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RIU PALACE TRIP REPORT

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Posted by Stephanie and Brad on June 07, 2000 at 23:03:13:

To those of you who have been patiently waiting - sorry for the delay and enjoy!

May 11, 2000
With one hour of sleep, and great anticipation, we awoke at 3:30am hoping to get an early start on the beginning of our vacation. We left the house about
5 am headed for the airport and made great timing - got there in half an hour. I guess Brad’s excitement gave him a case of the lead foot. I called the night
before and got exact directions to the shuttle parking at DFW airport. We followed the directions just as I had written them. Take “north shuttle parking exit and follow the yellow signs. Get in your right hand lane- turn before you get to the main toll booth”. Right hand lane - ok - good to go. We’re still driving at this point. Still driving...where’s the toll booth? Still driving...What does that sign say? South airport exit? What?!? Flip a u-turn and let’s do this again. So, we flip around and what do we see? South airport long term shuttle parking - written in yellow!
We find a parking space way out in the middle of nowhere, load up our 7 suitcases (we pack light) and head to the shuttle terminal with about 2
minutes to spare. Once again, we loaded up our suitcases and had quite an eventful ride to the airport (all airport buses are interesting rides). BP about 250 over 150, we unloaded, headed up the escalator and waited in line at the
Funjet counter. You’d think with so many people traveling and such a large company, they’d come up with a little more organized system for passenger
check-in. But the people are very friendly and everything went smooth
(women just have to be sure to take along a marriage certificate if the driver’s
license has the maiden name on it). Six thirty rolls around and we’re finally
through baggage check and off to the gate. Thirty minutes until we’re in the
air headed for 8 days in paradise.
The flight is uneventful - not too much turbulence. Just the same as always -
cheesy airplane food, and that one obnoxious group that accompanies every
flight. We landed a few minutes ahead of schedule - no complaints there. I
guess the flight attendants could sense everyone’s impatience - they opened
up the doors on both ends of the plane and we all filed out as fast as we
could. They say there are advantages to taking early flights. Being about the
tenth coupe in line for customs, I understand why. It didn’t take long at all to
get through the line. I occupied myself with all the free tourists books and
maps available as you first walk into the customs area - very handy indeed.
The books included maps of the Cancun/Mayan Riviera, free coupons good
for tours, restaurants, and car rentals. The customs process was pretty
painless. We showed them our birth certificates and driver’s licenses - a few
clomps of stamps - and we were finished. They have this system when you
walk through with your luggage: a street light with red and green lights. You
push the button before you can walk through. If it turns green - no problem,
you just keep on walking. But if it turns red, you have to stop and they search
all your luggage. Random - but effective I suppose. A short walk through the
rest of the airport and we headed for the Lomas representatives. Look for the
guys in the white shirts with green ties we are told. The big “Funjet” sign
they hold above their heads is a clue also.
Wonderfully helpful people! They whisked our suitcases away and showed us
to our bus. The ride to the resort was overall pretty boring. Scenery on either side of the
bus was jungle and jungle. An occasional shack here and there - but that was about all. The Lomas guide was very informative and funny. He stressed to
us the importance of keeping safe our official documents; driver’s license/ or passport, and the customs card you were stamped and given at the airport. He told us to notify him immediately if we lost these forms - this way he could
get us a place to live and a job. : )
Our first stop was the Iberostar Tucan where a few couples were staying. The
lobby of this resort was beautiful - it resembles a tropical forest. I was very
impressed. Next we passed the Riu Yucatan and across the street sat the Riu
Tequilla. When I turned to my right and took my first glimpse of the Riu
Palace - I was like a kid on Christmas morning.
Wide eyed, I turned to my husband and we both just grinned. WOW - that’s
all I can say.
The bell men came rushing outside with a cheerful greeting, hand shake, and
ready to take your bags.
This property is absolutely gorgeous! The lobby has a glass chandelier about
the size of a car. Cherry wood accents all throughout - even the doors and
furniture. Just beautiful.
Check-in was smooth. After a short briefing about the hotel and restaurants,
we were given our bracelets, room and safe keys. Just as we were finishing
up on signing the papers, and being told about our meals, the manager
walked up with a tray of welcome drinks. A nice welcoming touch and very
refreshing.
Our luggage was already on its way to our room before we left the front desk.
We made our way through the hallways to our room on the first floor,
number 0029. Like the rest of the hotel, the rooms are beautiful too.
Depending on which layout your room is (left or right) you walk into a
hallway with the bathroom off to your left. Once inside the bathroom you
open another door where there is a toilet and a bidet. I would rather use the
bidet as a foot soaker, but its real functionality is pretty cool too. The
shower/bathtub is nice. Sounds kind of funny, but hey - sometimes these things really count. The bathtub is very roomy - even has a marble sitting
place at the end of the tub. They have a shampoo/ body wash dispenser - oh
that stuff smells good!
The bedroom is very large and nicely decorated. Their beds are pretty goofy
though. It’s two full sized beds pushed together to make the biggest king size
bed you’ve ever seen. I have yet to figure out the reasoning behind this idea.
At least I know where to look when I lose the remote control - or my
husband. : Þ
The closet is nice - roomy and has about 20 or more large garment hangers.
The safe is in the bottom of the closet. Alongside the closet with a door of its
own is the mini bar.Yet another very impressive touch! Inside the
refrigerator, they have huge bottles of water (4), about 4 small bottles of
seltzer water, then several bottles of Squirt/lemon lime, orange drink, Pepsi, 6
bottles of Dos Equis (beer), and some can drinks too. But what shocked me is
the alcohol. I was under the impression these bottles would be those tiny ones
like you see on the airplanes. Think again! These are full sized bottles upside
down in a drink dispenser - kind of like being on tap I guess. They have gin
(Ginebra La Paloma), scotch (Highland Mist), tequilla (Crendian?), and some
other type of liqueur called “Durado”. All of these are included and restocked
periodically.
Opposite the bed, against the wall, there is a large bench type place to sit your
luggage. Beside the bench there is a large full size mirror hanging in the wall.
Inside the sunken living room you’ll find a love seat and coffee table. There
is also a large dresser with plenty of drawers to put your clothes in. Also in
one of the drawers are plastic bags for dirty clothes and laundry request
forms. (They will launder and press for a fee - comparable to dry cleaning
fees.) A small TV (about 17”) sits on top of the dresser.
The sliding glass doors were very nice and very large. When you open the
doors the air conditioner turns off automatically - nifty. The terrace is huge!
I’d say about 8’X10’. They have two very large chairs which recline and also
have a piece on the bottom that pulls out to rest your legs. A small table sits
between the chairs. Another thoughtful feature on the patio is a retractable
garment hanger. Perfect for laying wet swimsuits, trunks, and towels.
When we first arrived in our room, I thought it was very nice but was
displeased with the location. We had an “outside” room. Outside meaning
your room either faces the Riu Yukatan or the Viva Maya resort. Our room
on the first floor faced a long street type walkway which went from the main
road to the beach. Guests from the Riu Tequilla use this road to get to the
beach. They also have little train type vehicles for transport. These run
constantly. I’d say while sitting on the patio one would pass by about every
few minutes, no more than 5 minutes apart. So this is great for those staying
at the Tequilla.
After seeing the area and view of our room, I immediately called the front
desk and requested a room change. I told them I wanted a room facing the
main courtyard and fountains. This area is referred to as the “inside” rooms.
The front desk told us there were none available and to call back at 1:00pm
after some were cleaned and check availability. So Brad and I decided to
head down to the restaurant to grab a bite to eat and kill time.
Down close to the beach area, past the pools are two restaurants - “El Patio”
and “La Traviata”. Both are buffet style and have pretty much the same
foods. They are both open air with ceiling fans and completely covered. The
open air part is not a problem at all. For one, you climitize pretty quickly, and
two there’s a constant ocean breeze. Even at 90F you seem to stay cool
enough. The buffets were pretty typical. If you hit one at lunch hour, you’ll
find different foods like rice, veggies, fried peppers, potatoes, beans, pasta -
lunch type foods. If you hit snack time you’d find hamburgers, french fries,
hot dogs, pizza, cold cuts, sandwiches, and always a salad bar. The dessert
bar was pretty much always the same. Kind of reminds me of a dessert bar at
a Chinese food restaurant. Little cakes, cake rolls, pudding, pies, and finger
food type desserts. They have a large selection of ice cream too. Beware -
vanilla color does not mean vanilla flavor! They had flavors like coconut,
banana, strawberry, fruit, and even coffee flavor - mmm. They even had all
the best toppings to add. There was SO MUCH food. I dread having to
describe dinner. You could also order just about any drink you wanted. If you
like lemonade - you have to try theirs - pulp and all.
After we stuffed ourselves we went back to our room to call reception to see
if they had another room available. Reception told me they’d have to call
back in a few minutes. About two minutes later they called back and said
there was nothing available for that day and if we didn’t mind sleeping there
our first night, they would get us a new room the next day. To this I happily
agreed. So we put on our swimsuits and headed for the beach.
I have heard reports, read reviews, and been told the Riu’s beach - and the
whole area of Playa del Carmen are known for having gorgeous beaches. I
just say - I don’t think I’ll ever see a more beautiful beach. Having originally
booked at the Aventura Palace, my husband and I agreed the beach was no
big deal. After staying here and being on this beach every day - I’m spoiled
for life! The beach goes on for miles. The sand is soft and white - just
gorgeous. I’m such a weenie when it comes to walking bare foot - especially
in the water. I made sure the first thing I bought for the trip was water shoes.
I didn’t even need them... You also hear stories of the water having alot of
gunk like seaweed - at the Riu Palace I hardly ever saw any. Maybe a seldom
stray piece but that was it. There are tons of chairs out on the beach - and
palm trees too. That was the nice thing - you could lay in a chair under the
palm trees or you could lay out in the beach area. The beach area also has
several umbrellas for shade. I have read reports of people saying the chairs
were real hot. The chairs at the pool area are all plastic but they have
full-length chair pads in each chair - comfy and keeps you from getting that
grilled look. The chairs at the beach have a plastic frame but are covered by a
net type material - this keeps you from toasting but also lets the water and
sand fall through. These chairs are very comfy because they seem to contour
to your body - perfect for sleeping (which most people out there were doing).
A few hours later we headed back to the beach restaurant for a snack and
then went to our room for a light nap.
Later that evening reception called to check and see how the room was and I
explained the request for another room and other than that was very pleased.
A few minutes later the head of reception called very concerned with my
thoughts of the room. I guess he was under the impression I was ticked off.
He said he called to confirm the room change tomorrow morning and I
thanked him. I was pretty impressed he called and was so quick to get us
another room to the best of his capabilities - given the room availability.
Around 8:45pm we headed for a restaurant called “Don Julian”. You only
need to call once to make a reservation for this restaurant. Every night after
that you eat at the same table at the same time. There are two sittings: one at
6:45, the other at 8:45. This was nice because it cuts down on confusion and
waiting for a table, or even waiting to be seated. This place is one HUGE
buffet. Everything from grilled fish, pasta and sauce, beef, pork, grilled
veggies, a pizza buffet, and even a Mexican food buffet with beef, pork and
chicken. There are two large salad bars with all the typical salad toppings,
hourderves, cold cuts, cheeses, shrimp, prawn, and squid. There are fresh
made soups (two kinds) every evening - I don’t think I ever saw the same
soup twice. The dessert bar consists of pretty much the same as what I
described at lunch. In addition, there are also fresh fruits, ice cream, and a
large variety of cheese (for the champagne drinkers). Wine and champagne is
served with dinner - or every meal for that matter (even breakfast!) My
husband always drank Pepsi (we’re classy, aren’t we?)
I had wine occasionally but mostly ice water. A tip for future travelers: ask
for ice. They never serve ice. A waiter will come around during dinner with a
cheese cart and coffee, cappuccino, and espresso are available after dinner - I
guess you can have cheese with that too! : )
After all that - we headed to bed - what a busy first day.

