Atlanta - about to board!

Baggage claim and funding transfer to hotel go muuuccchh smoother and faster this time around. I think we’ll make it for sushi hour- John will be so happy with this!

Refreshed our water bottle before the transfer …

Any time we gained is now lost….upside, they are paving the last mile or so of the road leading to the resort (much needed!) so we were almost there, but had to reverse to let other cars through because….this is what the other side of the road looks like….

New roadway being built

We made it!

Wellness refresher drink with ginger- delicious

We made it in time for sushi hour!

Welcome amenity with champagne split

Our welcome back letter! There are so many if not all of the same staff as last year- really does feel like being home again!

Our first sunset of the week. At this time of year it sets over the hillside to the left. Last year it was further right over the water.

Bye bye shoes!

11 am- it’s raining like really raining- not a tropical shower- rain rain go away

VIDEO alert- there are actual waves this year- maybe it’s the different time of year? Or just today? We’ll find out.

John went in for a morning dip and I actually saw him stumble in the waves- he said the current was strong. Then he had to shower because he got so much sand in his suit!

All of the sand is from his suit!

Lucky #7 this year- we are all the way at the end of the beach this year so it’s a bit more private. Last year we were just steps away from the main hub. We are the second last suite on the beach. It’s nice!

They offered us breakfast in the room this morning for our anniversary.

I mean, how dissapointing is this? We don’t have the window through the room 😂

New this year- this suite has an enclosed toilet!

Classic White Lotus moment going on here- at lunch- manager is speaking with these guests because they didn’t want to be on the beach- they wanted a villa suite in the hills…..then maybe you should have booked that….

Everyone at the resort is using the hotel issued burlap beach bags and mostly the men are carrying them- John said that’s why they put them in the room so the husbands can carry them for the wives

Espresso martinis for Super Bowl on the beach- yes please

Hiiiiiii

Game time food

Beautiful gorgeous afternoon

The day was overall pretty cloudy and around halftime it started to POUR like full on crazy sideways rain for quite some time! Made for a wet walk back to the room- only to discover they locked it at turndown service….we usually leave the key in the room and come thru the sliding doors. It’s just so safe here and let’s be real/ the clientele here are not coming to our room to steal my second hand clothes and what is probably “dollar store” jewelry for them! Ha!

Anywho- John had to walk to the front desk to get another key - and these are real keys!

Exhibit A- Real Key!

Exhibit B- We have placed the key in this SUPER secret 🤫 spot on our lanai….

Good morning- Looks pretty much the same as yesterday! 😂

I really like the “driftwood” outside our suite. We are guessing that was strategically placed of course and not its natural habitat….new this year are the plank boardwalks that lead to each suite and run the length of the property.

https://www.chloe.com/en-us/p/bags/tote-bag/CHC25SS591O8227S.html

Click on the link. This is why I’m not worried about locking our suite. A woman here has this beach bag. If you can’t open the link, the bag is $900. For a straw bag with a leather logo.

Today is cloudy and rainy again today so far- not like last night crazy rain- this is a true light sprinkle tropical shower. 1 pm and waiting for it to pass.

VIDEO - It’s not all glamorous- so to be fair I’m putting our current reality- but still better than home right???

VIDEO - Once again I can’t get over how private this feels- Albeit \240weather is not great at the moment but even if there were people here, it would still feel quiet.

Lunch- I said we weren’t going to take pictures of all of our food again…but here we are.

Rainy day drinks

Sushi 🍣 hour!!

Sushi hour was moved from the beach hut bar to the pool bar because the tide is rolling in high!

Day is ending - well- sunset- on a pretty note.

VIDEO

John thinks the driftwood will be gone in the morning because of the tide- it’s still here. Ha!

VIDEO -Verrry windy today and LOTS of 🌊!

Snowflake- resident cat (1 of 2) is still here

Beach dress compliments of the girls from the Goodwill Bin for the win!

Seafood soup

Artichoke and okra

Chilean sea bass and octopus

Friends from Appleton area!!!

Morning view from our room/lanai

Apparently this is the first time it’s rained in over a month- we are fortunate enough to get the brunt of it this week! Starts clearing up late Thursday/Friday, our last two fulll days. Oh well what can we do.

Juice of the day is carrot and papaya….hmmmmm ..yesterday was watermelon mint- yummmm

Evidence of the tide coming over the plank walkway

Take a picture! John said…breakfast

We should get these for home. EVERYtime we go somewhere I always say “I want that at home”

Our treatment room- glorious!! Was so amazing.

