We’re back from vacation and I had a very relaxing week at the beach in Punta Cana. I absolutely love the Caribbean and could go every week. LOL. People in the Dominican Republic are very friendly and the landscape is an amazing mix of mountains, sugarcane fields, and shoreline beaches.
When I’m there, I spend a LOT of time laying on a lounge chair reading or people watching. Some general observations…
-Husbands should not be trusted to adequately put sunscreen on lily-white women. I saw several ladies with fingerprint-like burn streaks on their lower backs after they let the men wield the bottle. Yikes.
-Resort bartenders don’t understand “don’t make this one as strong as the last.”
-People dribble spit out of their mouths into the pool. Repeatedly.
-A volleyball comes out and so do true colors. Watch out for those mild mannered schoolteachers. They can spike hard, I’m telling you.
-Very few vacationers successfully learn the cha cha beachside given the drink in their hand and the directions being given in Spanish, though many will try.
-Adults shouldn’t ride donkeys in bathing suits.
But that’s why I love beach vacations- everyone is relaxed and having such a good time. The real world seems very far away and there is nowhere you have to be. What’s your favorite vacation spot? Or where would you like to go?
Where do you like romances you read to be set? Exotic locales? Big cities, small towns?
Erin, who is firmly back in the real world 😀
Vamps and Scamps 
I love the beach for vacation, though living on the West Coast, our beaches tend to be windy and can be cold. Still beautiful. Still relaxing.
Your trip sounds absolutely wonderful!!
Hey Erin–
The vacation sounds wonderful and very relaxing.
As to book settings I really think it depends on the book. For instance Toni Blake’s upcoming Swept Away has a private island setting that is just perfect for that book. Anne DeStefano’s current release, The Prodigal’s Return is set in a small GA town where the hero and heroine grew up and they both return some years later. This setting is perfect for that book.
Now I have been known to buy a book because it was set in New Orleans, LA, San Francisco CA or Chicago, IL. These are three of my favorite cities and I have been there many times and in buying books set there I guess I am looking to recognize things in the book….sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t depending on how extensive the author uses the setting to tell their story. I have also bought books set in Indiana for the same reasons.
Hey Erin : ) I, too, am a beach girl at heart! My favorite beach setting (so far) is Maui – and I could spend a lot of time going into why, but really, it’s Maui, so need I say more? Your vacation sounds lovely and I’m SO envying you since I could use a nice, relaxing beach right about now ; )
Oh hey, Barb, thanks for mentioning Swept Away : ) Guess that setting proves what I said about being a beach girl ; )
The Beach all the way. I love looking at that beautiful water!
As for my romances I like either cities or small towns. I’m not too big on finding love while on vacation.
I love to vacation at the beach, and your vacations sounds terrific.
As for books, I like them to be set in the City or small town, that could be in part because of living in the City who knows. Although I love a mountain setting as well.
Cryna
Sounds like we have a lot of beach girls!
I haven’t been to Maui yet, but other places I love to visit are New York City, New Orleans, Chicago, Disneyworld. Barbara, we have some cities in common there. 🙂 I would love to do one of those Regency House trips to England, where you wear period dress and stay in a country house drinking tea and learning dancing.
For romances I read, I like historicals set in Regency England and Westerns, which are much harder to find these days. For contemporaries, anything goes for me.
Do you all think meeting someone on vacation is too outside the real world to work once you get back to civilization? Or does it just depend on the couple?
It looks beautiful, Erin! As for vacation spots, I like variety. I love Oahu (and Hawaii in general) even away from the beaches. At the same time, I really want to see the Matterhorn (not at Disneyland) one day as well!
I’m also all about the beach! I’ve only really been to Grand Cayman and Jamaica when I went on a cruise about 2 yrs ago, but I loved it. Got to play with the dolphins, which was a lovely experience. I want to go to Punta Cana someday – after reading about your vacay and hearing people who’ve been there, it’s on my list.
I would love to go on a cruise again. it was the best vacation I ever took. Maybe some day
Well, I live in Puerto Rico, so the whole Caribbean setting isn’t exactly exotic to me. *lol* Beach, sun, hot guys playing volleyball… Yep. I see that every day. Give me something completely different, like Europe or the Far East. *g*