Day Nine of Vacation - Samana, Domican Republic

A few things that have interfered with my “photo and update a day while on vacation” plan:

1. Wi-fi access is limited to a few select locations on the cruise ship.
2. Only one of those places on the entire ship, the library, has electrical outlets.
3. My computer battery died twice in some of the other locations, an obvious clue that I was spending too much time reading the blogs I’m missing while gone and googling Toxic Audio.
4. Those obnoxious teenagers showed up twice more when I was in the library and I kept leaving, going to places without outlets, computer dying …. Clearly a vicious cycle.
5. I've spent all morning each day at the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet.
6. I've spent the days doing fun water activities with my kids.
7. I've spent the late afternoons going through the photos Blaine has taken with the camera, aghast at my own image in a swimsuit, appalled at how much weight I've actually gained in the last year ..... the proof right there in pictures.
8. I've spent each night consoling myself at the all-you-can-eat dessert buffet.
9. Um………… I got lazy.

So, a few days late, but here is our day in Samana in pictures:


We took a speedboat (and having actually traveled in a speedboat previously, I use the term loosely ...) to take a cave and mangrove tour with our friends. After all, why did God make caves if not to have small tourists pay money to climb all over the rocks?



As the boat went nearer the caves, all I could think was that the roots on these trees creeped me the hell out. I got a little claustrophobic just looking at them and imagining being caught in them ....... ick.



We toured the caves looking at stalagtites and stalagmites (bonus points for me, I actually remember the difference from junior high) and cave carvings and paintings. This one is a pretty accurate depiction of how I feel most mornings before my first glass of chocolate milk.



These two have been friends since their mothers discovered one another at a Mother's Club in Ohio and put their six-month old butts on the same blanket to stare at one another and drool on each other's toys. Neither time nor distance seems to damper their friendship, and I hope nothing ever does .... Here's to the next eleven years, ok, J?




Then, of course, doing what we've done best this entire time .... eating.




The second half of the day was spent at Cayo Levantado Bay, playing in the water and "diving" for shells and treasures.


A view of the beach area.



My kids, having snorkeled for the first time ever the day before, were of course experts at this point and lamented the lack of marine wildlife to explore ..... but they certainly enjoyed collecting rocks and coral (?) and sea glass (?) I keep putting those question marks because for all I know they were digging up trash, but it made them happy, so I kept quiet.







And of course the most fun part of the day, pitting your 78-lb body against the force of Mother Nature, in the form of waves .... which constantly knock you over, forcing salt water up your nose and in your mouth because you are laughing, yet you just keep doing it over and over ....




And the true highlight of each cruise evening, seeing which towel animal our room steward has left for us before bed. We've had a bat, swan, scorpion, monkey, alligator, pig, and one which we are *pretty sure* was a turtle.