We flew in with a connection from Philadelphia and arrived in gorgeous, beautiful sunny tropical weather. There was Caribbean music playing in the airport, which looked like a giant cabana. Our hotel shuttle awaited- is there anything cooler than a guy with your name on a sign waiting after customs?
We stayed in the Westin Punta Cana, a new hotel that seemed to mix the luxury of a resort with the old-school beach hotel vibe. We both thought it reminded us a little of our summers in Ocean City, NJ when we were young- but much nicer. Our room was great, on the third floor with beautiful views of the pool and ocean. 
I wish I could say that I explored all the sights of the island, but this trip wasn't about tourism or cultural immersion. It was about the beach. I read some wonderfully trashy books, talked baseball with the hotel employees (Big Papi!), and drank a lot of passionfruit mojitos. I wish there'd been more tropical fruits and local foods, but that's the trade off for staying in a big Western resort. The steaks, though, were to die for. So just a little jaunt to the island to bring back summer as fall sets in here in New England. I can see myself going back someday- it was as beautiful as Hawaii but a heck of a lot closer.
