- My sweet step sister, Suzie, took us to the airport at 4am in the morning for our 6:30am flight to Cancun
- Met up with our special friends, the Marquez family (ate Janette, kuya Lando, their DD Jeazelle, and mommy Esther)
- Arrived in Cancun at 3:45pm and checked in at Crown Paradise Cancun (CPC) all-inclusive resort at around 5pm
Monday - 8/16
- Explored Mercado 28 via a public bus....Ian needed to log in to his Cal Poly portal to sign up for his classes....and of course some authentic Mexican shopping for the rest of us.
Tuesday - 8/17
- 11:30 - AquaWorld
- for some water sports
- Unforgettable kayaking experience....it started to rain hard in the middle of our kayaking. The rough waves made paddling tougher and it took us longer going back but the scary conditions made it all more exciting.
- Dinner at CPC Piazza Italian Restaurant
Wednesday - 8/18
- left for Chichen Itza tour at 7:30am (2 1/2 hr. bus ride)
- returned to the hotel at 6:30pm in time for dinner at Wayne's Boots Steakhouse - Phil, Ian, and kuya lando braved the mechanical bull
- dancing at CPC Nitro Club
Thursday - 8/19
- Russ and Isabella enjoyed the zip line
- I enjoyed the pool exercise and relaxing in a hammock
- The kids and I had a great time playing in the fun rough ocean waves while Russ caught up with some ZZZZ's
- Dinner at CPC Sans Souci French Restaurant
- Supposed Karaoke Night. Russ had been looking forward for some karaoke since we checked in but it wasn't meant to be. First, front desk gave us the wrong information making us miss karaoke night. Since this is our last night ate Janette and kuya Lando went with Russ to a karaoke bar (I was too pooped to go:) but as it turned out, the first karaoke bar was closed and the second one was having a dancing night instead of karaoke....the manager did indulge Russ one karaoke moment:)
- Storm started to come
Friday - 8/20
- checked out at noon
- left for the airport at 12:30
- once again my sweet step sister, Suzie, picked us up at SFO airport at 11:30pm
The resort is good but definitely not as good as Beaches resorts. It's hard not to compare when you have experienced a previous all inclusive resort the year before.
Our experience in Jamaica last year at a Beaches resort is much better in all aspects....convenience of water sports (we didn't have to take bus), bigger water park, much better food, and most of all, great service (we encountered some problems relating to poor service at CPC). But then again the price tag is less expensive than a Beaches vacation; so for the value, the resort is good enough.
All in all we had a great vacation. After all, a vacation is what you make of it....great friends and wonderful family....these are what matter most...these are what make a vacation blissful and a life heavenly. I am ever so grateful!
