Riviera Maya, Mexico

 I have gotten a lot of emails with people asking what there is to do while staying in the Riviera Maya.Here are just a few of the activities, places to explore, the chance to do all sorts of sports, as well as see the most breathtaking scenery, and countless archaeological remains of one of the most important and enigmatic ancient civilizations. Attractions range from color coral reefs to ancient Mayan cities. The area offers everything from horseback riding, ATV adventures, fishing, golf, and so much more. With so much to do it’s the perfect place vacation.

Tulum is one place that should not be missed. It was once home to the ancient Mayan civilization and was a very important gateway to the north coast for the Mayan people. It is located on the Caribbean Sea making it one of the most beautiful of any of the Mayan archaeological spots.

Tulum in Mayan means sunrise. 

Chichen Itza is the capital of ancient Maya empire, its majestic building dates back to 435 and 455, and it is geographically located in the middle of spectacular natural environs in the Yucatan Peninsula. At this site declared as one of the 7 World Wonders, you can visit magnificent temples such as the Kukulcan Pyramid and the Ball Game as well as there are others that cannot be visited to avoid damages.

Xcaret ''nature's sacred paradise'', is one of the world's most famous eco-archaeological parks. Here, you will find archaeological ruins, a dolphin show, horses, a farm with tropical birds, butterflies, bat caves and a stunning beach. You can go also snorkeling in the famous caves and the well known underground river.
With its 53 activities to enjoy, Xcaret is an experience for all your senses. This ecological park was once one of the most important Mayan ports.

Coba is one of the most popular archeological sites in the Riviera Maya with an amazing array of buildings in a 50-mile area, built between two large lakes. The main building, the highest in all of the Yucatan Peninsula, is a 46-foot tall pyramid.

Xpu-Ha is an area that has fantastic beaches surrounded by exuberant tropical vegetation and luxury hotels. Its calm and clear waters are suitable for all sorts of water sports and its beaches feature a large expanse of soft powdery sand, a gorgeous lagoon, an inlet, and a refreshing cenote just waiting to be explored.

Aktun Chen  means "cavern with a cenote inside", and that is just what it is: a magnificent, 656-yard cavern with stalactites and stalagmites formed from the dripping of mineral-rich water for thousands of years, featuring a crystal clear cenote, 40 feet deep. This cave system is surrounded by 990 acres of thick jungle, which bring visitors closer to nature.

Golf    Riviera Maya has become a world class golf destination with courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Robert Trent Jones.

Fishing is another sport not to miss here. There is extensive wild life offers an abundance of both shallow water fish like wahoo, Atlantic bumper, cubera snapper, bonitos, and Atlantic marckerel. During the seasons from March to June is a great time to go for the deep sea fish like sailfish, marlins, tuna, and mahi-mahi.

These are just a few of the things you can do while staying in the area. Anyone who has been to the area and would like to share some of their own experiences, adventures, or tips please do.

Osa Peninsula Costa Rica

During our stay at Bosque del Cabo we hiked many of the trails surrounding the resorts. The sites and sounds  we discovered were just amazing.  

 Each day we hiked at least 2 trails. One of my favorites was the Golfo Dulce Trail which was 1.8 miles taking you from the top of the mountain down to the beach and pacific ocean.  The Osa Peninsula is one of the few places that you can find all 4 species of monkeys living together. Along this trail we saw all 4, the howler,

 

 spider, capuchin, and squirrel monkey at the same time in the trees around the trail.  It really was something to see. The spider monkeys are just crazy.

When we reached the beach we were on the beach of Pan Dulce. The beach was beautiful.  As we were walking along it looked as if the beach was moving in this one area. As we got closer it was filled with thousands of hermit crabs moving very slowly along. It was pretty cool to see.  There were other kinds of crabs going in and out of their holes. The trees around the beach were full of capuchin monkeys.

  We spent some time at the beach swimming and surfing. We met a local who helped us with our surfing. The kids did really well. I got up a couple of times but not for too long. It was a wonderful experience to be surfing in Pan Dulce.  

