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our trip to paradise – part i

January 6, 2014      14 Comments

I have been pretty excited to write this series of posts. It’s been over five years since Mr PugRunner and I have had a serious, adults-only, pretty-much-completely-disconnected-from-reality vacation. Don’t get me wrong. Thanks to some amazing friends, we have been able to get away for a night or two (for which we are eternally grateful), but we were long overdue for four or five days of just us.

Mr PugRunner turned 40 on January 1. He loves to travel and he loves having a fuss made, so I approached him with some options. I could host a party for him, invite some close friends to a super fancy dinner out, or we could find a great deal on a trip and take a vacation. My mom and stepdad would be in town for a few weeks around the Christmas holiday, and they are forever encouraging us to take advantage and get away. Mr PugRunner chose Door 3, and I got a blessing on dates from my mom. We started the trip research.

While I know he would have loved a return trip to Maui (we had been for our honeymoon and we would love to go back), it was just too far and too expensive, so we looked closer to home. We checked out Vegas, Key West, Savannah, and on a whim, I went to Atlantis.com. Just to see. I fully expected to be priced out of anything they had to offer, due to the timing (right around the holidays and the new year), but, what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a travel deal to end all deals.

Wow. That was cheesy. Sorry. I won’t let that happen again.

Long story short, we were able to book four nights in the Royal Tower, with airfare, for a steal. The only glitch was that we had to fly out of airport two hours away instead of the closer one (huge difference in the cost of the flights), but we were willing to be inconvenienced for the chance to get out of the country for a peaceful, tropical vacation.

We decided to only book a few dinner reservations (Nobu and Casa D Angelo), and one excursion (the shallow water interaction at Dolphin Cay). That way, we could spend the majority of our time exploring and relaxing, something Mr PugRunner believes we don’t do often enough.

On the Wednesday before Christmas, we took a quick flight into Nassau. We secured a car and driver at the airport, who served us Kalik from his trunk, before embarking on the 30 minute drive to Paradise Island.

Atlantis was every bit as impressive in person as it appears on line: huge and grand, with fountains and sculptures and murals. It was like nothing we’ve ever seen.

I snapped a quick photo of the setting sun over the marina (full of breathtaking yachts) before we were escorted inside to the front desk. We were checked in quickly (Mr Pug Runner handled that while I admired all the Christmas decorations

and taken up to our room, on the 12th floor of the West Tower. It was a nice little walk.

And for this view? Absolutely worth it.

Is this not the most postcard-perfect view? This is what we saw. Every day and night. To the right, the beautiful ocean. To the left, the cruise ships and Dolphin Cay. That’s right. We could see the dolphins swimming from our room. Every. Single. Day.

It was enough to make me not want to leave.

We took a few minutes to settle in and shower away the grime of a day of traveling. Mr PugRunner had the start of a headache, but freshening up seemed to help. Having no plans, we decided to take a walk out to the marina and see what we could find for dinner.

The Atlantis marina boasts that it is trying to be the next Monte Carlo, and judging by the yachts in the slips, they’re doing a heck of a job. I’m not really a boat person, but even I was impressed by the luxurious crafts. Definitely made for some interesting people watching.

Wandering past jewelry stores and surf shops, we finally decided on Carmine’s, a New York based, family style restaurant. We managed to get seats at the bar and ordered a serving of penne a la vodka with a  side of sausage. The pasta came on what could only be described as a large platter, and we received four monstrously plump links to go with it. Everything was delicious, but the portions were obscene, especially for only two. We ate what we could, and were stuffed by the time we tabbed out. It was a good thing we had a nice, long walk back to the room.

I’m not embarrassed to say we were in bed early. Sleep is a hot commodity and the idea of a full night with no interruptions but the sound of the ocean breeze and waves through the open sliding door was too great of a temptation. It was so peaceful and even though I woke up around 6:30 (Darn you, body clock. Darn. You.), I felt so incredibly rested.

Rested enough to lace up my Mizunos and take off for a run (more on that later).

We spent the entire duration of our trip on property. There was so much to do and see, and enough of a variety of restaurants that we never got bored or felt the need to head into Nassau. Every time we went out, we discovered something new to do or see and there was never a shortage of interesting activities. Mr PugRunner had purchased an international plan for his phone that allowed us 15 minutes of call time, plus unlimited free incoming texts and a set amount of outgoing texts, so we were pretty disconnected. We were able to check in with little man on occasion but other than that, we were unplugged.

It was  a good thing.

Tomorrow I’ll share some of the activities we did and some of the fun places we visited. Needless to say, I was very impressed with the resort, the staff, the customer service and the offerings. I am kind of hoping we can find similar deals in years to come so we can make it a regular thing.

Stay tuned.

Have you ever been to Atlantis? 

What’s your favorite style of vacation (spending the day on the beach with no schedule? taking tours  and going on excursions with a set itinerary? somewhere in between?)

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Comments

  1. Lisa says

    January 6, 2014 at 2:24 pm

    Sounds lovely. I like something in between. When I visit some place I like to make a list of potential attractions, things I might want to see/do. Then we work on checking them off in whatever order we want and don’t stress about making sure to get everything on the list.
    Lisa recently posted…Reflecting on Week 1 Half Marathon TrainingMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      January 8, 2014 at 2:53 am

      That seems fair. I really love to stay busy – I figure that if I’m going all that way, I want to absorb every single thing.

