Back in the Saddle

Our little getaway was just wonderful. We all needed the time away from home,work and routine. I think we've all come back refreshed and renewed. I know I have. It was so much fun to spend 3 days with nothing to do but play, watch my guys play and have the only thing to worry about was what flavor latte I was going to have in the morning and where we would eat at for supper.

I didn't get much reading or writing done at all. The inside of an indoor waterpark is just NOT the place for quiet reflection, not even on a Monday afternoon when its only your own family of five, a handful of other people and the bored lifeguards. Its incredibly LOUD in there even when it is empty. All the rushing water and banging and clanging of equipment, I could not even imagine it in there when the park is at full capacity, not the place I would like to be!

Since I could neither read nor write, I did what I did best, I people watched! All I can say is WOW. Just WOW. It takes all kinds to make this ole world. :)

Bikini's only work on the young and thin. I'm not fond of bikinis anyways, but if the wearer is not BOTH young and thin, it makes it even worse. :\

Tattoos just don't age well.

Ladies, SUPPORT,SUPPORT,SUPPORT. It matters.
ALOT. :\

Men. Well. I saw more hairy bellys and backs than I ever needed or wanted to see. Low riding trunks on any man, of any age and/or physical condition just are NOT attractive. PULL UP YOUR PANTS!!

In the water or on the slides, its fine to wear just your suit. But,really, would it be too much to ask for folks to slip on a coverup of some sort when they are out walking around the park or at the very least, the rest of the resort? Even just a towel wrapped around ones hips or shoulders would have made my viewing experience much more pleasant, thank you.

There was a Muslim family there, a very interesting contrast to the rest of the women at the park. The husband and the 3 young sons were all wearing regular swim trunks and bare-chests. The wife had on long,black leggings, a long black shirt with long sleeves and her entire head and neck was covered with a black lyric scarf or covering of some sort. The only parts of her that were visible were her feet,hands and face. Her choice of swimwear didn't seem to hinder her enjoyment of the park though. She was soaking wet from head to foot. Not sure how comfortable it would be walking around in all that wet clothing, but she seemed to be having a good time. The boys were cute, 3 of them about 3,5 and 7 years old, stairsteps, reminded me of when my sons were little.

There was another interesting looking family there. I'm not sure what their ethnic or religious background was. I've never seen anyone wearing what the males in their family had on their heads. The papa wore swim trunks and he had one a black kinda pointy kerchief or hat on his head that he wore always, in the water or not. The children (2 of them maybe 4 and 7 years old) had their hair up (i assume in a bun) on the very top of their heads and over that they had one little white circles of cloth tied on over them. The first day, I thought they were girls. Their little caps reminded me of the hair coverings that the Mennonite Ladies in our area wear. The next day when I saw the family, I realized the kids were wearing swim trunks, not girls swimsuits. They had to be boys, not girls. The mama of this family wore just a regular one piece swimsuit and had her hair up in a clip. I would have loved to know who they were, where they were from and what their beliefs are. I've never seen anyone where the male folk are the ones covering their heads/hair.

I also spent some time talking to a wonderful Hispanic Grandpa who was there with the rest of his family. I'll leave that to write about later though!

I thoroughly enjoyed our travel and our time away from home. I wish we had the time and money to travel more extensively. Its such a big world out there and its filled with so many interesting people, so different than myself just a boring,standard, white-bread, suburban housewife.