Location: Ocean Blue and Sand Resort, Punta Cana, DR
Sigh, I hate when you're in the middle of a great vacation and it has to be interrupted by a business trip. Oh wait...it's to the DR, going with my sister, Linda, and brother-in-law Gary and we're staying at an all-inclusive resort for a week. Sometime during the week we're going to visit our Dominican cocoa bean suppliers, but in the meantime, we'll just have to enjoy the resort. Linda and Gary are both on the "Board" of Cello Chocolate. Linda has the honorary title of "Fam Club President" and Gary is "Head of Quality." True to her title, LInda was touting our chocolate to random people at the airport. Here's Ned pulling out our Bach Sweets. Yes, we shared.
Getting here was half the fun. We all left Ft. Lauderdale together and had a very easy flight to Puna Cana.
Yep, we scored some drinks upon check-in, you know, cause business travel is so grueling.
This resort is really beautiful. It is situated right on the ocean, has two pools, 9 restaurants, activity center and gorgeous walking paths. We have rooms overlooking the gardens and pool with the ocean in the background.
Being in charge of quality control, Gary insisted we sample some more drinks. Coco Loco, Dirty Monkeys, and of course a Cerveza...those are the ones off the top of my head that I remember.
After a swim in the ocean and hitting a snack bar, we had fun checking out the place. Linda and I took a poolside Zumba class, played some ping-pong, and we all visited the bowling alley and fitness center. (Notice I said "visited" and not used). There's a beach side rock climbing wall and I give props to Linda for attempting an ascent.
I would have, but I didn't want to spill my drink.
Each of the restaurants have a different theme. Ned got a kick out of the Route 66 restaurant. He thought it was rather ironic that we drove across the whole country, then flew to the DR, just to re-visit an American Themed Place. Nonetheless, it was pretty cute. I don't think it's going to make the cut though for our dinner pick.
The Mexican Restaurant looked pretty inviting too! Decisions, decisions.
It was a tough choice deciding on the restaurant tonight and we had several false starts. Our first attempt was at a fancy-schmany French Restaurant called Blue Moon. It was a 45 min. wait, but doable since it was next to the sports bar. We finally got called up to be seated when suddenly the hostess looked down at Ned's feet. All things stopped.
Here's a picture of the different restaurants spread around the lake and courtyard.
The dress attire was button down shirts (check), long pants, (check) and close-toed shoes. We tried to pre-empt this requirement by Gary loaning Ned his white sports socks...to be worn with Ned's Teva sandals. Oh My, the fashion statement it was not, but technically at least his toes were covered! Well, it wasn't passing muster and we were denied seating. To fully appreciate this attire Ned is also wearing his zip-off tropical pants/shorts that he purchased for his cocoa harvesting Trinidad trip along with a Hawaiian shirt.
I'm shocked we were denied seating!
Not to be deterred we went to the 2nd fanciest restaurant, the Steak House, which also had an hour wait. In the meantime, Linda was determined to get Ned seated in the French Restaurant. So, hilarity ensued as Ned attempted to negotiate renting out a pair of shoes from one of the vendors at the resort. Yes, actually renting shoes for an hour! Negotiations were officially aborted when the vendor would not except Susan B. Anthony coins. An American dollar was only acceptable in paper form.
Here's Linda and I posing with the cowboy statue outside the steak house while we wait to be seated. After a good long while, and starving at this point, we decided that what we really wanted all along was the Italian Restaurant. Fortunately, it was a great decision and the food was incredibly good.
After dinner was an evening of karaoke, the majority of which was in Spanish. Good times for sure! I have no idea what songs everyone was singing, but hey, did that ever deter me from singing along?
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