Hello and welcome to the fabulous Barcelo Bavaro Palace! It is part of a 5 hotel resort compound near Bavaro and Punta Cana on the southeast side of The Dominican Republic.
It was our first time at an "all-inclusive" so we were excited and unsure of what, exactly, that meant. We packed on Wednesday night, and stayed up much too late doing the dishes and cleaning. Then I had a hard time falling asleep because I was so excited! We had to get up at 5:30 to leave the apartment at 6:00 to get to the bus station by 6:30 for the 7:00 bus...
We awoke on time and hurriedly showered and left. We made it part way down the road where the bus station was supposed to be located.
**As an aside, Wil doesn´t really like my guidebook, or any guidebook for that matter. So, the day before I had had him call and speak to the bus station and get directions. This "Express" bus was supposed to leave from a different location than most of the buses leave from here in Santo Domingo. Wil had the directions and said he knew where it was located.
We were walking down the street and Wil did ask someone about the bus station. They told him that the only buses to Bavaro left from El Duarte, the area from where all of the buses leave. Wil quickly believed this man. I said, "are you sure, we haven´t seen the grocery store that it is supposed to be near?" Like I said, he doesn´t like the guidebook, so anything it says, to him, is generally inaccurate. We turned around and started walking back to then catch a different bus. I was worried then, since that area is farther away. Suddenly we heard yelling from behind us. The man that had told us to turn around was with another man that was waving and yelling to us. Thank goodness!! The other man knew where the bus station was located. We went only about three blocks further down our original route and found the bus station. I was so glad that that man had taken the time to tell us.
We sat outside the bus station for a few minutes until it opened. Then we purchased our tickets and boarded the comfortable air conditioned bus. About 3 1/2 hours later we approached Bavaro. We began seeing signs for our hotel. We were both pretty excited. As it happened, we drove right to the entrance to our resort complex. We decided to get off there, rather than go on to the bus station and have to get transportation back.
We walked up to the security gate. We showed the man our reservation voucher. I don´t think they too often have guests walk up to the gate. So, of course, he called over a taxi to take us into the hotel. We totally could have walked it, but I don´t think that was an option for the security guard. So, then we paid the taxi half of the fair all the way from Santo Domingo for the 4 minute taxi ride. Most of the guests arrive in tour buses and things, so I understand it´s a tourist price for the taxi.
We were at the hotel at like 10:58 a.m. I knew that check-in was probably at 3 p.m...but we decided to try it anyway. The woman at the reception area was very nice. She checked us in and gave us our wristbands, yes wristbands, for the all-inclusive events. But, our room was not ready yet. She told us to check back in a couple of hours. Wil wanted to sit and read the newspaper and relax. I was way too hyped to sit! We found him a comfortable spot in the lobby and I went exploring. I found the little casino room of machines in our hotel, the restaurants, theater, beach, swimming pools and swim up bar! Very cool! I also checked out the gift shop. I had thought I was being clever so I brought my completed post cards because I was sure there would be a mail box at the resort and that they would have stamps. Well, both of those things were true, but I was not willing to spend $3 per postcard stamp. I love you all, but I just couldn´t bring myself to do it. So, Wil is definitely taking me to a post office this week!
When I was scouting, I saw that the restaurant opened at 12:30. Since we had our wristbands I figured we were good to go. And we were, they didn´t even check the wristbands. I don´t know, but if one could get to the resort, nobody ever looked at the wristband. So, I think you could stay in the 24 hour casino at night, and sleep on the beach in the daytime. A bit vampirish, but it could be a sexier story than the people that stayed in Walmarts or department stores!!
Anyway, after lunch, which was a grand buffet with all of the usual suspects plus some Dominican specialities, we went back to get our room. It was ready! And it was pretty sweet to be able to look out at the ocean!
Wil posing in our room at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace!
He had to check out the bed and pillows! Plus, he looks a little cold and probably was. They had the A/C blowing out freezing air when we went to our room! I loved that part, of course!
Hello, this was the view from our patio!
