Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen

To celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday my sister invited the family on a cruise.  This was one of our stops.  While we dont normally book cruise ship excursions we did so here because it was a lot of fun to stay together for our experiences.

2 adults in their forties, 2 adults in their thirties, and two teens (and our parents but they werent part of todays events).  I think I had been pulling for the "Amazing Race" option but in the end "Swiming in Caves" won out.  Im pretty sure thats not what it was actually called but thats what we did.

We were met by 2 guides who facilitated the shuttle to the caves.

At the caves we were given safety instructions and a hardhat outfitted with a headlamp.  And an opportunity to pay extra for a snorkel. We looked at the snorkel, the headlamp, back and the snorkel, and declined.

A short walk into the caves, past some standing water layered with (no nicer way to put this) green slime, we arrived at several benches where people could break into groups and suit up!

It is certainly fascinating to think about how and when these amazing formations came about.  And the fact we had a chance to swim around in them was def pretty cool.  I cant say I was sold on the mud within holding any special qualities though.  Id say about 3/4 of the group began rubbing it on their face and neck and arms after the guides made this declaration.  What I did learn, however, (or so I thought) was the difference between a cave and a cavern; the former having definitive end, the latter not.  A quick google search doesnt exactly support this though there are some other interesting attempts to distinguish the two.

Honestly though, it was really neat to experience this with my family-and that is what stands out to me.  Almost as much as me dropping my hardhat in the guano pool on the way out (crowd: "oooooooohhhhhh"). Or breaking my toe on a stalagmite.  I google "Playa Del Carmen swim caves" and I see pictures posted of these amazing turquoise waters and all I can think is "where they heck were they?"  The waters were most certainly not turquoise. Or blue. Or clear. They were brown.  You couldnt see a thing.  So when I was kicking around like a fool with my neice and nephew and banged the living shit out of my toe, I cant say I didnt have it coming.  When getting pedicures I laugh to myself because I appreciate how exotic it sounds to say "Oh yeah, that-I broke that while swimming through caves in Playa del Carmen."

Afterwards, we had what I felt was "overly ample" time to spend at the gift shops.

Finally, after returning to the port, the guides, who did a fine job, emphasized several times how they rely solely on our tips for income.  Regardless of whether this is fact, it was a bit heavy-handed and for us a turn off.  We give gratuity based on service rendered thus the "pitch" at the end was just unnecessary.

Turks and Caicos

To celebrate my sister's birthday she wanted the whole family to take a cruise. This was one of our stops. While we dont normally spend the day at port we did on this occassion because we wanted to stay together as a family and this was what they chose.

 

Courtesy of Princess

"Grand Turk, the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands, is a small island bursting with turn-of-the-century Caribbean charm, retaining the look and feel of the Caribbean 40 years ago. Grand Turk was founded by Bermudan salt rakers some three centuries ago and its Bermudan-British-colonial architecture surrounded by colorful local dwellings make the island a treasure to visit. It is recognized as being one of the first places in the New World where Christopher Columbus landed and also gained worldwide attention when John Glenn splashed down near Grand Turk on his historic first mission to space. Grand Turk is six miles long and just over a mile wide with a population of only 6,000. It is blessed with miles of uncrowded, beautiful beaches and is close to several uninhabited cays such as Gibb's Cay, home of the stingray encounter. While there are many landside attractions to explore such as the Old Prison, Lighthouse Park, and the re-created salt salina, the real beauty of the island lies underwater. Grand Turk is world-famous for its healthy and beautiful coral reefs that surround the island, stretching almost from the coastline to the 7,000-foot vertical wall just offshore."

 

I was excited for my first trip to Grand Turk as it has always been my sister's favorite island.  That said, I didnt see much of it because we spent the day "at the beach next to the cruise port" on loungers.  I wasnt really fond of the set-up as there was a bar or restaurant or snackstand of some sort with loud music playing so if you wanted any solitude you had to walk way down to the far side of things.  Plus the chairs were packed in pretty tightly and there wasnt enough shade to go around.

I am taking a cruise with my mom and sister next month that stops here again. We decided this time to go to Governor's Beach for some snorkeling and r&r after careful contemplation of all the highlights Grand Turk has to offer such as Margaritaville, the space capsule, the lighthouse, and the....and the...