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Sorry - got caught up in LLBL's excellent report...
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Thursday, July 5
Geoff was due to home home this afternoon and everyone was a little grouchy and lazy. Not really grouchy...but not as bright as in days past. On the final day for Geoff, July 5, we puttered around til late in the morning - I got creative and made some kind of coconut half-shell sugar feeder for the bananaquits.
The girls enlisted Geoff to open coconuts for them. When we had been at Rockworks with Sherri and Jeff, the girls got bored, so we told them to go look for coconuts and they could put them into the van. The coconuts were all down by the gated entry to the Rockworks estate, which is down a hill from the house. Well, when Geoff an I got back to the van, there must have been 25 coconuts in the van. Add this to the mangoes we'd collected earlier that day and we now had our own fruit vending truck! Ok, so now Geoff's job was to open some of the coconuts so the girls could have the milk. No easy task. After trying with this knife (see photo below), Geoff decided to follow Jeff's advice from the other day, and bash the nut with a large rock. That worked!
I decided to try to get a little beach time in that morning, so I walked with the girls from the villa to the STT Yacht Club (15 min walk)...surveyed the pool at the Anchorage condos, then walked the beach to the Elysian, and surveyed the pool and resort. We found it an easy walk from Sail Away Villa to the Yacht Club. The owner of the villa said that there was a path that would serve as a shortcut - and we did see it, but it was too overgrown for me to chance with the kids, so we walked the long way around. Still it was short - but the path would have made it a 5 min walk, vs 15 mins. Once we got to the beach in front of the Yacht Club, we saw that we could easily walk along a path to cross over to the Elysian Beach...or we could stay on the beach in front of the Anchorage. I assume one of these is Cowpet Bay and the other is Nazareth Bay.....not sure. Maybe it's all the same bay. Can anyone help? Where is Cowpet and where is Nazareth?
The girls enjoyed the colorful hammocks at Elysian.
Also, we'd heard that we should have been able to keep walking along paths and reach the Ritz Carlton. We didn't see how to do that along the beach, but we did find that we could walk to the Ritz, Vessup Bay and Great Bay by exiting the villa, crossing that main road above the villa and then talking the little quiet road on the other side. So, all in all, we could easily walk to 4 beaches from this villa. That's a nice feature.
Elysian Resort
Decided to sit on the beach at Elysian and walk in....this was my first visit to this beach. A rocky entrance gave way to floating with very pretty view of boats moored in the bay. I didn't enjoy getting into and out of this water...too rocky. I wore my flip flops so that I could enter and exit.
It was early and the sun was at it's finest. The beach was empty, except for 2 other people.
Elysian Beach
The girls skipped rocks across the bay, and floated around while I sat on shore and contacted Geoff. He was ready to go, and so was I, so he collected us from the Elysian, and drove us back to the villa. Finished packing and we closed off those bedrooms for the duration. 🙁 This was really the beginning of the wind-down. Today, Geoff would talk the "walk of doom!" (as the walk to the plane is affectionately known on this message board)
Drive to airport was uneventful, as was their check in and departure.
Gabbi and I turned around and headed to Bolongo Bay ... to Iggie's. (shhhh..don't tell that we were immediately back to a good time - but missed our friends). Lunch was fine and we stayed for a while and relaxed. Food is great at Bolongo - A "B" on the A to D scale for the food and an "A" for atmosphere. The food is not an A because it is not consistent. Bring back the former crab dip - the tangier one!!
Iggie's Bar
View from our seats at Iggie's restaurant on the beach...
Then to Great Bay - the beach at the Ritz Carlton. Hung out, ordered some drinks from a bartender with a clothing marketing plan, relaxed.........and headed home at dark. Teens had been here earlier in the day and were still hanging out, so they went home with us.
Ritz Carlton STT
Ritz Pool
I think we had XO Bistro this night. Didn't care for the food. Service was good. Atmosphere was too dark for my taste.
Went home and let a video "watch us".......
Iggie's was on the list of places to try, but we never made it! Glad you are continuing your reports! I'm getting depressed since I'm done with mine, and that was the last remnant from our trip! Keep the reports coming - - I know you have another day or so to go!
I bet Geoff wasnt ready to leave you and was probably really sad on the flight home, but he had something to look forward too YOUR RETURN
gobucs
Great pics! LOVE the pic of Gabby on the hammock!
This report answered my Coconut question! lol! How nice of Geoff to go thru all that work!
Had never seen real pics of the Ritz, it looks awesome.
Blu,
Glad to hear you like Iggies. Hubby & I stayed once at a watergate condo next door because it was sooo reasonable. The best part was heading to Iggies most nights for drinks & atmosphere. When I am in the islands, I want to be sitting drinking by the beach, not in a parking lot or closed restaurant. ( can do that at home). Actually since I live near water in MD we have great waterfront bars...I degress. People have complained about Iggies on this forum. We only ate off the menu & yes it takes a long time to get the food but it was always good & who cared how long it took as long as I can see the ocean. ( with my Vanilla cruzan & diet)
cocosmom, we love Iggie's and my family always asks to go there, at least once on each visit. I agree with you about beachfront bars and restaurants being the most desired. I do find that the food is inconsistent - always good - but as soon as I fall in love with something, it is prepared differently the next time. Again, always good. And, yes, MD has amazing bayside and some oceanfront places. We've yet to get down this year for crabs at Chrisfield, but it is a must do...on the way to Chincoteague.
CruzBayB, Ritz is a very nice resort. It recently underwent an extensive renovation and I've not stayed there since. They've added a hot tub up by the resort pool, as well as a kid's spash area. The Residence also has multiple hot tubs. I think there are three pools - maybe 4 hot tubs - 2 beaches - and more staff than anyone could ever need....they walk around shaking hands, complimenting you on your tan, asking you if you need help with dinner reservations, etc. Guests draped in jeweled swimsuits order chilled bottles of champagne by the pool. My daughter met a nice little 8 yr old girl there earlier this month - and the little girl, upon hearing that we were from PA, told us that she keeps her horse in PA. Yes, that's the Ritz. LOL.
I too love Iggie's, tho I have had a meal that I didn't care for, I always recommend it! The atmosphere is wonderful! My kinda place! The first time I went there, I had a Pelican sitting next to me! How COOL! I like it better for lunch time or AFTER dusk as the afternoon sun does shine in on you for dinner and can be quite hot.
Love your pictures, Blu!
