Grand Cayman Day 2 -- Still not settled

---

Dec. 21, Sunday - Moving on down 7 Mile Beach - This is the Life!

We went to Eats Café for breakfast, using the Cayman activity guide coupon - had two books, so got two CI$3.99 one egg bkfsts, and one blueberry fluffycake bkfst to share with DGS and among us. No coffee or juice so came out at about CI$16-17.00 with tip. (That’s really inexpensive here, but we just had water to drink, and ordered carefully to see if we could get by doing that). Pretty good, with good service. It’s straight across the street from the Westin and traffic wasn’t too bad on Sunday morning to run across (no crosswalk).

Were able to spend about an hour on the beach before we had to pack up to move. The water seemed a little cooler than I remembered, but I did manage to get to a float stage, after basking in the sun a while. DGS was in the water the whole time, and DD was in the sun the whole time (she’s hoping to get a tan while we’re here, without getting a burn or doing any damage to her skin). Very nice beach and sandy swim area - no rocks and only a few “minnows/guppies” in the water (not worth using a snorkel for me). DGS had fun finding a few coral rocks. DGS swam, and I walked down the beach toward the Ritz and he saw one fish - called it a baby barracuda! (Not!)

Showered and repacked. Not sure what the fees on the bill were; they were broken down a little differently - there was a charge of about $16 for a “Courtyard transfer fee” and something else. Not sure where the $20 resort fee came in - maybe there will be more charges on my credit card than I expect (but not anything dramatic, or worth fussing about at this point as far as I can tell). It was about US$33.00.

We drove back toward Georgetown to see if we could check in before 4 p.m. at the Seven Mile Beach Resort, fortunately as it turned out. It’s very hard to find - no sign out front at all, so we missed it on the first try (Monday I finally spotted the sign; it’s small and faded - logo not obvious at all). Came back and turned in by Comfort Suites and poked around and parked at a likely looking spot. DGS and I got out to walk around and found someone to ask who told us where the office is - it’s in unit 6 of the first building on the second floor - so not obvious. And she closes the office at 4 on Sunday, so it’s a good thing we checked in early - very strange to have instructions that we can’t check in until 4, but the office closes at 4.

However, even tho things were looking pretty iffy at this point, the unit has turned out to be lovely, especially after a motel room in Charlotte, and a hotel room here at the Westin. We have a full kitchen, living/dining room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large screened deck with a padded chair and ottoman, and a table and 4 padded chairs, overlooking a very pretty pool. And they’ve put multicolored lights up on the hedge around the pool, so it’s especially pretty now. There was small stream of very tiny ants beside the kitchen cupboards near the phone, but they were easily dealt with with the provided spray. I did bring some ant traps, having read that ants do show up here sometimes (no great surprise).

DD fixed us lunch (sandwiches from what we brought along and bought at grocery store yesterday; yes, we got hungry after having what people should eat for a normal bkfst - actually it was probably more than what people “should” eat - but we are being pretty active and burning it off). We do have a little walk to a narrow part of 7 mile beach - but it’s really pretty easy access to a lot of 7MB. We took a walk in the afternoon toward the north to look back to where the Ritz and Westin are, and walked by the Marriott (kind of next door), some private residences, other condos, etc. up past the Royal Palms, which has a beach webcam. Somehow, the distances along the beach seem much more than along the road that runs along it on the other side of all the condos and hotels.

The water near here appears rocky, so we’ll wear our aqua shoes when we go out in it and hope that that means more fish to snorkel with. Spent some time at the pool at the resort, and then fixed dinner (I brought along meatballs and pasta, and we bought sauce and green beans on Saturday). Our kitchen has nice appliances, with a two-door fridge/freezer with in-door ice dispenser.

I have been spending a lot of time already sitting on the deck on the padded chair and ottoman. I really enjoy my deck at home, but it’s nothing like being here, in this temperature, looking out at the pool. It’s seems indescribable how relaxing and delightful it is being here. I’m sitting out here now, typing this under the deck light/fan, and can hear some traffic noise from West Bay Road (the main drag), but it’s just lovely.

DD went out to go sit on the beach; DGS is in bed. We’ve had a couple of busy days getting here and getting settled, and now it’s time to just take it easy. So, not an exciting trip report - but “This Is The Life:! (motto of DGS).

---

Photos

Looking toward our room at the Westin
From the beach -- on the second floor, back to the right.

Some of 7MB by the Westin
Seven Mile Beach is really long and around a curve -- it's only a little over 5 miles long or so.

View from our balcony at SMBR
We're on the second floor at the Seven Mile Beach Resort, with a lovely view of the pretty pool.

Part of the living area
We don't spend very much time in here -- the balcony is too nice