The fourth annual Anderson Vacations Barefoot Escape is now in the books. This year's escapees enjoyed a magnificent week at the Iberostar Cozumel on the southwest coast of the Caribbean island from June 23 - July 1.
Upon arrival in Cozumel our guests were whisked to the resort by our friends at Lomas Travel and greeted by Carl and Linda Anderson as they arrived at Iberostar. After a quick check-in and a couple of welcome drinks it was off to our wonderful ocean front rooms. We all had great locations for our rooms this year, just a quick barefoot walk on the sand to either the beach or the large swimming pool. Each room was located in an eight-room bungalow set within a tropical paradise. The second floor rooms featured a large deck, complete with a hammock for enjoying the ocean views.
For the divers in the group, the location couldn't have been better. Some of the best reefs in the world sit only minutes from the resort's coastline. And our divers took full advantage of the location, enjoying several days of diving throughout the week. For the non-divers in the group, plenty of sea life could be enjoyed directly in front of the Iberostar with just a snorkel, mask and fins.
Iberostar's entertainment staff, The Star Friends, kept our group smiling all week with crazy pool games, beach volleyball, yoga, dance lessons and evening shows. In fact, the entire staff of Iberostar could not have been more welcoming and gracious. From the waiters in the restaurants, to the bartenders at the pool bar, to the maids who cleaned our rooms, we were all treated to wonderful Mexican hospitality that we have become accustomed to in all of our previous trips to Mexico.
Two of the highlights of the week were our hosted excursions. On Tuesday our group boarded a couple of large vans for an island tour that included stops at some of Cozumel's most famous watering holes. On the east side of the island we stopped at the aptly named Rasta Bar with its Bob Marley and reggae theme. Then it was on to world famous Coconuts, with its carefree vibe and spectacular views of the east coast of the island. Finally, we landed in downtown San Miguel which offered our guests the opportunity to shop and have a margarita at the popular Wet Wendy's bar.
Our second excursion on Wednesday featured a private sailing adventure on the Tucan Catmaran. The 35 foot vessel's crew hosted us on a 7 hour journey to a private beach on the northern coast of the island. Along the way, we stopped for spinnaker rides and snorkeling. The crew also fixed a wonderful fajita lunch while serving cocktails throughout the sail. A big "thank you" to Captain Dan and his wife Karen, owners of the Tucan who made our day special.
As always, the most memorable times we spend on our yearly trips are the special moments with friends, some who we only see once a year. It's the conversations at the pool bar, sharing some laughs over dinner and watching our children having the time of their lives that we always take back with us each year.
Thank you to all of this year's escapees for joining us. The planning for next year's escape starts now. We can't wait to host you once again and to welcome some new friends in 2012.
