Notes from Under the Big Tree
Hedonism II April 25 to May 6, 2007
As told by Tam
This was the third trip to Hedo 2 that Rudy and I have taken. We went slightly earlier in the year to accommodate the schedule of our friends who were also going to da zoo. Once again, we took Spirit Air out of Ft Lauderdale, driving down from Central Florida the night before. Got a deal through ParkSleepFly.com that allowed us to leave the car at the hotel until our return for no extra charge. (Thanks Jim & Teresa for alerting us to this!)
Airport departure was easy enough. Got to meet and greet Hedo virgins Nikki & Brian; her parents are in Biffs Bunch and N&B were going down to witness a parental vow renewal. By strange coincidence, they were sitting in the same row as us on the plane (Queue the Twilight Zone music)! So, we got to talk the whole hour-long flight. In MoBay, once we filled out our paperwork AGAINtheyd given us the OLD immigration papers and would not let us leave the plane until wed redone it on the new formswe were in the SuperClubs lounge in about 20 minutes. And so were nearly all our friends from previous years! Yeah! We loaded up the bus, zipped out the airport and toward H2 with 12 co-resorters and 6 wary Grand Lidoans. One short beer stop; trip took about 1.5 hours. Amy & Patrick, our artists, arrived just after we did, the only occupants of their bus.
Got room # 2178, 3 doors down from the nude pool/bar/hottub area. Rudy was ultra happy to be so close. I (Tam) was concerned because I am a VERY light sleeper; only had trouble 2 nights...the first when the music was played til the wee hours and the second when (just like one night last year) a wormhole opened up in the bay and emitted a deep base booming til about 3 AM. No music could be heard. Just booming that shook the teeth out of ones head. Had to be from another universe as any Earthly vessel would have shaken apart and sunk within few minutes.
Good to report that the bacon supply was more than adequate, mine chewy to gnaw on and crunchy slices for Margo & Lysa. Also at breakfast, make sure to try those little almond pastries with powdered sugar; they are really good! As for food, there was always something good to eat, despite recent BB threads to the contrary. The Caesar salads were outstanding every day! Lettuce was green and crisp; dressing yummy, and enough anchovies too! Fried shrimp, tilapia fried and baked, BBQ chicken, suckling pig, pasta station, curried goat (really, it was tender and yummy). The hot molten brownie was heavenly when covered with the soft serve ice cream.Homer Simpson drool sound. Munasan and Pastafari both very good; Munason chefs even individualized, unlike last year when you got a taste of everything whether you liked/wanted it or not.
The nude side grill deserves its own paragraph. Jerk Chicken perfect; I like it without the saucetooooo hooooot! The spices it is roasted with are just right. Our friend, Teresa, became addicted to the grilled cheeses and I could not get enough of the cheeseburgers. They were charred/crunchy on the outside and moist/juicy inside. The grill even had bacon to add to your sandwich or burger. Fries were most often crunchy. Yeah!
Beach was lovely, and as noted above, we set up camp each morning Under the Big Tree. Augustus took care of us by making sure we had clean towels and taunted us with calls for Security! Most afternoons there was rain, but it was not bad. Hot tub was never too hot except one day. Bathrooms were not creepy. Lots of PDAs & PDPs each day everywhere in the nude area. Zoo Krew kept things hopping with a flotilla of duckies and spongedisk-guns. RastaBill patrolled the area for victims like a Panzer at Anzio! Few toenails escaped his stealthy sneak attacks!
The Zoo Krew ladies dressed extra sexy and there were lots of costumy groups including ours. Patrick and Amy from Bama painted up some pretty boob masterpieces. Patrick has also expanded his canvases to include legs and arms; he claims he cant paint on a flat surface anymore. LOL
In all honesty, not sure how lively the nightlife was after 10 PM as we were usually back in the room by then. This was mainly due to not taking afternoon naps. Just could not make myself go back to the room when everyone was having so much fun! This year was definitely more about relaxing, resting, and getting back in synch after a very stressful 6-8 months. Additionally, bedazzling cosmic energies usually channeled to Jamaica in April/May remained in Erie, PA this year, causing a lull in the ZANINESS! Sarah and Dan, next year or ELSE!!!
