GUIDElines ESCAPES
By Dorri Olds The JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa is located on a mesmerizing stretch of the Mexican Carribbean coast. This luxury beachfront property is rated Category 6 in \PM 5IZZQW\\ :M_IZL[ XZWOZIU IVL I TM^MT in the AAA Diamonds rating scale. 7]\[QLM WV W]Z \MZZIKM L]ZQVO W]Z ÅZ[\ morning there, we sipped hot room-delivered coffee and gazed at the aquamarine breaking waves. Directly below us we could see the upscale Marriott grounds complete _Q\P UIOVQÅKMV\ NZMM NWZU XWWT[ Bedding was 100 percent cotton and felt smooth to the touch. Our pillows were soft LW_V IVL \PM UI\\ZM[[ ÅVMTa \]VML ÅZU The sheets and plush towels were bright sterile white. Everywhere we looked in the large bathroom there were tissues folded QV\W ÆW_MZ[ \WQTM\ \Q[[]M KZMI[ML QV\W [MIshell-like fans and towels sculpted into pockets that held aromatic oval soaps. There was a comfortable loveseat couch next to a table and a large desk. Wi-Fi access in the room was reliable, fast and easy. Each ZWWU PIL I ÆI\ QVKP 4+, \MTM^Q[QWV XT][ the usual amenities—mini bar, digital safe, climate control air-conditioning, etc. The room attendants were lovely. In fact, the entire staff at the hotel must have been well trained, well managed and treated with dignity because they were all cheerful, friendly and eager to please.
There were many restaurants to choose from right there within the hotel. This worked out great for us, as most days we felt like lounging on beachchairs down by the ocean. Whenever we got hungry it was easy to go enjoy a meal and get back to vegging poolside with a book, or napping. At Sasi Thai the food was delicious. We chowed down on appetizers that included steamed shrimp dumplings, lobster with shitake mushrooms, and chicken satay. For the main course we split a plate of stir-fried rice with Portobello mushrooms, bell peppers and fresh basil leaves. 4I +IXQTTI )ZOMV\QVI ;\MISPW][M _I[ another winner. One evening we feasted on tuna tartare and a seafood empanada appetizer, followed by entrees of herb-crusted rack of lamb with caramelized onions and Chateaubriand with potatoes and grilled vegetables. The bountiful breakfast buffet was available every day. It offered scrambled eggs with fresh cilantro, plump sausage, crispy bacon, fried plantains, guacamole, rolled tortilla with beef, wedges of fresh iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato, orange and red tortilla chips, refried beans, and cold cuts of ham, salami and mortadella. Believe me, you wouldn’t go hungry. I was pleased to get my cappuccino just the way I like it, with skim milk and two shots of espresso. And a
handsome man with jet-black hair wearing a crisp uniform served it with a smile. We had a fabulous time at many of the local attractions. One in particular was especially fun. It’s a club called Coco Bongo; imagine a combination of Cirque du Soleil, MTV and a discotheque. The crowd participation reminded me of the Blue Man Group—complete with confetti, balloons, streamers, steam machines and constant sensory overload. I loved it! The music was so loud it vibrated through \PM ÆWWZ IVL QV\W Ua KPM[\ 1\ ÆI[PML UM JIKS \W ITT \PM aMIZ[ [XMV\ I\ ;\]LQW Bonds and Danceteria. Big disco hits from Donna Summers and KC & the Sunshine *IVL XTIaML ?PMV 4ILa 5IZUITILM KIUM on the crowd went wild. I was so surprised to see the 20-year olds mouthing all of the words to these now ancient songs. Next was Phantom of the Opera projected onto the huge background screen. Dancers soared from the ceiling on cables and ropes, while gyrating and performing gymnastic moves. During a tribute to Elvis his name was displayed in huge solid caps made of red pulsing neon lights. On the background screen was movie footage of The King performing classics like Jailhouse Rock and Hound Dog, while dancers matched the projected dance moves in the old footage. Continued on Page 77 Resident ;MX\MUJMZ ÂŒ
