All-Inclusive Doesn't Mean You Have to Eat EVERYTHING! (oops)

Back from a weekend in the Mayan Riviera!

Honestly, neither of us were expecting much...all we really wanted was a weekend of complete and utter relaxation by the water...complete with a good drinks, good food and a good book!

The "all-inclusive" thing always seemed kinda cheesy to me--like an 80s nightclub and a karaoke bar (which this place had both of). Seriously, I have to wear a bracelet all weekend like it's some sort of music festival? What next? Group water aerobics? (they had that too)

Fortunately, everything about the Barcelo Mayan Palace was top-notch from the rooms, to the pools, to the service, to the food and even to the drinks. Did I overindulge? You bet...mostly on food at dinner. Shit, it's all-inclusive. Why wouldn't I order the surf and turf?? (and then hit the dessert buffet afterwards?)

I also overindulged on luxury sleep (10-11 hours a night) and not one, but TWO good books! ("Four Blondes" by Candace Bushnell and "My Life on the Run" by Bart Yasso)

Don't worry my type-A, nerdy, Ironman types. I also hit most of my workouts (except for that pesky 70 mile bike ride). I swam every day in our own version of Barton Springs right outside our window and ran twice--including a 13+ miler one week after my marathon. We even hit the fitness center for 1hr 30minutes on the stationary bike. It's just not the same when Pain and Mo aren't calling out gears and playing Justin Timberlake. (even though that's probably what I was listening to on my iPod)

Many times I thought, "I could so get used to this leisurely, service-oriented, non-facebooking, non-emailing, book reading, wine sipping, way of life." It was as if the pressures of real life (even the trivial ones) simply melted away. Our biggest challenge was trying to stay up late enough to go to the one of the shows (we didn't) and decide which spa package to receive (pedi, facial and massage--thank you very much).

It was confirmed when I got to Houston and people were pushing, shoving, and running to reach their terminals. Ah....gotta love the crazy Americans who have no idea how to relax. It's always go, go, go with no thought to the "present moment." We're so concerned with getting to the next place that we can't even enjoy the place we're in.

We got home and were in bed by 9:30pm so that I could be up for 5:45am swim practice and Shawn could be at work by 6:15am...

So much for that relaxing way of life :-)

Our very own open-water pool! Judging by my "lap times," I estimated the pool to be about 150m long (or 300m per lap). I got two great long swims done and was, not surprisingly, the only person doing real laps with goggles and a swim cap. (besides co-Ironman Trainee hubster)

It doesn't look crowded because it was about 8am and most of the revelers were either still asleep or indulging in the massive breakfast buffets. The "floaty" in the water is little 'ol me taken by hubster from our balcony.

The ocean was great, but the afternoon I went for an ocean swim, the water was incredibly choppy due to the constant 25-30mph winds.

I saw one huge sting ray and got the hell out after about 15 minutes.