My wife with Ava & Gia in the background
Dad & Kaya, Isla de Ixtapa in the background
San-J on the open seas, heading to la Isla de Ixtapa, Ava w/braids
INCLUSIVE JEST: As mentioned earlier, the Powell family is addicted to the all-inclusive vacation. And this time all my in-laws (except for Danny & Melissa, both hard-working, busy, and expecting baby #1!) came-with: Grandy & Pops, Tra-C & San-J, & nephew Elliot, and we were accompanied by the ghost of a deceased genius, David Foster Wallace…read on.
Tracy & the Huachinango
Just like last year, Dad gets the girls matching henna tattoos
A PASSION FOR SERVICE: These all-inclusives are affordable, have great service, and day care. Aaaah, how sweet time without kids can be. On our first night the staff encouraged us to check out their show, we did: “A Passion for Service.” The dancers rolled suitcases, waited on tables, and did the occasional tap dance around a couple sitting at a table with a bottle of wine. The song and dance routine dragged on for…well, we don’t know how long because we escaped to the bar after ten minutes.
My lovely wife and I
Two couples acting like they’re on their honeymoon
A SUPPOSEDLY FUN THING I’LL NEVER DO AGAIN: The brilliant, late David Foster Wallace penciled an essay for Harper’s magazine that became the centerpiece of his collection, A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again. In the title essay Wallace observed a cruise in the Caribbean, and the otiose pursuits of the über-wealthy, as an uncomfortable hedonist. I reflected on his take as I guzzled drink upon drink over a vista of ocean & the tropical beauty of Ixtapa, or as I contemplated the nearby ecological preserve’s crocodiles and iguanas, the Mexicans that worked at the resort, and the implications of the zona hotelera (may the spoils not end up in the hands of those reptilian capitalists). Sure, we (I) acted the tourist, bitching in jest when the bars opened ten minutes late, groaning as I was dragged out to play tequilla volleyball, or becoming accustomed to beer before noon…but we (I) supposed it’d be fun, it was, and we’d (I’d) do it again. Quite comfortably.
Grandy & Pops, getting ready for a morning bike ride
Caleb & Pops, sans Grandy, cocodrilos in the background.
WHAT’S NOT LIKE RIDING A BIKE? One morning Grandy, Pops & I signed up to ride bikes through the ecological preserve. The guide equipped us with safety helmet and vest and gave us our bikes. Grandy works out at a health club weekly and is fit as a stringed instrument, however, when she got on the bike she…uh…wobbled a little here, she bobbled a little there, and as it turned out, for her…riding a bike, evidently, was not “just like riding a bike.” Pops & I went sans Grandy.
YOUTUBE VIDEO of the MONTH: The late night kiddie show at Ixtapa, starring Grandy, my wife, and Tra-C.
Notes of a Sexist Stay-at-home Father 
Makes me want to go again!
Not all of your in laws came. Just the ones that were invited:(
My bad, I should have mentioned that, I’ve redacted the first paragraph, and hopefully we’ll see you over the next vacations.
Caleb
Tell me more when we get together. Daiga has been talking about a vacation in Mexico. We usually avoid the tourist package deal and go on our own, but travel with a kid means requiring other comforts and it looks like you guys had plenty of fun. Will you be around during the holidays? Hope to see you. Scott
If you make it to Dad Watson’s this Tuesday, we’ll talk over a beer, and heck yeah, I can sell you on it. See you then!