Curtis has been bugging me for years to go to Rocky Point, (Puerto Pensaco) down in Mexico. I had zero desire to do that. From what I had seen of Mexico on our cruises I couldn't imagine why anyone from the U.S. would want to go there. The beaches I had seen were, dirty, smelly and ugly. I don't care it is only a four hour drive, didn't seem worth it.
I talked to more and more people about it and they would say things like "the beach at Rocky Point is really nice, just don't look at the town". The beach may be nice, but I wasn't convinced the accommodations would be nice. Curtis has a friend (Jay) that owns a condo down there and he said we could stay in his condo and go check it out. At this point, I was willing to check it out, but not expecting much. People kept telling me stories of what a great time they had down there, everything is totally safe yada yada. So we planned to go the day after school got out.
The drive was nice, Rocky Point was about an hour from the border. There wasn't much to see between the border and Rocky Point. We arrive in the town, it looks about like what I expected. Old run down buildings, random dirt roads, stray dogs everywhere. We get closer and closer to the beach, ( we got lost and took an unexpected tour of the town, we were given bad directions) the resorts were looking pretty nice, although some were half done and looked like they had been that way for years. We finally get to Sonoran Spa Resort (many people were familiar with it when I told them where we were staying, kept hearing good things). The resort seems very nice we have to check in with a security guard. Some of the people spoke some English, Dax was mostly our translator with his two years of Spanish. We get to the Condo and it was beautiful. Two bedroom, two bath, full kitchen, and laundry with a beautiful view of the pool and beach. I was pleasantly surprised, very surprised at how nice it was.
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| Trey |
We had a great time, the first night we went down to play in the water. The tide goes way out and then comes way back in several times a day. The first evening the tide was out, the water was nice and shallow. We watched the sun set.
We ate dinner at the restaurant at the resort the first night, the food was good, but it was on the expensive side, tax was 14%, no drink refills, and couldn't drink the water etc. We saw Sam's club on the way in, so Friday Morning Curtis and I set out to find Sam's Club and buy some food for our stay. Sam's Club was interesting, very similar to ours, but also very different. Not a lot of pre-made/microwave food. We had no idea how much anything cost because it was in pesos and we didn't know the exchange rate. We bought some Zucaritas (Spanish Frosted Flakes) and Lucky Charms, frozen pizzas and some other junk. Curtis picked out this candy thing with Minions on it. We open it and it looks like a chocolate egg, when you shake it, there is something inside. When you each the chocolate there is a plastic egg thing on the inside with a minion toy inside. Opposite of how we do it in the USA. We would have plastic egg, with wrapped up chocolate/candy on the inside of the egg.
Later that day we decided to take the kids into town and check out the "Curios" and the little shops with Mexican trinkets. Curtis said each kid could have $5 to buy a souvenir. As we walked away from our car to check out the little shops, we could see some guys starting to wash our car. They didn't look like they were doing anything other than that, so we walked on, shopped and ate lunch. Lunch was good, and Dax ordered his in Spanish. I think the locals were a little impressed with his Spanish and they asked him where he learned it. Dax bought a shell wind chime, Derek got a necklace with an Aztec sun/medallion looking thing. Trey got a little tiny Mexican guitar. We headed back to our car and over an hour later those guys were there waiting to paid for the car wash we didn't ask for. Curtis paid them $5. They did a good job and we know they need the money. Just something that would not happen in America.
As soon as we got back, Derek slammed into the shiny spotless sliding glass door. He smacked himself pretty good.
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| Derek with his faceprint on the door |
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The boys were then getting ready to go down to the beach when Derek accidentally sprayed sunscreen in his eyes.
Derek and Dax went to to play with the boogie boards, after a bit Dax came running up saying Derek got stung by something. We didn't really believe him at first, then he convinced us and Curtis headed down. I stayed with Trey and watched from the balcony. I could see Dax combing the beach looking for his glasses, while Curtis and Derek and others were near the beach shower trying to help Derek. I watched the security guard spray blue stuff that looked like a Windex bottle on Derek. Turns out it was Windex and it was supposed to help. I felt like I should go help Dax find his glasses on the beach, but I wasn't sure about leaving Trey alone in the room. Not that he couldn't be left for a few minutes, I just felt a little un easy doing this in Mexico. Dax said a prayer and found his glasses. Derek and Curtis made it back up to the room, and Derek was crying and wailing. We were not sure if it was a Jelly Fish, Crab bite, or a sting ray. We just knew it hurt and he was in a lot of pain. The security guard told Curtis to take Derek to a hospital to get it cleaned and checked out. The hospital they told them to go to was closed and locked up even though it was during the hours of operation posted on the sign outside the hospital and ambulances were parked outside.
