Hello Fellow World Travelers,
We arrived yesterday, July 30th on Porter Airlines http://www.flyporter.com/. This was the best flight, non-stop from Midway Airport to Toronto Island. You have to take a ferry from Toronto Island to the mainland but it is painless, only 2 minutes and it's very close to the city. We were a 10 minute drive to our hotel.
Upon arrival we checked into the Intercontinental Toronto Center http://www.torontocentre.intercontinental.com/ The hotel is in an excellent location and in walking distance to a lot of attractions. One note is that, most shops in the immediate area are closed on the weekend.
We then left for our tour of Toronto. The focus was on black history and what fabulous history it is. Slaves escaping from the US found their freedom in Canada. We visited the site of the former home of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn. They escaped from Louisville, Kentucky and settled in Detroit, Michigan for two years. In 1833 Kentucky slave hunters located, captured and arrested the couple. While jailed the Blackburn's were allowed visitors, which provided the opportunity for Lucie to exchange her clothes and her incarceration with Mrs. George French. Lucie then fled across the Detroit River to Canada and safety. Thornton's escape was more difficult because he was heavily guarded, bound and shackled. The day before Thornton was to be returned to Kentucky, Detroit's African American community rose up in protest. A crowd of some 400 men stormed the jail to free him. During the commotion that ensued, two individuals called Sleepy Polly and Daddy Walker helped Thornton escape to Canada. The Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Major General Sir John Colbourne, refused extradition back to the United States noting that a person could not steal himself. Once safely in Canada and reunited with his wife, Thornton settled in the new city of Toronto arriving in 1834 where he formed Toronto's first taxicab company. In 1999, the Canadian government designated the Blackburns "Persons of National Historic Significance" for their contribution to the growth of Toronto. In 2002 plaques in their honor were erected in Louisville, Kentucky and in Toronto. http://www.muddyyorktours.com/ Brave and Wonderful stories of individuals that made new lives for themselves in a new place. This is just one story and one of the sites we visited.
We finished with a wonderful dinner at 360, the restaurant at the CN Tower, http://www.cntower.com/. The CN Tower is the tallest freestanding building on land at 554.3 meters (1818 feet and 5 inches) With a rotating floor 360 offers excellent views of the city of Toronto and Lake Ontario. After dinner visit the observatory and the glass floor.
On our second day in Toronto we started at the St. Lawrence Market. In 1803, Lieutenant Governor Peter Hunter established a public marketplace here where farmers from nearby townships sold produce and livestock to residents of the town of York (now Toronto). A wooden building was constructed in 1820 and replaced in 1831 by a brick building, which was also used for city council meetings and was an important venue for many African Canadian activities in support of abolition and the welfare of refugee slaves in Toronto. The market expanded south of Front Street in 1844 with the construction of the Market House and City Hall. It was enlarged again in 1851 when the St. Lawrence Hall and Market was built north of Front Street. The market remains an important part of Ontario's commercial history.It was constructed in 1850. Today you can find meats, fruits, vegetables, condiments, clothing and just about anything. We stopped by the Carousel Bakery and tasted the Toronto favorite Pealmeal Bacon sandwich. Peameal Bacon is brine cured bacon that is coated in Cornmeal. It is then fried. This is so delicious. It is normally eaten with nothing on it but if you want a condiment it would be mustard. We tried it with a maple mustard. We also stopped by Kozliks Mustard shop and tasted his wide variety of mustard. From mild to xxx hot and sweet to savory. They even have a dry rub. Of course we purchased some mustard to take home.
We had to head back to The Intercontinental for our Broadcast.
After our broadcast we went to the ROM or Royal Ontario Museum. I love this museum. We first visited the museums restaurant C5 and had lunch. the atmosphere is excellent. It's on the top floor and the view of the city is beautiful. the food, atmosphere and service here is wonderful.
Our second visit at the ROM was Beyond the Rhythm: Caribana Art Exhibit. The collection of 50 canvases created by 25 artists of African Canadian heritage is fantastic. I could not help but notice the use of African American subjects in some of the pieces. The artists and artwork captured black history and interpretative art. Our last stop at the museum was the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. This is a fantastic exhibit and will be at the museum until January This is a must see!
From the museum we walked a bit along Queen Street and along the Mink Mile. Similar to the Magnificent Mile with high end shops, quaint cafes and the possibility of a star sighting or two.
