Casa Rosa de Tankah Bay

We just returned from a blissful seven-day vacation in Mexico. We stayed at Casa Rosa, a beautiful beachfront villa in Tankah Bay between Tulum and Akumal located about one hour south of Cancun. We were there courtesy of an all-expense paid trip by Jim and Jackie Siver along with Matt and Melissa (Josh's sister) Ellefson, Aaron Siver (Josh's step-brother), Alisha Siver (Josh's step-sister) and her boyfriend, Pete.

We arrived at Casa Rosa after a day of travel on Saturday, January 21st. Casa Rosa is an exquisite four-bedroom, three-bathroom home complete with a rooftop deck, outdoor kitchen, hammocks, kayaks, full kitchen, and a pool. Our housekeeper was Maria and our gardener was Bernadino. The view from the front porch is the most beautiful beachfront view that I have ever seen. Check out the ocean/pool view from our bedroom.

It was definitely a rejuvenating week. Each morning you could comb the beach for seashells and then lay in the sun and enjoy the view of our own private beach. There is a coral reef located just a few hundred yards out from the house. We took kayaks out to the reef and snorkeled there. It was an easy ride as long as your kayak wasn't full of water, loaded with four people, or being trailed by sea monkeys. I highly recommend the private secluded beaches of Tankah Bay as an alternative to the commercialized and over-populated beaches of Cancun. Check out our own private beach view in our front yard.

We spent a lot of time hanging out in the house, playing games, relaxing, and enjoying eachother's company. There were several rounds of rummy and poker and each couple or individual was responsible for an entertainment night where we had a Newlywed game, a scavenger hunt, some Table Topics, and a movie night. Josh even got to watch the Steeler's game.
Jim and Jackie prepared most of our meals in and we ate together outside or on our dining room table. We had everything from steak to tacos. It was interesting to visit the grocery stores and see all of the different items. Who knew that mayonaise with lime was so good or that milk could come in unrefrigerated cartons?

Aaron enjoys reading in the shade.

We spent a day at the Mayan Ruins in Tulum and on Tulum beach. The Tulum beach is absolutely breathtaking. We had a chance to play in the waves and admire the historic ruins. We almost lost Jackie and all of her life savings in the waves, but we pulled her out in time. With its rocky coast and scenic view, the Tulum beach looked like a picture from an exotic movie.

Alisha & Pete in Tulum

In Tulum, we booked a snorkeling excursion. Our tour guide took us to three different cenotes. We got to snorkel in a cave at Dos Ojos (where I also almost got bit by a monkey), see turtles and snakes underwater in Turtle Bay in Akumal, and snorkel in an exclusive lagoon in Akumal.

We also spent a night out eating and dancing in Playa del Carmen and an afternoon of shopping in Akumal. Damn Don Julio and his toxic tequila. You never even saw him coming..........he just got you.

Every night, Jim would give our leftover food to our "security guard", Juan. On our last night in Tankah Bay, while everyone was out for dinner and Melissa and I were "sleeping" in the house, Juan orchestrated the robbery of our casa. Two expensive digital cameras, cash, and alcohol was taken. He's pictured here with Jim making a grasshopper out of palm leaves. If you see him, let him let him know that we are trying to track him down to kick his ass.

Thanks to Jim and Jackie for a fantastic week. We had such a wonderful time, loved hanging out with everyone, and saw some of the most beautiful sights possible. It is a trip that we will remember for a lifetime.