Well, I have certainly had to hit the ground running after coming home from vacation! Note to self: the end of August is a busy time of the year. My older son, who is taking a gap year, starts his new job today, and my younger son starts school on Thursday, with the requisite day before taken up by textbook acquisition, locker assignments, and all that. I had to swing back into meal-planning-grocery-shopping mode after five days of Very Easy Living, and I found it a bit tricky. What is food, what are meals, what do we eat. Happily, my new freezer arrived, and so all is well in my frozen food world.
A few people mentioned to me that they were surprised I went to Mexico as I never brought it up it in our conversations; that is because after so many cancellations I didn’t really believe it was going to happen. I guess I wasn’t letting myself get too excited in case it got cancelled, again. I haven’t been out of the country since March 2019, which feels like A Very Long Time Ago. But the trip did happen, it was lovely, and, to be honest, purely indulgent. Weather-wise it’s a bit of a bold move going to Mexico in August, but it was wonderful, if hot and humid.
We went to Secrets Los Cabos; we had actually visited that resort five years prior, in August as well. Cabo San Lucas is a relatively short, direct flight from Calgary, which is the reason we chose it, and although it’s hot and humid, it’s not rainy, which is a big plus in my books. We have stayed in a few Secrets/ Dreams resorts, and I am not going to lie, they are Very Luxurious.
This is an all-inclusive resort, which I really like. I love not having to think about anything at all, I love that people come by to ask if I’d like a refreshing drink or if I need another towel, I love that the biggest decisions I need to make are where to eat dinner and which pool to lounge by.
When we got there, we were told that cabanas were available for rent at the Regular Pool, but cabanas were included in the Preferred Pool, which we had access to, because We Are Fancy. The only catch was that the Preferred cabanas were first come, first serve; as a person who is regularly up before the sun, that was not a challenge in the least. We had a cabana for two days, which was a nice respite from the heat.
One thing I legitimately love about being at a resort is meeting all sorts of new people. It feels almost like summer camp, with its instant friendships and constant Getting To Know You chatter. I know a lot of people prefer to keep to themselves on vacation, but there are apparently many people like me who want to talk to everyone surrounding them. An interesting thing I noticed was that no one I met – and I met a lot of people – was from Canada. Every single person was from the Southern or Midwestern United States. Our flight from Calgary was full, so I’m not sure where all my compatriots went, but it didn’t seem to be Secrets. In any case, with only one exception all the people were lovely and a lot of fun to be around.
Dawne from Arkansas: Y’all are so nice, I wish I had a Polaroid to take a photo of you!
Me: Well, we have cameras on our phones…
The one exception was a kind of miserable woman and her husband who a) immediately told me, in graphic detail, about her colon surgery and what that meant for her digestion, and b) complained incessantly about what food was or was not available at any given time and what kind of drink she had which wasn’t the drink she wanted and that the service was not up to her standards. I easily could have tolerated a, but I have no patience for b. These resorts were hit really hard by the pandemic, and in talking to the employees, I got the impression that they personally suffered a lot over the last two years. Besides which, look around, look around, how lucky we are to be alive right now. Here we are, in actual paradise, and someone is bringing you a cold beverage, and you are going to complain about the ice levels or the actual brand of liquor used? I’m pretty sure that woman didn’t tip at all, not that I noticed, anyway, and I kind of hoped that her drink was spat in. I’m sure it wasn’t, but if it was, well. No jury would convict the poolside concierge, let’s put it that way. But that couple was the exception, everyone else was lovely and fun. One guy was a little too fun, as he had to be escorted out of the pool by security, due to extreme drunkenness, at three in the afternoon. Poolside drama!
Another way the resort felt like summer camp was the amount of activities scheduled for every hour of the day. I was pretty happy to just hang out by the pool, dip in and out, read my books, and talk to my neighbours, but had I been so inclined I could have done any number of fun things. To be honest, it felt too hot to even attempt water aerobics or table tennis or even beachside yoga, but I appreciated the opportunity. The only activity I participated in was Karaoke Night.
