mi cuento
after more than a year without a vacation i was ready to get away... so on 2/23 my boyfriend and i woke up at 3:45 to be at the airport at 6am for our flight from chicago to miami. we took a limo. we were groggy. it was very cold. BUT i was very very excited.
it was my idea to visit the dominican republic for two main reasons:
1. i love to speak spanish (and i need the practice)
2. i love to dance merengue and salsa
3. i love the caribbean climate (warm weather and beaches)
when we arrived in miami i bought a book for beach reading called Travels by Michael Crichton. it's a great book. i highly recommend it.
we got on the plane to punta cana and wow i was amazed at how clear the sky is and how warm the weather was (a drastic change from the 12 degrees Fahrenheit in chicago).
we somehow managed to be patient enough to wait in line and purchase our tourist visas and get our luggage. once we were outside we could not find our driver. this was my first real challenge: how to communicate that we need a ride without attracting every taxi cab driver in the place. luckily we did not have to pay the quoted $80 for a ride from punta cana to coral canoa in bayahibe because our driver, Fidel (pero no soy castro me dijo), finally showed up. after a long confusing trip first to Breezes Sol de Plata (another story) and we finally arrived in Coral Canoa Hotel at approximately 9pm dominican time. Very tired but delighted with the room and the hotel grounds.
for two days we ate, we slept, we laid on the beach and drank pina coladas. i read my book. i danced in the disco. there were many people speaking either french or spanish everywhere.
then on the third night it happened. the night before i had been in the disco and had seen a really good looking guy (ok really there were several but this one in particular....) he was dancing with some of the other guests at the hotel and he danced merengue VERY well. muy sensual. i enjoyed watching him for a little while but thought nothing more about it. well this night, a very amusing Canadian man at the bar in the disco mistook me for una Dominicana (i am mixed and had a really dark tan by then) so he tries to talk to me. he introduces me to a Canadian couple. they start talking with me and my boyfriend. amidst all the alcohol and laughter here comes the good looking guy and he stands right next to me at the bar. i start a conversation. (voy a llamarlo el padrino) he speaks some english but we talk in spanish so that i can practice (ok i admit it was also because my boyfriend is standing next to me and i don't want him to understand). from there the canadian girl and i go to the dance floor and he helps us to convince the dj to play the music we like to hear.
later that night my boyfriend and i left with the canadian couple for a walk along the beach but i kept thinking about el padrino. muy atractivo, muy simpatico, and a very good dancer. mmmmm....
well as destino would have it, my boyfriend became sick the next day. he was very tired and did not want to leave the room. i was sitting out at the pool by myself. el padrino shows up and there we are sitting and talking again. the more we talk, the more we flirt. my conscience takes over and i go to the room to convince my boyfriend to come outside. he is still too sick and only wants to sleep. i cannot tell him that i want him to sit outside with me (because i do but i don't, ya know??). i go for a walk. i get something to eat for lunch. i go back to the room and take a shower. i go for another walk. i see el padrino again, this time with no shirt on. ay ay ay. we talk for awhile. he tells me there is a big party on the beach in the afternoon. finally my boyfriend comes out. we see the canadian couple and sit and talk and eat together. there are games and dancing on the beach. i look out and see....yes there he is. el padrino mi carino. uh oh. i hear myself tell the others i am going down to dance and play games. i need to get away from everyone because my heart is racing and the truth is becoming more and more clear to me....
before this vacation my boyfriend and i had been having some problems. he had a very different personality than me. he was mostly quiet and serious. i am mostly talkative and love to laugh. el no tiene ritmo por nada. me gusta bailar mucho. y mas.... the differences were somewhat bad when we were both working but here and now on vacation they were pulling us further and further apart. simply put i knew the truth... he was in love and i was not.
i had to do something....
the whole thing came out on our last night in the resort. by this time el padrino and i had realized we liked each other but could do nothing about it. (i am a good girl). we were sad. my boyfriend is anxious because he knows what is happening in some way. he decides to leave me in the disco and goes back to the room. i dance with a few guys while he is gone. my boyfriend comes back. i leave the disco to got to the restroom. el padrino leaves behind me. after we are outside el padrino takes me in his arms and kisses me. we both get scared and leave. i feel very guilty.
that night i confess everything to my boyfriend including my real feelings. we agree to separate as friends.
the next day i kiss el padrino again to say goodbye. we exchange information. he calls me the next day. i call him the day after.
now i am going back down to be with him for awhile. we'll see where it goes... but honestly i feel i am in love. if things go well, and i think they will, i will live there one day.
and that my friends is the whole story. i had to tell someone. if you've had the patience to read this whole thing, then you probably understand my experience.
btw, the hotel was great! beautiful and clean. the staff is very helpful and nice. the rooms are a decent size and the food is very good.