# A little peek at my trip to Punta Cana



## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

I spent the past week at Excellence Resort in Punta Cana. It's all enclusive and very very nice! 


If you like pools, this is the place to go. You can walk all day in these winding pools.









I felt like a rich girl at times...









Oh and to think we almost had a problem on the way....at take off, the captain almost took off and then aborterd...we had to go back to the airport and change planes as there was something wrong with one of the engines!! :w00t:









There were shows every night, I only caught a few of them but they were all fabulous!! :aktion033:









Back in a different pool on this day....








You can walk almost all over the resort and not get wet if it rains - it's beautifully landscaped. This was on the walk from the lobby to our building.









What can I say about the beach.....:wub::wub:










beautiful nature and birds to see. 









oh! and did I tell you that I finally got to swim with the dolphins?!! What a blast!!!









.....even got kissed by a sea lion! :wub:









So, I ate too much, drank too much and had too much fun. :chili::aktion033:

Life is good!!!! And Thanks, Linda (LexiMom) for keeping Mona Lisa for me!!!!! :thumbsup:


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## TLR (Nov 13, 2011)

Wow looks like a great place. So glad you had a wonderful time...love the pics especially the kiss by the sea lion!!


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## MoonDog (Jun 6, 2011)

Wow! What a fun trip!!! Great pictures of you Pat! Glad you had a good time!


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

I've been following your "adventure" on FB. So glad that you had such a great time. Love all the pictures.:chili::chili:

You let Linda keep Mona Lisa -- and she actually gave her back to you?!!! You're such a trusting soul. LOL:HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley:

It's good to have you back -- now you can get ready to join me in San Diego for Nationals -- come on, gf, you know you want to.:drinkup::Happy_Dance::thmbup:


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## educ8m (May 19, 2010)

Looking at your wonderful pictures made me realize how much I'm craving a beach vacation and summer break from teaching. You look so relaxed and happy. The resort also looks fabulous. Thanks for sharing your pics.


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## zooeysmom (Aug 1, 2011)

OMG, what a fabulous vacation! Welcome home from one paradise to another


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

Pat it looks like you had a wonderful vacation. Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures.


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## lynda (Oct 11, 2005)

Wow Pat, you sure know how to live. Looks like you had a great time and what a great place to be. I love all your pictures but the one with you and the dolphin and then you and the sea lion are just priceless.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

I haven't enjoyed a real vacation for so long I can't even remember. On one hand your pictures took me to the wonderland...okay....thank you for sharing,,,it was a mini vacation for us.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Pat - your vacation looked wonderful. So glad you had a good time. It looks beautiful and fun. My experience in Punta Cana was so different but it was the horrible resort that we were in because of the wedding we were invited to. You look like you found a great one.:chili:


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Life is good :aktion033: :wine::drinkup:


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

I love all of the pictures, Pat ... but, I think my favorite is the one with you and the dolphin! What a wonderful experience that has to be! 

The resort looks gorgeous! And, I love the winding pools ... very beautiful and that looks so unique. And, those special *beds* on the beach! I love it! 

Pat, you get the award for living life to the fullest!


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

So glad that you had a such a wonderful time! We all missed you here, but everyone needs a vacation once in a while!!!loved the pics!!!


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## LuvMyBoys (Jan 2, 2012)

Looks like you had a fabulous time Pat. I love those all inclusive resorts...don't know about you, but they don't make any money off of me, I make sure of that!!! ("I'll have another margarita, and can you bring me a rum and coke, oh and cheese fries too...when you get a chance?")


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## Madison's Mom (Dec 26, 2007)

Your pictures sent me flying to Google that resort. Gorgeous! I have decided I need to model my life after yours!


