Gregcation:
noun
1: An extended period of inoffensive vacation with an emphasis placed on relaxation. Activities are generally limited to sunning oneself, day drinking, determining how much food from the buffet can fit on to one plate, and then regretting all of the previous activities the following morning.
Example:
"How was your Gregcation?"
"It was great! I gained five pounds, threw out my shoulder in a shrimp eating contest, got a second degree sunburn on the top of my feet, bought fifteen puka shell necklaces, and went almost 10 hours eating or drinking nothing but mudslides. Overall, an average Gregcation."
My affection for lounge, boozy, tranquil vacations is so well known that my friends created a specific word for it. Don't get me wrong, I'm up for adventure, but sipping a rum punch under a palm tree speaks to my little heart in a big way. So, for our annual vacation, my friends and I packed up our speedos and headed to Nassau, in the Bahamas.
Here's us, being photo-bombed by a local:
This was our first time staying at an all inclusive resort for one of our group reunions. We've stayed in hotels, airbnbs, and friends' houses' in the past, so we figured - why not try a place that comes stocked with free booze? We agreed on a reasonable hotel located on Cable beach, a popular stretch of white sand beach and turquoise water.
Nassau and the its surrounding islands have long been a popular stop for tourist from all over the world, and getting in and out is as easy as you would think. There was a fun moment when passing through customs though, after we landed. The customs official stopped Teresa and I, giving us the once over. She took a long look at my arms and asked "Is that an octopus on your arm?" I told her it was. She shook her head, sighed, and waved us through without a search or further questioning. Ha!
Nassau isn't the cheapest place to visit and you pay a premium for almost everything. The Bahamian currency is pegged to the U.S. dollar, which is used interchangeably, making it very easy to hop off a cruise ship and buy some over-priced, made in china, "local" goods. We ventured out a little into town on a few occasions, did a little shopping, saw the few sites there are to see. Overall, it was a great, relaxing trip - the perfect Gregcation.
Here's PJ practicing some paddle boarding:
And Ronnie and I being besties:
And one final photo of us, very tired, very sweaty, and very much not interested in taking a photo:
Where we stayed:
Melia Hotel A decent enough place, undergoing renovations while we were there. Facilcited and food were pretty good, but the wait staff could lose the insouciance and brush up on the bonhomie.
What we did:
Andros the Fish Fry - Great local place, filled with all the fried fish and artery clogging goodness you could ever want.
Pappasurf - Paddle boarding with papa surf at night, with lite-up paddle boards, was really fun!
Queens Staircase and Fort Fincastle
Junkanoo Beach - Stopped here for Sky Juice, not cheap, but tasty.
Parliament Square
Bahamian Cooking Restaurant and Bar - Great local place