Entrance to the spa- it used to be up in the hills- but they moved it to the beach so they can build a 2-story villa to book out!!!!

VIDEO - Beach conditions flag- has been RED

Big shifts in paradise last night and now today. We are “stranded” by the pool area as the beach is deemed unsafe because of high tides. It’s not really that bad but it’s just windy and cloudy anyway. They are moving lunch to the breakfast spot. Usually lunch is at the end of the beach.

Current view

I want these too for the backyard

Their abundance of fresh produce locally grown onsite

Zucchini and peppers stuffed with pork and veal yumminess w light bread crumbs and more yumminess

Our “light” lunch - black cod and red snapper

Omg I thought John was kidding when he read the dessert menu- sorbet with vodka.

Beautiful fresh real flowers

Games and books for a rainy day- John said no - lol

Another White Lotus moment- couple bitching about the sushi at sushi hour. Unbelievable- this food is literally world class food….

Well it poured and I mean poured most of the night. Dinner was excellent of course and tonight we had dessert for the first time this week.

Came back to our suite to find a little mishap 😳

The sun is ACTUALLY out

More evidence of sun! Shadows

John has managed to finish reading two books on this trip so far and I can’t even get past page 40 on mine.

Found a huge beautiful shell but John doesn’t want to bring it home because he doesn’t want to be cursed like Jan from the Brady Bunch

We got the CLEAR for the catamaran and it was drrreeeaaammmyyyyy!

A grill on the boat!

Our thoughtful lunch set up complete with flowers

Cooked all from scratch

Our view - Carlisle Bay

We went snorkeling- even ME! They had these full face clear masks where you can breathe normally and no fins! It was soo cool- especially for me since I don’t usually do it. We both saw a barracuda too!

Starters -

Main course

I lied- we had a light shower but it’s still sunny and this beautiful rainbow ❤️ this is so ridiculous- pinch me. Had to get up from our breakfast table to take it all in.

It’s refreshing to wake up to sun and calm waves finally what you expect after three days of clouds wind and rain. Yesterday afternoon turned out great too!

VIDEO

Front entrance

Catch of the day- Mahi Mahi at Henmingway’s Cafe in town at St John’s

Met Bob and Marcy for lunch!! We had no idea they were in Antigua. Bob is an old co-worker/friend that John worked with and is now retired. John’s current co-worker Lori saw Bob’s FB post of him in Antigua so she texted John and there you have it! One plus for social media!

There’s a guest here at the resort who looks like the “night Fox” thief (actor) in the movie Oceans 12

John dared me to get video of crusty the crab

We had a double dose of sushi tonite! Chef prepped too much and not enough guests. Today was a major departure day I guess- which meannssss it will likely be extra super quiet and less crowded even though it never feels crowded anyway!

Chatted up w more new friends last night after dinner- she is a TALKER ! But we were swapping stories and other tropical dreamy resorts and Hilton/Marriott points- this couple plays the same game. She also made several mentions of all the “old” people at their previous resort . This couple is probably late 20s- maaaaaybe early 30? Anyway. Comical to me.

Unknown drama with the superyacht that’s been here all week. It’s been in one location the entire week except for today. It appears to have moved and two of our hotel boats are over there along with other boats and we just are not sure what’s happening.

Mystery solved! Our trusted boy Kyle informed us the yacht belongs to the owner of this hotel! That’s why there are like a gazillion boats around it trying to tie it off. And naturally the owner is not here right now….of course!

Backpack seen on property by a guest……..!!!!!!

Lunch at the Beach Bar this week was French themed- Reminded us of Lake Park

Our starters - sweet peppers and Mahi Mahi

Roast baby chicken and grilled king prawns

The amazing abundant \240produce

Our truly happy place

I mean come on! What are these purple skies? Ridiculous and beautiful beautiful

Last dinner! Ran a bit later than usual but all good.

This soup- oh my gosh- best part of the meal- oyster truffle and something….😋

Veggies scallops with truffle risotto and mahi mahi with a potato puree - holy schnikes so good but I think I reached my limit! I could not finish it.

And PS- truffles were flowing like water this week in all dishes. If we were home they would be charging hefty premiums for the tiniest bit of the amazing truffle. Reminder- this is all-inclusive so we “paid” for nothing all week. Gotta love the points system!

John has been intrigued with this boat the last two days since it pulled in and this is what he wants.

Reason 500 to love this place. John went to get our morning coffee and one of our fave staffers- Jilian gave this to him to give to me. Her mother made it.