I was elated when I learned Kristy Eléna (of  Full Time Fabulous) selected a beach/sea related theme for the July FTFCommunity blog event. Yes, the photographer in me loves beaches for obvious reasons, but more than anything I was excited because I knew it would give me an opportunity to share a bit about myself with you.

Regular readers of my blog already know that I have a soft spot for the Caribbean.   What they don’t know is that my love for the sea/ocean goes back much further than the cruise I was on.  It goes all the way back to a small Dalmatian town named Karin where my mother was raised.  Let’s start there.

Karinsko More (aka, the Karin Sea)

This was basically my mother’s backyard when she was growing up:

Breathtaking.  Spectacular.  Amazing.  None of those words even begin to describe what it is like in person.  Karin is a Dalmatian seaside town bordered by the Karin Sea and Velebit Mountain range.  And it’s the place my mom (and most of her ancestors) was born and raised.

The town itself is rich with history. It used to be a seat of one of the Roman strongholds and was an important area during the Turkish Wars.  Remnants of those times remain in the ruins that are sprinkled throughout the area.   The area was ravaged by war in the 1990s and many of the inhabitants were forced to leave, but life is slowly coming back.  You almost wouldn’t guess that the 90s were so tough, save for the “Warning. Danger of Live Mines” signs that you come across here and there.

Despite the war, the coast itself remained largely unspoiled.  It is a breathtaking in its beauty and remains fairly untouched because tourism is at a minimum.

It is my absolute favorite spot on the planet.

Budva, Montenegro

The last time I was in the former Yugoslavia we decided to visit the coastal town of Budva in Montenegro:

Unlike Karin, Budva is an extremely popular tourist destination.  It is one of the oldest cities on the Adriatic coast (over 2,500 years) and the town is home to some amazing Mediterranean architecture.  The riviera is nestled between the amazing cliffs and mountains of Montenegro and the Adriatic Sea.

The top left photo is actually of an exclusive private resort called Sveti Stefan (St. Steven) that is located in Budva.  We didn’t stay there, but just seeing it was amazing.  It’s basically it’s own little private island.

Just beautiful.

The Western Caribbean

I couldn’t do a post about beaches without including some shots from my 2010 Caribbean Cruise.  More info on the cruise can be found here and here, but these are a few new (mostly)  shots I haven’t posted online before:

Top (from left): Roatan, Snorkeling in Roatan (top), Stingray City in Grand Cayman (bottom),  Cozumel.  Bottom (from left): Sunset from cruise ship, Snorkeling in Roatan (top), Roatan, (bottom) Grand Cayman

The Caribbean really is in a class of its own.  Each place we visited was as unique as its beaches.  And each place was more amazing than the last.  I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: Roatan, Honduras was my absolute favorite stop!

Beach-Inspired Fashion

As I was putting the collages in this post together the images kept reminding me of  fashion shoots I had come across recently.  I decided the post wouldn’t be complete without one last collage.  These are just a few of my favorite 2011 beach-inspired editorials:

Top (from left): Karmen Pedaru for Vogue Paris, Myf Shepherd for Elle Spain (top), Eva by David Shields (bottom), Lindsay Ellingson for Allure.  Bottom (from left): Eva by David Shields, Christine Teigen for Vegas Magazine (top), Linda Votjova for El País (bottom), Karmen Pedaru for Vogue Paris

What are some of your favorite beaches and memories?

Have you come across any beach-inspired editorials you love?

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Thank you to Kristy Eléna and Sunglass Hut for hosting this FTF Blog Event!  If you would like to read Kristy’s own response and check out the other entries, please click here.

NOTE: All images were taken by me or used courtesy of ZAC Fashion. Top left and bottom right header images: Karmen Pedaru for Vogue Paris and Lindsay Ellingson for Allure

Yesterday I began to take a trip down memory lane and shared some of the highlights from my 2010 Western Caribbean Cruise with you.  Today that continues with the final – equally exciting and even more exotic – stops of the cruise.

Our next destination was Belize. The activity choices for this port-of-call included zip-lining (almost did this – next time for sure!), cave-tubing and hiking to name a few. We chose to visit the Mayan ruins of Altun Ha and explore the River Wallace.