   Later in the day as we relaxed at our Casa talking about the day’s events we were treated to a conversation between two toucans. One was in the tree next to our patio and the other in a tree on the opposite side. It was just amazing to be listening to this.

       Another cool thing we did was go on a sunset kayak trip. We took that long drive back to the town of Puerto Jimenez where we met Josh our guide for the trip. He was an interesting guy who was very knowledgeable about the flowers and plants of Costa Rica. We had a short tour of the plants around his house while we had some of his homemade tea which was good. Than it was off to Kayak in the Guelfo Dulea.  It was so peaceful and beautiful to be out in the water as the sun set for the day. Even the dolphins were out swimming next to our kayaks. It was a perfect end of a day.

  For dinner we went to town and had dinner at Soda Carolina Restaurante. It was pretty interesting as no one spoke English, we spoke very little Spanish and the menu was all in Spanish. We ordered the best we could and it was really good. The total for all 4 of us was only $26.00. We got a chance to walk around the town of Puerto Jimenez and it’s a pretty nice little town. It was a fun time.

   

  Next stop Tent Camp. What an adventure that was.

Bosque del Cabo Rainforest Lodge - Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Now the adventure starts. We left San Jose and flew on a little plane to the rain forest in the southern part of Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula. The small airport is in the town of Puerto Jimenez.We were met by a driver to take us to Bosque del Cabo
 where we spent the next 3 nights. The ride from town to Bosque del Cabo is a long, very bumpy drive along a muddy road. It was the end of the rainy season so there where places in the road filled with water. The drive was well worth it once we arrived and saw how beautiful it was there. Bosque del Cabo is located 500 feet above where the Golfo Dulce meets the Pacific Ocean in the middle of 750+ acres of rain forest. We were staying in a 2 bedroom house, Casa Blanca, which over looked the Pacific Ocean.  It was perfect.

   There is one restaurant to eat in and meals are included. Breakfast and lunch there is a set time to eat with items offers from a menu. Dinners are a bit different as everyone eats together family style. It was a nice way to meet different people and to share in the days adventures. One night after dinner the waiters all sang to us.

   Our first hike was on what they called the Zapatero Trail, which was about 2 miles. We had just started our hike when we heard a loud animal cry. It was enough to stop us dead in our tracks and realize this is not a zoo; we are in fact in the middle of the rain forest in Costa Rica. I will be honest I got more than a little scared and wasn’t sure to keep going or ran like mad back to the resort. We kept going. A bunch of spider monkeys were in the trees above us going from tree to tree which got us over our fear quickly. At dinner that night we found out a mother puma and 2 cubs have been spotted on some of the trails. The cry we heard was hers.

  That night we took one of the most interesting hikes. A guide from the resort took us on a night hike. He showed us if you put the flashlight against your head next to your eyes and look out you can see all the little eyes looking back at you. Each type of animal has a different color eye at night due to the reflection. There were lots and lots of eyes out there in the forest. Another interesting thing is if you put a black light on a scorpion their insides glow.

   Our first morning there we were awaken at 5:00am by the howler monkeys. You can hear them for miles but these were in the trees surrounding our Casa. On the way to get some coffee we came across a whole group of Capuchin monkeys in a coconut.

There were a few red tailed squirrel monkeys up in the trees. The white nose coati’s were busy looking for food from the many trees around the restaurant. We heard the Scarlet Macaws in the trees and spotted a toucan. There were hummingbirds and some of the biggest butterflies I have ever seen. This was the best walk for coffee I ever had. After I got the coffee and walked back to our Casa the trees surrounding it were full of Capuchin monkeys. I think we sat there watching them for an hour. It was than off to find the puma. Yes it was voted that we take the Titi Trail in search of her. The trail was a nice easy walk.  We didn’t hear or see her today but we did find a paw print. 

 To be continued....

http://bosquedelcabo.com/home 

National Margarita Day

I just learned that today is National Margarita Day. 

I am not sure how this Day started or why today in the middle of winter. But since its here why not enjoy the tradition and make up so margarita's.

CHEERS!!

