Cooper & Spicy's Kingdom : Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, including doggie dads. For once, Russell actually woke up Cooper this morning as opposed to the other way around.....he was anxious to get his kisses! A loving Father's Day wish to my papa and to Russell's dad who is no longer with us, but watches over us.

So, here we are, back in Huntsville, after a wonderful holiday at the Royal Hideway Playacar, in Playa Del Carmen. This was our first time in Mayan Riviera and we were not disappointed. After two days of rain, thanks to Tropical Storm Carlos, we had nothing but sunshine for the rest of the week. We weren't half way through our vacation that we were already talking about going back next Winter. Lori, you were spot on when you described the hotel. I could go on an on about it but I will refrain from doing so. This is a blog, not a book. Instead, I will give you the highlights of this incredible resort.

First, it is not a huge resort, only 200 rooms so no wrist band required. Adults only. Long wide beach. The service is excellent, it is very clean, the staff is super friendly and polite. Each villa has a concierge who's job is to take care of our every need. Incredibly, after a day or so, every staff member knew our name. We were not just a "room number". We were Mr & Mrs Duncan everywhere we went. I would refer to the food as fine dining. The presentations were quite spectacular and the portions not too large. As a matter of fact, I would say that if someone has a big appetite, the portions may not be big enough. But since it is all inclusive, people can always order more food. We had dinner one night at Las Ventanas and took pictures of our food just for the fun of it. I include one of them just to show you. This was Russell's appetizer called "A little salad of duck magret baked in fleur de sel crust, orange compote and pistachios". Very delicious.

Some of the little things that the staff does throughout the day: at 11 AM, by the poolside, they offer small skewers of big crunchy and cold red grapes. Very refreshing! They also offer the use of sunscreen if anyone needs more. In the afternoon, a refreshing and scented face cloth...to wipe away the sweat or whatever. Regardless, a very nice touch. Throughout the day, by the poolside, they are activities coordinated by the pool staff, Sergio and Carlos. Whether people wish to participate or not, they are truly entertaining and fun to watch. Those two are clowns and truly enjoyable.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how enjoyable it was to have a Bellini by the poolside every morning, around 11:00 ish. That would make it noon, Canada time, right? So it's perfectly all right!

I would also be remiss if I didn't say that we missed our Cooper but we were in touch with him through Darlah's blog. He had a wonderful time and even went swimming. Nathan was ever so gentle with him when he took him to the pool. Our hearts just melted when we saw the video. He also had his coat thinned out, first time ever. I include a picture, which represents only one batch of hair, out of three. Darlah did an amazing job, albeit a big one. He looked wonderful when we picked him up and he was oh so happy to see us.

I think that's it for this week's blog. It's a tad longer than normal but I have a lot to write about. This coming week is super busy for us. Tomorrow, Darlah, Nathan and three of their dogs are coming over for lunch. It will be so much fun and Cooper gets to see some of his Talemaker friends again. Who knows, they may even see a deer or two. Then, I have a few medical appointments to get ready for my yearly physical in two weeks (yikes).

Before I end, I big thank you to Terri for watering our plants while we were gone. Everything looked so lush and green when we returned. I wish you all a great week. I am posting a lot of pics. Hope you enjoy them. Good to be home!