      Reply
  2. Darlene says

    January 6, 2014 at 3:47 pm

    Sounds like fun and looks like a great place to go and relax.
    Darlene recently posted…Weekly Running UpdateMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      January 8, 2014 at 2:53 am

      We had such a great time!

      Reply
  3. Diana says

    January 6, 2014 at 5:12 pm

    Sounds completely wonderful!
    Diana recently posted…Blog BlahsMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      January 8, 2014 at 2:52 am

      It really was!

      Reply
  4. Shannon says

    January 6, 2014 at 7:42 pm

    What a great place to go! It’s on my list!!

    Can’t wait to hear more!
    Shannon recently posted…I got in!My Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      January 8, 2014 at 2:52 am

      I absolutely recommend it!

      Reply
  5. Abby @ BackAtSquareZero says

    January 7, 2014 at 1:57 am

    I have never been anywhere tropical like that, but it looks amazing.
    Abby @ BackAtSquareZero recently posted…Score One For Mental HealthMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      January 8, 2014 at 2:52 am

      We really need to do a wintery kind of vacation. We’ve done Gatlinburg, but it was in the summer, so didn’t really count.

      Reply
  6. ari @ whatarisaid says

    January 7, 2014 at 2:35 am

    Wow, I’ve never been before but it looks amazing! What an experience!
    ari @ whatarisaid recently posted…back to work… with mason jars.My Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      January 8, 2014 at 2:51 am

      So glad we went. So. Very. Glad.

      Reply
  7. Rachel @ Undercover Diva: A Sitcom says

    January 7, 2014 at 5:52 pm

    Ugh, I wanna go on a vacation now! Isn’t it funny how we live where people vacation, yet it doesn’t feel like a vacation location?! I LOVE the beach and lounging, but I also like exploring, so I’d take a set of some structure and lots of relaxation time 🙂 Can’t wait to hear about the rest of your trip!
    Rachel @ Undercover Diva: A Sitcom recently posted…New Training PlanMy Profile

    Reply
    • runswithpugs says

      January 8, 2014 at 2:51 am

      Right? I mean, it’s a big enough state, so we can get around a little bit and still feel like we are going away, but it’s nice to get away. I’m just not a goo lounger. I want to be, but it’s hard for me to do.

      Reply

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Welcome to Runs With Pugs. My name is Jenn and this is the story of my love affair with running and finding myself through fitness. From C25K to marathon, from triathlon to SUP, from broken leg to the recovery journey... I'm sharing it all. I'm a wife and mother of one, living in NE Florida, in love with travel, adventure, and food. Oh. We have pugs and a hedgehog, too. Thank you for joining us! We're glad to have you along for the ride!
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I am not a doctor or medical professional, nor do I play one on the internet. This blog reflects my personal experiences on my own fitness and running journey, and the processes that work for me. Before you begin any exercise regiment, please consult your physician.
Before I turn in for the night, a reminder that ju Before I turn in for the night, a reminder that just because Earth Day is coming to an end, the work continues. 

Pick up litter on your runs or works (#plogging). Recycle. Mind your waste. Work to minimize your carbon footprint on this beautiful world we call home.

"The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for" - Ernest Hemingway

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🌎 Happy Earth Day! 🌍 “The Earth will not 🌎 Happy Earth Day! 🌍 

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—John Paul II

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Let’s take a big step forward and smash the rest Let’s take a big step forward and smash the rest of this week!

Yesterday was a tense day, but Im seeing a small light at the end of the tunnel. Now to keep it going. There is always work to do, and the the only way to get it done is to dig right in!

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Sunny days ahead! Five miles done with the ladies Sunny days ahead!

Five miles done with the ladies! The rain held off again and I’m grateful for that!

Busy day wrapping up school, going out for lunch, making Earth Day cookies, AND getting Dose #2 of my vaccine. Lots of emails to send, too! 

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Anyone else loving this sunshine? 

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I mean.... Look at that pretty sit. This is five I mean....

Look at that pretty sit.

This is five seconds before she launched herself off the patio to go yell at her fur-ends for not inviting her into their yard (@sam3ph)

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That feeling when you find your “lost”favorite That feeling when you find your “lost”favorite running tank AND the rain holds off! Winning!

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Slept in, waited out the worst of the rain and lai Slept in, waited out the worst of the rain and laid out a drizzly 5k walk. I followed that up with an ab and arm workout and am going to park it on the couch for the rest of the day.

I am hopeful that this upcoming week is bright despite the storms. 

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Today, we volunteered on behalf of a Scout working Today, we volunteered on behalf of a Scout working on her Eagle project. Over the course of two days, she led a team of volunteers in the creation of these artificial oyster reefs. 

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Chilly, drizzly, ugly morning. Super quick four mi Chilly, drizzly, ugly morning. Super quick four miles before heading off to a conservation project. 

Got my long run done on Thursday so I would be able to fit everything in. Fingers crossed the weather holds so it’s a productive day!

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