Checking out of Royal Decameron !

I eagerly wrote a glowing review in trip advisor for the final service we received at this resort. There were many great interactions with staff but the final one pushed me over the limit to not delay in writing a review !

I was unsure when we would eat next as check in to Velas Vallarta wasn't until 4, and check out today was noon. As we were checking out, I asked if we could stay for lunch.  No problemo Senorita!!

I loved this because all 3 boys eat at lunch! The boys get the pasta bar (they can choose their sauces and pasta), and Chris had a sandwich from the Woodfire oven. They've all gone hungry as tacos and Mexican fare is not up their alley!

So here is our final meal!!

Checking out .... Waiting for our taxi. 

Yes-it's a live one!

And smelled amazing!!

Last Decameron Resort show!!

It was Mexican night at the resort (?!), so all the buffets had a little extra Mexican flavour. Even the "Jap Jap" restaurant wrapped their big cement budha out front in a Mexican poncho. We watched one of the service men walk past and rub it's belly. Thought that was funny. So I had my first awesome taco! (Many tacos), without burning my mouth off - so that was a success for me. The rest of my family, however, were not so adventurous. The boys each had a cheese quesadilla, Chris had some rice I think?  Haha .... Later that evening we were sitting at a table out near the beach as a couple from Vancouver had been out fishing and had too much mahi mahi that they had the restaurant cook up ... So that's what my family ate for dinner. ... Lucky hey? They were close to starving!!  

I had a nap at 8pm to get ready for the 9:30 show (why are we so tired?? Chris had 2 naps that day!!!!). The boys hate the shows ... Too much dancing and singing.  But being "Mexican night", there was a lot of cool dancing that I enjoyed but they did not!

We left abit early and headed to the beach. Chris and I grabbed a drink from the bar and watched the boys build sand castles til after 11.....nice night. Love my family. 

 

Royal Decameron

We woke up this morning realizing that we had one more day.  The first 2 nights were in a room right next to the speakers and the music is loud and crazy an festive til midnight an constant through the day!  Chris and I deduced that locals stay in this building - live! Colourful! Loud! Such wonderful and happy people but we couldn't do another night of the constant noise. So this mornin we woke up and requested a different room. They moved us immediately to a quiet building that is lovely!! (Will rave about that on trip advisor for them!). 

After the move around 10am, Chris and I made the mistake of lying down for a minute and stayed there and slept hard for 2 hours while the kids played their screens!!  Glorious!!!

Then lunch time (the pasta bar is saving my family! Although I continue the hunt for a good taco without the guacamole oburning my face off!! Last night the nice waiter brought the poor white girl a mineral water to cool off the spice even though I asked for milk in my panic!!  

This afternoon, Isaac took a break from the beach and the pool for another bowl of pasta on his own....got to love all inclusive!

We played in the waves with boogey boards .... The water is so warm and awesome. 

Spanish lessons ...

I know it's still early and there is much more in the day to find the best "quote of the day".... And they are more conversations than quotes - but here is today's best (so far) ....

Bellboy: "ola senorita, can I help with your bags (in Spanish)"

Me: (trying out my Spanish as best I can) "No gracias, waiting por mi esposa"

Bellboy: (deadpan face) "ah Senorita, you are waiting for your wife?"

Me: (not so deadpan face) "Quai??? What's husband in Spanish?"

Bellboy: (big smile) "Esposo!  You never know these days" and he walks off. 

Perfect afternoon - Day 1

I went to bed anxious and woke up feeling better. Elliot and I were up early and went for breakfast.

 We had smoothies and did a word search.

This morning we all played in the waves before lunch.

(Man, the salt burns your eyes but the water is so warm!) This afternoon after lunch, chris and I slept ALL afternoon. For like 2 solid hours !!! The boys happily played screens on the bed beside us. 

When we got up, we went back to the beach. There are so many Canadians here (mostly vancouverites and calgarians!).....everyone is happy to chat and share info!!  This is what I witnessed at the beach.... Total bliss. 

