Hanging with the dirty monkeys

It's not as bad as it sounds, keep reading... This weekend we took a little trip to MEXICO with the FRAmily (FRA is the company Ryan works for smashed with family - cute, huh? This only one of the many words found in the FRActionary). It was the perfect time for a little escape from our wintery mix here in Iowa. Mexico, despite the reputation it has had lately, was beautiful. We stayed at The Royal all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen. We left Thursday night caravan style to Minneapolis in preparation of our early morning flight on Friday (6am flight means you have to be at the airport earlier than I have been up lately) BUT it was totally worth it! We arrived in Mexico shortly after 10am. This provided almost an entire day of sun and fun after our travel.

In good 'ol Ashley fashion, I didn't take too many photos but here are a few (on the gloomiest day of the trip):











As you can see, the beaches were outrageously gorgeous - bright blue water and white velvety sand. The food was delish! After much discussion as it was all so good, we decided our favorite eatery was Asiana (an Asian fusion restaurant). We took a little time to explore the area outside of the resort, we were close to the main drag of stops and shops, however, our wheeling and dealing was pretty limited (two carry-ons don't leave too much space for extras on the way home).

We had great company in the FRAmily. Ryan enjoyed time with his co-workers outside of the office and I love getting to know everyone he works with and their significant others a little more than I normally have the opportunity to. We are both very fortunate to be apart of this group of people. We were also fortunate to spend such a wonderful weekend with them enjoying a few dirty monkeys (this was one of the favorite drinks, it was kind of like a chocolate shake with rum and bananas thrown in - yummy!). The trip ended with a flight back to the States on Monday. We came back refreshed and relaxed. For all of you seeking a future vacay, we would recommend it!

Adios Amigitos,