After resting a bit at the hotel, we went to Pan Alive, a Steel Pan competition and part of the Caribana festivities. As we approached Lamport Stadium we could hear the steel drums and our hips started moving. The third group that played was our favorite the Hamilton Youth Steel Orchestra. They were awesome. They did a Michael Jackson selection Human Nature. It was beautiful and as expected they added a steel pan funky beat complete with a few dance moves. Their second piece was all Steel Pan, it was upbeat, energetic and fabulous and based on the crowds reaction was a an overall favorite.
We finished the night with dinner at The Real Jerk http://www.therealjerk.com/ , an authentic Jamaican Jerk restaurant. Opened in 1984 quickly established itself as a Toronto Landmark and voted Toronto's # 1 Caribbean restaurant by Now Magazine. I had the Jerk Chicken and Ribs, Gene had the Ackee and cod fish and Bonnie had the Red Snapper Esceviche. By the clean plates I can say with confidence that the food here is delicious. I was eating with my hands and licking my fingers.
Well it is now our final full day in Toronto and we are excited. We're going to the Caribana Parade. The official start time is 10am but we were given some inside information that it usually doesn't start until 12 - 12:40 and that's for the judging area. After the judging area they make their way onto the parade route. The parade goes into the early evening and boasts Caribbean music, drums, bands, kings and queens and lots of dancing! The parade is followed by Caribana After Parade Fusion at Lamport Staduim, an open air evening concert celebrating carnival music in all flavors. Sorry but we could not hang with evening concert. For all Caribana festivities go to http://www.caribanafestival.com/
After a few hours of the parade we needed a rest (we are not young whipper snappers anymore). We then went on the Toronto Hippo Tour. This is a great way to see Toronto by land and lake. Our hippo was called Harriette. The tour is one and a half hour long and is a great overview of the city and a good way to get the lay of the land.We started on Front Street, just 1/2 block from our hotel and entered Lake Ontario along Exhibit Place, where the Parade was held (the music was still going strong). http://www.torontohippotours.com/
Our final stop for the evening was the musical "The Harder They Come" based on the movie that made Jimmy Cliff a star and brought Jamaica's music to the world. Done in patoi, The Harder They Come gives an authentic view of a Jamaican country boy who dreams of becoming a star but when things don't work out as planned and times get hard turns to illegal activities that leads to him becoming an outlaw. This was so entertaining!
Bonnie was our photographer for the trip. Check out her photo show http://www.photoshow.com/watch/Vk2Pk7jy
We'd like to give a special thanks for Toronto Tourism for organizing a fabulous trip for us. Our expectations were exceeded. Toronto is a beautiful multi-cultural city. It's filled with history, the arts, culture and dining each representing every aspect of its many cultures. And let's not forget the shopping. We had an opportunity to visit a few neighborhoods and really got the feeling of the harmony that Toronto provides for all its citizens. Toronto is truly a destination we would visit again and again! www.seetorontonow.com
See ya!
Bonnie & Ja'Vonne
Friday, July 31, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Traveliong on a Budget
Hello Fellow World Travelers,
We all know that we are in tough ecconomic times. This does not have to mean that we don't do what we love and what we love is to Travel. Today on The Traveling Eye on 1690 WVON or www.wvon.com (11am - Noon Central Time) we are discussing ways to travel on a budget. We've traveled all around the world and here are some of our tips.
We all know that we are in tough ecconomic times. This does not have to mean that we don't do what we love and what we love is to Travel. Today on The Traveling Eye on 1690 WVON or www.wvon.com (11am - Noon Central Time) we are discussing ways to travel on a budget. We've traveled all around the world and here are some of our tips.
- While traveling in Europe and visiting 2 or more cities or countries one way to save is to take an overnight train to your next destination. There are several benefits to doing this.
Trains in Europe are often less expensive than air.
You’ll save on possible baggage charges
You’ll eliminate a nights hotel cost
You’ll add to your travel experience. - Look into what you can get for free
Frequent flyer or frequent stays – Don’t write off low points or mileage because you can use miles to reduce cost, for upgrades and you can also purchase miles.
Check out the city’s website for a list of free activities
Check with your credit card companies for programs, they sometimes offer discounts if you use the card or you may have a point program with them that can be used toward a frequent flyer or frequent stay program - When eating out there are several things you can do.
Ask locals where they eat, these places are often less expensive than the ones that target tourists
Ask the hotel or concierge for discount booklets, you can often find 2 for 1 or free appetizer or desert.