Perfect Margarita Recipe

• 1 1/2 oz. Cuervo or 1800 gold tequila
• 3/4 oz. Cointreau
• 3/4 oz. Grand Marnier
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. orange juice
• 2 oz. sour mix
• Lime garnish

If using salt, place in a shallow dish. Moisten the rim of a rocks glass with lime juice from your sliced lime garnish, then dip in salt. Fill the glass with ice; add tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau; and stir a few times until chilled, then add the splash of orange juice. Raise glass and toast!

Costa Rica #1 Hot Spot

   Last night I posted the top 10 hot spots according to Tripadvisor and Costa Rica was #1.  This doesn’t surprise me as Costa Rica is certainly in my top 5 places I love to travel to.

 Our first family trip to Costa Rica was just amazing.  From time we arrived to the time we left every one of our senses were constantly being  excited and amazed  by new smells, sounds we never heard before, local cuisine, different textures, and so much around us for our eyes to take in.

  The trip started off staying one night just outside San Jose at a wonderful place called Xandari Resort & Spa.It is located 3900 feet up in the mountains with 40 acres of gardens and trails overlooking the Central Valley and surrounded by coffee plantations.  We had a 2 bedroom villas which had more than enough room for all of us plus 3 large patios with spectacular views of the valley below.  The shower even had a view as it was all glass and opened to one of the patios. I just love a shower with a view.

.

  We did some hiking around the resort and the trails were very beautiful with waterfalls, gardens, and flowers everywhere. We had both lunch and dinner at the hotel restaurant which was both outstanding.

   The real excitement came around 2:00am when we were awoken by what sounded like a freight train heading straight for us. At first I thought it was thunder but when the room started to rock and I felt as if we were in the middle of a wacky shut (the kind you find at an amusement park where the floor moves every direction). It was then I realize it was an earthquake. It only lasted a few seconds and everyone was fine but we could hear the after rumbles and shakes the rest of the night. It was very strange and I told many people after wards I guess I understand how the ancient people thought the gods were mad at them when than hear and felt this.  In the morning we found out the earthquake magnitude of 6.4 and 25 miles away with no real damage done. For us it was an experience we will never forget.

   This was just  day 1 of the trip… I will share more tomorrow.

February Hot Spots

This Week's Top 10: February Hot Spots according to TripAdviser

What are you picks?  What are your favorite Resorts at these hot spots?
1.	Costa Rica, Central America
2.	Aruba, Caribbean, North America
3.	Cancun, Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula
4.	Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean
5.	Maui, Hawaii, United States
6.	Bali, Indonesia, Asia
7.	Phuket, Thailand, Asia
8.	Jamaica, Caribbean, North America
9.	Key West, Florida Keys, Florida
10.	Puerto Rico, Caribbean, North America

Mardi Gras 2010 Time Flies by

As I am enjoying my morning coffee I can’t help but think how another year has flew by so fast. A year ago today we were in New Orleans celebrating our sons 21^st birthday and Mardi gras. That was some trip we had. 22 people joined us for the celebration and fun. This was not our first time to New Orleans or our first Mardi Gras. We have been to few. Our last Mardi gras was pre Katrina. That is when our son saw that 2010's date would be the day after his 21st birthday.

Hugs and Kisses

 Since today is Valentine’s Day I thought I would share something I read while I was away. Each night at Zoë try they send the Sundial to your read which is a newsletter about what’s going on for the next day and also some interesting thoughts.

Hugs and Kisses

The hug is one of the most common human signs of love and affection along with kissing. When you do this it is a demonstration of affection and emotional warmth, a sign of support and comfort, or a way to a romantic exchange.  Sometimes hugs are given out of spontaneous joy.

Ancient lovers believed a kiss would literally unite their souls, because the spirit was said to be carried in one's breath.  ~Eve Glicksman

Hugging has been proven to have health benefits. Did you know hugging can increase the levels of oxytocin and reduce blood pressure?

There are lots of different kinds of hugs. 

A kiss without a hug is like a flower without the fragrance.  ~Proverb

  Kissing requires a significant muscular coordination and uses a total of thirty four facial muscles and 112 postural muscles during a kiss.

