Cancun - Aug 5

Day 1

We left the house at 7am. That’s early, very early in particular for me but it was okay since I knew what waking up that monsterously early meant – getting to Cancun.
Sleeping most of the time through the flight, we got out of customs only to be bombarded by folks selling ‘cheap rides’ to hotels. Our hotel told us to not make any eye contact and keep going until exiting the airport. Sure enough one of the hotel reps were waiting outside and after a few minutes wait was ensconced comfortably in a well air conditioned mini-van that brought us to the hotel.

It’s a lovely place really. There are 2 Solaris’ in Cancun, the Royal Solaris and (ours) the GR Solaris. Apparently this one is newer therefore making it nicer. Whatever, I was more concerned with the view. We got upstairs to our room and I was not disappointed. What can I say about this view? It’s breath-taking.

Here’s what I see from my vantage (which is presently from the balcony of our room):
Water so translucent that the color starts from a clear to sandy afterwhich the shades of blues begin. The first color is aqua but the lightest shade of aqua a person can imagine gradually deeping into an electric aqua and then azur to a midnight which is far in the distance. Even when I went to the Bahama’s I couldn’t remember being struck by such beauty.

We can hear the crash of the waves against the shore from our room which is on the 7th floor. Since the slice of Cancun beach where we’re situated on is further West then the main Cancun strip, we are fairly secluded (though how truly secluded is one in Cancun???).

Okay, so we just got back to the hotel room. It’s 12:31am and we’ve had a fairly busy evening.
After checking in, we went down to the pool area where the snack bar is located to chow down on some free eatings. Weird not having to pull out ones wallet when getting food at a hotel. I was feeling sluggish for some reason and decided to come back to the room. P was annoyingly energized so I encouraged him to take a dip while I caught up on my reading. The thing is, the ocean stretched out before me was a tad bit distracting. I managed to read about 2 pages worth (I confess I had to re-read those 2 pages 30 times before giving up).

P finally got back and we decided to explore the hotel grounds a bit more and see what this ‘all inclusive’ package has to offer us. We were attacked by one of the hotel folks who encouraged us to take part in the Carribian Buffet and Show. P and I figured why not, went into this huge ballroom and partook in the buffet. It wasn’t bad, on a scale of 1 thouth 10 I’d give it about a 6. I just wasn’t very hungry. P naturally indulged.

We were at the table alone for the most part and since this was one of those communial eating situations we were glad no one else came and bugged us. However (mainly because we didn’t have the sense to reset our watches appropriately) we didn’t realize that we were in fact an hour early and where we thought it was 8:30, in reality it was 7:30. So we hung out at the table and by that time welcomed the Korean American family that joined us. The father, mother and daughter were super helpful, told us what we should see and where we should go. Then another couple (two sisters) came and joined us. They were from Chicago. Clearly all of us at the talbe felt chatty and by the time the stage show (a huge musical of sorts) started, we were quite comfortable with each other.

The show was quite spectacular and we clapped and tapped our feet all the way through. Afterwards we made our way to the main lounge/bar area for live music. The two sisters who had been at our table were there already and asked us to join them so we sat together. There was a dance floor and plenty of couples got up to shake there groove thang. I went between being impressed to being seriously apalled throughout the next hour and half. The sisters decided that they wanted to do some shakin’ s well so they jumped up but not before dragging me onto the floor for a spirited wiggling of our asses to “I will survive” and “YMCA”. P was egged on by another set of women who were sitting close by to join me. I can’t say much about that cause it’s too embarressing to remember.

After having heard enough music (and taking part in the electric slide which ya’ll know I can’t resist) P and I went outside into the super humid night and down to the beach where we laid back in a lounger chair and stared up at the velvety star-studded sky. The moon shown directly above us, illuminating everything almost like a spotlight but softer. The North Star clung close to the luminiscant globe, basking in the gentle glow and we sat back and listened to the waves break against the shore. Every now and then I got up, after having secured my long skirts into a knot at my hips, and tip toed into the water almost afraid to disturb it. The water was frothy and most likely in the 70’s. The sand was suprisingly soft. There was a 4-some several yards away and a bunch of annoying kids did hover around for a bit but once they took off it was just P and I. I said to him ‘This is the most amazing moment of my life. I’ll never forget this as long as I live.”

Have you ever experienced a moment where all the stars align just so that aboslutely nothing can enhance it more than it already is? No planning, no discussing, no purposeful timing in the world could possibly make it any more perfect. This was our time. This was the moment. I’ve had a couple more. Once when I first saw the Vatican, another when I sat in St. Marco’s Square and watched the lights flicker on at sunset, another as we came around Half Moon Bay on our way to Hearst Castle and another…well like I said, they are few and far in-between but these are the memories we wait to make right? I mean what else can we look forward to when we’re back to our every day humdrum lives? THESE moments.

Now we’re back in the room. It’s 1:30am. P is sleeping soundlessly (for a change) for I believe he is exhausted. I, on the other hand, feel no inclination to rest my eyes. Instead I’ll probably turn the computer off, grab my book, go out into the balcony and read for a bit.

Buenos Noches, My friends.