Look in the local paper for discounts and restaurant coupons
For lunch or a light dinner eat appetizers, especially in the US the portions are huge
Eat at the Bar, bar menus are often less expensive even in expensive restaurants, also some places still offer happy hour. - Use the city guide
For free activities
Passes, i.e. museum passes, park passes, dine arounds, etc - Plan a head, do your research and be flexible
Decide what to book in advance and what to book as you go.
For hotel accommodations stay just out of town or city limits (make sure you calculate and know transportation)
Travel off peak season, you don’t have to travel in the dead of winter but if you know the seasons this can mean just a week or even a day before or after peak season for the best rates.
Travel midweek instead of weekend if you can
Look for a hotel with a kitchen or kitchenette. This way you can make your own breakfast and stock your own snacks
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Bonnie's Royal Trip to Cancun
I just got back from spending 3 nights and 4 days at two of Real Resorts all-inclusive resorts. The resorts are properly named "The Royal" because you are treated like royalty during your stay there. Thirteen journalist, including myself, were invited to Cancun by Mr. Fernando Garcia, Director General President of Real Resorts to, not only experience the Real Resorts properties, but to see for ourselves that Mexico is safe for tourist travel.
I enjoyed my stay so much that I am going to relive my great experience and I am going to take you with me. Open the doors to your imagination and go back with me to Cancun, Mexico. Picture sunshine, palm trees, smiling faces and it is HOT! Are you with me? Great!
Day One: After landing in Cancun and going through customs, I read my instructions and headed for the Best Day Travel Shuttle where I was escorted to an air conditioned van, given a cold bottle of water, told to relax and enjoy the ride to Playa del Carmen. Sounded like a great plan to me, so I took in the sights along the way. After about 50 minutes, the van pulled into the drive of this gorgeous hotel.
Now, take a deep breath I need you to really envision this experience with me.
The van pulled under a beautiful stained glass canopy. The door to the van opened and a young man stood there with his hand over his heart, a tilt of his head, and a great smile and said, " Ola, Welcome to The Royal Playa del Carmen Hotel". As he helped me out of the van, another gentleman handed me a cool towel and I was offered a glass of champagne and a bottle of water. Okay, I was hooked.
I was then met by my host for the trip, Gayle MacIntyre, and in a matter of minutes I was checked in, booked a spa appointment and was headed to my room. I can hear you saying, "Bonnie, you were on a press trip, of course, your check in would be easy." In most cases yes, but I stepped back to watch the way other guests were being addressed and treated. There wasn't any difference in treatment. The staff were all very pleasant and I got the feeling that they truly mean, "welcome". A great thing about the Real Resorts is, you can pre-register for your room just like you can pre-check in for your flight. 48 hours before you are to arrive at a Real Resort, you can go on line and pick the room you would like, pre-register and when you get to the resort, you get our key and go to your room.
Okay, back on track. As I head to my room and look out over the lobby area, there isn't a back wall so you can see straight out, over the grounds and there it is, the ocean. It was wonderful. I tear myself away from the view and head to my room. Every room is suite. When I open the door there is a short entrance, the armour with the 29" flat screened satellite television and dvd/cd players with Bose speakers, the double jacuzzi, the royal bed with the pillow top mattress, and the sitting area. Did I mention the mini-bar that is stocked with snacks, water, beer, soft drinks and full bottle liquor cabinet? I stepped out on my balcony and I have the view of the pool and the ocean. Almost all of the balconies have a hammock that you can hook up, lie in and listen to the waves.
The resort has 6 restaurants not including 24 hour room service, 24 hour VIP lounge and the Royal Coffee house. We had our welcome group dinner at Asiana, the Asian fusion intimate dining experience. The food, atmosphere and service was fantastic.
I did notice that dinner is served rather late in Mexico. Our reservations were for 9 PM, you can imagine that after a full day of travel, after dinner I went straight to my room to lie on my pillow top mattress and between the fine high thread count linens. I was out like a light!
Day Two: I am refreshed, showered and ready for my 9 AM De-Tox Massage appointment, I head over to the resorts luxury spa named SPAzul. SPAzul is a eco-holistic Mayan-inspired, full service spa. I signed up for the De-Tox massage because I didn't have a clue what the experience would be. My therapist was Lucia and she explained that the de-tox massage would consist of long, smooth strokes on the body. I laid down on the table and let Lucia work her magic. Those of you who get massages on a regular basis know that if the therapist is good at what he or she does, there comes a time during the massage your whole body just gives up the stress and relaxes. I can tell you the exact moment Lucia had my body so relaxed I didn't want to get up from the table. It was a great experience.