Cancun
Continued from Page 75
The wow factor was even bigger than \PM ÅZ[\ \QUM 1 [I_ \PM :WKSa 0WZZWZ 8QKture Show phenomenon. At Coco Bongo, [WVO[ IVL LIVKMZ[ ÆQ\\ML Ja [W NI[\ Q\ _I[ I[ QN \PMa _MZM NI[\ NWZ_IZLML ^QI ZMUW\M KWV\ZWT ?M _MZM LIbbTML Ja IV QUXZM[[Q^M \ZQJ]\M \W 2IKS ;XIZZW_ KWUXTM\M _Q\P XQZI\M[ ÆaQVO IVL WVM \ITMV\ML IK\WZ LWQVO IV QUXZM[[Q^M 2WPVVa ,MXX QUQ\I\QWV _PQTM \PM ZMIT 2WPVVa LWQVO PQ[ JMTW^ML 2IKS ;XIZZW_ [P\QKS _I[ [QU]T\IVMW][Ta XZWRMK\ML WV\W \PM JIKS _ITT Another must-see adventure is Museo Subacuatico, a subaquatic museum, an underwater universe of art. Sculptor Jason ,MKIQZM[ <IaTWZ KZMI\ML TQNM [QbM ZMITQ[\QK [K]TX\]ZM[ \PI\ IZM [\ZI\MOQKITTa XTIKML \W N][M _Q\P \PM ]VLMZ[MI TQNM <PM IZ\_WZS[ KZMI\M IZ\QÅKQIT KWZIT ZMMN[ LM[QOVML [XMKQÅKITTa \W I\\ZIK\ [MI TQNM <PM IZ\ KPIVOM[ W^MZ time as the coral grows in and around the sculptures and marine life settles in. The JZWKP]ZM [IQL ¹1\ XZWUW\M[ I [][\IQVIJTM future through human intervention in the ZMOMVMZI\QWV WN MKW[a[\MU[ º ,]M \W Q\[ PIZUWVa _Q\P \PM []ZZW]VLQVO MV^QZWVUMV\ \PM 5QVQ[\Za WN -V^QZWVUMV\ WN 5M`QKW and the Nautical Associations of Cancun IVL 1[TI 5]RMZM[ XZWUW\M \PM XZWRMK\ *]\ besides all that, it’s tremendous fun. )VW\PMZ M`K]Z[QWV _I[ I LIa\ZQX NZWU
+IVK]V \PZW]OP <]T]U \W M`XTWZM \PM 5IaIV Z]QV[ ?M TMIZVML IJW]\ \PM M`\ZIWZLQVIZa IZKPQ\MK\]ZIT IVL K]T\]ZIT IKKWUXTQ[PUMV\[ NZWU IV IVKQMV\ KQ^QTQbI\QWV TQSM VW W\PMZ <]T]U Q[ UIRM[\QKITTa [M\ PQOP WV \WX of limestone cliffs that spill down to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean below. 5ISM []ZM aW] [MM \PM \MUXTM -T +I[\QTTW IVL \PM <MUXTM WN \PM ,M[KMVLQVO /WL ?MIZ TW\[ WN []VJTWKS IVL LWV¼\ NWZOM\ aW]Z camera. And now, the highlight of the trip—the T]`]ZQW][ 2? 5IZZQW\\ [XI 1\¼[ I _WUJ _Q\P I ^QM_ <PM JIKSOZW]VL U][QK [W]VLML TQSM IV IVOMT¼[ ^WQKM PI]V\QVOTa [XQZQ\]IT I[ QN PMI^MV _I[ [QVOQVO R][\ NWZ UM <PM TaZQK[ _MZM ¹+WUM QV\W Ua IZU[ 1¼TT JM \PMZM NWZ aW] º 1 _I[ [KPML]TML NWZ I UQV]\M ;_MLish massage with a masseuse named VanM[[I ,QIb -L]IZLW 0QLITOW 5WV\MKQVW I\ \PM [KPML]TQVO LM[S _I[ _IZU IVL \MVLML \W M^MZa VMML NWZ MIKP O]M[\ 1 _I[ ][PMZML to a welcoming room with fresh orchids IVL \QOMZ TQTQM[ >IVM[[I QV[\QVK\Q^MTa SVM_ _PMZM MIKP WN Ua U][KTM SVW\[ _MZM IVL [PM SVMILML \PMU TQSM XI[\Za LW]OP ]V\QT \PMa _MZM [UWW\PML IVL [WW\PML ;PM _I[ [W QV \]VML \PI\ _PMV 1 U]\\MZML ¹<PI\ _I[ \PM [XW\ º [PM [IQL ¹1 SVW_ 1 KW]TL NMMT Q\ º ?PMV 1 I[SML PMZ QN [PM¼L KWV[QLMZ
UW^QVO \W 6A+ IVL QV\W Ua IXIZ\UMV\ [PM TI]OPML IVL OI^M UM I P]O 0MZ \MM\P _MZM JZQOP\ _PQ\M IOIQV[\ [QTSa KWNNMM ¼V KZMIU [SQV 7V Ua _Ia W]\ WN \PM [XI 1 [QOVML ]X for an 80-minute massage with Vanessa the VM`\ LIa 1 PMILML JIKS \W Ua ZWWU NMMTQVO [INM IVL RMTTW UMTTW_ 1 I[SML >IVM[[I _Pa [PM KPW[M \W LW UI[[IOM 0MZ MaM[ TQ\ ]X _PMV [PM M`XTIQVML ¹1 _I[ XZMOVIV\ IVL Ua P][JIVL OI^M UM I OQN\ 1\ _I[ NWZ I UI[[IOM 1\ NMT\ [W OWWL IVL I\ \PI\ UWUMV\ 1 NMT\ Ua TQNM KPIVOML NWZM^MZ º 1\ _I[ []KP I XZWNW]VL M`XMZQMVKM \PI\ [PM \WTL PMZ P][JIVL [PM _IV\ML \W TMIZV M^MZa\PQVO IJW]\ _Pa \PI\ UI[[IOM UILM PMZ NMMT [W IUIbQVO ;PM \WWS a course, loved it and realized that massage was what she was meant to do. She studied PIZL NWZ \PZMM IVL I PITN aMIZ[ TMN\ PMZ RWJ I[ I [MKZM\IZa IVL JMKIUM I UI[[M][M ;PM [IQL ¹1 TW^M Ua _WZS º IVL 1 KW]TL \MTT [PM meant it. 5a U][KTM[ [WN\MVML IVL 1 NMT\ [_MM\ []XXTM IVL [I\Q[ÅML <PM TI[\ \PQVO >IVM[[I did was a chop chop hand motion on the JIKS WN Ua VMKS 1 _I[ TQSM J]\\IP Stress? After this trip—Ba-da-bing, it’s a UMUWZa Dorri Olds (DorriOlds.com) is a freelance writer and web designer.
Resident ;MX\MUJMZ