First AI Rissask Report- Ten Days at the Barcelo Maya Palace.

[Goodtobehere]

Awesome trip report with lots of beautiful pictures...thanks so much for sharing!

[Rissask]

thanks for reading everyone.


sharkbait- yes it was a huge pool! It reminded me of the Playa Pesquero we went to, in Holguin Cuba, which was the largest pool in Cuba- a very similar free-form style. That one was even larger and nicer I think-it had a 'loud end' with swim up bar and a 'quiet end' with a roving bar and palapa bar.

They did rent jetskis down at the dive/watersports shop, but yeah- I doubt they'd let us ride them in the pool.

Originally Posted by cb1

Thanks for a terrific report, it looks like you all had fun ,as usual. All your trip reports are so different from each other , I can't wait to see what you do next . Last year we went to Playa with a group of ten. All great friends when we left home , and still friends now! But this year we are going alone . Leeds still has this idea that he will get to ride with you and Don some day. xoxo Charlotte PS I have been overhearing some talk of cruising the Pacific Northwest this summer. Loooong ride from Vermont.

Glad you liked it!
I actually sold my bike last year. I rode a lot the first summer and then hardly at all the next....I guess I am not a die-hard....and I frankly could never get over being nervous on the highway.

Don is still ridingof course, he is hooked- and actually is upgrading his Triumph America to a Thunderbird soon. They always do a trip in early September, last year they went all the way to Wyoming/West Yellowstone....this year they are going back to western Montana.

From Vermont all the way to the PNW!!! That IS a long trip!

[beer_dude]

Originally Posted by Rissask

You are welcome!



Larry- why yes, we did!

We dove with Dressel Divers because they had a dive shop on site- very handy.

They have two boats, one is fairly big (and named 'Mowgli!!' Mogley liked that. someone in Mexico can spell better than he can. )

I was afraid of it being a 'cattle boat' but everything went fairly smoothly (*cue 'Open Water' jokes. )

Don did 5 and I did 4....one day I could not go, too congested with my cold.


Our friend Jason and his two sons, also our other friend Doug, also did the Discover Dive program and we went on a couple of shallow dives with them. ( Unfortunately, the 11 year old just couldn't do it once he got in the ocean ...it was quite wavy and he got scared I think. poor kid, he was embarassed! But I don't think I could have done it at 11 either.)

here are Jay and Doug doing the pool session...






it was not really a deep enough pool at 4' but they did okay. Not sure why they did not do it in the lap pool??

I will try to get some of their Go Pro (those things rock!) footage and post it if I can. We have some of a green moray eel swimming, omg I could not believe how BIG they get!! I have always only seen them in their caves!

You have a Go Pro? Very cool! I can't wait to see your video!

[4wheeled]

yup, another good read.


tanks

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by 4wheeled

yup, another good read.


tanks

tank YOU!

Originally Posted by beer_dude

You have a Go Pro? Very cool! I can't wait to see your video!

No, we don't have one- our friends do! But Don wants one- they are awesome!

[Mnbruce]

Great report and photos! Looks like a very nice resort.

[zelda]

And somehow we still didn't get to meet!

[emc]

Another fine trip report, Maggie. Love reading them.

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by Mnbruce

Great report and photos! Looks like a very nice resort.

It really is a lovely hotel, yes!

The service knocked our socks off.

Not that we were wearing socks.

Originally Posted by zelda

And somehow we still didn't get to meet!

Sand gravity set in!!

One trip to Playa only....I was going to try to meet up with Kim one night and blew it...and we had plans to do lunch with a couple who are in Playa for the winter we met in Manzanillo and keep in touch with- never happened....terrible!

Originally Posted by emc

Another fine trip report, Maggie. Love reading them.

Thanks, Elaina!

[lindalou61]

Thanks for the report. Great as always!

[defleppardfan]

Great trip report and pics...... making our 6th trip to the Barcelo in july, first to the palace...... really looking forward to it.....

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by lindalou61

Thanks for the report. Great as always!

Thanks, Lindalou!

Originally Posted by defleppardfan

Great trip report and pics...... making our 6th trip to the Barcelo in july, first to the palace...... really looking forward to it.....

I don't blame you, beautiful resort....have a great time.

I think we may have screwed up making our first stay there at the Palace....it would be difficult to go 'back down' to a different section now!

[Y2YTraveller]

Great report!

Love that pool!

[SharonD]

Really enjoyed your report, thanx!

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by Y2YTraveller

Great report!

Love that pool!

Thanks for reading! And yes, the pool was just GAWJUSS!!! And not cold...bonus!

Originally Posted by SharonD

Really enjoyed your report, thanx!

Good!


We are getting snow like mad here....one last gasp of winter, I guess....today I sure wish I was still at the beach!