Wake-up call for Belize was super early, so this was our balcony view when our alarm went off:

Needless to say, I was a bit grouchy. But… the view was still so gorgeous I got over it. Before I knew it we were off -our first stop, the ruins of Altun Ha.  This site was first occupied somewhere around 200 B.C., with construction ending in 900 A.D. More information on the history of the site can be found here if you are interested.

Temple of the Masonry Altars - we were able to climb to the top later!

View of Temples B6, B5 and B3 from atop the Temple of Masonry Altars

This next photo gives you a good idea of the size of the structures – look at that tour group and how small they are compared to the temple itself.

That is the Temple of Green Tomb in the center.

Being able to actually climb the Temple and look out on the rest of the site was just spectacular.

Upon leaving Altun Ha we headed to the Black Orchid Resort for some lunch and the River Wallace Tour.

Being the nature lover that I am, my favorite part of the day was the tour of the river. There was wildlife everywhere. As soon as we left the dock we saw the guy below, and he set the tone for the rest of the tour.

Although we caught site of some manatees I wasn’t able to snap a photo in time, but I did manage to capture more crocodiles and an iguana (I think).

And my favorite: BLACK HOWLER MONKEYS! I was just a tiny bit excited by these, can you tell?

Then, all too soon, we were headed back to the ship.

We came back to yet another seductive towel animal…

… and caught another beautiful sunset before the day was over.

In my last post, I mentioned that Cozumel was almost heaven on earth. I say almost because Roatan, Honduras actually is heaven on earth. I am convinced that is true.

I have written about the Santé Wellness Centre (which is where we spent most of our time in Roatan) on the blog before. I won’t tell you about the amazing spa experience I had there again – but I will share some images of the beautiful island. Tell me this doesn’t look like heaven.

AHH - MAZ- ING

Just some local wildlife... so cool.

Look at how clear that water is...

I want to live here.

It doesn't get more relaxing than this...

... and this.

Hello front yard of my dreams...

I had to be dragged back to the ship kicking and screaming after this port-of-call.

Please don't make me go.

Back on board the ship another towel animal awaited… as did another sunset.

Fluffier than the real stingray I kissed (7 years GOOD luck if you kiss one!)

The next day was our final day at sea. Appropriately enough, it was also the roughest day at sea. You can’t really see it well in the photo below, but the waves were rough. It was kind of like being on a roller coaster, which was OK because 1) I didn’t get seasick and 2) I love roller coasters!

Choppy seas

Mr. Walrus was our final towel animal of the trip. I think he was as sad as I was for it to be over.

Please don't go...

Finally, a perfect sunset to end a perfect vacation.

And it was over... just like that.

Thank you for indulging my trip down memory lane… anyone else want to go on a cruise after all that? I think Alaska sounds good…

This week is my Cruise Anniversary.

Last year, from March 7 – 14th, I spent 7 beautiful sun-filled days aboard the Carnival Legend. It was my first cruise vacation, and I went into it not quite knowing what to expect. Part of me was worried that cruises were still only for “old people” and there would be nothing to do aboard other than play shuffleboard. Another part of me was worried that it would be party-central, and I would remember none of it when it was over. Yet another part of me wondered if I would fall overboard while leaning over our balcony, never to be heard from again.

It was a special trip to me for a multitude of reasons, some of which are no longer quite so special. But the cruise itself remains one of the best experiences of my life. The places we visited were absolutely breathtaking in their beauty and we could not have asked for better weather!

I was looking at some photos earlier and decided that I wanted to share some images from the cruise with you (who knows, you might actually catch a glimpse of me in one or two!). This is actually going to be split up into 2 posts because of the quantity of pictures (you might want to skip tomorrow if you aren’t interested in this type of thing). This photography should give you some insight into the type of person I am. These are the images that stayed with me… the sites that took my breathe away. I guess I am pretty easy to please

Our trip began in Tampa, Florida. Cruise ships that leave from Tampa have to clear the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and let’s just say its pretty amazing to watch that happen!

This is a shot of the bridge after we had safely cleared it.

I won’t bore you with photos of the ship itself (I think they all pretty much look alike) but the Legend was nice. It’s a nice size ship – not huge, but not small. We spent most of that first evening exploring, playing in the casino a bit, and just drinking in the views. Let me just tell you – sunsets as seen from a cruise ship deck are INCREDIBLE.