Day 2
This day was pretty simple. After one hour of sleep and a busy day, we were
exhausted. So we decided to be lazy and sleep most of the day. I know that
sounds pathetic but hey, we’re on vacation, aren’t we? Some time in the early
afternoon we headed out to the beach restaurant to have a nice lunch and
went to the beach for a few hours.
Later that night we went to “Don Julian’s” again and had a great dinner. I
love their zucchini. After dinner we went to the bar/theater where they had a
mini Broadway type musical going on. After the play they do a grand finale
by singing a song and getting the audience to participate by coming down to
the dance floor and dancing with them. We stepped over to the bar for a few
drinks, listened to some live music and headed off to bed.

Day 3
Today we headed down to Playa del Carmen to do some shopping. The taxi
fare was 40 pesos ($4 USD). That’s another thing I like about the area where
the Riu resorts are - you never had to wait more than a minute or two to get a
taxi. Executive car rental is actually in the parking lot and lobby of the Riu
Palace. The taxi ride to Playa del Carmen is only 5 minutes. We asked our
driver to drop us off where we could do some shopping. Boy, was that a
simple request. The shopping area in Playa del Carmen is huge. Shops,
markets, McDonald’s, a bank, jewelry stores, barber shop - you name it. The
people are a bit pushy - no worse than Jamaica. Everybody wants you to
come into their shop. One guy gets you to come into his shop by saying,
“hey rich people - come into my shop so I can rip you off”. We thought that
was pretty funny. After an hour or so of shopping we stopped off at a cart in
the plaza and bought a “Ladatel” phone card. The cost is 100 pesos ($10
USD) and gives you 10 minutes of talk time back to the U.S. A quick call
home and we headed off again to buy souvenirs for the family. About an
hour or so later we headed back to the resort to grab a quick nap and shower.
That night we did the usual - ate at “Don Julian’s” and called it a night.

