Caribbean 2008: 2 - Punta Cana Dominican Republic

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Yesterday was to relax, something I'm not famous for but with adequate drinks and surrounded by good friends it worked out very well. The day was passed by swimming, drinking, socializing while drinking and more swimming. I did manage a siesta in the afternoon, and we then had reservations at one of the alternate restaurants in the complex, coincidentally in the same area as our local pub, where it was also a buffet dinner but with some different dishes. The evening ended with a raucous sing along in our local put until I'm not quiet sure when. All in all a most satisfactorily relaxing and fun filled day.

Today Marilynn and I slept in a bit, after which I walked to the Palace Hotel next door where wireless internet was available in the lobby. It took some three hours to deal with the influx of mostly business related emails, by which time I was desperately thirsty and hungry. After dropping my laptop back at the room I headed down to our local for beer and a quick lunch, then joined the others on the beach. They were getting ready to board the two boats our group had chartered for a cruise down the coast with some snorkeling thrown it.

We were marched down the paths parallel to the beach by a guide, then those of us who wanted to snorkel were issued fins and eventually everyone boarded the boats. The organization of boarding left quite a bit to be desired, as we were onto one boat, which turned out to be the wrong one, then onto another which Marilynn insisted was not correct, resulting in Marilynn being on one boat and me on another. Once underway, though, things were made right by our most capable crew of a captain and a bartender who looked after all other necessary tasks.

As we were going diving, I postponed the copious number of rum cokes being handed around, but spirits of the participants was definitely on the rise. Our captain believed in a firm hand on the throttle, so we soon left all contenders in our wake, arriving at the dive site well before the others after a great run for miles down the coast. The diving was great, the water clear, the sea life and corals plentiful and the temperature comfortable.

After ample time to enjoy the undersea world, we climbed aboard for a fast run further down the coast to an area where there were people from other boats standing around on a sand bar, up to their chests in water. We dropped anchor and leapt overboard onto the soft sand below. Our intrepid and every ready bartender was soon in the water with a floating serving tray loaded with ice, coke and bottles of rum. I've spent a fair bit of time at swim up bars, but this was my first experience with a swim up bartender!

After a respectable number of drinks had been consumed in our briny environment, we boarded for the ride home. Our voices were raised in song as we zipped along the coast in the half-light of a beautiful sunset. Once back ashore, we walked back along the beach to recharge our glasses in our local pub then retire to our respective rooms to prepare for dinner in the main buffet area. The night ended with Marilynn and I joining some of the younger contingent in dancing the rest of the evening away in another of the bars.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

This morning we were slow out of bed - about 11:00 AM. Marilynn headed for the beach, and I went for breakfast and to check email once again. It was also necessary to arrange transfers to the airport for tomorrow - ours is booked for noon to get us there in time for my flight to Puerto Rico. Jose, Nuria and Marilynn will fly to Miami a little over an hour later. Once that was done it was off to the beach for a well earned swim. It is hot, hot, hot today - cold beer and cool ocean worked out very well!

At 5 PM all those in Punta Cana for Cal & Karen's wedding met at one of the bars, then walked en mass to the site of the 6 PM ceremony on the beach in front of the adjoining Palace Hotel. There were white covered chairs facing a white clothed table under palm frond arches in the sand. A local judge performed the ceremony in Spanish while an assistant translated the proceedings into English. Cal's young granddaughters did a great job as flower girls, and the rest of his family were part of the procession. The ceremony was not long, but well done.

Once the deed was done we all headed back to our local bar to imbibe until a special room in the adjoining restaurant was opened. Here we were served a sit down dinner of quite good rib eye steak. The service was also good, so glasses were kept well charged! Impromptu speeches and toasts punctuated the meal - it seems everyone had a great time. I went to bed fully confident that tomorrow's hangover was well earned!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Since we have been here, Jose and I have been trying to book a sailboat. They were either all booked, or we forgot to ask for a reservation at an appropriate time, but yesterday Jose did get one booked for 9:30 this morning. After breakfast we walked to the water sports area to be find that due to wind all water sports had been cancelled! My idea is that wind is quite useful when sailing, but apparently this theory is not held by those who controlled the boats, so our last chance to sail passed unsuccessfully. Instead, we went for a swim in the choppy water, then back to the room to pack.

We met up with Jose and Nuria at noon in the lobby, where Luis, the Club Caribe representative promised our transport would be waiting when I talked to him yesterday. It was wonderful that a lot of the wedding group came to reception to see us off. After 15 minutes passed with no vehicle for us, I searched out Luis to find out what was going on. He promptly denied having arranged anything for noon, saying we were booked on a bus at 1 PM. Club Caribe is owned by Expedia, my least favourite booking agency in the world, who now proved that they can screw up transfers just as ably as hotel reservations. We said farewell to our new and old friends so they could return to the beach, and retreated to the nearest bar for lunch and a few beer.

The bus did show up, and after making several stops got us to the airport after check in for my flight had been closed. I jumped the line-up, and a kindly American Airlines agent checked me in. I arrived at the gate just in time for boarding - which really was not much of a deal, as only 8 other passengers were on the 68 passenger ATR twin turboprop aircraft. Storms were moving into the area, making the flight pretty bumpy!

A connection of over four hours in Puerto Rico allowed for food, drink and Internet. In the next terminal I was able to log onto a wireless Internet for pay service that worked well. In addition to getting caught up on business emails I plan on sending this one off. My flight does not arrive in Antigua until after 10 PM tonight, and neither of the hotels I sent emails to replied, so I'll be looking for accommodation on arrival. The Caribbean certainly has not changed in its casual treatment of business and reservations!