The first full day on the ship is a “sea day”. Most of this was, again, spent exploring.

There I am on the ship! (SHHHH!)

I became a bit obsessed with the wake of the ship... it's mesmerizing.

These little guys were fun. Each night you’d come back from dinner and find a new towel animal in your room. I don’t have a photo of the elephant from the first night, but this was the rabbit. Cute, right?

When we woke up at sunrise on Day 2 we were in Grand Cayman!

Time to wake up - Grand Cayman in the distance!

This is SUCH a beautiful island and the locals are extremely friendly.   We chose to spend our time in Cayman visiting Stingray City and doing some snorkeling.

Could that water be any more beautiful?

Another catamaran in the distance

Me and my friend the Stingray. (Excuse the cleavage and sunburn!)

The sails of OUR catamaran

Getting back to our ship after the fun is over

Have I mentioned how much I LOVED the views of the Caribbean Sea from the ship? Just spectacular.

Upon leaving Grand Cayman, we headed straight to Cozumel, Mexico. Our personal destination? Nachi Cocum Beach Club. I HIGHLY recommend Nachi Cocum if you are ever heading to Cozumel. For $49 per person, you not only get full access to the resort for the day – you get an OPEN BAR and a 4-course lunch. Did I mention an open bar?

And it looks like this:

I would say it is heaven on earth, except that came a few days later in the trip. All too soon we were heading back to the Legend. This Princess cruise ship was our neighbor during our stay in Cozumel:

Meanwhile, back in the room this guy showed up to greet us.  I am not sure what he was.  Ideas?

…and off we went to our next destination!

Check back tomorrow for the highlights from Belize and Roatan!

Have you ever wanted a special keepsake, outside of the typical photographs and mementos?

Seven months ago today, my (now ex) boyfriend and I were anxiously boarding the Carnival Legend, about to embark on one of the best vacations we had ever been on. The cruise was a first for each of us, and we were eager to see the destinations before us: Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. Today, although we aren’t together anymore, the memories of that trip remain among the best of my life. The beauty of the Caribbean will stay with me forever, and I can’t wait to go back again (especially to Roatan!) one day.

Clockwise from left to right: Nachi Cocum Resort, Cozumel; Stingray City, Grand Cayman; monkeys in Belize; Santé Wellness Center and Spa, Roatan. All images taken by me.

The trip made such a big impact on me that I wanted to have something done that would commemorate it for me. Something that would remind me of those happy times, and those beautiful locales. So what did I do? I turned to Etsy!

The idea came to me rather quickly – I wanted to have a necklace custom-made, and I wanted it to be made of stones found exclusively in the Caribbean. Then, I wanted to take it a step further. Having long-been a fan of the Gemma Redux style of twisted-chain necklaces, I wanted to see if I could somehow incorporate it all together. With that in mind, I turned to the lovely and talented Laura Staley of Creative Jewelry Designs. Laura had done some prior work for me, so I knew she was talented, but this necklace was something special and unique. I wanted it to be perfect. I contacted her to see what her thoughts and ideas were, and almost immediately she suggested that the necklace be constructed out of Larimar.

Uncut Larimar, image via Gem Select

Larimar, also called “Stefilia’s Stone”, is a rare blue variety of pectolite found only in the Dominican Republic. It’s a beautiful blue stone whose very color is reminiscent of both the Caribbean Sea and sky! Laura had used it before and shared one of her prior designs with me. As soon as I saw the stone, I knew it would be perfect. Once we decided on the stone she sketched some ideas on how to incorporate the silver tangled-chains I requested. Everything was coming along beautifully!

Then, I likely became every jewelry-designers worst nightmare. Although I loved the design so far, I felt that something was missing. I thought about it for some time and decided the necklace wouldn’t be complete without the use of Caymanite as an accent piece. The Larimar would represent the sky and surf, I thought, and the beautiful earthy striations of the Caymanite would represent the sand.

Uncut Caymanite, via wikipedia

Simple, right? Wrong!