I love karaoke. I have feelings about karaoke. Some people refuse to do it because “they can’t sing,” but to me, that means it’s an opportunity to increase your stage presence. What I lack in vocal talent I more than make up for in showmanship, if you know what I mean. I would much prefer hearing a subpar singer belt out a song with gusto and include the crowd in the chorus than sit quietly and listen to an earnest, heart-felt rendition of some emotional song no one has heard of. My songs were Material Girl and Before He Cheats, the latter being a huge crowd favourite with the majority of the participants from the South and Midwest. There was a lot of country that night, and the crowd was really fun. It was more like a giant dancing singalong than a karaoke performance.
Over the past six months I have been learning Spanish with the Duo Lingo app. I had some doubts that it would come in handy; I mean, when will I ever say Mi gato es muy grande y bonito (my cat is very big and pretty)? Wait, let’s not answer that. LET’S NOT ANSWER THAT. Anyway, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to converse in Spanish but YOU GUYS, I DID! People understood my very rudimentary Spanish and I understood them! I felt like if I had spent more time there, I would have really improved my vocabulary. I used the phrase “I am learning Spanish” a great deal, and the staff was very patient with me, even spending time teaching me new words and phrases. The moral of the story is that, like with karaoke, it’s the effort that counts.
Well, after all that luxury, it is back to reality for me. It’s time to jump into the new week and the new schedule. I have books to talk about, but that will have to wait. Here’s to a fresh new week! xo
I’m glad you had such a nice trip. It looks deluxe. What’s Mark’s new job?
He is working at a restaurant that does breakfasts and lunches – no night shift!
That vacation sounds INCREDIBLE. Yes- I have a lot of sympathy for people with physical ailments, but keep the complainers away from me! I’m glad it was just one person. I can see how it’s very hard to come home from a trip like that and jump back into school starting! It comes an no surprise that your older son is taking a gap year- otherwise there would have been histrionics and much emoting over him leaving for college (like I was last year.) So it sounds like he’s still living at home? I’m envious! I hope the year goes well for all of you. And as usual I’m looking forward to your book reviews!
Hahaha Jenny you know me well. “Wait, why isn’t Nicole singing Landslide to herself and sobbing quietly? That seems weird. When is her nervous breakdown coming?”
Wow, this looks amazing. I’ve never been to Mexico. Maybe someday. I love that you met people who were mostly delightful. Ugh, that one woman. I see it all playing out like a scene from a movie. The one bitter woman, the drunk guy, and lots of friendly types.
I wanted to chat with people while we were in bars in Prague, because this happened so frequently to Ed while studying abroad. Apparently Coach and I were not the right demographic for meeting other couples in bars, language barrier. Ah well.
This resort looks amazing. Love the photos. What a view! Yes, August is busy and I can only imagine how hectic it is to get back and hit the ground running. Happy start to the school year.
I completely forgot to comment on your karaoke spotlight. You have it all going on. Super impressed that you could do that. I wonder how many drinks I’d have to have consumed in order to do the same. I do agree, the showmanship is far more fun than the vocals. Well done, you.
Thanks so much Ernie! It was so much fun.
Oh this sounds SO great! Except for colon lady, of course. Now I am going to suggest a Secrets resort to my husband for our next big anniversary!
Oh, you SHOULD. They are such great resorts! I have absolutely zero complaints!
Welcome home! Everyone needs an all-inclusive week once in a while. Been there, done that and the struggle over where to eat and which pool to hang out at it real!
I know, right? I mean, should we be by the infinity pool? Or the one with all the music? HOW TO DECIDE?
This was entertaining to read because I enjoy people watching. Humans are fascinating creatures, aren’t they? ESPECIALLY while on vacation. 🙂
It sounds that you had a wonderful time, and I am so happy you did.
I love the fact that you enjoy karaoke. I am terrified to do anything like this. I will live vicariously through you.❤️
Yes, humans ARE fascinating! I find everyone is so interesting, everyone has a story!
I’ll happily sing your share of karaoke! Or maybe a duet?
