Playa Del Carmen, Mexico...The sun and the sand and a drink in my hand...

In April 2006 I ventured to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico with my travel soul mate, Steph:)




White sand beaches, Carribean blue water, all inclusive hotel and more inside jokes and funny quotes then any trip I've ever been on...needless to say it was extremely fun.





Highlights include: massage on the beach (pure heaven)... guacamole, chips and cold Coronas every afternoon by the pool...partying like rockstars...hitting up Coco Bongo in Cancun, what a night...salsa dancing w/ really short Mexican guys, haha...Steph's 1 hour boyfriend, Saal, hahaha...seeing Tulum...Steph's voice-recorder, man did we have fun with that, the entire trip is documented...I could seriously go on and on and on...




View from our hotel room:)




View from lobby

So the funny thing is I took pics during the day and Steph took pics at night...well it looks like two totally different trips...my pics being scenic, low-key etc....Steph's being wild and crazy....we got our pics back and we were cracking up at the contrast...for example...

MY INNOCENT PICS FIRST...

Steph and I at dinner one night, cheers!




In front of the temple at Tulum





Enjoying the beach




My view as I napped and read on the beach....sign me up anyday;)

Seeing the Mayan Ruins was amazing!




Another dinner night, having all inclusive rocked





Beach @ Tulum




Gotta love water that blue




Sweet view




The Iguanas were ginormous!




With some friends we made at the hotel



NOW FOR STEPH'S NOT SO INNOCENT PICS...:)




we did a lot of dancing this trip:)



Made some new friends Justin and Phil (who were from MN, what are the odds!)




Coco Bongo, a club in Cancun was crazy....they had this show with acrobats and stunts combine watching that with drinking, whoa




The crew we acquired on the trip, hittin up Senor Frogs (a must-do in Mexico)




The Infamous Saal, haha or is it Sal? LOL (only Steph will get that;)




Havin fun in the van ride to Cancun




More dancing, hahaha, Justin is pretty into it




At Mambo Cafe for some Salsa dancing....you think we're having fun or what??;)




Every guy there was like 5'5 or shorter...too funny





The Crazy crew




Phil and some ladies he picked up;)




Steph and I take a "flexin" pic everywhere we go...yeah we know it's an absolutely obnoxious tradition, haha




18 year old boys who looked 12...so we had to take a pic with them, haha




Jazz hands were a definite theme of the trip


As you can tell we're fans of PDC!!!...:)



"The sun and the sand and a drink in my hand with no bottom...No shirt, no shoes, and no problems..." Kenny Chesney lyrics

San Francisco & Wine Country...a great combination

For Thanksgiving Weekend 2005 I traveled to San Francisco and Napa Valley. Talk about an amazingly fun trip...but how could it not be?

San Francisco was awesome! There was so much to see and do, and the weather was great, even at the end of November.

(Lombard Street, the most crooked street in the US)

Highlights include: Walking around Pier 39 and Fisherman's Warf, seeing the sea lions, eating fresh seafood and clam chowder (my fav), Lombard Street, Chinatown, getting to view the Golden Gate Bridge in person and of course a tour of Alcatraz. (A trip to 'Frisco is not complete without it)

(View looking down from Lombard Street)


Oh and I cannot forget the cable car, it was really fun to ride in and a surreal experience since it's such a movie-esque type of transportation.....I love traveling...it's so refreshing when you feel like you're in a movie. :)

(Pier 39 Sea Lion, isn't he cute?)

(Thought that was a funny combo, clam chowder, hot dogs, beer & wine? hmm...)

A bonus of traveling over Thanksgiving weekend is that Christmas decorations are up and San Francisco's were nothing short of spectacular.

(That's Alcatraz behind me)

(Locked up @ Alcatraz, such a cool place to do a tour)

There is so much to see in San Francisco, definitely a great city for a vacation.


Next stop...Napa Valley

(Napa sign read..."And the wine is bottled poetry...", love it)

Wine tasting in Napa was a blast.

Brian and I went on a wine bus tour with 4 other couples. It was funny because on the beginning of the tour everyone was pretty quiet, then by lunch people were mingling (couple wine tastings will get people chatting) and then by the time the tour was over we were all best of friends. (not to mention wine-o's and drunk;). It was hilarious, we all went out for dinner afterwards and ordered more wine, why, I have no idea, we definitely did not need it! haha

(Brian and I at a family owned vineyard, 2nd stop on the bus tour)

(At Beringer Vineyards)

(The wine tour crew, many wine tastings deep...;)

(Dancing with the girls, wine glass still in hand, haha)

Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, the vineyards are just amazing and we got to see a good variety of them on our tour. We visited Cakebread and Beringer which are both pretty well known.

(The views were absolutely spectacular)

It was on the tour that I discovered I am most certainly a red wine girl and Cab Sauvignon is definitely my wine of choice. If you like wine even the least bit, I recommend a trip to Napa Valley, it was an amazing experience.

(Peju Vineyard which had such a beautiful layout and good wine at that)



It was most certainly another unforgettable trip...:)

-Danielle

WINE TO ME IS PASSION. IT'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS. IT'S WARMTH OF HEART AND GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT. WINE IS ART. IT'S CULTURE. IT'S THE ESSENCE OF CIVILIZATION AND THE ART OF LIVING.

----ROBERT MONDAVI