Barbados vacation part 1- do you have a vacation type?

There's so much to tell about our vacation that I've decided to break it down into a few different posts. The first one will be about the resort where we stayed, and the all inclusive experience and I'll share a few pictures I took.

Did I mention my camera really sucks? Santa are you listening?

The second one will be about the people we met and some of the things we did; my lips are sealed!

I am finally learning that I actually have a particular "vacation type" and I should probably stick to it.

I went on a cruise with my family in 2007. Pretty fresh after the kids death I didn't really expect to have a good time but being with 15 of my cousins and my Aunts and Uncles and my Mom was what the doctor ordered, so away we went. Cruising was nice, I didn't not enjoy it;  but I knew when it was over I probably wouldn't ever do it again. The problem, there wasn't enough time on the beach for me when we got to each port.

We went to St Marten a year after that, stayed at a resort where we had a small kitchen. We'd have coffee and breakfast there every day. We rented a small car and did our own thing which consisted of going to a different beach every day, we would choose daily. Eating a very late lunch on the way home from the beach, restaurants were dotted all over the island. Nap time after the beach was a daily ritual, then we'd go to the French side of the island for a late dinner and drinks. Heineken was pretty free flowing on the island, have I mentioned how much I like that beer?

We decided for this vacation in Barbados to try an all inclusive resort. The resort we stayed at was an Almond Resort and it was lovely. It was roughly ten acres on the beach with beautiful foliage lined paths leading to different pools, bars and restaurants which are all out doors. The rooms are spacious and air conditioned and house keeping changes the sheets every day, that I have to say is really a treat.

There were several buildings  all four levels high arranged over the property, ours was building four and of course as luck would have it we were on the forth floor. Did I mention the balcony? Pretty nice place to sit and watch the birds or the other tourists pass by on the paths below.

Dinning was usually by reservation for dinner. As you can see in the picture above the chairs are outside on a deck, this restaurant was called The Dover Restaurant, right on the beach their specialty was fish dishes. Tucked in between the pool and the beach we dined here to delicious fish dinners under the moonlight as the surf crashed just feet away. Pretty nice stuff!

There are many British tourists and as you know Barbados shares many British customs so there is afternoon tea at four. Many tourists would congregate for tea, sandwiches and biscuits and the place in the picture above and below. Many others would just be there because of the bar. Bill and I would hang out to socialize and to catch the afternoon breeze and you can see the bar towards the back of the picture which for some is a good enough reason to be there! We however being American's did afternoon tea and sandwiches with a twist we would have Rum and sandwiches. We were on vacation after all!

After hours on the beach and a nice lunch we'd sit here under the fan and chat with other tourists sometimes for hours. Drinking rum drinks or cold beer; it should be said that Barbados has a really great beer called Banks beer, yummy. We'd snuggle up on one of those upholstered couches and read or play cards while enjoying said Banks beer!

Of course every single picture I took of the amazing beach turned out blurry and not fit for posting, ya hear that Santa?  The place looks nice right? The food was pretty good too, but I'll get into that in my next post.

Remember when I started I mentioned about a "vacation type"? 

All inclusive was nice and I enjoyed it, but like the cruise I'd probably never do it again. Nothing against the resort because it was really nice and I don't regret going, but I'm not the "vacation type" for all inclusive, it's just to structured.

What about you? Do you have a vacation type?