Day 4
Today we headed down to the local shopping plaza (less than 5 minute walk)
shopped around for a bit then stopped into the Avis car rental agency and
rented a jeep for about $70 USD. This price included rental fee, insurance,
tax and unlimited mileage. We hopped in and headed for Playa del Carmen
right up the road to gas up and then to Xel-Ha. We found out pretty quickly
gas stations are pretty scarce in this place. One in Playa del Carmen and one
in Tulum. After a while driving around we pulled over to the side of the road
where we talked to a policeman and a lady on a scooter. They started
explaining where we could find a gas station and the lady said she would just
take us. So thanked them and followed her several blocks to a gas station and
fueled up for the trip. The gas attendants will pump your gas for you (I don’t
think there’s such thing as self serve) and another guy washed our mirrors
and windshield (for a tip of course!) 150 pesos later we were on our way.
Highway 307 is the main route and will take you one way (North I believe) to
Cancun and heading south will take you to Xcaret, Xel-Ha, and Tulum. The
traffic was little to none most of the way. The speed limit is 110km (70 mph)
although the locals drive faster. People are courteous and will get on the
shoulder to let you pass. My husband and I were a bit nervous to drive on our
own but it really was no big deal. We never even saw a cop the whole time.
Xel-Ha is about a 35 minute drive from Playa del Carmen. The entrance fee
is $19 USD. This includes entrance, snorkel gear, use of beaches, chairs,
bathrooms, ect. If you go with the all inclusive plan, you get all the above
plus drinks and meals at 5 restaurants for $45 USD per person. Not bad, but
we didn’t want to eat there, plus we had our own snorkel gear and life
jackets. Once inside we rented a locker for $2 USD and $2 USD deposit.
Tip: Don’t rent from the first set of lockers you come to. There is another
locker rental place right by the water and chairs - much more convenient.
We crammed all our junk in and headed for the lagoon to snorkel. We passed
by the dolphin tanks where you can do the “interactive swim”. One guy had a
net out to retrieve some of the pool toys from the water which attracted the
dolphins - they wanted to play. We took advantage of this time and managed
to get some great close up pictures.
Just down the walkway there are a couple dozen hammocks hanging from
palm trees - oh did they look comfy. We found some chairs to sit our things
and geared up to snorkel. Tip: We HIGHLY recommend you bring your own
snorkel gear. You can get a mask and snorkel from Wal-Mart for about $10.
This way when you go on a trip or are at your hotel - you always have them
and don’t have to rent. And one more thing - while you’re there - buy
yourself some cheap water shoes. My husband and I didn’t spend over $5 for
our water shoes. They were great to have. Especially when you go on
excursions like Xel-Ha where it’s real rocky when you first get in. Also,
water shoes are great to have if the resort you are staying at - the water is real
rocky or has a bunch of reefs.
At first - the water is really chilly. The best thing to do is just jump on in. The
visibility was pretty good. Had it been sunny we probably could have seen
better. It was really clouding up and looked as if it wanted to rain. We
discovered the best place to find fish is around the large reefs. I guess this is
where they like to hide and also like to nip at the reefs, in search of a snack.
After about 2 hours of snorkeling we began to hear thunder in the distance.
Brad said it was about time to pack up and head back because we had about
a half an hour drive back to the resort. On the way home it seemed to get
darker and darker. I looked over and just happened to notice the Jeep had no
windows and no back window!! My husband assured me we wouldn’t get
that wet. Think again.
The light sprinkle that dusted our windshield turned into a downpour. Some
people pulled over, others turned on their hazard lights. Not my husband -
he’s a man! Hear him roar! So we cruised on ahead, getting rained on, and
laughing the whole way...
Once we got back to the hotel, we got out of our soggy clothes, showered and
headed for - you guessed it - Don Julian’s restaurant for a nice buffet dinner.
That night around midnight, still raining, we headed down to the beach
restaurant before they closed to grab some of that mystery ice-cream. The
heat lamps were turned off, food put away, and the kitchen closed for the
night. Just one lonely waiter in peace and quiet finishing up clearing tables,
polishing the silverware, and completing his duties. We snuck in and asked if
we could fix ourselves a bowl of ice cream. He apologized because of the
rain, they closed early that evening but told us with a smile to help ourselves
to the ice cream. Then, he went to the kitchen to get us bowls and spoons.
This is just one example of the great service provided by the Riu Palace.
After the ice cream, it was time to call it a day.

Day 5
Today we actually started out early. We packed up some of our things,
hopped in the Jeep and headed for Tulum. It was about a 45 minute drive
from the hotel. Smooth sailing the whole way (and not a rain cloud in sight!)
When you arrive at the main gate, they make you take a ticket to park
(payable when you leave.) After you park your car, an attendant will great
you and ask you to fill out some information on the card provided
(supposedly for a raffle) then you are free to go. We learned later on that
afternoon from a call to our hotel, this “raffle” was a personal info collector
for time share. They told us through the phone call we had won a 7 day/6
night stay at the “Fisherman’s Village” resort. We were to go to the hotel the
following day between 8am and 3pm to claim our prize. We called our
Lomas representative downstairs and confirmed, sure enough it was time
share. We decided not to go, besides we had something planned for the next
day.
Before we could pay for the train which takes you to the ruins and admission,
they request you to convert your money to pesos. Tip: Convert almost all your
money to pesos. With the exchange rate being at an odd amount, unless you
take a calculator EVERYWHERE with you, you WILL get cheated on the
price you pay when you are quoted USD, pesos, and the change you are
given back when you purchase something. We almost always did and I knew
it, but didn’t ever say anything because I didn’t have a calculator with me.
But the money exchange was no big deal - we converted and went on to buy
tickets for the train. Tickets are $3 USD per person.
Tip: About half the people there rode the train, the other half walked. On the
map, they make it look like the ruins are miles from the entrance to the park.
After riding 30 seconds or less on the train, we were there and couldn’t
believe we spent the money and didn’t walk the quarter mile or less in the
first place.
Tulum is absolutely spectacular. Being that neither one of us had ever seen
the ruins, we thought that was something to behold. The small buildings are
very spread out over a few acres. Tip: Although my husband and I didn’t get
a guide (we used maps and he just wanted to tag along with a paying group),
it really is worth it to spend $20 USD and get a guide. They are very
knowledgeable and will make it worth your trip. Most people just think they
are standing in front of rock structures. When you learn you are actually
standing in front of a funerary building or a house and how old it is, you’ll
have more appreciation for what you are witnessing.
We walked around and even climbed on a few of the buildings and got some
really great pictures. We made our way around the other side of the buildings
to overlook the cliff and just stood in awe. How nice it must have been to
wake up to that view every day.

