A Slightly Surreal Staycation with my Parents

solarsupermama (61)in #ecotrain • 6 years ago

Many of you know my parents were recently here visiting us in beautiful Hopkins, Belize. I live in a really simple house, so it was not gonna work for them to stay with us, but they really wanted to be with us all the time, so they rented a house at one of the nicest resorts in town that could accommodate all of us. Basically, my parents are not gonna be living without air conditioning or a dishwasher. So, I got a sweet little staycation.

It was kind of wild for us. On the first day, they were giving us a tour of the resort, and Solomon said, “Mommy. It's like a dream.” My kids are definitely not used to this kind of living. The house itself was two bedrooms, each with their own bath, and a nice kitchen/living room. We don't have cable at our house, so that was another new experience for the kids. With two different tvs, we could have news and cartoons going at the same time, and somehow I didn't go crazy!! I did feel terribly dehydrated from the AC, but it was nice when the hot flashes came. And oh lord, a dishwasher is a gift from heaven. It was wonderful. So, yeah, I was mostly interested in the house! Unfortunately I didn't get too many pictures of the inside. Should have taken a picture of the dishwasher.

The most exciting part for the kids was the two swimming pools! They are used to the sea, but they don't get swimming pools too much! They had such a blast, and Solomon learned to dive. We got some sweet new floats, and I really had a good time too, though the chlorine did a number on my skin.

They even had kayaks and stand up paddle boards and loads of hammocks. There were also a couple restaurants and bars, and I got to drink and eat things I usually don't get. I even had two dirty martinis which was marvelous. They're my favorite.

Dad on the SUP!

We also celebrated Dad’s 76th birthday! I know, he doesn't look near that old, does he?

We had a terrible batch of sargassum wash up. If you haven't heard about it, it's a seaweed that is terrorizing the Caribbean. It used to be a rare event, and now it just won't go away. It's likely a result of warming seas and increased nitrogen levels. It smells awful, causes erosion, harbors bacteria, and kills baby turtles, so it's pretty much a nightmare. We have lost several feet of beach in the last week, and this stuff still hasn't gone away!

Even though we didn't really do much (maybe because we didn't do much), we had a really good time enjoying each other's company, and my kids and I got to experience the slightly surreal developed world. It was nice, but I don't miss the tv or the air conditioning. I love my fans, open windows, salty humid air, and sounds of the sea.

Much love, y’all!

As always, all pics are mine or pixabay unless otherwise noted.