A kiss makes the heart young again and wipes out the years.  ~Rupert Brooke

Today hug and kiss the people you love not only will it make you feel better it will work some muscles as well.

  A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.  ~Ingrid Bergman

People who throw kisses are mighty hopelessly lazy.  ~Bob Hope

Remembering great wines

Tonight we are celebrating our sons 22 birthdays with a nice dinner and in honor of his birth year a bottle of 1989 Chateau Lynch Bages. In getting this from the cellar I was remembering back to our trip a few years back to Bordeaux, France. It was an amazing trip and one that can never be duplicated.  The first 5 nights we stayed at Chateau Cordellian Bages and toured Bordeaux from there.  Chateau Lynch Bages was one of first places we toured and tasted the 1992 & 1996 wines.  But what really brings back memories of Lynch Bages was the night we had dinner with Jean-Michael Cazes and his daughter. He is the owner of both Chateau Cordellian Bages and Lynch Bages. Dinner was at the hotel and we started with Champagne, followed by a 1962 Ducru Beaucaillou. Jean-Michael than asked George what year he was born and what month. He told him May 1962, which wasn’t a good year for wines. Jean- Michael responded that’s great so you were conceived in 1961. With that he ordered a 1961 Chateau Lynch Bages which was fantastic!! Our 1989 should be nothing short of fantastic as well.

Couples Retreat Marlin Akerman

We just put on a movie Couples Retreat with Marlin Akerman. She and her husband were staying at Zoetry while we were there just a few days ago. Here is a shot of them enjoying a sail.

http://zoetryresortsblog.com/2011/02/09/malin-akerman-visits-zoetry-paraiso-de-la-bonita/

Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita

They say all good things come to an end and today that was true for us. Today we had to say goodbyes to all the wonderful people we have meet over our stay and to leave Zoetry Parasio de la Bonita
    We really enjoyed every aspect of this resort. It truly lives up to its name paradise of the pretty. Each day I discovered something new. A garden I hadn’t seen before, a peacock under a palm tree, or a different type of massage at the spa. Our eyes never tired of looking around at all the beauty that surrounded us.
   We had the pleasure of meeting the owners Carlos and Elisa Gosselin. We learned the architect and decorations around the resorts was designed from their travels. Each suite is named for a place in the world they have been and each suite is decorated with unique items from those places.  Ours was Phnom phen which I learned is the capital of Cambodia. In talking to them Elisa told me she wanted a place people could feel as comfortable as being home. We certainly feel they have achieved this. Thank you both for sharing this wonderful place.
 We have had the opportunity to travel to many different places over the years and this resort is one we will certainly be coming back to.
  The staff here is great. Everyone is friendly, greeting you with a smile, and ready to help you with anything. Yesterday Rudy helped put together a shopping trip for us. Eric helped us every day on the beach with towels, chairs, and drinks.We even got drinks served to us while in the ocean, now that's service. Peppy knew the wine we liked and always had a bottle for us. Roberto & Francesco were our waiters most nights. Miguel is not only knowledgeable about tequila he is also the sommelier. We enjoyed his selections for us. At the Marina Miguel always had a smile and ready to help you with any water sport you want to do. Jacqui our activities manager had something different for us to do each day.
There are so many others as well. We enjoyed getting to know them as well.
Thanks to everyone for making our stay wonderful. It was sad to say goodbye but we will come home again soon to see you all again.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g240327-d488579-r96365018-Zoetry_Paraiso_de_la_Bonita-Puerto_Morelos_Yucatan_Peninsula.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

Marina La Bonita Zoetry

Marina La Bonita is located right off the beach.  It offer many different ocean activities. You want to go fishing? They have a crew ready & wanting to take you on their 38' ft Luhrs with tuna tower & outriggers. They also have a 25' Boston Whaler.
Scuba diving is available as well as snorkeling. Each day there are different tours set up or you can create one of your own.
  What ever your pleasure is Miguel is there to make it happen

  Sailing your pleasure they have that as well. La Bonita is their 47' luxury yacht that sails everyday at sunset. This champagne sail is part of the endless privileges. We went out last night and it was wonderful. The crew is friendly and even let George help in some of the sailing. The views are just gorgeous.