After an hour and a half of exploring and exhausting 2 rolls of film, we
headed back to the resort to go to the shopping plaza near by to buy some sea
shells I’d had my eye on for several days.
Later that night around 8:45 we dressed for dinner at La Bodega. Tip: This
restaurant needs definite reservations. They are on a first come, first serve
basis and fill quickly. This restaurant is small and they even hold private
dinners for large parties.
When we first got in the restaurant we were seated, served wine, and then
told to go to the salad bar and make our own salad. You are then given
enough time to enjoy your salad before they take your plate away and bring
to the table a
a basket of bread along with three dishes of dipping sauces (basil type spice
with olive oil and butter - mmm) and a flat terra-cotta dish with a variety of
fresh vegetables. Tip: These are not an appetizer like everyone in the
restaurant thought - so don’t eat them all. After that, the waiters come out one
at a time with these 4ft. swords to bring to each person with a meat. They
brought out beef brisket, Italian sausage, rabbit, pork, and ostrich. Tip:
Vegetarians - beware!
Then after the main course, they have a dessert cart/table with all the typical
deserts and also after dinner coffee. Completely stuffed and miserable, we
headed off to bed and prepared for an early rise for a full day at Cozumel.

Day 6
We woke up pretty early the next morning to the knock of room service
outside the door. Tip: “Light breakfast” menus are in the top dresser drawer.
You just check off what you want, if there are special instructions, and leave
it on the door. Items include: Eggs, toast and jam, cereal, fresh fruit, cold
cuts, orange juice, chocolate milk, and coffee. This is great if you have to go
somewhere early the next morning.
After the light breakfast, we strolled down to the lobby and got a taxi to take
to the ferry dock at Playa del Carmen. We stopped at the ATM machine for
some cash to do some shopping later that day in Cozumel. About 15 minutes
later we boarded the ferry for our 40 minute ride. Suprisingly, the ferry was
pretty nice. The seats were cushioned (they reminded me of airplane seats)
and there were TV’s throughout, and even refreshments available (for a fee).
Both the upper and lower decks are air-conditioned.
Once we docked, there was another boat waiting for us. In all, 4 other
couples were on the private snorkeling excursion. We sailed along the
shoreline, passing hotels, and even a large cruise ship. One of the guides on
the boat told us it’s better to cruise along the coastline because not to far off
the shore, there is a long valley which runs several thousand feet deep along
the ocean floor. This causes some sort of updarft and very strong current
which tosses small boats all over the place.
After a few short minutes, the boat stopped in an area along the shoreline
now known to be a national park. We were given the appropriate snorkel gear
and jumped in the water. The guide stays ahead of everyone, letting you
know which way to go and also carries along a bag of food to attract the fish.
This makes for some impressive underwater pictures. After about half an
hour to 45 minutes of snorkeling the boat met us down current and we loaded
up again to go to a different spot and catch some more great pictures.
Once again, we snorkeled around and captured some more great pictures of
fish you couldn’t even see at the local pet store. They even had an underwater
photographer who took a great picture of us surrounded by dozens of fish he
attracted by feeding. (He had the picture ready by the time we returned to the
dock along with the negative for $8 USD.)
After a while we returned to the boat and headed for a private resort where
they had a great buffet and drinks waiting for us. We spent about an hour and
a half there. We rested out on the chairs and took a walk through the resort.
There was a couple sitting at a nearby table talking to a guy about timeshare.
They say there are no sharks in Cancun. There actually are - they’re called
timeshare salesmen. Tip: Stay away from these people.
Some time later, we headed back to the boat and sailed down to the end of
the island. The guides on the boat baited their fishing poles and cast them out
into the water hoping to catch some action. Just as I told them I saw the line
jiggle, the slack of the fishing line took off screaming into the water. The two
men up top on the boat came flying down, not even touching the stairs after
the fishing pole. The two poles became entangled, and the guys looked like
the were playing Twister trying to get the lines untangled. After a few
seconds, one of the lines snapped in half. They said it was a monster of a
blue Marlin at the other end determined to get away with our anchovy. He
certainly was successful. The guys gave up, reeled in what was left of the line
and we headed back for the dock and to do some shopping before we caught
the ferry back to Playa del Carmen.
Cozumel is a great little island. Shoppers and cars buzzing about. We decided
to rent a locker for our things right at the dock and headed into the plaza
hoping to find some good shopping deals. We shopped around for a while
and then stopped off at Fat Tuesday’s for a huge strawberry and banana
daiquiri. Sipping away and enjoying our drinks, a young boy names Emilio
approached our table, where I bought some ankle bracelets for $5 USD.
We paid for our drinks and then headed over to an old man who had a cart
full of sea shells for sale. I bought a huge conk for $4 USD and some smaller
coral and shells. About this time, the ferry was docking and we started off to
board and get back to Playa. After a very stomach churning 40 minute boat
ride back, we found a taxi and returned to the hotel with enough time to rest,
shower, and head for Don Julian’s for dinner. Then we called it a day -
sunburned and worn out.

Day 7
This day was pretty much spent just lazing around, enjoying our last full day
of sun, and reminiscing about the past week. We enjoyed one last night at
Don Julain’s and headed back to the room to pack and get ready to return
home.

Day 8
Our last day of paradise. It’s funny how you can be depressed about leaving,
and anxious to get back all at the same time. We double checked to make
sure we didn’t leave anything behind, and called the bellman to come get our
luggage. Check-out was smooth. We only had to pay $5 USD for the minute
and 45 second call we made home. Half an hour later, we loaded onto the bus
and waved goodbye to the great place we called home for a week. The ride to
the airport was smooth. Everyone was quiet and rested the way there.
Baggage check in was smooth. Our Lomas rep, Israel was there, and we said
our last good-byes and headed for our gate. We loaded into our first row,
emergency exit seats and prepared for the long ride home. After take off, we
caught our last glimpses of paradise, and closed to the window hoping to
sleep the ride away.
Once we landed, the captain came over the loud speaker and announced we
had made it 20 minutes ahead of schedule and would have to wait out on the
runway until our gate was cleared. Forty minutes later with flight attendants
fighting passengers the whole time not to get out of their seats to use the
bathroom, we finally moved up to the gate. Welcome back to reality!

Overall, I would have to say, the Riu Palace was by far the nicest place we’ve
ever stayed. Grand Lido Sans Souci (6 star) in Jamaica was nice - but this
place topped them all. The service was exceptional, the food was good, and
the people there will truly do anything within their means to make sure you
have a wonderful time. If you are the type of person who enjoys a very
upscale and elegant resort - this place is for you. Although the night life is
very light, the atmosphere is one of relaxation and pampering.
After the research and first hand experience, I will definitely rent a car again
and have no fear on taking the time to sight see any unbeaten path. We will
return to Cancun next year, but set our sights for a new resort and a new
experience.
If there are any other questions, please email.
Our web site with Riu pics is coming soon.
Happy travels!