They had to drive around a bit looking for some type of Dr.or Medical facility to get help. Curtis didn't speak Spanish, and the people they were asking on the streets didn't speak English. Curtis finally found some type of clinic. They were able to walk right in, no wait. The Dr. Cleaned Derek up real good, so it didn't get infected, and gave him about three shots in his toe to numb the pain. The Dr. said it was a sting ray, the pain would last for a couple hours. After the numbing medicine wore off he may need a Tylenol or pain killer. Curtis and Derek came back to the condo and Derek was feeling much better, although he big toe was all wrapped up in gauze.The stink ray actually cuts you, then stings ouch. Double whammy.
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| Derek at the Medical facility, getting treated for Sting Ray attack. |
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While Derek was gone, being treated for the Sting Ray, I was thinking how he was really having a bad day, the window run in , the sun screen in eyes, now the sting ray.
When Curtis got home he brought me Derek's Medallion souvineer, and he said it's the "Curse of the Medallion:. Like the Brady Bunch when they went to Hawaii and the kids took the Tiki Idol and got Cursed and all the bad luck started happening. Derek was having a great day until he bought that medallion and started wearing hit. It was kind of funny, Derek laughed, although he still loves his medallion, and jokes that it is cursed.
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| Derek wearing his cursed medallion. |
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Derek was feeling much better and we all went down to the pool later that night.
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| Trey loved swimming under this bridge through a little cubby hole |
Saturday morning we went down to the beach, Derek stayed up in the room ( he wasn't ready for sand in the wound). I started collecting sea shells to take home and put in our Rock Garden. I picked up about 5 of these one type of shells that I thought looked kind of cool. We were walking around and I felt a little tickle. I looked down and saw that the shell actually had a hermit crab that was poking out. How cool was that? We went back up to the room and realized that all the shells of that type had hermit crabs in them. Dax and I went back down to the beach to collect, sand, sea water etc. to create at little habitat for the crabs. I named it the "crabitat"
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| Reflection of Derek and Dax in glass table, looking at hermit crabs |
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| The Crabitat |
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| Beach when tide is out |
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| We wrote "Hi Derek" in sand while Derek waited in room |
Later that day Curtis and I went into town to get Pedicures together. A first for Curtis, and he loved it. I always knew he would love one. He always loves a good foot rub. While I was finishing up Curtis went to a beach store across the street to get some water shoes for everyone. We didn't need anymore sting ray attacks. When we got back we all headed down to the beach and went on a Banana Boat ride. It was a lot of fun but we didn't love the Salt water getting splashed in our eyes and mouth. I went back tot he beach and watched as Curtis rented a Jet ski and took turns taking the boys out on that. He was a fun dad and let the kids drive. Dax took a sharp turn and threw Curtis off into the water. It tuns out that the guys who ran the Jet Ski operation were the guys Dax asked for help when Derek was Stung. They remembered the boys and asked how Derek was doing. We had a fun time at the beach even though every 30 seconds someone would walk by asking if I wanted to buy their stuff. Not really it all looked like junk to me. I wish they would sell something useful, that Americans would actually want, cold drinks, sand toys, trashy magazines. It is hot, and they do work hard, just nothing I want or need.
Sunday Morning we went down to the pool and played a bit before we headed home. Derek and Curtis and breath holding contest. Derek won.
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| One last gasp for breath | | | |
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| The contest underway |
We packed up and headed home. There was a long line at the border, now we know get to the border early. More people walking by our cars selling stuff. We had a great trip. I would say it was nearly a perfect vacation (except for the sting stay) Close and easy to get to. Very inexpensive ( thanks to Jay letting us use his condo) beautiful weather, location, and amenities. We will definitely go back.
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| Playing at the beach |
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| Trey loved this slide, he said "shh don't tell anyone I'm only 46" . The sign said had to be 48" |
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| Beautiful Sunset |
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| much needed relaxation by the pool |
Anyway we went to the Library and the Librarian told me Trey was reading 3rd grade level books. We got him his own library card, and he checked out 4 "chapter books". He buzzed through the Junie B. Jones book because he wanted to hurry and read it so he could take it to school for Mrs. Smool to read to the class. He took it to her on Wednesday morning. I told him he would also like Magic Treehouse books and he has already finished that one as well. For being my kid who doesn't like school, he is excelling in every area. I hope the good grades and good habits continue.
