Moving Day
Today we are moving into town and I can not wait! I enjoy the resort, but a week is more than enough time for me. I am not a lay-by-the-pool kind of gal, smile. Charlie decides to work out at the gym one more day and I finish packing and get everything downstairs. While I wait for him I lay by the pool with my book and a coca light con limon, big smile. Charlie shows up and we grab our suitcases and a cab. The driver doesnt speak much English and I dont speak much Spanish but between the two of us we get there. She (the condo owner) told me I could arrive anytime after noon and it is now 12:30 or so. I go to her door and knock and she says that we are actually not staying there, we are staying 2 doors down (?). Huh? Whatever. So we walk down to the condo and she tells us they are still cleaning it and, oh yes, she is having some painting done (?). Huh? We walk in and I almost cant breath I am so disappointed. But I DO breathe and I tell myself to calm down and take a mental step back. We are all still talking this whole time and I, naturally, ask about the internet (I was told there was wireless and she was working on getting a modem in the room for me). This has been a very big deal to me and I have expressed that to her many times. She says she has been trying for 3 weeks to get the internet company out and she expects it any day (?). Huh? So I say, Do you mean there is no internet connection available here AT ALL? And she confirms that that is true. I say but you said there was wireless in the condoand this really doesnt look anything like the pictures you sent. Where is the balcony?. She says Well, there is another woman renting today too and she got here first and picked the other condo over this one.
**Just as an aside, the place reminds me of convent jail**
So I say but I picked the one with the king size bed and the balcony. And she says did you?? Ahhh, yeah. I did. I guess I dont remember that. Well, I DID. Hmmmm, well, the other woman arrived first and I thought she was going to pick this one but she decided on the other one. I tell her, very calmly, that I am overwhelmingly disappointed and that I am going to need some time alone with my husband...but that I feel that I am going to need to ask for a refund (did I mention I have already paid for 5 weeks in full?!). She leaves us alone, with the housekeeper who only speaks Spanish, and I have to go to the bathroom really bad! Up to this point I have been able to keep tears at baybut just barely. I walk into the dark, bare, awful bathroom, sit down and immediately begin to sob. I can hear Charlie outside and I am trying to sob quietlybut I am really upset! I pull myself together but know my eyes are wet and red and swollen. I step out and there he is, waiting for me. The maid is in the room too, cleaning the floors, and I walk to Charlie and he holds me and I start sobbing into his chest. The poor woman! (Her name is Christina and she comes into play, BIG TIME, later). So we talk for awhile and although Charlie says he could handle it for 5 weeks...I can NOT. Before I leave to talk to (insert name), Charlie suggests we pray. So we do the a prayer and some personal praying and then I go up to her house and say Im sorry (insert name) but I just cant stay there. Its not what I was expecting nor is it what I agreed to. There is no internet and the condo itself is completely different than the one you sent me pictures of. I looked on every site that you advertise on and I dont even recall seeing that one. She confirms that it is not on any site. She has not yet been advertising for itahhh, yeah. So we walk down to the convent jail and start discussing options. I am freaking out inside because now we have no where to stay for the next 5 weeksand I am terrified she is not going to come through on the refund. She starts suggesting places in the area and comes up with one called Casa Dos Comales, but says the rooms are small and there are no views. Christina (the Mexican woman cleaning the room) gets involved now and I hear Christina say something something Casa Dos Comales something something. And I hear (insert name) say no bonita vistas and I hear Christina say si, muy bonita vistas. I understand enough to know that Christina thinks the views at Casa Dos Comales are very nice. So I ask where it is and at this point Christina pulls her 15 year old daughter, Cassandra, into the picture and tells her to take us there! (I find out later that after I left to talk with the owner Charlie conveyed to Christina how unhappy we werebut due to the sob-fest in the kitchen I think she guessed that). So Cassandra, who in a past life must have been a mountain goat, runs us up and down hill, alleys and back yards and get us to Casa Dos Comales. She introduces us to Jose, the manager, and he is delightful (and knows EnglishCassandra does not). He says he has 2 rooms available for the next 5 weeks; rooms 5 & 10. He brings us up to room 5 and we are very pleased. It is a sizable one bedroom condo with a balcony off the living room and bedroom. It faces the street but if you look