Follow Ups:

Thanks for the GREAT report !!! Scott 09:37:12 6/08/2000 (0)
Re: What a great report! nm mark in mckinney 07:09:51 6/08/2000 (0)

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: To those of you who have been patiently waiting - sorry for the delay and enjoy! : May 11, 2000 : With one hour of sleep, and great anticipation, we awoke at 3:30am hoping to get an early start on the beginning of our vacation. We left the house about : 5 am headed for the airport and made great timing - got there in half an hour. I guess Brad’s excitement gave him a case of the lead foot. I called the night : before and got exact directions to the shuttle parking at DFW airport. We followed the directions just as I had written them. Take “north shuttle parking exit and follow the yellow signs. Get in your right hand lane- turn before you get to the main toll booth”. Right hand lane - ok - good to go. We’re still driving at this point. Still driving...where’s the toll booth? Still driving...What does that sign say? South airport exit? What?!? Flip a u-turn and let’s do this again. So, we flip around and what do we see? South airport long term shuttle parking - written in yellow! : We find a parking space way out in the middle of nowhere, load up our 7 suitcases (we pack light) and head to the shuttle terminal with about 2 : minutes to spare. Once again, we loaded up our suitcases and had quite an eventful ride to the airport (all airport buses are interesting rides). BP about 250 over 150, we unloaded, headed up the escalator and waited in line at the : Funjet counter. You’d think with so many people traveling and such a large company, they’d come up with a little more organized system for passenger : check-in. But the people are very friendly and everything went smooth : (women just have to be sure to take along a marriage certificate if the driver’s : license has the maiden name on it). Six thirty rolls around and we’re finally : through baggage check and off to the gate. Thirty minutes until we’re in the : air headed for 8 days in paradise. : The flight is uneventful - not too much turbulence. Just the same as always - : cheesy airplane food, and that one obnoxious group that accompanies every : flight. We landed a few minutes ahead of schedule - no complaints there. I : guess the flight attendants could sense everyone’s impatience - they opened : up the doors on both ends of the plane and we all filed out as fast as we : could. They say there are advantages to taking early flights. Being about the : tenth coupe in line for customs, I understand why. It didn’t take long at all to : get through the line. I occupied myself with all the free tourists books and : maps available as you first walk into the customs area - very handy indeed. : The books included maps of the Cancun/Mayan Riviera, free coupons good : for tours, restaurants, and car rentals. The customs process was pretty : painless. We showed them our birth certificates and driver’s licenses - a few : clomps of stamps - and we were finished. They have this system when you : walk through with your luggage: a street light with red and green lights. You : push the button before you can walk through. If it turns green - no problem, : you just keep on walking. But if it turns red, you have to stop and they search : all your luggage. Random - but effective I suppose. A short walk through the : rest of the airport and we headed for the Lomas representatives. Look for the : guys in the white shirts with green ties we are told. The big “Funjet” sign : they hold above their heads is a clue also. : Wonderfully helpful people! They whisked our suitcases away and showed us : to our bus. The ride to the resort was overall pretty boring. Scenery on either side of the : bus was jungle and jungle. An occasional shack here and there - but that was about all. The Lomas guide was very informative and funny. He stressed to : us the importance of keeping safe our official documents; driver’s license/ or passport, and the customs card you were stamped and given at the airport. He told us to notify him immediately if we lost these forms - this way he could : get us a place to live and a job. : ) : Our first stop was the Iberostar Tucan where a few couples were staying. The : lobby of this resort was beautiful - it resembles a tropical forest. I was very : impressed. Next we passed the Riu Yucatan and across the street sat the Riu : Tequilla. When I turned to my right and took my first glimpse of the Riu : Palace - I was like a kid on Christmas morning. : Wide eyed, I turned to my husband and we both just grinned. WOW - that’s : all I can say. : The bell men came rushing outside with a cheerful greeting, hand shake, and : ready to take your bags. : This property is absolutely gorgeous! The lobby has a glass chandelier about : the size of a car. Cherry wood accents all throughout - even the doors and : furniture. Just beautiful. : Check-in was smooth. After a short briefing about the hotel and restaurants, : we were given our bracelets, room and safe keys. Just as we were finishing : up on signing the papers, and being told about our meals, the manager : walked up with a tray of welcome drinks. A nice welcoming touch and very : refreshing. : Our luggage was already on its way to our room before we left the front desk. : We made our way through the hallways to our room on the first floor, : number 0029. Like the rest of the hotel, the rooms are beautiful too. : Depending on which layout your room is (left or right) you walk into a : hallway with the bathroom off to your left. Once inside the bathroom you : open another door where there is a toilet and a bidet. I would rather use the : bidet as a foot soaker, but its real functionality is pretty cool too. The : shower/bathtub is nice. Sounds kind of funny, but hey - sometimes these things really count. The bathtub is very roomy - even has a marble sitting : place at the end of the tub. They have a shampoo/ body wash dispenser - oh : that stuff smells good! : The bedroom is very large and nicely decorated. Their beds are pretty goofy : though. It’s two full sized beds pushed together to make the biggest king size : bed you’ve ever seen. I have yet to figure out the reasoning behind this idea. : At least I know where to look when I lose the remote control - or my : husband. : Þ : The closet is nice - roomy and has about 20 or more large garment hangers. : The safe is in the bottom of the closet. Alongside the closet with a door of its : own is the mini bar.Yet another very impressive touch! Inside the : refrigerator, they have huge bottles of water (4), about 4 small bottles of : seltzer water, then several bottles of Squirt/lemon lime, orange drink, Pepsi, 6 : bottles of Dos Equis (beer), and some can drinks too. But what shocked me is : the alcohol. I was under the impression these bottles would be those tiny ones : like you see on the airplanes. Think again! These are full sized bottles upside : down in a drink dispenser - kind of like being on tap I guess. They have gin : (Ginebra La Paloma), scotch (Highland Mist), tequilla (Crendian?), and some : other type of liqueur called “Durado”. All of these are included and restocked : periodically. : Opposite the bed, against the wall, there is a large bench type place to sit your : luggage. Beside the bench there is a large full size mirror hanging in the wall. : Inside the sunken living room you’ll find a love seat and coffee table. There : is also a large dresser with plenty of drawers to put your clothes in. Also in : one of the drawers are plastic bags for dirty clothes and laundry request : forms. (They will launder and press for a fee - comparable to dry cleaning : fees.) A small TV (about 17”) sits on top of the dresser. : The sliding glass doors were very nice and very large. When you open the : doors the air conditioner turns off automatically - nifty. The terrace is huge! : I’d say about 8’X10’. They have two very large chairs which recline and also : have a piece on the bottom that pulls out to rest your legs. A small table sits : between the chairs. Another thoughtful feature on the patio is a retractable : garment hanger. Perfect for laying wet swimsuits, trunks, and towels. : When we first arrived in our room, I thought it was very nice but was : displeased with the location. We had an “outside” room. Outside meaning : your room either faces the Riu Yukatan or the Viva Maya resort. Our room : on the first floor faced a long street type walkway which went from the main : road to the beach. Guests from the Riu Tequilla use this road to get to the : beach. They also have little train type vehicles for transport. These run : constantly. I’d say while sitting on the patio one would pass by about every : few minutes, no more than 5 minutes apart. So this is great for those staying : at the Tequilla. : After seeing the area and view of our room, I immediately called the front : desk and requested a room change. I told them I wanted a room facing the : main courtyard and fountains. This area is referred to as the “inside” rooms. : The front desk told us there were none available and to call back at 1:00pm : after some were cleaned and check availability. So Brad and I decided to : head down to the restaurant to grab a bite to eat and kill time. : Down close to the beach area, past the pools are two restaurants - “El Patio” : and “La Traviata”. Both are buffet style and have pretty much the same : foods. They are both open air with ceiling fans and completely covered. The : open air part is not a problem at all. For one, you climitize pretty quickly, and : two there’s a constant ocean breeze. Even at 90F you seem to stay cool : enough. The buffets were pretty typical. If you hit one at lunch hour, you’ll : find different foods like rice, veggies, fried peppers, potatoes, beans, pasta - : lunch type foods. If you hit snack time you’d find hamburgers, french fries, : hot dogs, pizza, cold cuts, sandwiches, and always a salad bar. The dessert : bar was pretty much always the same. Kind of reminds me of a dessert bar at : a Chinese food restaurant. Little cakes, cake rolls, pudding, pies, and finger : food type desserts. They have a large selection of ice cream too. Beware - : vanilla color does not mean vanilla flavor! They had flavors like coconut, : banana, strawberry, fruit, and even coffee flavor - mmm. They even had all : the best toppings to add. There was SO MUCH food. I dread having to : describe dinner. You could also order just about any drink you wanted. If you : like lemonade - you have to try theirs - pulp and all. : After we stuffed ourselves we went back to our room to call reception to see : if they had another room available. Reception told me they’d have to call : back in a few minutes. About two minutes later they called back and said : there was nothing available for that day and if we didn’t mind sleeping there : our first night, they would get us a new room the next day. To this I happily : agreed. So we put on our swimsuits and headed for the beach. : I have heard reports, read reviews, and been told the Riu’s beach - and the : whole area of Playa del Carmen are known for having gorgeous beaches. I : just say - I don’t think I’ll ever see a more beautiful beach. Having originally : booked at the Aventura Palace, my husband and I agreed the beach was no : big deal. After staying here and being on this beach every day - I’m spoiled : for life! The beach goes on for miles. The sand is soft and white - just : gorgeous. I’m such a weenie when it comes to walking bare foot - especially : in the water. I made sure the first thing I bought for the trip was water shoes. : I didn’t even need them... You also hear stories of the water having alot of : gunk like seaweed - at the Riu Palace I hardly ever saw any. Maybe a seldom : stray piece but that was it. There are tons of chairs out on the beach - and : palm trees too. That was the nice thing - you could lay in a chair under the : palm trees or you could lay out in the beach area. The beach area also has : several umbrellas for shade. I have read reports of people saying the chairs : were real hot. The chairs at the pool area are all plastic but they have : full-length chair pads in each chair - comfy and keeps you from getting that : grilled look. The chairs at the beach have a plastic frame but are covered by a : net type material - this keeps you from toasting but also lets the water and : sand fall through. These chairs are very comfy because they seem to contour : to your body - perfect for sleeping (which most people out there were doing). : A few hours later we headed back to the beach restaurant for a snack and : then went to our room for a light nap. : Later that evening reception called to check and see how the room was and I : explained the request for another room and other than that was very pleased. : A few minutes later the head of reception called very concerned with my : thoughts of the room. I guess he was under the impression I was ticked off. : He said he called to confirm the room change tomorrow morning and I : thanked him. I was pretty impressed he called and was so quick to get us : another room to the best of his capabilities - given the room availability. : Around 8:45pm we headed for a restaurant called “Don Julian”. You only : need to call once to make a reservation for this restaurant. Every night after : that you eat at the same table at the same time. There are two sittings: one at : 6:45, the other at 8:45. This was nice because it cuts down on confusion and : waiting for a table, or even waiting to be seated. This place is one HUGE : buffet. Everything from grilled fish, pasta and sauce, beef, pork, grilled : veggies, a pizza buffet, and even a Mexican food buffet with beef, pork and : chicken. There are two large salad bars with all the typical salad toppings, : hourderves, cold cuts, cheeses, shrimp, prawn, and squid. There are fresh : made soups (two kinds) every evening - I don’t think I ever saw the same : soup twice. The dessert bar consists of pretty much the same as what I : described at lunch. In addition, there are also fresh fruits, ice cream, and a : large variety of cheese (for the champagne drinkers). Wine and champagne is : served with dinner - or every meal for that matter (even breakfast!) My : husband always drank Pepsi (we’re classy, aren’t we?) : I had wine occasionally but mostly ice water. A tip for future travelers: ask : for ice. They never serve ice. A waiter will come around during dinner with a : cheese cart and coffee, cappuccino, and espresso are available after dinner - I : guess you can have cheese with that too! : ) : After all that - we headed to bed - what a busy first day. : Day 2 : This day was pretty simple. After one hour of sleep and a busy day, we were : exhausted. So we decided to be lazy and sleep most of the day. I know that : sounds pathetic but hey, we’re on vacation, aren’t we? Some time in the early : afternoon we headed out to the beach restaurant to have a nice lunch and : went to the beach for a few hours. : Later that night we went to “Don Julian’s” again and had a great dinner. I : love their zucchini. After dinner we went to the bar/theater where they had a : mini Broadway type musical going on. After the play they do a grand finale : by singing a song and getting the audience to participate by coming down to : the dance floor and dancing with them. We stepped over to the bar for a few : drinks, listened to some live music and headed off to bed. : Day 3 : Today we headed down to Playa del Carmen to do some shopping. The taxi : fare was 40 pesos ($4 USD). That’s another thing I like about the area where : the Riu resorts are - you never had to wait more than a minute or two to get a : taxi. Executive car rental is actually in the parking lot and lobby of the Riu : Palace. The taxi ride to Playa del Carmen is only 5 minutes. We asked our : driver to drop us off where we could do some shopping. Boy, was that a : simple request. The shopping area in Playa del Carmen is huge. Shops, : markets, McDonald’s, a bank, jewelry stores, barber shop - you name it. The : people are a bit pushy - no worse than Jamaica. Everybody wants you to : come into their shop. One guy gets you to come into his shop by saying, : “hey rich people - come into my shop so I can rip you off”. We thought that : was pretty funny. After an hour or so of shopping we stopped off at a cart in : the plaza and bought a “Ladatel” phone card. The cost is 100 pesos ($10 : USD) and gives you 10 minutes of talk time back to the U.S. A quick call : home and we headed off again to buy souvenirs for the family. About an : hour or so later we headed back to the resort to grab a quick nap and shower. : That night we did the usual - ate at “Don Julian’s” and called it a night. : Day 4 : Today we headed down to the local shopping plaza (less than 5 minute walk) : shopped around for a bit then stopped into the Avis car rental agency and : rented a jeep for about $70 USD. This price included rental fee, insurance, : tax and unlimited mileage. We hopped in and headed for Playa del Carmen : right up the road to gas up and then to Xel-Ha. We found out pretty quickly : gas stations are pretty scarce in this place. One in Playa del Carmen and one : in Tulum. After a while driving around we pulled over to the side of the road : where we talked to a policeman and a lady on a scooter. They started : explaining where we could find a gas station and the lady said she would just : take us. So thanked them and followed her several blocks to a gas station and : fueled up for the trip. The gas attendants will pump your gas for you (I don’t : think there’s such thing as self serve) and another guy washed our mirrors : and windshield (for a tip of course!) 