Caymanite is a rare semi-precious stone found only in two places in the Cayman Islands: the Bluff in Cayman Brac and the East End in Grand Cayman. Unlike Larimar jewelry, which can be purchased everywhere, the Caymanite jewelry market is exclusively out of the Cayman Islands. As such, the stone is extremely difficult to get in the United States, and Laura had a challenging time finding a supplier for the stone. I am sure there were times she wished I would give up on the idea of the Caymanite, but, I am often too stubborn for my own good. And she did it! She managed to track down a supplier with some beautiful Caymanite beads for the necklace.

She adjusted the design to incorporate the Caymanite, and the final product is this stunning piece:

Completed necklace and earrings

Close-up of Larimar and Caymanite detail

She even included these matching earrings at no extra cost!

Thank you, Laura - I love it all!

Now, every time I wear this, I am transported back to the Caribbean and to that wonderful week and those breathtaking locales.  I am beyond thrilled with the design, and couldn’t have asked for anything more beautiful. I highly – HIGHLY – recommend Laura if you are ever in the market for a really personal piece like this. She will work with you until you are completely satisfied, and her attention to detail is absolutely impeccable!

To date, Laura’s designs have been featured in both Lucky (online) and Skirt! Magazine, and I am sure, will continue to be featured in many more outlets.

Check out her etsy shop here, visit her facebook page here, and don’t be afraid to ask for a custom order – you won’t be disappointed!

I don’t like the idea of a stranger touching me. It makes me uncomfortable in a twitchy sort of way.

Taking that into account, is it any surprise that the idea of getting a professional massage has always freaked me out? I mean, that is some pretty intimate touching.

I can handle a hug. A pat on the back.

But a massage? By someone I don’t know? The very idea of it always gave me the hibbe-jeebees.

Until the magical day I stumbled across the Santé Wellness Center and Spa.

Santé Wellness Center and Spa - the main house

I had been preparing for an upcoming Western Caribbean Cruise by researching each of the ports we would be visiting. It was when I started reading about our final port – Roatan, Honduras – that I first heard about Santé. It seemed like no matter where I looked (cruisecritic.com, tripadvisor, or random internet searches) I kept reading about Santé.

So I checked it out. I was intrigued by the idea of a spa visit, but that whole massage angle kept bothering me. Yet I kept reading. And when I started having issues with my back and shoulders, I read some more. Deep tissue massage. Scary. Aztec Stone Massage. Cool but still scary. Swedish massage. Sounded painful.

I was such a scaredy-cat. Me? Get a massage? By a stranger? The thought of it almost made me break out in hives.

Then I read these words: “Caribbean Cooler Tropical Herbal Wrap with Grape Seed Massage Oil.”

The description was – in a word – heavenly:

“A two hour treatment perfumed amidst lush tropical gardens with the soft sound of the sea surrounding your senses.  Includes: Coconut Milk Body Wash after an invigorating Body Brushing, Banana Smoothie Body Scrub, Relaxing Therapeutic Massage with warmed grape seed oil, Warm Herbal Body Wrap with Lavender, Facial Masque with Cucumber, Melon, and Ginseng, Cucumber Eye Soother, Peppermint Lotion Water after treatment body spritz, Herbal Pedicure Foot Bath with Tea Tree Oil, and a cup of herbal tea and biscuits.”

All for $135 plus tax.

Wow. I felt relaxed just READING that. So what did I do? I emailed the link to my (now ex) boyfriend to see what his thoughts were, as he too had never had a professional massage before. I was sure he’d think the idea was silly and suggest scuba diving or something adventurous instead. I was wrong – he decided he’d like a massage as well.

Well OK then!

With that settled, I contacted the lovely Angela Missaggia to setup our treatments. Angela and her husband Leon had left the San Francisco Bay area in 2000 and moved to Roatan. They had visited the island before and fallen in love with its beauty, culture, and people. Angela is a licensed nurse practitioner and aesthetician and began offering spa services shortly after they moved to Roatan because they were – at that time – unavailable on the island. The two of them realized that they could offer something special and Santé was born.

In its current form, Santé is located on a small, private peninsula on Roatan’s southern coast.

A view of the Caribbean and across the peninsula from Santé's private beach

Angela worked with me prior to our cruise to ensure that our treatments were set-up properly. She provided detailed instructions on what we should do upon our arrival in Roatan to ensure we make the most of our visit to Santé. She answered all of my silly questions and calmed my fears about getting a massage.