The Royal resort is all-inclusive but SPAzul services are not included in the all-inclusive price.
At noon all the journalist met in the lobby of The Royal to go across the street to have lunch and tour the sister Real Resort property, The Gran Porto Real Resort and Spa. The Royal Resort is an Adult Only property. The guest must be 16 and up to stay there. The Gran Porto Real Resort is a family resort and welcomes families with children of all ages as well as couples and single travelers. The rooms range from standard to Jr. Suites to Gran Master Suites. The Gran Master top suites also offers full privileges at the Royal Resort.
The resort is really lovely and being a single adult, I was afraid that I would be overwhelmed with children being underfoot. The atmosphere isn't that way at all. There are lots of things for families to do as well as the single traveler. The children have Oki Kid Club for ages 4-12 where there are supervised activities and there is T-Zone club and video games for teenagers. They have babysitting services so mom and dad can have some time alone.
We had lunch at the Albatross restaurant which is a buffet. The food was very fresh and tasty. The desserts were really, really good.
We headed back across the street to The Royal, and discovered we had about 3 hours of free time before dinner. Yes, I know, we have been eating an awful lot. 3 other journalist, Kerry, Bob and Sandy, joined me for a quick walk along 5th Avenue. The town of Playa del Carmen is very quaint and inviting. You just walk out of the hotel and you are right in the heart of city. 5th Avenue is one block from the hotel and holds the pulse of Playa del Carmen. There are small shops, high end stores, restaurants, 7-11 stores, grocery stores, and Ja'Vonne will be happy to hear, a Starbucks. We had a great time just walking and taking things in. I noticed that the residents of the city that are selling their wares are not over bearing and I was quite comfortable walking the streets enjoying the experience.
It's our last night at The Royal resort Playa del Carmen and we take our farewell meal at the restaurant Maria Maria which specializes in upscale Mexican-French fusion cuisine. The food was so good. We had lamb and lobster. I am not a lamb person so I traded my lamb with my new friend Kerry for her lobster. Great deal! The atmosphere of Maria Maria reminded me of what I envisioned a Mexican hacienda would look like. The service was the best. We were so comfortable, the food was so good and the wine was so smooth that we ended up closing the place.
Great way to say goodbye to one of my now favorite resorts of all time.
Day Three: I got up early and went to lay out on the beach. We were leaving at noon for Cancun and I wanted to worship the sun little before we left. I need your imagination again. Picture walking along a path of greenery blocking your view of the ocean. You hear the deep tones of the waves hitting the beach but you can't see them. You walk the path and as it turns to the right you see the white caps of the waves coming in. You take off your shoes because you are now at the beach. The sand isn't hot, it is warm and soft. It is light tan in color and feels so good between your toes. You lie on a beach lounge and feel the sun gently flowing across your body, sort of like a sheet with a 2000 thread count. You intend to turn your ipod on but the sound of the waves lulls you into a calm and secure place. That is the feeling I had on the beach that day. (sigh)
At noon we pack up in the Best Day shuttle to head for The Royal Resort in Cancun. Before the doors are shut we are offered a cool towel, bottle of water, and with hand over heart, tilt of the head and a big smile on his face, the doorman bids us a safe trip and ask us to hurry back to The Resort Playa del Carmen.
Could it get any better than this? The answer is yes!
The Royal Resort in Cancun has a more urban, open, light feel than in Playa del Carmen. It is the youngest of the properties being only 2 years old. The service is the same great service and the amenities are the same great amenities. It is good to know that when you travel from resort to resort of the same company, you can expect the same great experience, with it yet being different.
We only had one day and night in Cancun so we hit the ground running. We check in with ease and headed over to the sister property which is also a family property, Gran Caribe Cancun. It is has mostly the same all inclusive package as the Gran Porto Real in Playa del Carmen with fabulous suites, restaurants and things for kids, teens and adults to do. It has a more urban feel to the property and seems to have more water slides for the kids and bars for the adults. One thing it has that you won't find on any of the other properties is a beautiful sanctioned Catholic Chapel that over looks the ocean.
My favorite and most memorable experience at The Royal Cancun was taking part in the traditional Mayan ritual of "Temazcal". One of the journalist on the trip, Karen, talked me into going through this experience. Some people call it the "steam hut" and that is a very good name for it. At 5PM we met at the hut. Our guide, who is said to be of Mayan descent, was preparing the hut. Imagination time again. Take a deep breath in, hold it, let it out slowly.
