Unexpected for some one of centuries-long Barbados heritage, my physical constitution suffers badly in the heat of the Canadian summer. In the Chinese coastal cities I have lived and worked in over the years I have been trapped by air conditioning from May to September moving from air conditioned staff quarters to air conditioned offices and meeting rooms able to get out into the relief of fresh air only early in the morning or late in the evening. People like me should summer in Beidaihe or preferably an Indian hill station. But my conclusion in general is that it was evidently not in God's plan that red faced sweaty white people like me should have colonized the East, Africa or South America. We should have just stayed in the damp grey cool of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales that suits our physical makeup.
So my idea of the ideal holiday would be a walking holiday in the Hebrides or traipsing through the Devonshire moors for a week or two. Baking on a hot beach by a southern sea is just not the thing for the constitutionally heat-averse.
But as I am on leave this term and my daughter will be heading to university in just 16 months. It seemed like a good idea to make a family holiday in the school March break and build some happy memories while we can.
So I spent about 20 minutes on cheaptickets.com laid out $4,500 on my credit card and here we all are at an all-inclusive resort in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic. It was one of the cheaper March break tours on offer. Our flights all leave in the middle of the night. We are coming back leaving from Santo Domingo at 2:08am.
Just two days ago it was high winds, freezing rain and sleet at the Fast-Track long term parking lot across from the Buffalo Airport. And now it feels like June in March here by the tropical ocean.
This is our first ever winter holiday. I have been to Barbados but in the summer school vacation staying with an uncle and elderly aunts who sent me the British West Indian Airways air ticket (their kindness and generosity never to be forgotten but that is another story). I realize that going south in the winter is very common for middle-class Canadians but the whole thing has been a revelation for me.
For one thing it really is all-inclusive --- meals at any of about 10 restaurants on-site including 3 buffets which resemble my notion of the groaning boards of feasts in the great halls of medieval castles --- sumptuous spreads of entire roast pigs, whole fowl of all descriptions, seafood and for afters dozens of pies, cakes and puddings all this accompanied by unlimited glasses of wine, very good beer and excellent local coffee. Help yourself or a smiling steward appears with a fresh glass even before you have drained the last one.
There are more than a dozen bars serving hors d'oeuvres and all the watered cocktails one could want all the day and late into the night. In evenings each has excellent live music --- Brazilian bossa nova dominates for some reason --- guitars, flutes, gentle melodies.
Surprisingly I have yet to encounter a staggering, slurring drunk or morbidly obese person here although one would have thought this would be just the venue for them --- unlimited quantities of everything to eat or drink free to be consumed to excess if desired.
So far I have yet to spend a single one of the $100 of pesos I exchanged with a elderly Taiwanese gentleman who farms here that I made friends with on the airplane flying from New York City. Mr. Lin gave a much more favourable rate than the Arrival Hall exchange counter.
The room is tastefully appointed, and kept very clean. The whole property is amidst beautiful tropical gardens. The beach is fine white sand and the ocean, still, clear and blue and so salty that one floats in it without effort.
So I lounge here on the beach in the shade after an hour of late afternoon sea bathing. Amidst the cooling evening breeze I am waiting for the sunset with my glass of vino tinto while watching my 7 year-old engrossed in his elaborate sand castle.
I just cherish the moment and wonder at how is it that we are so blessed that our life has become so good?
(Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cburton001/sets/72157626303655362/)
Friday, March 18, 2011
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