I have a 800 day+ streak on Duolingo in Spanish and I was at the grocery store behind some folks speaking in Spanish and I understood that they were talking about mixing the ginger ale with orange juice and something something grilling the pork and something something party over the weekend in the backyard and I was THRILLED. They didn’t slow down so I would understand. They didn’t dumb down their vocab for me. Maybe someday I’ll be brave enough to actually speak Spanish to a Spanish speaker.
I’m so glad you had a wonderful time – it looks beautiful and the karaoke looks fun. Yay for traveling being back on the table!
Oh, I bet you would be able to converse really well! I am only on a 184 day streak! I accidentally called my husband “my wife” once, but other than that…
This all looks so fun and wonderful. You always look adorable and happy in pictures and I can just imagine how much people enjoyed getting to know you (the exception being the one couple you describe which sound perfectly awful to be around).
I know how you feel about: what is food? What is a grocery store? Meal planning? I am STILL out of routine after lots of roadtrips, company, and various other disruptive – albeit fun – summer adventures. In fact, getting back into a structured cooking schedule is something I’m downright giddy about for the fall!
Welcome home. I’m so glad you finally were able to get away and it looks like a simply fabulous time 🙂
Thanks Elisabeth, it was so much fun! I love meeting people from different parts of the world. I smiled because they all commented on my “accent!” I love regional accents.
Oh, that looks so lovely and peaceful! I’ve never done an all-inclusive trip, but it certainly sounds marvelous. I’m so glad you were able to go at last.
Thanks so much – it was absolutely peaceful and relaxing!
I’m using Duolingo, too! I’m on day 77, so I’ll be around the 6-month mark when we go to Mexico, too. I’m using it to be able to converse a bit better with Will’s toddler teachers. Our boys go to a Spanish immersion school and in this classroom neither teacher speaks English well. They bring in an interpreter for conferences and my husband is fluent (or was? He studied abroad and took classes in Spanish in Spain. He understand everything but has a harder time responding and is a little insecure with his skill) so it’s not a big deal, but last week I managed to tell his teacher that Will loves getting his hands washed. Then she responded and I only caught “tambien” so I just smiled and nodded. Ha.
We are going to Mexico in December and I am so excited but cautiously excited because any number of things could derail the trip, like getting covid again. But I’m cautiously excited to get some much-needed time away with my husband. We are going back to the same resort in the Rivera Maya area. It’s a short, easy flight for us. We are the easy-to-please kind of couple. I have very little patience/tolerance for people like the complainer you described. Ugh. I’m glad we are easy to please. It makes life much more enjoyable when it doesn’t take much to delight a person. We’ll have an ocean view and I can’t wait to wake up (at a time of my own choosing – not to a screaming albeit adorable toddler) and listen to the waves crashing on the beach while drinking coffee on our balcony!
Oh, that’s lovely, Lisa – I bet you will be able to converse well by December! I found everyone so patient with me and willing to help me along with my Spanish. I’m so excited for you and I can’t wait to hear about it. We went to Dreams DPM back in 2017 and it was lovely. Having an ocean view is just glorious.
Why am I not surprised that you met lots of new people and sang karaoke? And you know, there is always at least one complainer among the bunch. Always.
The resort and the view from your balcony looks amazing! I am so glad you were able to go and had such a great time.
It’s not surprising, is it? And that’s exactly what my son said when I told him about this: “There’s always one person like that.”
I think the first rule of going to Secrets is that you are supposed to keep it a Secret. No? 😜
This sounds like such a lovely and much deserved indulgence for both of you. I’m all about an all inclusive. Although I’ve only done that once and it was in Mexico as well. You know, there is always going to be a complainer in any group. But Dawn from Arkansas? She’s pretty special if you ask me.
I had no idea you were into Karaoke! Who knew? I don’t know that I have the gusto to do that, but I also appreciate a good showman. (Show-woman?) You are a blast and you know how to talk about your big cat. I’m impressed. MEOW.
Gah, I wrecked the rule of going to Secrets! Dawne was very sweet, and so was almost everyone else!
My big and PRETTY cat, Suz. Big and pretty.
I stayed at that resort in 2014! It was lovely. I would return in a heartbeat. It was our second Secrets stay; we also stayed at Secrets Maroma Beach for our honeymoon, but have found we prefer the transit time to Cabo (from Vancouver).