150 pesos later we were on our way. : Highway 307 is the main route and will take you one way (North I believe) to : Cancun and heading south will take you to Xcaret, Xel-Ha, and Tulum. The : traffic was little to none most of the way. The speed limit is 110km (70 mph) : although the locals drive faster. People are courteous and will get on the : shoulder to let you pass. My husband and I were a bit nervous to drive on our : own but it really was no big deal. We never even saw a cop the whole time. : Xel-Ha is about a 35 minute drive from Playa del Carmen. The entrance fee : is $19 USD. This includes entrance, snorkel gear, use of beaches, chairs, : bathrooms, ect. If you go with the all inclusive plan, you get all the above : plus drinks and meals at 5 restaurants for $45 USD per person. Not bad, but : we didn’t want to eat there, plus we had our own snorkel gear and life : jackets. Once inside we rented a locker for $2 USD and $2 USD deposit. : Tip: Don’t rent from the first set of lockers you come to. There is another : locker rental place right by the water and chairs - much more convenient. : We crammed all our junk in and headed for the lagoon to snorkel. We passed : by the dolphin tanks where you can do the “interactive swim”. One guy had a : net out to retrieve some of the pool toys from the water which attracted the : dolphins - they wanted to play. We took advantage of this time and managed : to get some great close up pictures. : Just down the walkway there are a couple dozen hammocks hanging from : palm trees - oh did they look comfy. We found some chairs to sit our things : and geared up to snorkel. Tip: We HIGHLY recommend you bring your own : snorkel gear. You can get a mask and snorkel from Wal-Mart for about $10. : This way when you go on a trip or are at your hotel - you always have them : and don’t have to rent. And one more thing - while you’re there - buy : yourself some cheap water shoes. My husband and I didn’t spend over $5 for : our water shoes. They were great to have. Especially when you go on : excursions like Xel-Ha where it’s real rocky when you first get in. Also, : water shoes are great to have if the resort you are staying at - the water is real : rocky or has a bunch of reefs. : At first - the water is really chilly. The best thing to do is just jump on in. The : visibility was pretty good. Had it been sunny we probably could have seen : better. It was really clouding up and looked as if it wanted to rain. We : discovered the best place to find fish is around the large reefs. I guess this is : where they like to hide and also like to nip at the reefs, in search of a snack. : After about 2 hours of snorkeling we began to hear thunder in the distance. : Brad said it was about time to pack up and head back because we had about : a half an hour drive back to the resort. On the way home it seemed to get : darker and darker. I looked over and just happened to notice the Jeep had no : windows and no back window!! My husband assured me we wouldn’t get : that wet. Think again. : The light sprinkle that dusted our windshield turned into a downpour. Some : people pulled over, others turned on their hazard lights. Not my husband - : he’s a man! Hear him roar! So we cruised on ahead, getting rained on, and : laughing the whole way... : Once we got back to the hotel, we got out of our soggy clothes, showered and : headed for - you guessed it - Don Julian’s restaurant for a nice buffet dinner. : That night around midnight, still raining, we headed down to the beach : restaurant before they closed to grab some of that mystery ice-cream. The : heat lamps were turned off, food put away, and the kitchen closed for the : night. Just one lonely waiter in peace and quiet finishing up clearing tables, : polishing the silverware, and completing his duties. We snuck in and asked if : we could fix ourselves a bowl of ice cream. He apologized because of the : rain, they closed early that evening but told us with a smile to help ourselves : to the ice cream. Then, he went to the kitchen to get us bowls and spoons. : This is just one example of the great service provided by the Riu Palace. : After the ice cream, it was time to call it a day. : Day 5 : Today we actually started out early. We packed up some of our things, : hopped in the Jeep and headed for Tulum. It was about a 45 minute drive : from the hotel. Smooth sailing the whole way (and not a rain cloud in sight!) : When you arrive at the main gate, they make you take a ticket to park : (payable when you leave.) After you park your car, an attendant will great : you and ask you to fill out some information on the card provided : (supposedly for a raffle) then you are free to go. We learned later on that : afternoon from a call to our hotel, this “raffle” was a personal info collector : for time share. They told us through the phone call we had won a 7 day/6 : night stay at the “Fisherman’s Village” resort. We were to go to the hotel the : following day between 8am and 3pm to claim our prize. We called our : Lomas representative downstairs and confirmed, sure enough it was time : share. We decided not to go, besides we had something planned for the next : day. : Before we could pay for the train which takes you to the ruins and admission, : they request you to convert your money to pesos. Tip: Convert almost all your : money to pesos. With the exchange rate being at an odd amount, unless you : take a calculator EVERYWHERE with you, you WILL get cheated on the : price you pay when you are quoted USD, pesos, and the change you are : given back when you purchase something. We almost always did and I knew : it, but didn’t ever say anything because I didn’t have a calculator with me. : But the money exchange was no big deal - we converted and went on to buy : tickets for the train. Tickets are $3 USD per person. : Tip: About half the people there rode the train, the other half walked. On the : map, they make it look like the ruins are miles from the entrance to the park. : After riding 30 seconds or less on the train, we were there and couldn’t : believe we spent the money and didn’t walk the quarter mile or less in the : first place. : Tulum is absolutely spectacular. Being that neither one of us had ever seen : the ruins, we thought that was something to behold. The small buildings are : very spread out over a few acres. Tip: Although my husband and I didn’t get : a guide (we used maps and he just wanted to tag along with a paying group), : it really is worth it to spend $20 USD and get a guide. They are very : knowledgeable and will make it worth your trip. Most people just think they : are standing in front of rock structures. When you learn you are actually : standing in front of a funerary building or a house and how old it is, you’ll : have more appreciation for what you are witnessing. : We walked around and even climbed on a few of the buildings and got some : really great pictures. We made our way around the other side of the buildings : to overlook the cliff and just stood in awe. How nice it must have been to : wake up to that view every day. : After an hour and a half of exploring and exhausting 2 rolls of film, we : headed back to the resort to go to the shopping plaza near by to buy some sea : shells I’d had my eye on for