The "sweating hut" is the size of what we would think an igloo would be. There is a whole in the top of the hut and inside the hut there is hole in the ground. The structure itself is made of a hard substance, concrete maybe, and is tan in color. 3 of us have committed to go on this journey and when we reach the hut our guide is on top of it preparing for the ceremony that is performed before we enter. He has invited 4 dancers in traditional Mayan dress to start us on our journey. Our guide prepares an offering in a cup that has smoke rising from it. He and the two male dancers stand atop the hut. They offer the smoking cup to the 4 doors asking permission to enter. One of the men blows the conch shell and they offer the cup to the North, East, South and West. Our guide then comes down from the top of the hut and he takes each of us individually, asks us to spread our arms and he chants and takes the smoking cup and moves it around our bodies. It is now time to open the door to the hut and go in. The whole in the top is now covered, so it is dark. We make an offering of a pinch of tobacco in a burning bowl before we enter. We go in and walk to the left to our places. We sit, the door closes, it is dark and smoke rises from the whole in the ground filled with hot coals and herbs. We went through four doors, earth, wind, air, and fire before we ended our experience. I won't go into all that we did in that small, hot, hut but I can say when the door finally opened and we walked out, we had all released things that were holding us in a stagnant place. It was a wonderful experience. We all had to jump in a cold pool (IT WAS REALLY COLD!) to cool our bodies down.
We then went back to our rooms to get ready for the farewell dinner at Maria Maria's at The Royal Cancun.
The farewell dinner was special because we came to Cancun as 13 journalist from all over the country to write our various stories on the Real Resorts and Mexico. We left with most of us forming real friendships that will last a very long time. I met my friend from New York, Kerry who loved lamb, shared stories, and love food. My Temazcal Sisters, Karen and Elisa. We are so different but shared an experience that will tie us together forever. My North Carolina buddy Ramsey who has a crazy sense of humor and lovable smile. Ms. Rona from Austin, Texas. A motorcycle riding, rock climbing, Spa Specialist who lives in the moment. My first made friends from New Jersey, Bob (not Robert) and his wife and partner of 44 years, Sandy. They are a couple who opened their hearts, arms, and friendship to me. And last but not least,Gayle, our host. She is truly the best of the best. Not only did she act in her role as our host and made sure our trip was what it should have been, she became a great friend. Gayle, I am coming to Atlanta so have them all lined up for me.
With all that, the real highlight was meeting the man who created Real Resorts, Mr. Fernando Garcia. Mr. Garcia sat down with us and told us his story after some coaxing from us and his staff. He went to school and became an Engineer but at that time he was a Scuba teacher back in the early 80's and one day he was giving a tourist a lesson and the gentleman told him that he would love to go out and see the real Mexico but he didn't want to take one of those crowded tours. He told Mr. Garcia that he would pay $150 for the day. Mr. Garcia, being an educated man and with $150 equaling two day's pay, told the gentleman he would take him on a tour. After the day's tour the gentleman paid him $170. A new business was formed. In 1984, Mr. Garcia founded Best Day Tours. He entered hotel management in 1993 and launched Real Resorts.
I told you early how wonderful the service is in the resorts. I have to clarify, the people working there are not subservient, you are treated with the courtesy of a guest in their home. I sat back and watched how the workers of the hotel reacted when they thought no one was watching. The same as when I was standing in their face. They even great each other with smiles and the hand over the heart. I had to ask Mr. Garcia how he obtained this attitude. He said, "My philosophy is to always do things with love and help create jobs." He went on to say, "Do everything with love. Love to God, love to your family, to your hotel, to your co-workers, and love to tourists, it works!"
I hear the question in your minds, "All this is great but what about the Swine Flu? Is it safe to travel to Mexico?" I didn't have any problems. The hotels are very, very clean and the country is doing everything to promote it is safe to travel there. Mr. Garcia did not close any of his resorts nor did he lay off any of his employee during the flu crisis. The loyalty level at his resorts is sky high. He has offered that anyone who visits his resorts and is diagnosed with Swine Flu within 10 days of their stay will receive complimentary, same as, vacation for three years. So far, no one has claimed the offer.
Day Four: It's Friday, and my last day at The Royal Cancun. Today I am on the air live from the resort for our show The Traveling Eye. Ja'Vonne is in the Philippines and I am in Mexico. It is a first for us and I must say the show sounded great. I have to give big thanks to Jeannette Vasconcelos, Director of Marketing, for all her help making sure I was set up for the show and had all I needed to make it a success.