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## LexiMom (Feb 7, 2012)

You let Linda keep Mona Lisa -- and she actually gave her back to you?!!! You're such a trusting soul. LOL:HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley:

I had such a blast with Mona Lisa and so did Cassidy and Lexi - It was SOOOO hard to bring her back home - I miss her terribly


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

Nice pics !-------- I want to go there NOW !!!! LOL


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## Barb and the boys (Oct 26, 2007)

What a great vacation! It is so much fun that SM'ers get to travel the world with everyone's vacations!! Love the picture with the dolphin!


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

OMG I am going to that resort this August for a wedding!! My boyfriend's friends are getting married there, so I figured it was the perfect opportunity to take a little vacation!! It will actually be the first and longest time I'll be away from Ozzie  but my parents live 5 min away and will take very good care of him (am curious to see if they will let him sleep in their bed!! they never let their yorkie!!).

These pictures make me VERY excited!!! If anyone else is interested, we are getting a discount on the resort for booking before Apr 30 (I better get booking!!) for Aug 18 - Sept something... I'm guessing this is why his friends chose to get married in the DR in August!!!


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## hoaloha (Jan 27, 2012)

Awesome pics! Looks like you had lots of fun in the sun and some wonderful relaxation :-D


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## Bishop (Mar 10, 2012)

I want to go to the D.R....I have looked into the Grand Bavaro, did you look into that resort? The Excellence look's fantastic....love your pictures, and would love to see more...how are the rooms and food?


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Bishop said:


> I want to go to the D.R....I have looked into the Grand Bavaro, did you look into that resort? The Excellence look's fantastic....love your pictures, and would love to see more...how are the rooms and food?


 
This was my first visit to Punta Cana. A co-worker went last year and couldn't stop raving about it...soooo.....I thought I should go check it out.


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

These are some awesome shots , Pat. Thanks for sharing them with us. I am glad that you had a good time. I missed you around :grouphug:


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

CorkieYorkie said:


> OMG I am going to that resort this August for a wedding!! My boyfriend's friends are getting married there, so I figured it was the perfect opportunity to take a little vacation!! It will actually be the first and longest time I'll be away from Ozzie  but my parents live 5 min away and will take very good care of him (am curious to see if they will let him sleep in their bed!! they never let their yorkie!!).
> 
> These pictures make me VERY excited!!! If anyone else is interested, we are getting a discount on the resort for booking before Apr 30 (I better get booking!!) for Aug 18 - Sept something... I'm guessing this is why his friends chose to get married in the DR in August!!!


My boyfriend and I just got back from this resort a couple weeks ago, and it was......AMAZINGGGGG!!!! It was GORGEOUS and the staff were all friendly, incredibly accommodating and just overall wonderful... The food was delicious and there are about 5-6 different restaurants in the resort to choose from, plus 24-hour room service! Not to mention TONS of stuff to do on the resort plus LOTS more excursions to do outside of the resort. 

And alcohol eeeeverywhere... which needless to say, I'm guessing I would avoid this place during spring break if you don't want to be in the middle of Cancun, b/c we went in Aug and still ran into a few drunkie mcgee's lol.. speaking of which, since it was Hurricane season, we got a VERY good deal.. 30% off their normal rate, so I would definitely recommend this if you are willing to chance it to save some $$$!

It really is as good as Pat describes and it is even MORE beautiful than pictures can express.... we went for my boyfriend's childhood friend's wedding and it was so beautiful and right on the beach!! Very good idea for an affordable destination wedding!!

The room was gorgeous and we got a swim-up without even upgrading!!!





















And the view from our room was AMAZINGGGG:











Beach Wedding:











And horseback riding!










And we went on an excursion to the island of Saona, south of the coast of the DR on the Caribbean side. They said the film The Blue Lagoon was filmed here! Very much worth the trip!!










few more randoms of the resort...... I want to come back for my honeymoon... :wub:










Lobby:









:::sigh::: ok now I am just getting sad that I am back in cold Illinois and not back in sunny paradise.... o well... it was the first time we were away from Ozzie, so I missed him terribly!!! Seeing his reaction to me when we came to pick him up from my parents def made coming home worth it :wub:


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Wasn't it fabulous?!!!!! Glad you enjoyed it too!! :aktion033:

I'd go back again too. Your pictures brought back great memories!!!!!!