out the bedroom balcony you can see the ocean. Then we ask to see room 10. He doesnt have the key because someone is still in there but is leaving any minute. We go up and knock and I hear a woman say Im leaving nowIm coming. She opens the door and I say, sorry to bother you, do mind if I look at the room? She doesnt mind and is actually just walking out the door. I see a wrought iron stairway leading up and I say is there an upstairs? and she says no, its just a little terrace. Bye. So we walk in and I almost crap. It IS small, but so very very adorableand the view, the VIEW! As you walk in you enter the living room and just beyond that, across this great archway, is the bedroom and bathroom beside that. But connected to the bedroom is this great balcony and a view of the entire bay and town! I then sneak up the stairway just to see the little terrace and almost crap again. It IS small, but holy crap is the view INCREDIBLE!!??! And there is this great tanning chair that I can sit in and read my book. Now its time to go see Jose about pricing. He tells us that room 5 is $1200 for a month and room 10 is $1500 for a month. After some Charlie negotiating we end up with room 10 for $1500 for 5 weeks. And guess what? That is EXACTLY what we paid for the convent jail!!! So we give Jose $350 to hold the room and have Cassandra bring us back to her mom. I go see the owner and tell her we were able to secure a room at Casa Dos Comales. She says okay and I ask if she can refund us the money we already paid her. She says she doesnt have that much on her but she can get it on Monday. Charlie asks if she has anything and she hums a little and goes inside and brings out $350. How about that?! She says she can get to the bank on Monday if we can come back then. Well, we WILL be back then, ha! So now we need to get a cab. Ugh! We are WAY up the hill in a little out of the way dead end street. Christina tells Cassandra to go hail a cab. She says she will get some boys to help and I say NO WAY. Our luggage is way too heavy for some boys to carry all that way. Well, Cassandra show up with 2 boys about her same age, sigh. I try saying "no no, too heavy", but they just ignore me and grab our luggage. It was so hysterical you guys. These kids were laughing and joking and trying to out cool each other for Cassandrawho is a DOLL! It was a blast. We are all hauling all this stuff through the streets and we get there and they lug it all up 4 flights of stairs too! I take their picture, give them $20 (we already gave Cassandra and her mom ($15) and they take off in good spirits. By this time I have thanked God many many times, but as I begin to nest I start to cry, thanking Him again and again. I cant believe the bullet we dodged. And what a wonderful wonderful place we are in now. It is SO beautiful here you guys. I love it so much. I have taken pictures and you can also check it out at www.casadoscomales.com. The internet in out room wasnt working (the outlet is bad) but fortunately I have my Linksys router with me and we set it up in the room next to us so we have wireless in our room (Jeff came over and helped us with that). Then we went and got tacos at the big taco stand next to Rizos, went to the meeting, met up after for tacos al pasdor at Takos Panchos, walked home and crashed. What a whirlwind day! But it sure was a happy happy ending!
Today we are moving into town and I can not wait! I enjoy the resort, but a week is more than enough time for me. I am not a lay-by-the-pool kind of gal, smile. Charlie decides to work out at the gym one more day and I finish packing and get everything downstairs. While I wait for him I lay by the pool with my book and a coca light con limon, big smile. Charlie shows up and we grab our suitcases and a cab. The driver doesnt speak much English and I dont speak much Spanish but between the two of us we get there. She (the condo owner) told me I could arrive anytime after noon and it is now 12:30 or so. I go to her door and knock and she says that we are actually not staying there, we are staying 2 doors down (?). Huh? Whatever. So we walk down to the condo and she tells us they are still cleaning it and, oh yes, she is having some painting done (?). Huh? We walk in and I almost cant breath I am so disappointed. But I DO breathe and I tell myself to calm down and take a mental step back. We are all still talking this whole time and I, naturally, ask about the internet (I was told there was wireless and she was working on getting a modem in the room for me). This has been a very big deal to me and I have expressed that to her many times. She says she has been trying for 3 weeks to get the internet company out and she expects it any day (?). Huh? So I say, Do you mean there is no internet connection available here AT ALL? And she confirms that that is true. I say but you said there was wireless in the condoand this really doesnt look anything like the pictures you sent. Where is the balcony?. She says Well, there is another woman renting today too and she got here first and picked the other condo over this one.