My transport for the hotel was at 1:45 and I was happy to see Rona was headed to the airport at the same time. As we pulled way from The Royal Cancun, the doorman had his hand over his heart, a tilt of the head and a smile on his face saying, "Come back and visit us soon."
I had a great time and I can't wait to go back again. The Royal Playa del Carmen is my favorite of the resorts with The Royal Cancun a close second. For more info on the Real Resorts you can check out their web site at www.realresorts.com
Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!
Bonnie
I enjoyed my stay so much that I am going to relive my great experience and I am going to take you with me. Open the doors to your imagination and go back with me to Cancun, Mexico. Picture sunshine, palm trees, smiling faces and it is HOT! Are you with me? Great!
Day One: After landing in Cancun and going through customs, I read my instructions and headed for the Best Day Travel Shuttle where I was escorted to an air conditioned van, given a cold bottle of water, told to relax and enjoy the ride to Playa del Carmen. Sounded like a great plan to me, so I took in the sights along the way. After about 50 minutes, the van pulled into the drive of this gorgeous hotel.
Now, take a deep breath I need you to really envision this experience with me.
The van pulled under a beautiful stained glass canopy. The door to the van opened and a young man stood there with his hand over his heart, a tilt of his head, and a great smile and said, " Ola, Welcome to The Royal Playa del Carmen Hotel". As he helped me out of the van, another gentleman handed me a cool towel and I was offered a glass of champagne and a bottle of water. Okay, I was hooked.
I was then met by my host for the trip, Gayle MacIntyre, and in a matter of minutes I was checked in, booked a spa appointment and was headed to my room. I can hear you saying, "Bonnie, you were on a press trip, of course, your check in would be easy." In most cases yes, but I stepped back to watch the way other guests were being addressed and treated. There wasn't any difference in treatment. The staff were all very pleasant and I got the feeling that they truly mean, "welcome". A great thing about the Real Resorts is, you can pre-register for your room just like you can pre-check in for your flight. 48 hours before you are to arrive at a Real Resort, you can go on line and pick the room you would like, pre-register and when you get to the resort, you get our key and go to your room.
Okay, back on track. As I head to my room and look out over the lobby area, there isn't a back wall so you can see straight out, over the grounds and there it is, the ocean. It was wonderful. I tear myself away from the view and head to my room. Every room is suite. When I open the door there is a short entrance, the armour with the 29" flat screened satellite television and dvd/cd players with Bose speakers, the double jacuzzi, the royal bed with the pillow top mattress, and the sitting area. Did I mention the mini-bar that is stocked with snacks, water, beer, soft drinks and full bottle liquor cabinet? I stepped out on my balcony and I have the view of the pool and the ocean. Almost all of the balconies have a hammock that you can hook up, lie in and listen to the waves.
The resort has 6 restaurants not including 24 hour room service, 24 hour VIP lounge and the Royal Coffee house. We had our welcome group dinner at Asiana, the Asian fusion intimate dining experience. The food, atmosphere and service was fantastic.
I did notice that dinner is served rather late in Mexico. Our reservations were for 9 PM, you can imagine that after a full day of travel, after dinner I went straight to my room to lie on my pillow top mattress and between the fine high thread count linens. I was out like a light!
Day Two: I am refreshed, showered and ready for my 9 AM De-Tox Massage appointment, I head over to the resorts luxury spa named SPAzul. SPAzul is a eco-holistic Mayan-inspired, full service spa. I signed up for the De-Tox massage because I didn't have a clue what the experience would be. My therapist was Lucia and she explained that the de-tox massage would consist of long, smooth strokes on the body. I laid down on the table and let Lucia work her magic. Those of you who get massages on a regular basis know that if the therapist is good at what he or she does, there comes a time during the massage your whole body just gives up the stress and relaxes. I can tell you the exact moment Lucia had my body so relaxed I didn't want to get up from the table. It was a great experience.
The Royal resort is all-inclusive but SPAzul services are not included in the all-inclusive price.
At noon all the journalist met in the lobby of The Royal to go across the street to have lunch and tour the sister Real Resort property, The Gran Porto Real Resort and Spa. The Royal Resort is an Adult Only property. The guest must be 16 and up to stay there. The Gran Porto Real Resort is a family resort and welcomes families with children of all ages as well as couples and single travelers. The rooms range from standard to Jr. Suites to Gran Master Suites. The Gran Master top suites also offers full privileges at the Royal Resort.
