One Week in Paradise!!!

We just got home from a vacation in Playa Del Carmen (AKA paradise)! We were gone for 7 days and each day was a blast. Some of our best friends went with us which made it even better. Steph and Jeff.

Everyday we went to sleep with our window open because it opened up to the beach and it was so peaceful to fall asleep to. We would usually wake up and just play all day in the ocean and pool. We would go Kayaking, read, play games.... basically everything relaxing that you just love doing. It was a beach day each and every other day. PERFECT! Plus the water was turquoise and you could see everything around you. So if anything was swimming with us we could see it. Pretty awesome.

Each night we would stroll 5th Avenue, find a restaurant to eat dinner at and stroll around. It was great!!!! (We all got pretty burnt as you tell!)

Jeff and Nick at the greatest restaurant!!! At least going in..... It was horrible going out.

Steph and I were so burned! But we had so much fun. I promise we put on sunscreen multiple times and still look what happens. One day we went to Xcaret. It is half a marine zoo and have entertainment. It is pretty awesome. The views are gorgeous everywhere in Playa Del Carmen! (It is EXTREMELY humid there so basically my hair was curly sue all week)

We were able to go to the Mayan Ruins. It was AMAZING! They even had LDS guides. We saw a guide wearing a "BYU" hat (WOO HOO!) and oh course we all say "Go BYU!" He told us he does a tour based upon the teachings of the Book Of Mormon. We were so excited and he said he would give us a tour after he did an Italian one but each tour is about 2 hours so we would of had to wait quite some time. We didn't end up finding him so we toured it ourselves. Here Nick is where you can see most of the ruins.

Isn't this Ocean the most beautiful thing! This is why we went here for a week. The water was so warm. OOOOODA LAWLEEEEE!

You cannot really see, but behind us is where the Mayans would sacrifice people. They would lay across this alter and then chop their head off or cut their heart out and let it roll down the huge pyramid like ruin. Gross but interesting.

We were guessing the Mayans were pretty small people because their door ways were just a smidgen smaller than Nick and I! We could of been perfect sized Mayans.

This photo is great because look at the guy next to me. Awesome.

When we would go Kayaking, we would go way way out into the dark dark blue part of the ocean and you could still see all the way to the bottom. Nick even saw some turtles. It was so cool.

This is what Nick's lips look like when I am done giving him smooches.

This little area was the neatest place with all the floors made artistically with broken tiles.

We were imitating blow fish. How do you think we did?

Each day we came back to our room.... the towels were made in creative shapes and animals. They made us an elephant and some swans as well. It was VERY neat.

Nicholas challenged me on this rope at Xcaret and being as competitive as I am, I took it! I felt like I ripped or tore my rotating cuff but guess what? I did not lose!!!! Neither did he. haha.

The whole gang at a yummy restaurant. Jeff's dinner came on fire and a pineapple made into a little man.

So.... that drink in front of me.... its a Pinata!! (virgin Pina Colada's are called Pinatas) Basically I had tons of them while we were there. This one was almost bigger than my head! That is pretty big, considering most people think I am head heavy.

Nicholas found his perfect size stool to go along with his perfect size guitar.

Anybody want to dance? OLE!

Honestly..... besides are skin.... we are practically native.

Nick and I won a shirt in this contest. Here's the shirt.

Nick when he was going up and getting it. I was of course really loud and embarrassing as I can be.

We were so happy to be where we were. You cannot see the background but imagine it was gorgeous and that is exactly how it was.

This was our view from our room. The sun came up about 5:30AM and because we slept with our window open all night we usually woke up pretty early.... or Nick did and when I woke up around 6:30AM and rolled over his eyes would be WIDE OPEN and he would say "GOOD MORNING! I am so glad you are up!"

One of the greatest parts of our trip was when I swam with the dolphins. Dolphins are my favorite animals and I have always dreamed and wanted to be a trainer. Nick so kindly let me buy the ultimate package with swimming with the dolphins. Only one other girl from France did the same thing. We were two girls in a huge pool swimming with two dolphins. I was able to swim with dolphins before in Florida, but it was nothing like this.

Two dolphins are actually pushing me all along the tank/pool (whatever you call it). It was so much fun. I was squealing and laughing the whole time. I was able to do this a couple of times.

The best part was just loving, touching, feeding and actually swimming with them for one hour. Nick definitely made one of my ultimate dreams come true. I was the happiest girl on earth. The trainers kept laughing at me and saying I was so happy and that they never had seen someone so happy while doing this. (They probably thought I was nuts.... I was as if I were a child all over again in a candy store)

Playa Del Carmen was paradise for a week. I was so sad when we left. I was happy to go home, but we were having so much fun and I didn't want it to end.

This was crazy because we are both from California and we are both used to seeing the sun look like it goes into the ocean at sunset. This picture was taken around sunset and it was interesting not to see that for the first time. We loved it here and really want to go back some time.