Beau and I took a wonderful babymoon.
We were toying with the idea of going away while we still can, but nothing really came to fruition. As the days leading to the week we decided would be best crept up, I started to worry that we were just going to call it a wash and stay at home. Fortunately, beau is an expert last minute planner and found a wonderful resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and booked it lickety-spit.
So, on Tuesday morning when the temperatures here were in the high 30's, we hopped on a plane headed south. We arrived in balmy Punta Cana in the afternoon and were so, so, so excited to be getting away together.
We went to the all inclusive Paradisus Punta Cana and enjoyed our four nights away thoroughly. The one thing I forgot to do before leaving home was charge the camera, so I was a little stingy with the photos. I wish there were more, but you'll get the idea from these. (Two nights before departure we discussed how anti-photo we both are and how we need to step it up to chronicle this babymoon. Figures.)
Here's what we arrived to.
The lobby has these raised wooden pathways over koi ponds. It was all open and breezy. Over to the left was the check-in, and over to the right was the lobby bar and seating area. We were greeted by a very freindly staff member who upgraded our room to a beach-front building near the pool and dining area so that we (read: I, the pregnant woman) wouldn't have to walk far to get to all of the important areas. A waitress soon brought us two non-alcoholic, tropical beverages to welcome us. Clearly we had arrived in paradise. The name of the resort is no accident.
Our room was absolutely lovely. I, of course didn't take any pictures of it, but thanks to the resort website, I can share our garden view room with you.
The weather wasn't perfect while we were there. The first full day we were there was too windy to sit on the beach. (I tried and got sandblasted...) The second day we woke to rain, but by the time breakfast was done and we went for a short walk, the weather was perfect. (When I say we went for a walk I mean we walked to the gym where beau worked out and I got kicked out because I didn't have a doctor's note allowing me to work out. I then took a nice long a walk around the resort to get some exercise.) By then the weather was pool\beach worthy and that is where we spent a good amount of our time.
Isn't beau about the cutest thing you've ever seen?
There are multiple pools on the resort, but this one is a meandering lagoon type pool that I enjoyed greatly. There are plenty of sunny spots to sunbathe, and when that gets to be too much, there are tons of shaded and covered areas to lounge and read.
I flaunted my preggo belly in a bikini. I thought I might be a little uncomfortable, but no one seemed to really be concerned about it. At least no one made audible gagging sounds or pointed and laughed.
Somehow, though, when I went to the pool bar and ordered my virgin margaritas, they always made me the real thing. I'd slide that one over to beau and he'd make a big deal about making me stand up to bear my belly, point to it and say "no tequila, she has a bambino." The bartenders would look shameful, smile and make me sugary sweet virgin beverages that probably had our little guy doing flips in my belly.
Like I said, we also spent some time at the beach. The water was this magnificent color that I can't quite describe. It was somewhere between aqua and teal, but further out it was this deep midnight blue. Absolutely stunning. The photo below doesn't do it justice, but the photo we took on the beach right before we left comes a little closer.
Paradisus Punta Cana is all inclusive. There were numerous restaurants and bars that we enjoyed, but the food wasn't quite what we had hoped for. I've never been a huge fan of the buffet, and that's what breakfast was every morning. When we figured out that some of the restaurants were menued for lunch and dinner, we went to those. Despite being a buffet snob, there was nothing wrong with the food, and the location and feel of the restaurants was wonderful.
While we dressed a little better for dinner (above), lunches were casual enough that we could leave our chaise at the pool or beach, cover up, and dine. Beau enjoyed the Presidente beers that they would keep bringing when his was empty. My water was almost as refreshing!
I am so very glad that beau wanted to do this. It was a wonderful chance for us to get away and relax. There is no one else in the world I'd rather be sharing these experiences with. To anyone who is undecided about the merits of a babymoon, I say give it a try. It may be a thinly veiled excuse to blow money on a vacation, but it really was worthwhile for us. We got to hang out together, do nothing and forget about the stresses of life for a few days. There was also much reading involved. Two book recommendations are coming soon...
When's the last time you were totally relaxed? Planning a vacation soon?
