Oh Mexico, It Sounds So Sweet with the Sun Sinking Low

Our cruise stopped in two different ports in Mexico.  The first was Progreso.  For the record, there are two or three Progresos in Mexico and this was NOT the one on the border.  It was, however, a different world from places like Cozumel and Cancun.



When we were planning the trip, I perused message boards to find the best things to do in Progreso.  I figured that we could ride a tour bus into town where we'd find some shopping and then meander on down to the beach.  While on the boat, though, we decided to book an excursion and ended up doing the Coronoa Beach Party.



Best.Idea.Ever.

For two reasons.

First off, OPEN BAR.

Second, Progreso is . . . well, like I said previously, it's not Cozumel or Cancun or any other crazy touristy place.  It is Mexico.  Every police officer we saw (and we saw several) was armed with a machine gun.  Honestly, I wouldn't have felt safe if we were "on our own" and not with the excursion. 

Our tour guide was a guy named Alan and he was awesome.  He and the driver of our (air conditioned) charter bus took us on a little tour of the city before arriving at the beach.  We were there two weeks ago today.  As we drove around the tiny little town square, we saw people putting up Christmas decorations.  Yet it was nearly 90 degrees outside.  Alan informed us that it was winter there and most of them thought the weather was cold!  I KNOW!  To me, it was Heaven.  I love me some 80's and I love me some beach.

Now . . . Progreso.  It is on the Gulf so the beaches look more like what you'd find in Texas or Alabama than the crystal blue water and sugar white sand of the beaches.  We didn't spend much time in the water.  We mostly soaked up the sun, enjoyed that fabulous open bar, took advantage of their free wifi (!!!!!), snacked on nachos and some super delicious pico, and made friends with a couple there who had the good fortune of being from Arkansas.

I cannot say enough nice things about the Corona Beach Party.  If you ever take a Carnival cruise to Progreso, this is definitely the excursion to book.  It was relatively cheap ($40 per person) compared to other excursions and especially with everything involved.  The drinks were good, the food was good, and the staff was great.  There were different beach games but none of the high pressure "must do this, must do this."  It was just . . . it was great.

Once we arrived back to the port area of we hit up a few shops and I discovered that there is no way I can ever, ever hate on Progreso:

That's right!  Them bitches know where it's at!

WOO PIG SOIEEE!

Honeymoon: Take One

Today the husband and I are here:

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And I'm probably humming "toes in the water, ass in the sand" while my toes ARE in the water and my ass IS in the sand.  And I'm probably missing my kids but still not wanting to leave that little bit of paradise.  Ahhhh.

Since we're on Honeymoon: Take Two, I thought I'd use today to share a few pictures from our Honeymoon: Take One.

Four years ago, right around this time of year, we spent a few days in southern California and Las Vegas.  We spent a night in Hollywood, went to Knott's Berry Farm, saw the sights of Vegas, caught a Clippers game, and checked out the Santa Monica Pier.

Knott's Berry Farm

While we were here - at an amusement park sans kids! - I drug Eddie on every single roller coaster and thrill ride they had.  It was the last time I rode a roller coaster that didn't have cars shaped like shoes or feature Goofy.  Sigh.

 

Oh, Vegas.  I heart you.

 

 

We drove from Vegas to LA the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  Biggest mistake ever.  HOLY TRAFFIC, BATMAN.  I spent the time taking roughly 934923092 pictures through the Mojave Desert.

 

Clippers game!

 

At the Staples Center

 

Our last night, we still hadn't made it to the ocean.  I had seen Wilshire Blvd and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  I had eaten an In-n-Out burger (sorry, California folk but NO THANK YOU) and Roscoe's chicken and waffles.  I had experienced LA traffic.  But I hadn't dipped my toes in the Pacific and I wasn't going home until I did.  Even though we only had a few hours until we had to catch our plane, we made our way over to the Santa Monica Pier and I was finally able to say I'd been to the Pacific Ocean!





 

Now, here's hoping for this trip we've managed to get more pictures of the two of us together!

Coast to Coast 2012: BEACH!

I'm not sure how it's possible that I ended up in a landlocked state when I love the beach so much.  I mean, really.  It's cruel to be so separated from salt water!

On our last full day in California, we went to Newport Beach for sun and waves.  This was my first actual beach experience with the Pacific.  I've been to Santa Monica Pier before and I have dipped my toes in the San Francisco Bay.  But this was my first time to head to a California beach, spread a towel on the sand, and prepare to splash in the waves.

Too bad the water was way too cold to even BEGIN to think about splashing in the waves!

Jaidan is a little beach bum.  He experienced the ocean for the first time when he was two, when we went to Padre Island, Texas, for Spring Break.  Even then he couldn't get enough of the sand and the waves.  I knew he was going to feel right at home on this beach trip.

I wasn't so sure about Kyan and Karis though.  Kyan because he wasn't a big fan of the beach during our trip to Hilton Head last summer.  And Karis because, well, she's two.  Who knows with her.  About anything.  Ever.  This summer though?  Kyan had the time of his life!  He loved splashing in the waves -- we could not keep the boy out of the water.  And it took Karis a bit to warm up but, when she did, she loved running from the waves.

Starfish!  So neat!

We're so proud of this shot!  We managed to get one where every single one of us got air!

I wanted to do our beach day on our last day so we could sort of unwind from the craziness of Disney.  And it turned out to be a great idea.  It was tame but also fun and just the ultimate way to end our time in California.