several days. : Later that night around 8:45 we dressed for dinner at La Bodega. Tip: This : restaurant needs definite reservations. They are on a first come, first serve : basis and fill quickly. This restaurant is small and they even hold private : dinners for large parties. : When we first got in the restaurant we were seated, served wine, and then : told to go to the salad bar and make our own salad. You are then given : enough time to enjoy your salad before they take your plate away and bring : to the table a : a basket of bread along with three dishes of dipping sauces (basil type spice : with olive oil and butter - mmm) and a flat terra-cotta dish with a variety of : fresh vegetables. Tip: These are not an appetizer like everyone in the : restaurant thought - so don’t eat them all. After that, the waiters come out one : at a time with these 4ft. swords to bring to each person with a meat. They : brought out beef brisket, Italian sausage, rabbit, pork, and ostrich. Tip: : Vegetarians - beware! : Then after the main course, they have a dessert cart/table with all the typical : deserts and also after dinner coffee. Completely stuffed and miserable, we : headed off to bed and prepared for an early rise for a full day at Cozumel. : Day 6 : We woke up pretty early the next morning to the knock of room service : outside the door. Tip: “Light breakfast” menus are in the top dresser drawer. : You just check off what you want, if there are special instructions, and leave : it on the door. Items include: Eggs, toast and jam, cereal, fresh fruit, cold : cuts, orange juice, chocolate milk, and coffee. This is great if you have to go : somewhere early the next morning. : After the light breakfast, we strolled down to the lobby and got a taxi to take : to the ferry dock at Playa del Carmen. We stopped at the ATM machine for : some cash to do some shopping later that day in Cozumel. About 15 minutes : later we boarded the ferry for our 40 minute ride. Suprisingly, the ferry was : pretty nice. The seats were cushioned (they reminded me of airplane seats) : and there were TV’s throughout, and even refreshments available (for a fee). : Both the upper and lower decks are air-conditioned. : Once we docked, there was another boat waiting for us. In all, 4 other : couples were on the private snorkeling excursion. We sailed along the : shoreline, passing hotels, and even a large cruise ship. One of the guides on : the boat told us it’s better to cruise along the coastline because not to far off : the shore, there is a long valley which runs several thousand feet deep along : the ocean floor. This causes some sort of updarft and very strong current : which tosses small boats all over the place. : After a few short minutes, the boat stopped in an area along the shoreline : now known to be a national park. We were given the appropriate snorkel gear : and jumped in the water. The guide stays ahead of everyone, letting you : know which way to go and also carries along a bag of food to attract the fish. : This makes for some impressive underwater pictures. After about half an : hour to 45 minutes of snorkeling the boat met us down current and we loaded : up again to go to a different spot and catch some more great pictures. : Once again, we snorkeled around and captured some more great pictures of : fish you couldn’t even see at the local pet store. They even had an underwater : photographer who took a great picture of us surrounded by dozens of fish he : attracted by feeding. (He had the picture ready by the time we returned to the : dock along with the negative for $8 USD.) : After a while we returned to the boat and headed for a private resort where : they had a great buffet and drinks waiting for us. We spent about an hour and : a half there. We rested out on the chairs and took a walk through the resort. : There was a couple sitting at a nearby table talking to a guy about timeshare. : They say there are no sharks in Cancun. There actually are - they’re called : timeshare salesmen. Tip: Stay away from these people. : Some time later, we headed back to the boat and sailed down to the end of : the island. The guides on the boat baited their fishing poles and cast them out : into the water hoping to catch some action. Just as I told them I saw the line : jiggle, the slack of the fishing line took off screaming into the water. The two : men up top on the boat came flying down, not even touching the stairs after : the fishing pole. The two poles became entangled, and the guys looked like : the were playing Twister trying to get the lines untangled. After a few : seconds, one of the lines snapped in half. They said it was a monster of a : blue Marlin at the other end determined to get away with our anchovy. He : certainly was successful. The guys gave up, reeled in what was left of the line : and we headed back for the dock and to do some shopping before we caught : the ferry back to Playa del Carmen. : Cozumel is a great little island. Shoppers and cars buzzing about. We decided : to rent a locker for our things right at the dock and headed into the plaza : hoping to find some good shopping deals. We shopped around for a while : and then stopped off at Fat Tuesday’s for a huge strawberry and banana : daiquiri. Sipping away and enjoying our drinks, a young boy names Emilio : approached our table, where I bought some ankle bracelets for $5 USD. : We paid for our drinks and then headed over to an old man who had a cart : full of sea shells for sale. I bought a huge conk for $4 USD and some smaller : coral and shells. About this time, the ferry was docking and we started off to : board and get back to Playa. After a very stomach churning 40 minute boat : ride back, we found a taxi and returned to the hotel with enough time to rest, : shower, and head for Don Julian’s for dinner. Then we called it a day - : sunburned and worn out. : Day 7 : This day was pretty much spent just lazing around, enjoying our last full day : of sun, and reminiscing about the past week. We enjoyed one last night at : Don Julain’s and headed back to the room to pack and get ready to return : home. : Day 8 : Our last day of paradise. It’s funny how you can be depressed about leaving, : and anxious to get back all at the same time. We double checked to make : sure we didn’t leave anything behind, and called the bellman to come get our : luggage. Check-out was smooth. We only had to pay $5 USD for the minute : and 45 second call we made home. Half an hour later, we loaded onto the bus : and waved goodbye to the great place we called home for a week. The ride to : the airport was smooth. Everyone was quiet and rested the way there. : Baggage check in was smooth. Our Lomas rep, Israel was there, and we said : our last good-byes and headed for our gate. We loaded into our first row, : emergency exit seats and prepared for the long ride home. After take off, we : caught our last glimpses of paradise, and closed to the window hoping to : sleep the ride away. : Once we landed, the captain came over the loud speaker and announced we : had made it 20 minutes ahead of schedule and would have to wait out on the : runway until our gate was cleared. Forty minutes later with flight attendants : fighting passengers the whole time not to get out of their seats to use the : bathroom, we finally moved up to the gate. Welcome back to reality! : Overall, I would have to say, the Riu Palace was by far the nicest place we’ve : ever stayed. Grand Lido Sans Souci (6 star) in Jamaica was nice - but this : place topped them all. The service was exceptional, the food was good, and : the people there will truly do anything within their means to make sure you : have a wonderful time. If you are the type of person who enjoys a very : upscale and elegant resort - this place is for you. Although the night life is : very light, the atmosphere is one of relaxation and pampering. : After the research and first hand experience, I will definitely rent a car again : and have no fear on taking the time to sight see any unbeaten path. We will : return to Cancun next year, but set our sights for a new resort and a new : experience. : If there are any other questions, please email. : Our web site with Riu pics is coming soon. : Happy travels!

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***RIU PALACE TRIP REPORT***

RIU PALACE TRIP REPORT