True luxury.
  In addition to this there are crewed private charters you can set up. Want a romantic dinner under the stars? Just see Miguel and he will happy to help.

Lemon Daiquiri @Zoetry

On the beach having the cocktail of the day a Lemon Daiquiri and it is very refreshing. Today's activities include, beach volley,  ball, boccie ball tournament, darts, and my favorite Thai massage at the Thalasso center. It was amazing and again I discovered the benefits of a good massage.
  Later in the day we will be going out on the catamaran for a sunset cruise complete with champagne.  After that there is a wine tasting. Another perfect day in paradise.
  Last night we went to secrets silversands for the super bowl. They had a great set up there and it was really a party atmosphere, complete with tailgating food. It was fun to be outside under palm trees watching on a huge scene. Zoetry also hosted a super bowl party in the library with lots of snacks. We just wanted the opportunity to see the other hotel.

Zoetry

A quick note as I am getting ready to go to a super bowl party. Today was just another beautiful day. I found today no matter where I looked there was something beautiful to see. This morning we found shells on the beach. The peacocks were strutting around the gardens. A couple of turkeys crossed our path. I discovered the benefits of a hot shell massage at the Thalasso center. This resort doesn't just have endless privileges, it has endless beauty.

Bix a Bel! Zoetry

 The day started once again with a spectacular sunrise. It's been well worth being awake every morning to see it. There is lots to do today. Marina La Bonita has a reef sail & snorkel on their catamaran. There is also a trip to Tulum. For those who want to do some shopping a boat was taking people to Puerto Morelos. You can also go shopping in cancun to Plaza la Isla.  We choose to do morning snorkel just off the beach. After that we did the kayak tour with Jacqui. It was fun and a beautiful day to be out on the ocean. A flock of pelicans did a fly by right next to us which just added to the whole beauty. After that it was time to rest some and enjoy the cocktail of the day, Sangri Petempich. We meet some interesting people plus I made friends with Makita a parrot. She prefers man I am ok as long as there isn't a man around.
 The Thalasso center which is the spa has different things you can sample each day. Today it was a G5 body sculpting message. It was 20 minutes of pleasure. There is a whole spa menu to choose from plus other wellness treatment. The spa also has sauna, steam room, whirl pool, an a salt water pool to relax in.

My favorite part of the day was the Temazcal. Temazcal is tradition steam bath of the Maya people. It is a healing ceremony for the mind, body, and spirit. The ceremony is done by a real Shaman, who guides you through this unique experience. It was well worth the whole experience and very relaxing.

Zoetry

Good morning from paradise. I am watching the sunrise over the ocean this time from the comfort of bed.
  Last night we had dinner at the restaurant La Canoa. What a wonderful meal we had. I had the special which was surf & turf. I choose to have pawns instead of the turf. Both the lobster & pawns were grilled served with butter & garlic butter on the side.
It was delicious.
 So far everything we have had to eat has been excellent along with the presentation. There are 3 restaurants to choose from, La Canoa, Knaax and Chiringo. Sikil is a sushi bar and where they have cooking lessons. Today's cooking class was how to make ceviche. If this is not enough there is 24 hour room service.
 Each night the Sundail is put in your room with the next days activities, weather, and news. Mornings starts with yoga in a beautiful setting over looking the ocean. If you want there is a nice gym to work out in as well. I still prefer a long walk on the beach and an afternoon swim. In addition to this there is Spanish lessons, horse shoes, bocce ball, darts, kayaks, afternoon tea, to just name a few. Today there is a wine tasting class. We also had a tequila tasting. Miguel was very knowledgeable and we learned alot along with tasting some good tequila.
  In our travels we are always in search of a spot that not only has a good beach but a place that combines nature, beauty, friendly people, and comfort.  It is hard to find all of it together. Zoetry has it all. The resort has stunning views no matter where you look. The staff is both friendly and always there to get anything you may need. The beach is perfect. The setting overall is just beautiful. Last night after our meal & after dinner drinks we ended the night on our terrace laying on the big sofa bed gazing at the stars. It really is paradise.