Ooooh my husband has always wanted to go to Maroma, but the transit was what is kind of making us drag our heels. Maybe one day. It sure looks beautiful! I guess the trip to Cabo is probably even quicker from Vancouver, it’s only four hours from Calgary.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful vacation photos and stories! I enjoyed reading it, enjoying the trip vicariously through you!
Thanks so much Michelle!
Oh, your vacation sounds so lovely and luxurious, Nicole! We have friends who go there every year for their anniversary, and I can totally understand why — such a beautiful place! You are a hoot! It’s so fun to watch people at karaoke who really give it all, complete with showmanship!
Thanks M! It’s such a gorgeous part of the world – and so much fun!
Love the pictures of your luxe vacation, Nicole–romantic rose petals, photogenic drinks and all. My favorite pictures are of course your karaoke pics… you look so beautiful and fun and your spirit is just SHINING through. Enjoy the bonus year with your gap-year baby! <3
Thanks Maya! I think the gap year is going to be great!
These pictures are so pretty and that view is to die for! It makes me very happy to know about your effort to learn Spanish; locals always appreciate it! I aspire to get over my social anxiety so I can be as cool as you to participate in karaoke nights 😀
Thanks Alondra! I was so happy to understand and be understood in Spanish! Although I felt a bit like a toddler, with my very simple sentences!
I am not surprised at all that you chatted up everyone you saw at this resort! I feel like you’re the kind of person even an introvert would enjoy talking to because you probably ask great questions and make people feel so comfortable around them!
I love a good all-inclusive resort. I think that’s why I love cruising so much (well, before the pandemic!): I get to float to all these beautiful islands, I don’t have to make a decision on where to eat dinner every night, waiters walk around for the SOLE PURPOSE of getting me a drink, sighhhh. It’s the best life.
I’m glad you had such a wonderful time and FINALLY got to go on your Mexico trip!
Honestly, there is nothing so relaxing as an all-inclusive! No worries, no concerns, just fun.
Looks like a lovely vacation! I am not surprised that you chat with everyone at the resort nor that you love karaoke! There always has to be one negative person that is happy with nothing, even in a beautiful spot like that. Can’t wait to hear what you read while away.
Thanks Pat! It was great.
I’m finally getting here to say how much I love that you went on such a lovely vacation. To another country. Where you lived it up. It looks perfect, like something out of a dream to me, a vacation-starved Midwesterner. You give me hope
Thanks Ally! I hope that you can travel again soon too!
That looks – and sounds – like a lovely getaway, Nicole. Minus the complaining couple – cannot stand people who constantly complain about EVERYTHING.
And I love your attitude towards karaoke. I have stage-freight and I am a terrible karaoke candidate, but I absolute agree: it’s much more fun to see a subpar-singer having fun than a great singer unenthusiastically hit the right notes.
Same here, I cannot with the complaining!
Hi! Peeking over at your blog now, too! 🙂 This Mexico post caught my eye, because my husband is Mexican and we just got home from 2 weeks in central Mexico recently too. I think I’ve been to Mexico probably 15 times at least before! I double majored in Spanish and speak it fluently, and my husband didn’t move to the U.S. until he was around 25, so he obviously is fluent as well. 😉 I’m glad you had fun in Cabo! We went there some years back, but stayed in San Jose del Cabo. Very pretty area! We usually don’t do all inclusives because we are obsessed with authentic Mexican food and greatly prefer the option to go out to local restaurants (in an all inclusive, I feel like I need to eat there, to get my money’s worth). But all-inclusives are very nice in many regards too, to just sit back and have everything taken care of. 🙂
Sounds like your boys are older teens?? My boys are 12 and 14. I love reading blogs of people who are just ahead of me in the parenting game…. as it sounds like you are! 🙂 I feel like it helps prepare me for whatever is coming up!
Hi Kae! My boys are 18 and (in a couple of days) 17! I liked our all-inclusive because it was so relaxing, but definitely it was not an authentic dining experience! Still lovely though. I am fascinated by people who are fluent in more than one language – it’s just amazing to me.