After the wedding on Saturday, the following day a bunch of us took a three-hour bus ride to Punta Cana. We stayed at a resort until Wednesday.
The whole place was such a dream! It was warm weather but a little cooler than Santo Domingo, palm trees everywhere, pale sand, and crystal-blue water. There was the whole ocean, along with pools and hot tubs. There were several restaurants and snack bars. Alcoholic beverages were available at all times. And best of all, it was all-inclusive!
We arrived on Sunday evening and went straight for the beach and pool. I was so exhausted that I stayed in that night and got room service with my dad and we ate on the balcony. It was really nice!
Monday was a full day! I spent the entire time either in the ocean, laying on a beach chair in the sand, or swimming in the pool or hot tub. Lots of piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris!
At one point, we walked over to the nearby water park. Scott and Mariel were there, and they were very daring with the water slides, I have to say. I only went down one water slide and ended up banging my head on the bottom of the pool and then getting really paranoid that I gave myself a concussion.
We slowed it down on the lazy river. One of the funniest moments ever, was when my dad missed the exit for the lazy river and started floating away and had to fight the current to get back to us. It was so unnecessarily dramatic and we were dying of laughter watching him struggle 🤣
Also, my dad and uncle Phil did some paddle boarding. It’s extremely hard keeping balance like that!
Monday night was dinner at an Italian restaurant with dad, Julie, uncle Joel and aunt Debbie. Afterwards, we went to The One-Eyed Cat Bar for martinis — best bar name ever!!! It was James Bond themed and had a 50s/60s look to it.
On Tuesday, I really had to take it easy. I avoided all sunlight and spent the day inside the hotel, either in my room or on the lobby porch. I got a terrible, terrible sunburn — and yes, I reapplied sunscreen several times throughout the day prior. Eight hours on the beach with fair skin will do that to you. The good news is that my face hardly got any color… but my shoulders, back, stomach, thighs — yikes. But it was really nice to just sip on drinks, eat food, and read my book with a beautiful view and cool breeze.
Tuesday night, I went to a steakhouse restaurant with Dad, Julie, uncle Phil, and aunt Mimi. (I had a quinoa salad.) Afterwards, Julie and I met up with the Hop’s and the Silver’s for dessert (and more drinks.)
A BIG thank you to uncle David who read and finished my novel “Forbidden Knowledge” on this vacation!!! His final thoughts — “I like how the message of the book is that ‘love prevails.’” ❤️❤️❤️
On Wednesday morning, we packed up and began the journey back to NY…
It was a fantastic trip, to be with family and to celebrate my brother and sister-in-law’s love. So much, I wish my mom could have been here with all of us. At the wedding reception, there was a plate of strawberry frosted donuts (her favorite) in her honor. I know she was with us in spirit the whole time. In the pool, I could see her youthful self — the mom I saw when I was a little girl, with a huge smile on her face and glowing eyes, giving me a sweet hug and saying with awe, “isn’t this so wonderful!?”
Crystal Aura Gaze 