Finally the day arrived and our ship, the Carnival Legend, docked at Mahogany Bay. As Angela had instructed, we took a taxi to the 200-acre Parrot Tree Plantation. The Parrot Tree Plantation is one of Roatan’s gems. It’s a beautiful high-end resort community surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. It is also the portal to Santé.

Upon our arrival at the Parrot Tree we found Angela’s husband Leon waiting for us on the dock, just as promised. From there he whisked us by boat across the bay to the beautiful home he shares with Angela. This is what makes Santé so special – it isn’t just a business to the Missaggia’s – it is their home.

Heading to Santé from the Parrot Bay Plantation!

Arriving at the Santé Wellness Center and Spa - dock area. Main House visible in the background.

Angela greeted us at the door with a welcoming smile and gave us a tour of the house (it’s more of a villa, actually). This particular day we were the only spa customers. A gentleman was staying on the grounds as a customer of the bed-and-breakfast (I would love to come back as a bed-and-breakfast customer one day!), but save for a brief glimpse of him in the kitchen, we had the whole place to ourselves. Angela showed us the pool, jacuzzi and private beach area – all of which were available for our use. We couldn’t wait to get to our treatments!

The welcoming pool at Santé.

This little guy was hanging out on the balcony

A view of the dock from the balcony.

Angela began working on my treatments on the main floor while her assistant took care of my boyfriend on the floor above me. Since we were the only two spa customers that morning we were able to enjoy a “couples massage” experience, although each of us got lost in the treatments. I closed my eyes while Angela worked on me and focused on the sounds around me. Soft tropical chimes blowing in the warm tropical breezes. The ebb and flow of the Caribbean. The relaxing music. It was sheer perfection.

I feel asleep.

Me. The woman who broke out in hives at the thought of a stranger touching her. The woman who swore she’d never get a professional massage. Yes, me. I was so relaxed I fell asleep.

My two plus hour treatment was pure heaven. My skin felt absolutely invigorated after the body brushing/wash and scrub. The banana smoothie scrub not only smelled fabulous (I could have eaten it), but it refreshed my skin. The wrap was like a warm cocoon and I think it was the lavender scent that led to my falling asleep. The facial masque and pedicure were both top-notch.

And the massage: Oh. My. God.

Angela has magic hands. That is the only thing I can say. The massage was one of the loveliest experiences of my life. She managed to loosen every knot in my body until I felt like a pile of mush (in a great way). I don’t recall ever feeling as relaxed as I did that day, and it was a PERFECT ending to the cruise.

Even my after-treatment shower was heavenly. Angela had requested that we keep our showers brief because they collect, store and use rainwater on the grounds. Although the shower was brief, it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I will never forget the purity of that water and the lush surroundings.

My boyfriend had opted for a shorter massage, so while I was relaxing/napping/showering he explored the grounds and ended up snorkeling at the nearby coral reef. When he returned he could not stop raving about the reef and how wonderful his snorkeling experience had been. The waves had been a bit rough, but he said that the experience far surpassed the time we had spent in Grand Cayman and even Cozumel. It turns out that Roatan’s reef is a part of the second-largest barrier reef in the world – the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. We decided to go out again together and he was right – it was a phenomenal snorkeling experience!

See that gorgeous turquoise colored water? Some great snorkeling to be had right there.

We spent the rest of our time at Santé exploring together.

We became friendly with the beautiful scarlet macaw who lives on the property. He greets you with “hello” and “hola” amongst other things!

Isn't he gorgeous? And he loves having his photo taken!

We explored every nook and cranny we could find.

I wish this was MY front yard!

We walked down to the beach.

Look at how clear that water is!

We relaxed and looked out at the Caribbean, all the while wishing our time did not have to come to an end.

It doesn't get much better than sitting in a palapa and gazing out at the sea.

This hammock was a close second though!

But alas, soon it was time to return to Mahogany Bay and say goodbye to the haven that is the Santé Wellness Center and Spa.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit Roatan I highly encourage you to visit the Santé Wellness Center and Spa. If you do, you will have a wonderfully relaxing experience at a retreat you will never forget. My only regret is leaving!

Goodbye beautiful Roatan – I’ll never forget you!

Please note: this review and all the content within are the writer’s own personal thoughts and opinions. It is not a paid advertisement or any such nonsense.