We showered and hit the beach. We found a spot in the sun for Wil, and a spot in the shade for me. When we got in the water, it was cool. It was quite a bit cooler than the water we have been in at Boca Chica, so it was surprising. Again, I liked it. For Wil, it was a bit cool. But he bathed in the sun and napped a little. Wil doesn´t know how to swim, so this kind of beach was perfect for him. You can just walk in and it is shallow for a long ways out. And they had a section roped off from boats and other watercraft. I took advantage of the free drinks, yum! Then I convinced him to go in a paddleboat with me. People jumped in front of us. Wil built a sand castle. Then it was our turn on the paddle boat. We were the last going out for the day. We were probably in the boat for about 4 minutes before Wil wanted to turn around. So, we turned around. We have to teach this man how to swim!
Then, Wil decided he wanted to bury me in the sand. I suggested that he go get the camera from the room, since the key was in my inside swim trunks pocket. Wil didn´t want the camera. He was sure he didn´t want the camera. So, he buried me. It was pretty funny! Then other people started taking pictures. One guy that had been near us with his family had a fancy camera and took a lot of pictures from all different angles. Guess who suddenly wanted the camera? Yes, Wil. So he dug a little sand out and got the key and then the camera.
Some of the shots on the beach are hazy, I guess the humidity or something..
Yes, we had to do one that was a little creepy, but you can see that I am about to laugh!
Do I look scared? Like I won´t be able to get out of the sand? That´s called acting...
Once I was unburied, I took a picture up the coast.
Then, another of Wil and me!
It was then Wil´s turn to be buried! I had fun, and he liked it because it was warm.
You can see the sand castle that Wil built in the background of this one. Somehow, I forgot to upload the picture featuring the castle. He did pretty well for no buckets or anything to help give the castle shape.
And he escapes from the sand!
Sand bathing beauty!
We returned to our room to get ready for dinner. We decided on the Steak House. We took the little train part way and then walked. We didn´t know how close it was or we could have just walked the whole way. The restaurant was a mix of traditional tropical thatched roof hut with ranch themes.
There were hides hanging around the restaurant, and the fabric on the tables was a red and white cow hide print. The menu included a salad and soup bar, and then several menu items from a grill or pizza. It was a nice meal. Wil said the grill cook has definitely been influenced by Europeans and Americans, since the steak was very pink. Dominicans like their meat well done. He always quotes my mom because she told him he was smart when he wanted his meat well done in Montana, that´s how she likes it too! The desserts were not very good. Somehow they screwed up a brownie, but the coffee was delicious!
On our way to the show at the Casino Hotel, we stopped for a photo opportunity near a swimming pool. It´s there in the background, or else we used the light from it to light our faces, I truly can´t remember. It all seemed much lighter at the time. But the flash messed with that...
And, somehow my hair looks stranger in this picture than it did on the beach!
We took the little train to the Casino Hotel to see the featured show that night, Espectacular!
And it was pretty spectacular!! They had singers, amazing dancers, and a live band up in the loft area.
The performers introduced the night with a few familiar show tunes, then they performed a song called Americas. It was written by a Dominican a long time ago celebrating the Americas. For the show, they performed a song from most of the countries of North, Central, and South America. It was very neat to see the costumes, dancing, and hear the differences in music styles, some very subtle.
Some of the pictures are a little blurry, but I was trying to show the elaborate and beautiful costumes.
The tango, which I believe represented Venezuela or Paraguay...so bad that I already don´t remember. Wil would know, but he´s working.
This is definitely The Dominican Republic!! I remember that!!
They finished that main portion of the show with a finale involving flags of all of the nations, it was sweet!
And Spectacular!
The show continued with more Dominican styled numbers!
Then, at the end of Espectacular, the "Disco" began. The disco here is live singers, live band, performing merengue, salsa, bachata, etc. A dancer pulled Wil onto the dance floor for a song. Then we had some pictures with the dancers. They are below the one of Wil with the fountain that I am unable to move for some reason on blogger today.
After a couple of songs at the disco, we ventured across the lobby to the casino. I played some roulette and broke even, I always like that! Wil and I played some of the machines and lost about $15. I never like the machines. So, then I went back to the roulette table and played a little more to bring our losses to about $11. Not bad for some fun gambling.
Wil and the dancers!
Me and the dancers!
Outside the casino hotel.
A friendly security guard took this picture for us. He thought it was "perfecto."
Then we went back to our hotel for some more photos. This is on one of the walking bridges that cross over the swimming pools.