**Just as an aside, the place reminds me of convent jail**
So I say but I picked the one with the king size bed and the balcony. And she says did you?? Ahhh, yeah. I did. I guess I dont remember that. Well, I DID. Hmmmm, well, the other woman arrived first and I thought she was going to pick this one but she decided on the other one. I tell her, very calmly, that I am overwhelmingly disappointed and that I am going to need some time alone with my husband...but that I feel that I am going to need to ask for a refund (did I mention I have already paid for 5 weeks in full?!). She leaves us alone, with the housekeeper who only speaks Spanish, and I have to go to the bathroom really bad! Up to this point I have been able to keep tears at baybut just barely. I walk into the dark, bare, awful bathroom, sit down and immediately begin to sob. I can hear Charlie outside and I am trying to sob quietlybut I am really upset! I pull myself together but know my eyes are wet and red and swollen. I step out and there he is, waiting for me. The maid is in the room too, cleaning the floors, and I walk to Charlie and he holds me and I start sobbing into his chest. The poor woman! (Her name is Christina and she comes into play, BIG TIME, later). So we talk for awhile and although Charlie says he could handle it for 5 weeks...I can NOT. Before I leave to talk to (insert name), Charlie suggests we pray. So we do the a prayer and some personal praying and then I go up to her house and say Im sorry (insert name) but I just cant stay there. Its not what I was expecting nor is it what I agreed to. There is no internet and the condo itself is completely different than the one you sent me pictures of. I looked on every site that you advertise on and I dont even recall seeing that one. She confirms that it is not on any site. She has not yet been advertising for itahhh, yeah. So we walk down to the convent jail and start discussing options. I am freaking out inside because now we have no where to stay for the next 5 weeksand I am terrified she is not going to come through on the refund. She starts suggesting places in the area and comes up with one called Casa Dos Comales, but says the rooms are small and there are no views. Christina (the Mexican woman cleaning the room) gets involved now and I hear Christina say something something Casa Dos Comales something something. And I hear (insert name) say no bonita vistas and I hear Christina say si, muy bonita vistas. I understand enough to know that Christina thinks the views at Casa Dos Comales are very nice. So I ask where it is and at this point Christina pulls her 15 year old daughter, Cassandra, into the picture and tells her to take us there! (I find out later that after I left to talk with the owner Charlie conveyed to Christina how unhappy we werebut due to the sob-fest in the kitchen I think she guessed that). So Cassandra, who in a past life must have been a mountain goat, runs us up and down hill, alleys and back yards and get us to Casa Dos Comales. She introduces us to Jose, the manager, and he is delightful (and knows EnglishCassandra does not). He says he has 2 rooms available for the next 5 weeks; rooms 5 & 10. He brings us up to room 5 and we are very pleased. It is a sizable one bedroom condo with a balcony off the living room and bedroom. It faces the street but if you look out the bedroom balcony you can see the ocean. Then we ask to see room 10. He doesnt have the key because someone is still in there but is leaving any minute. We go up and knock and I hear a woman say Im leaving nowIm coming. She opens the door and I say, sorry to bother you, do mind if I look at the room? She doesnt mind and is actually just walking out the door. I see a wrought iron stairway leading up and I say is there an upstairs? and she says no, its just a little terrace. Bye. So we walk in and I almost crap. It IS small, but so very very adorableand the view, the VIEW! As you walk in you enter the living room and just beyond that, across this great archway, is the bedroom and bathroom beside that. But connected to the bedroom is this great balcony and a view of the entire bay and town! I then sneak up the stairway just to see the little terrace and almost crap again. It IS small, but holy crap is the view INCREDIBLE!!??! And there is this great tanning chair that I can sit in and read my book. Now its time to go see Jose about pricing. He tells us that room 5 is $1200 for a month and room 10 is $1500 for a month. After some Charlie negotiating we end up with room 10 for $1500 for 5 weeks. And guess what? That is EXACTLY what we paid for the convent jail!!! So we give Jose $350 to hold the room and have Cassandra bring us back to her mom. I go see the owner and tell her we were able to secure a room at Casa Dos Comales. She says okay and I ask if she can refund us the money we already paid her. She says she doesnt have that much on her but she can get it on Monday. Charlie asks if she has anything and she hums a little and goes inside and brings out $350. How about that?! She says she can get to the bank on Monday if we can come back then. Well, we WILL be back then, ha! So now we need to get a cab. Ugh! We are WAY up the hill in a little out of the way dead end street. Christina tells Cassandra to go hail a cab. She says she will get some boys to help and I say NO WAY. Our luggage is way too heavy for some boys to carry all that way. Well, Cassandra show up with 2 boys about her same age, sigh. I try saying "no no, too heavy", but they just ignore me and grab our luggage. It was so hysterical you guys. These kids were laughing and joking and trying to out cool each other for Cassandrawho is a DOLL! It was a blast. We are all hauling all this stuff through the streets and we get there and they lug it all up 4 flights of stairs too! I take their picture, give them $20 (we already gave Cassandra and her mom ($15) and they take off in good spirits. By this time I have thanked God many many times, but as I begin to nest I start to cry, thanking Him again and again. I cant believe the bullet we dodged. And what a wonderful wonderful place we are in now. It is SO beautiful here you guys. I love it so much. I have taken pictures and you can also check it out at www.casadoscomales.com. The internet in out room wasnt working (the outlet is bad) but fortunately I have my Linksys router with me and we set it up in the room next to us so we have wireless in our room (Jeff came over and helped us with that). Then we went and got tacos at the big taco stand next to Rizos, went to the meeting, met up after for tacos al pasdor at Takos Panchos, walked home and crashed. What a whirlwind day! But it sure was a happy happy ending!