The sunset was breath taking!

I watched the boys play with Chris in the waves for hours!  From roughly 4 til 6:30! Then we got dressed and went for dinner!! 

If I had to go home tommorow, that'd be ok. That's how nice today was. 

Hippo for Kelly!!

She has rooms of hippos!  And she is retiring in the new year, so we had the amazing glass designer make her a hippo!  He had never made one so he used my phone with a picture of a hippo on it to go by!! It was incredible to watch him work. Since Kelly doesn't read my blog, I thought I'd put the process here since it was so cool. 

He looked a little closer at the picture and was able to get all the wrinkles on the hippos back!! Amazing!  150 pesos well spent!!

Quote of the day

Waiter to Chris at the resort "hey senor!! You want a tequila?!!"

Chris "No thanks...i'll just have water"

Waiter "Tequila is like water to me!!" 

Elliot and his little Angel ....

We had a nice dinner, such monkeys (this trick impressed our waiter);

Here we are leaving and heading over to the courtyard:

Elliot saw this man (we call him the Mexican Dave from storage wars)....his talent is amazing!! Elliot saw an angel last night and has been asking for it since then. So tonight was the night. He asked for an angel with blue wings. It was 60 pesos. 

It was such a kick to watch it being made!

He's pretty pleased with his new souvenir. 

Viva Las Vegas resort show!!

Oh my goodness we struck gold on the resorts show last night.  We have arrived in Mexico with no ideas on what to expect. We knew where to catch the cheapest cab and we just trusted he would know where to take us. He did. When we arrived, we were shown our room. Nice and clean and air conditioned, but right beside the loud speakers and stage of the activity centre. No joke ... Excited (yelling) Mexican organizers or loud techno music through the whole day!! So.... With the mentality of leaving in a few days, we sucked it up!! So the kids played in the waves, we had dinner, and then we were told to head over to this huge stage for the resorts "Show"...apparently it's different every night. Well that night was THIS; (!!!!)

Dancers!! Sequins!! Men in heels!! Enough boobs and bums for me to look over at the boys to see their reactions! (Big eyes, of course!! Lol) .... 

This guy! Ok. Not the most flattering picture but we watched him spin and swing himself around on that rope!  It was wild!!

And these pole climbers!! Incredible!!!

There was this crazy flexible woman (like ripleys believe it or not kind!)-I had to look away for most of it. And a woman who did crazy things with like 5 hoola hoops!! The show was awesome! And over around 11pm ... When we got back to our room, the speakers were still blaring music til 11:30 which was fine because we were all still pretty jacked at our evening. Chris went out metal detecting for abit ... 

Tonight is another show and we will head over to it to check it out with the promise to the kids that we will leave if it sucks. Elliot looks up and me and says "I dot want to see anymore ladies in bikinis"... That's cool kid ....

We are off!!! Adventures 2015!!

We like to leave for holidays once it gets REALLY cold .... woke up to -8 this morning, so mission accomplished!!!

On our way to Victoria, I stopped for a quick coffee at our favorite place and met up with this girl who hooked me up with a bottle of probiotics for our trip.

We rode down in the Burdges new van and left ours at their place for the month ... tons of room!!

Here is Isaac showing Marg the video he took of her being blown up on his photo editing program.

We had pizza at our favorite wood fire pizza place and then she dropped us off for our flight!!!

So we got to San Francisco and caught a shuttle to the hotel.  Then we took a walk a few blocks for dinner at Hoolihans.  Turns out kids eat free, and Elliot couldn't decide whether he wanted mac and cheese or chicken strips, so they brought him both!!   It was a good thing too because Isaac hated his meal, so he ate alot of Elliots.  Walked back to the hotel and now we are all just hanging out .... not exactly what we were hoping for for our one night in San Francisco, but it turns out we are about an hour bus ride, or a $50 cab ride from anywhere interesting!!  So, we're good!!  Adventure begins!  Pics from the San Fran airport heading to puerto Vallarta!!