Final Vacation? - Part 2

(Continued from July 3, 2010) ....... So, we arrived at the “old destination” and we immediately sought to see if there were any remnants that would stir our memories of past vacations. After all, the sole purpose of choosing this place was to see if we could rekindle our past times together.

YES, we saw the kiddie pool – still in the same place, filled with water, filled with kids, and filled with parents making sure that their kids were safe …. Just like we used to do!

YES, the big pool was still there, filled with water, filled with people of all ages, and just daring us to jump in and have some fun together …. Just like we used to do!

YES, there were the lounge chairs at poolside, still 3 rows deep just like they used to be in the “old” days!

YES, the ground floor rooms were still just behind the 3 rows of chairs and a narrow sidewalk. When staying in one of those rooms it was as though the pool was inviting us to join in 24 hours a day! After all, just open the door, walk past 3 rows of chairs, and take a dive …. ahhhhh, instant refreshment!

YES, the place was still filled with trees that had been imported from around the world! We always thought that the over 125 trees between the pool and the ocean (all of which were also right outside of some of the rooms), seemed to be a bit much … we still do. But, it reminded us of our time together as a young family, so all was well and we checked out the trees to see if any signs would indicate the new ones – we found some!

YES, we walked to the ocean and, of course it was still there, too, filled with water, the beach filled with people, and, well, it just seemed like it was calling our names to jump in …. just like it always did!

Any changes? Well, yes, the office went from a very tiny counter and room for 2-3 people to a magnificent structure that could have held over 100 people. It had a fish tank, a library for customers, and plenty of workers waiting to help you with whatever you needed. Wow, business must have been good during our hiatus!

We finally made it to the room and, WOW! – business must have been REALLY good during our absence. The old carpeting had been replaced by nice tile (easier to keep clean, especially with the issue of beach sand), the furniture had been somewhat updated, and, now get ready for this …. it had Internet access!! I don’t believe that we were even Internet users the last time that we went to that place! I’m not sure if laptops were even affordable back then like they are now.

The little kitchen (built for one at a time) was still firmly in place with all of the amenities of home, the air conditioning was still quite cold, and, well, after our traditional inaugural vacation meal at a restaurant, we were ready to get a good night’s sleep and start reliving some memories!

The family-owned motel, long a bastion of family-type caring for their customers, was still in place, many items still in place, a few positive changes, and looking like it was inviting us to enjoy all that it had to offer!

Over the next 5 weeks, I will recount some of our vacation stories!


Paul W. Reeves