The one night we were down at the hot tub, the chemicals were still very strong and had trouble breathing afterward. Also had to REALLY SCRUB to get it off the skin afterward. This was not the case during the day; hot tub was nice thenmaybe due to how many hours passed between treatment and us getting in.
Quotes, Observations, Et Cetera
Rich/Rudy: I sucked out all the fruity goodness! I need another drink!
Patrick: Ive learned women make the rules; men are just props.
Rick: Is that a euphemism?
Sunshine: I hate you, Rudy! I am never playing dominos with you again!
Margo/Tam: Fling Fish!!!andIt could be a costume!
Stupid Game Rule: Tam Drinks!
Tree Frogs need a raise; they are awesome. Nothing like walking back to the room at night, hand in hand, with the frogs singing their beautiful song.
Garden was so beautiful; reminded me of my grandfathers as he had many of the same plants.
Very pleasant to walk the road from the nude pool to the dining room each day past the palm grove. Beautiful, stately trees.
Staff was so pleasant and always said hello and how are you and hope you are enjoying your stay. Tony always included a hug and/or respect hand knock.
Mike and Denise, we hope to see you next year. Mike, be prepared for beads in that beard and a Hello Kitty snuggling up to the Grim Reaper on your back!
Some folks adapt quickly; one cute couples we believe was from Spain entered the hot tub their first day SUITS ON, then took them off. By the next afternoon, they were putting on a show for everyone at the beach!
Foxy, as always, put up with Rudy and all his antics specifically aimed at getting her goat with the grace of the goddess she is.
I did find a ladies silver ring in the nude lagoon; very tarnished as it had been there a while; would love to return it to the rightful owner if they would but email us with a description.
Negatives (What adventure is without them?)
A Man we soon came to call Creepy Bleep Bleep Guy (not sure if he was WITH a group, or tagging along) who daily drank to a bothersome stupor. One afternoon, when I went to the bar for a Red Stripe on ice, he grabbed me (Tam) by the arm and pulled me to a stool next to him in the pool; trying to put the moves on me. Umtelling someone at Hedo they have a nice tan is a stupid pickup line! Dork! Thank goodness Delroy was there; he was watching the guy closely and I am certain hed have stepped in if Id not been able to exit the situation. Another night, after staking out the table nearest the ladies restroom in order to ogle and harass for a couple hours, the guy passed out on one of the little outdoor beds next to the dining room. A doctor who was having her boobs painted by Patrick even went over to see if he was still alive.
Did not get eviction notice. Went to front desk the night before we were to leave and they made us call the airline to confirm the flight timeput on hold and airline never answered. Rudy finally told the desk we KNEW the flight was at a certain time; what bus did we need to be on.
Another odd thing
Wed always made pals with single guys while at Hedo and loved including their wit and humor in our group, but Lysa, Margo, and I agreed we must never have seen a Vinnie before, because there were definitely three during this trip. It was glaringly apparent. One had a constant malevolent scowl on his face, wore long board shorts, talked only to a few young pretty gals in the dining room, and stalked quickly through the nude pool complex once or twice. Really, never once saw the guy smile. Scary. The second seemed to have his cell phone surgically attached to his ear and was only seen in the dining room with the first guy. The last we only saw on PJ night at the disco; dancing his little heart out in long sleeves and jeans. He just never stopped long enough for anyone to actually say hello to him. We felt a bit sad about these guys because they certainly were not getting their moneys worth of the fun, camaraderie, and silliness that Hedo can be; for anyone, single or attached, who wants to party and make friends.
All that said, we are already planning another jaunt to sit and soak up all the Caribbean has to offer from Under The Big Tree.
Respect,
TamNRudy
Photos
From Under the Big Tree
View of Delroys Bar from Room 2178
Beach from Room 2178
Palm Tree Grove