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## Deborah (Jan 8, 2006)

Looks like so much fun. I do have a question don't you live near the ocean? Then go to the ocean for a vacation. I am just a little green with envy because I have not been anywhere in a long time.


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

the closest body of water to me is Lake Michigan LOL and it is not very clean!! I was very lucky to be able to take this vacation b/c I work two part time jobs and don't get any paid vacation time... so I had to work a lot of extra hours to make up for it!! It is so tough to take vacations, I feel... airfare is just so expensive and it's hard to take time off work in this economy.. :-/

I was also incredibly fortunate to be able to go to the UK in Mar of 2011 during my boyfriend's leave on his deployment (I was supposed to visit him on-site in Egypt, but there were those darn riots going on...) but before that I had not been out of the country ever before and had not been on a 'vacation' in years.. heh, to me AZ is a vacation!! Chicago is WAY too cold!!! that being said, my next vacation will probably be my honeymoon....whenever that is LOL


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Deborah said:


> Looks like so much fun. I do have a question don't you live near the ocean? Then go to the ocean for a vacation. I am just a little green with envy because I have not been anywhere in a long time.


I'm thinking you mean Pat here not Courtney.  :HistericalSmiley: Pat lives near the Atlantic; Courtney near...Lake Michigan that looks like an ocean but doesn't exactly feel like one.
Courtney - your shots are beautiful. Looked like a great resort. My DH and I went to a resort in Punta Cana for his nephew's wedding and it was the resort from **** - everyone except me got food poisoning :w00t:- I avoided it after reading awful reviews on trip advisor and brought my own food. All Punta Cana resorts are not created equal so good to know about a good one.


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

The resort looks gorgeous. I went to Punta Cana in January and stayed at Gran Bahia Principe. It was an excellent resort too.


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## dntdelay (May 27, 2011)

I love the pictures, but I am sooooo jealous!


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Deborah said:


> Looks like so much fun. I do have a question don't you live near the ocean? Then go to the ocean for a vacation. I am just a little green with envy because I have not been anywhere in a long time.


 
I love the beach and ocean!! That's why I live here....but, I work all summer and rarely get to enjoy it like the visitors do!! :w00t::huh:

So when I get a vacation, I love to go to a beautiful warm beach and float around in the ocean. ahhhhhhhhhh.......


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## garrettsmom (May 15, 2006)

The A Team said:


> I love the beach and ocean!! That's why I live here....but, I work all summer and rarely get to enjoy it like the visitors do!! :w00t::huh:
> 
> So when I get a vacation, I love to go to a beautiful warm beach and float around in the ocean. ahhhhhhhhhh.......


 I'm with you Pat, there's nothing like a beach vacation in a beautiful locale. If you remember I was in Punta Cana the same time as you at a different resort. We really loved the island and would consider going back....I'd love to try Excellance-it looks beautiful.

On the other hand we'd kind of like to try and go the non all inclusive route for a different experience to somewhere like the USVI, BVI or Anguilla. (maybe even Turks and Caicos). I know you've been to St John a couple of times...I was wondering how you'd compare the two vacations? Where did you stay in St John? Did you find the All Inclusive vacation more relaxing?

If anyone else has 'done' the British or US VI's please chime in with suggestions!.


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

Wow! What a beautiful resort. Looks like a very fun time! Loved the pics!


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## ckanen2n (Jan 2, 2012)

What a beautiful resort - and the look on your face with the dolphin says it all!


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

I recommend it if you're looking!! Great price especially since we went in aug... Lake Michigan remains my "ocean" when I need a beak LOL


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

wow Pat. what a beautiful trip, my all time favorite picture of you is with the dolfins, your livin life, so what else is on your bucket list?. You always have such a wonderful time with whatever your up to, it's cuz your positive attitude shines:Sunny Smile:LOVE YOU GIRLFRIEND


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