Monday, September 13, 2010

Take a look, honey.

I'm home now and it's a little bit more depressing to blog about the fun I already had back in the Bahamas while sitting at home in Seattle, but I want to remember everything so I am going to force myself through it. And besides, being back in Seattle isn't so bad. I went to a lovely wedding the other day, for my friends David Wood and Justine Kondrat, and it was my second wedding joining people I met on the Internet. I really, really love my life and the people in it. So anyway. More fun in the sun adventure blogging time. Here goes.

Wednesday of our trip was another day spent sleeping in, which turned out to be the theme for the whole week. We rolled out of bed again sometime around 11, and after eating a quick breakfast, ventured out of the hotel resort for the first time since we arrived. We took a taxi shuttle into town, passing by loads of brightly colored, old, interesting buildings. We showed up on the main street and hit up all the necessary places - the Bacardi rum store, various makeup outlets (things are cheap there!) and a whole den of marketplace style booths with women selling hand woven baskets and bracelets and all sorts of little nicknacks. They kept telling us to "take a look, honey", so you can bet we hurried out of there as quickly as we could.

The highlight of our day was going to Señor Frogs. If you've never been to one; it's essentially a Mexican Restaurant they have all over in tropical locations that boast their highly inappropriate atmosphere. The music is loud, the food is good, the clown makes you balloon hats while you're eating and if you get in the conga line, the waitresses will pour free shots of strawberry tequila in your mouth. We had an absolute blast having lunch there, right on the deck beside the clear blue water.

We made friends with some boys at the table next to us who were stopping in as an excursion from their cruise ship. Much to their delight we got the clown to make them balloon hats to match ours, and ended up combining tables and hanging out with them for the remainder of our lunch. I love making friends in new places when I travel; even if your lives and stories only overlap for an hour or two, like with our Señor Frogs buddies, it just makes everyone's lives a little more exciting.

After heading back to the Atlantis we spent a good portion of the afternoon back on the watersides, signed up for a Snorkeling trip, and then had dinner in a cute little deli. That night we didn't have any big plans ahead of us so we decided to finally go out to the beach (because what's cooler than walking along a beach at night?). There was a straight shot to the beach if we'd exited the hotel out the door on the right, but we instead chose the door on the left, through the aquarium. We got lost for a good while in the caves (which was kind of scary at night actually) so we turned it into a night photoshoot, taking silhouette style pictures in front of the glass and generally being silly in the empty halls.

When we finally made it to the beach, I just stood staring out at the black night over the shores for awhile. I'm not really sure when it happened, or what exactly the cosmic link is, but I am, without a doubt, a lover of the water. I was raised going to the beach, going clam-digging, boating and so forth, and nothing makes me feel more connected to our planet than standing at the edge of the water, sand beneath my toes and waves lapping up over my feet. Staring out at the horizon and knowing it goes on further than my brain can even comprehend.

The water was so warm, too, for being the ocean. I've always heard the term "the water was so warm it felt like bathwater" being said about places like this, and I scoffed. Being from the Northwest, feeling the water from the Pacific Ocean and shivering with the memory; it was hard to imagine any natural body of water feeling like bathwater. But it did. It really did. I'm getting a little sappy even thinking about it now, but it was just so beautiful there. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to experience it.

Last google search: no internet there
Chipotle burritos: 20

11 comments:

Qwertz said...

Wow, I'm so happy for you to have had so much fun on the trip! And the post-luxury depression always catches up with us just when we get home and put all the pretty clothes in the wash, doesn't it?

I'm very much of a water person, too. Well, not as much water, maybe, but sea and ocean. If the water has waves, I'm probably going to fall in love with it and insist on swimming. Or at least dipping my hand in it, if it's that cold. It's just so calming to be in contact with it... Who'd believe it's just three atoms stuck together at an appropriate angle?

Anonymous said...

Loving the continually awesome adventures of an awesome girl in an awesome place, keep it up. I know you feel a bit depressed now but in time to come those photos and this blog will make you smile and relive those times that you had there. :)

Victoria said...

Wow, Kristina, thank you for this post. I am kind of jelous of all the adventures, but you've definitely earned it. And you're incredibly good at describing the feeling of it all - so much so, that it almost feels like I was there when I read your blog. Or maybe I just have an overactive imagination... Anyway, this comment may sound a bit pathetic, but really - thank you for sharing part of your life. Too sappy?

Kylie said...

It sounds like you had an amazing time!
I'd love to see pictures from your impromptu photo shoot too :)

elfarmy17 said...

Oh I SO know what you mean about feeling connected to the planet while at the beach. I feel so inspired and alive while looking out over the water alone, especially at night. Also, stuff like this: http://elfarmywrites.blogspot.com/2010/08/writing-vs-life-part-2.html comes from it.
Two nights ago I had a dream I played "Santa Don't Judge Me" for you and you said it was good and gave me some candy. You were also green, which was weird. The thing was, me dream-playing it was the WORST playing of it I've ever done.
It's the first wrock song I ever learned to play, though.

seurat2 said...

I feel exactly the same about the ocean, and if no sea or ocean is available I will happily settle for a lake or river. Still haven't had the warm as bathwater ocean experience yet, I look forward to it. Glad to hear you had such fun and I will be waiting to see a video.

Crystal's Blog said...

Kristina,
That sounds like a blast. All of my friends who have been to Cancun, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas have had the same experiences at Senor Frogs! Well, similar anyway. I've never been but sounds like a must-do. Adios!

Unknown said...

It sounds like your trip was wonderful. I'm a bit jealous as I've jut start university and a vacation like that would be the perfect thing right about now, haha. :P
During spring break last year I went on a cruise with a bunch of my friends. One stop was Cozumel, Mexco and where did we go? Senor Frogs. Yep. Two adults, six underage girls. For me, as someone who doesn't drink alcohol, it was a bit awkward. But it was also really funny to watch some of the people there. :P But all we had come there for was food and we found that they only had appetizers. I'm thinking that in the lower part they had meals, but no one thought about that at the time. Oh well. It was certainly an adventure. :P

Me said...

Hey Kristina! I am a HUMONGOUS FAN of All Caps and I love your you tube channel! Check out my blog at www.doubleefashion.blogspot.com
Thank you so much! :)

la de lentes said...

hey kristina! i've been reading your blog since 2008... it's been quite a ride, i'm sure. just wanted to send some hugs and let you know how much you've inspired so many of us... keep up the good job :)

Joey said...

ZOMG! I am a TOTAL lover of water. I too never realised it till I was in high school... I was brought up in Dubai and after immediately after high school during the break between high school and university I had taken up this job as an Office Admin for like a month and a half... I used to walk home almost every day in the blazing hot middle east sun just so that I could cross this bridge. Which was like a flyover over the Dubai creek and the thing is that under the bridge on either end were these small balcony like things where you could just go and stand and watch the water. I remember standing there for at least half an hour everyday and I used to watch the fish in the water and there also used to be these little crawly crabs that used to cling onto the walls of the rocks where the waves used to hit them... It was sooo beautiful... I used to plug in some James Blunt (It was 2005 :P) or Vanessa Carlton and just spend time in solitude there...

I totally get how you feel... And the above info is waaaaaaaaaay above the required limit.

But yeah... Water lover here too!!!