The resort is really lovely and being a single adult, I was afraid that I would be overwhelmed with children being underfoot. The atmosphere isn't that way at all. There are lots of things for families to do as well as the single traveler. The children have Oki Kid Club for ages 4-12 where there are supervised activities and there is T-Zone club and video games for teenagers. They have babysitting services so mom and dad can have some time alone.
We had lunch at the Albatross restaurant which is a buffet. The food was very fresh and tasty. The desserts were really, really good.
We headed back across the street to The Royal, and discovered we had about 3 hours of free time before dinner. Yes, I know, we have been eating an awful lot. 3 other journalist, Kerry, Bob and Sandy, joined me for a quick walk along 5th Avenue. The town of Playa del Carmen is very quaint and inviting. You just walk out of the hotel and you are right in the heart of city. 5th Avenue is one block from the hotel and holds the pulse of Playa del Carmen. There are small shops, high end stores, restaurants, 7-11 stores, grocery stores, and Ja'Vonne will be happy to hear, a Starbucks. We had a great time just walking and taking things in. I noticed that the residents of the city that are selling their wares are not over bearing and I was quite comfortable walking the streets enjoying the experience.
It's our last night at The Royal resort Playa del Carmen and we take our farewell meal at the restaurant Maria Maria which specializes in upscale Mexican-French fusion cuisine. The food was so good. We had lamb and lobster. I am not a lamb person so I traded my lamb with my new friend Kerry for her lobster. Great deal! The atmosphere of Maria Maria reminded me of what I envisioned a Mexican hacienda would look like. The service was the best. We were so comfortable, the food was so good and the wine was so smooth that we ended up closing the place.
Great way to say goodbye to one of my now favorite resorts of all time.
Day Three: I got up early and went to lay out on the beach. We were leaving at noon for Cancun and I wanted to worship the sun little before we left. I need your imagination again. Picture walking along a path of greenery blocking your view of the ocean. You hear the deep tones of the waves hitting the beach but you can't see them. You walk the path and as it turns to the right you see the white caps of the waves coming in. You take off your shoes because you are now at the beach. The sand isn't hot, it is warm and soft. It is light tan in color and feels so good between your toes. You lie on a beach lounge and feel the sun gently flowing across your body, sort of like a sheet with a 2000 thread count. You intend to turn your ipod on but the sound of the waves lulls you into a calm and secure place. That is the feeling I had on the beach that day. (sigh)
At noon we pack up in the Best Day shuttle to head for The Royal Resort in Cancun. Before the doors are shut we are offered a cool towel, bottle of water, and with hand over heart, tilt of the head and a big smile on his face, the doorman bids us a safe trip and ask us to hurry back to The Resort Playa del Carmen.
Could it get any better than this? The answer is yes!
The Royal Resort in Cancun has a more urban, open, light feel than in Playa del Carmen. It is the youngest of the properties being only 2 years old. The service is the same great service and the amenities are the same great amenities. It is good to know that when you travel from resort to resort of the same company, you can expect the same great experience, with it yet being different.
We only had one day and night in Cancun so we hit the ground running. We check in with ease and headed over to the sister property which is also a family property, Gran Caribe Cancun. It is has mostly the same all inclusive package as the Gran Porto Real in Playa del Carmen with fabulous suites, restaurants and things for kids, teens and adults to do. It has a more urban feel to the property and seems to have more water slides for the kids and bars for the adults. One thing it has that you won't find on any of the other properties is a beautiful sanctioned Catholic Chapel that over looks the ocean.
My favorite and most memorable experience at The Royal Cancun was taking part in the traditional Mayan ritual of "Temazcal". One of the journalist on the trip, Karen, talked me into going through this experience. Some people call it the "steam hut" and that is a very good name for it. At 5PM we met at the hut. Our guide, who is said to be of Mayan descent, was preparing the hut. Imagination time again. Take a deep breath in, hold it, let it out slowly.
