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Trip Reviews, Ratings and Comments - Trip Review - Aventura Palace
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Recently spent a week at the Aventura Palace Resort. Had a pretty good time, but the folks running the place had a bug spraying program going on while we were there. Seems they're trying to destroy this autumn's crop of bugs. That's a good idea, but they had Mexican workmen out every night with portable sprayers, squirting bug killer everywhere. The bug killer smells really strong, a pronounced chemical smell that sets your sinus cavity into overtime. The Mexican workmen were coughing and hacking and sneezing nose drippings all over the place. They seemed real agitated, almost angry - wouldn't you be? Anyway, I gave them a couple of bucks and they seemed real happy about that. They came back and sprayed every second day. It sure kept the bugs away, but that smell, that chemical smell.
The resort itself is one of the best I've ever stayed at. The food is incredible! I must have gained six pounds while I was there. A huge selection, including local foods and lots of sea food. I did have a problem though. One afternoon my belly cramped up real bad. I was on the beach, so I had no choice but to quickly wade out into the man made lagoon and let my bowel discharge into the water. Then I splashed around and let the warm waters of the lagoon clean the "fudge" from my swim trunks. One Mexican kid up on the beach saw what I did, so I gave him a couple of bucks and he seemed real happy about that. If you are having any stomach problems, stay near the beach bar. It has a restroom. Believe me, you don't want to do what I had to do (when I got back home my wife made me throw my swimming trunks into the garbage). Also, if you do get into any fecal trouble, just give the Mexicans a couple of bucks and they'll turn a blind eye.
The rooms at Aventura Palace are outstanding. Well worth the money. Be sure to request a room overlooking the lagoon and the ocean. Also, take advantage of the massage service. I got my first full cranial massage (this type of massage originated in Japan), and it was surreal. They wrapped my head tightly with seaweed and had me breathe the smoke of some special incense while a burly Mexican woman mashed and kneaded and rubbed and tapped all around on my head. After she was done, she took the seaweed from my head and made a tea with it, which I drank. My god, did I ever feel refreshed, and ready for a rousing game of chess - yes, it was that good.
Lots of sports activities are availale for those guests so inclined, including beach volleyball, sand frisbee, ocean checkers, snorkling, eel spiking, and crab walking to name just a few. I have to say this was one of the best vacations I have ever had. We also took a 15 minute cab ride into Playa del Carmen for a bit of shopping. I stopped at a street stall on 5th Avenue and got a tatoo on the back of my left ear, a Mexican salamander - very abstract - my wife says it looks like a smudge of black ink and nothing more, but I like it, I think it gives me that "the hell with it " attitude. My wife bought some nice silver jewellry pieces, which turned sort of a green color once we got back home, but I know the pieces are 100% pure silver because the Mexican that sold them to us said they were, and that's good enough for me, by golly. Another thing that's a good buy in Mexico is hand blown glass. There are several glass shops in Playa del Carmen, and I bought a couple of glass eyes for my uncle Howard - a blue one and a green one with specs of brown. The Mexicans running the shop, Carlito's Glass Works, have a glass eye sizing chart if you're not sure which size you need. I knew uncle Howard wears a number 6, because I've bought glass eyes for him before. Anyway, I can't wait for him to see, with his one good eye of course, the new finely crafted Mexican glass eyes that I got for him.
One thing I would suggest is that you buy your sun screen and camera film before you go. These two items are terribly expensive if you buy them at a Mexican resort.
Well, let me conclude by saying that Mexico, especially the Mayan Riviera, is one of my favorite vacation destinations, and Aventura Palace Resort has got it nailed. They pretty much do everything right. It's a great place to spend your vacation dollars. I mean that sincerely. Happy Mexican Vacationing!
Submitted by: Karl Shepton -- ksliger@fwj.com
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