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The goals of this vacation:

1. Get a tan - accomplished (maybe a little burnt but some color is good)

2. Do nothing - accomplished (did not leave the resort all week)

3. Enjoy some adult beverages - accomplished (and in moderation, we are getting older and somewhat wiser)

4. Play husband and wife for seven days -

If you are looking for a vacation with the above criteria then Secrets Sanctuary in the Dominican Republic fits the bill. The staff at this resort is one of its key assets. We had several people make this trip;  Carlos was our waiter most nights.  He was awesome - so helpful and so attentive!  Larissa was our “Love Bar” waitress.  By the end of the trip, she knew what our drinks were; no need to order.  Raphael at the pool bar…hardest working guy in the whole place.  He works that bar like a pro!  Yessina…such a pretty lady…greeted us everyday at the pool with a smile.

It was nine years ago today that Lisa and I were married. What a wild ride it has been. I do not think either one of us had any idea what the last nice years would be like. With that being said I would not have wanted to brave the last nine without Lisa. I do not know of anyone else who could have handled everything that has been thrown at us. Through it all we have had our ups and downs but after nine years I think we are as close as the day we got married. Happy Anniversary!

Today we scheduled a hot stone massage for 9am. It was very very nice and something we had never done. Our massage lasted until 11am and then we headed to the pool. After lunch we were able to go back to the spa and use the sauna, whirlpool, and hydrotherapy. It was nice an relaxing. So far it has been a very nice anniversary.

Forgot to post last night….All in all a nice easy day.

Yeah, we slept until 8:30 today. Today we decided to mix things up and go to the beach. You know you are on vacation when…you walk outside to go to the beach wearing your slippers! - We found a great spot under two trees and stayed there until lunch time.  We also got to see two cultures collide, it was burkas and boobs at the beach at the same time (have to love the Europeans, they will drop their tops almost any where).  Lisa and I realized that we really are not fond of the Atlantic ocean. While it is nice it is also rough and there is lots of seaweed. One note the water is blue here but not really that clear. We are fans of the gulf and the Caribbean Sea (just an observation from today).

We had lunch at the Blue Marlin and it was very good. After lunch we decided to check out the ‘hidden’ castle pool. It is up on the top floor and it is a nice smaller pool. However for being in the sun all day the water in the pool was very cold. We stayed for about an hour. Lisa and I have become fond of heading back to the room for a little nap or just to rest up for the evening. It has been very nice to have no agenda and just hang out. Who knew how nice it is to do almost nothing……

New neighbors, they just got here and are sitting outside, their quote ‘WOW the beach smells good” Really? I think Lisa just scared them away. Lisa is watching hot in cleveland on her iPad and is laughing very loudly and thus our new neighbors ran back into there room.

Thank you Banana Boat for a Craptastic spray on sun block. While we appreciate the over priced (get less than you paid for) spray, it seems that it does not really cover anything really well. Both Lisa and I have applied frequently and we have still managed to become good examples of human lobsters. On a positive note we have pain killers and some good drinks.

Enough of my little rant…..

Today we got up around 7am, I know… not much of a sleep- in but what can you do. We enjoyed our Nespresso, and Lisa surprised me with Father’s Day cards from the kids and her. It was very nice! Lisa also got me some very nice cologne; I guess she thinks I stink some times (my lame attempt at a joke). After a nice breakfest, the fruits are so much tastier when they are fresh, we headed to the pool around 9am and got a good spot. We spent the better part of 6 hours in the pool today and it was very, very nice! After the pool we were off for a nap. I think naps should be a part of everyone’s day. Tonight we had dinner at the Wok.  It was ok. The dinner was a little fast for our taste. So far the best place for dinner is the Blue Marlin.  Carlos is an excellent waiter and really added to our dinner on Friday night.

We are currently sitting at the Love Bar. Lisa is enjoying a Franjelico and I am enjoying a scotch and a cigar. All in all it was a wonderful day and just what Lisa and I needed. More to come tomorrow….