The "sweating hut" is the size of what we would think an igloo would be. There is a whole in the top of the hut and inside the hut there is hole in the ground. The structure itself is made of a hard substance, concrete maybe, and is tan in color. 3 of us have committed to go on this journey and when we reach the hut our guide is on top of it preparing for the ceremony that is performed before we enter. He has invited 4 dancers in traditional Mayan dress to start us on our journey. Our guide prepares an offering in a cup that has smoke rising from it. He and the two male dancers stand atop the hut. They offer the smoking cup to the 4 doors asking permission to enter. One of the men blows the conch shell and they offer the cup to the North, East, South and West. Our guide then comes down from the top of the hut and he takes each of us individually, asks us to spread our arms and he chants and takes the smoking cup and moves it around our bodies. It is now time to open the door to the hut and go in. The whole in the top is now covered, so it is dark. We make an offering of a pinch of tobacco in a burning bowl before we enter. We go in and walk to the left to our places. We sit, the door closes, it is dark and smoke rises from the whole in the ground filled with hot coals and herbs. We went through four doors, earth, wind, air, and fire before we ended our experience. I won't go into all that we did in that small, hot, hut but I can say when the door finally opened and we walked out, we had all released things that were holding us in a stagnant place. It was a wonderful experience. We all had to jump in a cold pool (IT WAS REALLY COLD!) to cool our bodies down.
We then went back to our rooms to get ready for the farewell dinner at Maria Maria's at The Royal Cancun.
The farewell dinner was special because we came to Cancun as 13 journalist from all over the country to write our various stories on the Real Resorts and Mexico. We left with most of us forming real friendships that will last a very long time. I met my friend from New York, Kerry who loved lamb, shared stories, and love food. My Temazcal Sisters, Karen and Elisa. We are so different but shared an experience that will tie us together forever. My North Carolina buddy Ramsey who has a crazy sense of humor and lovable smile. Ms. Rona from Austin, Texas. A motorcycle riding, rock climbing, Spa Specialist who lives in the moment. My first made friends from New Jersey, Bob (not Robert) and his wife and partner of 44 years, Sandy. They are a couple who opened their hearts, arms, and friendship to me. And last but not least,Gayle, our host. She is truly the best of the best. Not only did she act in her role as our host and made sure our trip was what it should have been, she became a great friend. Gayle, I am coming to Atlanta so have them all lined up for me.
With all that, the real highlight was meeting the man who created Real Resorts, Mr. Fernando Garcia. Mr. Garcia sat down with us and told us his story after some coaxing from us and his staff. He went to school and became an Engineer but at that time he was a Scuba teacher back in the early 80's and one day he was giving a tourist a lesson and the gentleman told him that he would love to go out and see the real Mexico but he didn't want to take one of those crowded tours. He told Mr. Garcia that he would pay $150 for the day. Mr. Garcia, being an educated man and with $150 equaling two day's pay, told the gentleman he would take him on a tour. After the day's tour the gentleman paid him $170. A new business was formed. In 1984, Mr. Garcia founded Best Day Tours. He entered hotel management in 1993 and launched Real Resorts.
I told you early how wonderful the service is in the resorts. I have to clarify, the people working there are not subservient, you are treated with the courtesy of a guest in their home. I sat back and watched how the workers of the hotel reacted when they thought no one was watching. The same as when I was standing in their face. They even great each other with smiles and the hand over the heart. I had to ask Mr. Garcia how he obtained this attitude. He said, "My philosophy is to always do things with love and help create jobs." He went on to say, "Do everything with love. Love to God, love to your family, to your hotel, to your co-workers, and love to tourists, it works!"
I hear the question in your minds, "All this is great but what about the Swine Flu? Is it safe to travel to Mexico?" I didn't have any problems. The hotels are very, very clean and the country is doing everything to promote it is safe to travel there. Mr. Garcia did not close any of his resorts nor did he lay off any of his employee during the flu crisis. The loyalty level at his resorts is sky high. He has offered that anyone who visits his resorts and is diagnosed with Swine Flu within 10 days of their stay will receive complimentary, same as, vacation for three years. So far, no one has claimed the offer.
Day Four: It's Friday, and my last day at The Royal Cancun. Today I am on the air live from the resort for our show The Traveling Eye. Ja'Vonne is in the Philippines and I am in Mexico. It is a first for us and I must say the show sounded great. I have to give big thanks to Jeannette Vasconcelos, Director of Marketing, for all her help making sure I was set up for the show and had all I needed to make it a success.
My transport for the hotel was at 1:45 and I was happy to see Rona was headed to the airport at the same time. As we pulled way from The Royal Cancun, the doorman had his hand over his heart, a tilt of the head and a smile on his face saying, "Come back and visit us soon."
I had a great time and I can't wait to go back again. The Royal Playa del Carmen is my favorite of the resorts with The Royal Cancun a close second. For more info on the Real Resorts you can check out their web site at www.realresorts.com
Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!
Bonnie
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