pesos cans of beer. Mamita’s loungers were very comfortable for napping. Despite being a Monday, there were a lot of young and good looking locals on the beach. A couple dudes took turns with the guitar, they were awesome. I wanted to hang out and jam and sing with them. TG wanted to drink whatever was in that melon.  You got nothing on me pal. Except better looks, better hair, 2/3 less body fat, a better voice, and a better ability to pick a guitar.  They may have made the beach wider south of the pier, but it sure messed up the slope near Mamita’s. There never used to be a drop off.  Mamita’s was just finalizing some reconstruction. I miss the old thatched roof, this is too trendy.  Here is the view walking out of Mamita’s. I used to be able to get a thatched roof in this pic.  “That’s so sweet of you to take my pic, darling.”  “But, if you don’t stop, I am going to smack you over the head with this Nook.”  Around 4ish, it clouded up and cooled off so we headed back to the Blue to get cleaned-up. Well, I took 10 minutes to clean-up and headed to the bar to keep Jorge company, while TG got all pretty. Based on a recommendation on this forum, we went to Era Oro for dinner. It is on 1st ave maybe around calle 14. They seated us upstairs and we were the only people up there. It was quite romantic and it was nice just to chill out and visit. Here are our pasta dishes.  It cost 600 pesos after tip, and that included a couple drinks each. It wasn’t anything extra awesome or anything, but it was just what we needed on our first night. They even gave us a free shot, I took the tequila and TG took the limoncello. TG is happy to be in Mexico. I am happy to have such a hot wife.  We took a stroll down 5th and noticed that Mike Grabow was playing at Siesta Fiesta. Let’s get my girl some tequila!  Belt it out Mike!  Siesta Fiesta gets mixed reviews on this forum. It is a bit pricier, fairly touristy, and they have screwed a few people by adding things to their tab. However, we have had many good times there. They usually have good live music, and you can meet some fun other people there. Tonight was no exception (although we didn’t get screwed). Our Mexico perm-a-grins  One of Mike’s signature covers is “Show Them to Me”, by Rodney Carrington. It is a song that encourages women to save the world by baring their breasts in order to make everyone happy. There is a line near the end of the song that says “If you’re a big fat man, I’m a titty fan, and I’d love to see yours too.” As I had requested the song, Mike told me I had to play the part.  After awhile at Siesta Fiesta, we walked to one of my favorite bars in all of Playa, Manne’s. I love their negro modelo on tap (20 pesos for a shorty and 44 for a tall boy)…  I love the taste and 18 peso price of their tequila (made by some random Mexican, not a big company)…  I love Manne… (no picture) But most of all, I love Ronnie.  Think of a chain-smoking, trash-talking, rowdy bartender in a German beer hall, and that is Ronnie. At first, I ordered a big beer and enjoyed it, but then only wanted a bit more so I ordered a small one. Ronnie, “I’ll just fill up your big glass ½ way.” He proceeds to fill it up about 2/3 of the way and I yell “Hey!” He said, “Well, I guess we better fill it all the way up now.” I turned to TG and said, “I love Ronnie. I would like to make-out with Ronnie.” She smacked her head, which got Ronnie’s attention, and I of course repeated that to him. You will be happy to know that no bodily fluids were exchanged and that I obeyed TG by never saying that to Ronnie again. I say and do stupid things sometimes, and this was not the last stupid thing I said or did on this trip. You will see more of Ronnie before this report ends. We left Manne’s, and as we had heard so much about the Dirty Martini but had never been there, we had to stop by. I had a 20 peso beer while TG had a Ginger Martini (I think that was Mel’s recommendation). Very tasty. Watched the end of the college football championship and then called it a night. We were zonked out by 11:30. Great first day. Click HERE to skip the comments and go directly to Chapter 2 Last edited by January Guy; 01-23-2011 at 02:57 PM.. |
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01-22-2011
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#8 (permalink) | |||
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añejo
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Twin Cities
Posts: 5,900
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Quote:
I drank a lot of dark beer on this trip. Then again, I also drank a lot of light beer. And a lot of regular beer. And a lot of tequila. And a variety of other things for good measure. Quote:
Quote:
 And most of those pics won't be making it on to this report.
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01-22-2011
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#11 (permalink) | ||
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añejo
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Twin Cities
Posts: 5,900
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Quote:
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01-22-2011
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#14 (permalink) |
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Life=Playa (almost)
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Playa del Carmen
Posts: 3,710
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I don't know what's more terrifying....your boob shot or Mamita's hideous redo. Why? Why? Why must everything that is new down there be built with huge swaths of cement. It's UGLY!
I really can't even discuss your boob shot.  
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