When it came to deciding where to go for our second week of vacation this year, Mexico was on our list. It wasn't that far away - about a 4.5 hour plane ride, it was warm, affordable and we did get married there ourselves only 10 short years ago. We made a plan to have a luxurious Mayan Riviera holiday and attend Britney's wedding while we were there.
On Thursday Nov 28th, my parents arrived in Calgary to watch Brandon for us one last time (Jamie and I have decided we'll celebrate family holidays from now on). Early Friday morning, my Dad drove us to the airport and we were on our way. Upon arrival, as planned, a beautiful Cadillac Escalade was waiting to pick us up. I knew right then that this was going to be a fabulous holiday.
The ride to our resort - The Secrets Maroma - was only a quick 40 minute drive away. Admittedly the resort didn't look that impressive when we pulled up but the bell boy opened my door and said "Welcome home Señora Fontaine" and I was hooked. Because we booked "the Preferred Club" they quickly whisked us away in a golf cart and took us to a separate lounge where check-in was effortless. After the paperwork and with a glass of champagne in hand, our personal concierge Fabiola showed us to our room. For this trip we decided to book a swim-out suite. Our room was beautiful and the swim-out was everything I hoped it would be, which was warm and mostly private.
From then onwards our trip was just a lovely experience. The resort itself was large, clean and well laid out. Our building was in the perfect location - close to the beach, the pools and the Preferred Club lounge (where they made the best cappuccinos ever!) The resort was adult only and very quiet. Most people there were celebrating an anniversary or a honeymoon and it lacked a party vibe. Not to say this resort was boring because it wasn't. While there we had an amazing couples massage, we enjoyed private beach cabanas, we saw two very good shows, ate at Mexican fiesta night, met other nice couples, and danced at the disco.
What sets this resort apart from others is not the outstanding service or truly wonderful food but rather the beach it sits on. Maroma Beach has been voted one of the world's top ten beaches and it's easy to see why. The sand was white and sugar-soft. It also stretched as far as you cared to go either on land or in the sea. Oh and the water! So warm and the most beautiful turquoise blue. Jamie and I spent a lot of time either playing in the water or staring at it :-)
The day of our anniversary was on a Wednesday. We celebrated 10 years by renting a private beach cabana for the day. The day was lovely and warm and the service we received from staff was wonderful. That evening we got all dressed up and headed out for dinner at the French restaurant. We ordered a nice bottle of Mexican wine (who knew they made wine?) and chatted about our amazing holiday and how relaxed we felt. After dinner we watched a rock show in the theatre that was surprisingly good. Later we went back to our room and swam in the pool, enjoying the stars while drinking champagne. Did I mention I also received a gorgeous ring as a gift from my thoughtful husband? Yep it was a wonderful day.
The next day was Britney's wedding. We left our resort to see her get married at the Dreams Puerto Adventuras - about 45 minutes away. The day was hot and the wedding gazebo was perfectly set on the beach. She made a beautiful bride and her ceremony was short and sweet. After the vows and some cake, Jamie and I grabbed some lunch while family photos were being taken. Around 3:30 we made our way to the lobby for a surprise reception. We all climbed into a shuttle and headed back to Maroma Beach (yah for us) to enjoy a sunset cruise catamaran boat ride. It was truly a lovely experience. As the sun set, we sipped on wine and enjoyed some tapas while we sailed right passed our resort. After the cruise we dined on a private beach beside the marina. Speeches and the first dance followed and then all-too-soon, it was over. Jamie and I grabbed a cab back to our resort and enjoyed another late night swim in our pool.
The morning saw us one last time at the beach where I tried desperately to ingrain the smell, the heat, the sound of the waves and the feel of the sand into my memory. I must have done a good job because if I close my eyes and concentrate I can take myself back there and, for a minute, feel as content as I did for those few special days.
A special thanks goes out to my parents for being good sports and taking care of Brandon for us. Apparently it was a terribly cold week in Calgary and shovelling snow ended up being on the agenda. Sorry!
I'd also like to give a heart-felt thank you to my husband of 10 years. Thank you for your love, your friendship, your patience, your acceptance and your never-ending support of me. When I'm with you I feel like a better version of myself - a better mother, a better friend, a better person. The past 10 years have seen us blessed with great jobs, a nice home, wonderful friends and a beautiful family. May we always be so happy and so blessed. I loved you the day I married you, I love you today, I will love you always. Thanks for loving me ~ your Jen xo
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